Purpose of the Front Desk

An Open Letter to My Front Desk Team

By Nathan Gawlik
Nathan Gawlik's experience includes being a General Manager of a Hampton Inn and other front line roles such as a Banquet Captain, Front Desk Agent, Housekeeper, Catering Event Manager, and Director of Sales.

Purpose of the Front Desk

An Open Letter to My Front Desk Team

By Nathan Gawlik

The main duties of the Front Desk Agent are to respond to inquiries and problems in an efficient, courteous, and professional manner to achieve maximum guest satisfaction.

As a member of the Front Office Team, you will play a major role in making each guest's stay with us a great experience. Our goal is to achieve 100% guest satisfaction and to provide each guest with unforgettable memories during their stay with us.

The front desk controls the pace for the guest's stay by giving them a warm greeting at the beginning of their stay and a sincere ‘thank you' at their departure, asking them to stay again soon. The front desk is often the first and last impression the guest will have of our property.

10 - 5 Rule

It is important to keep the 10 - 5 rule in mind at all times when you are in the front office. Doing the 10 - 5 rule creates the following:

1. Exceptional customer service for internal and external customers.
2. A feeling of safety for our guests.
3. Ensures all patrons feel welcome each and every time they visit us.

So, what is the 10 - 5 rule? The ‘10' part of the rule is greeting a guest with a smile and a wave when they are 10 ft. from you. The ‘5' part of the rule is greeting a guest with a smile, wave, and a friendly "hello" when they are 5 ft. from you. Be sure to make eye contact.It is your responsibility to strive for excellent customer service and work daily to exceed each guest's expectations, hoping to make a positive, lasting impression.

New to Customer Service in a Front Desk Environment? Here is some advice...

Get used to saying sorry, A LOT: "Sorry" is courteous, empathetic, and validates the guest's concerns. They don't feel they need to explain themselves or defend themselves further. It acknowledges that they are upset not that you are wrong. It tells them that you are on their side. Don't have too much pride to say, "That's my fault. I apologize. Let's get that corrected". Even when it's not your fault, you represent the company. If it's something we did, lets get it fixed, quickly and with a smile.

Hustle while you wait: Working in the service industry, your attention is in high demand. It's important that you work through your downtime tasks efficiently. Oftentimes, it may be difficult to get away from the desk just to use the restroom. The Front Desk can never be left unattended.

Talk it out: While using your computer, be sure to explain what you are doing as you do it, so the guest in front of you knows you are processing their request. Do your best to over-explain things whenever possible. The assumption of understanding is not good communication. This helps to easy their tension if there is any and ensures that you understand their request.

Hold: If you are with a guest, prioritize them over the phone. Answer immediately and ask to put the caller on hold while you finish with the guest in front of you. Simply say, "Thank you for calling X, I'm just finishing up with a guest. May I put you on a brief hold?"

Don't over promise and under deliver: Manage guest expectations, at times diminishing them if the situation calls for it. And whenever possible exceed them by providing tremendous value to their experience.

Front Desk One Page Reference Key Points Only

Daily Duties

Show up on time for your shift
Be in uniform ready to work with your nametag on
Smile
Immediately check the clipboards for any updates on Groups, etc.
Read the daily pass along and ask staff members on duty for clarification
Always be the first person to greet anyone through the doors
Be warm and sincere
Be prepared for anything
Notes, notes, notes. Be sure to document daily activities in the pass along log.

Check-In Key Points

Smile
Ask for guest name
Welcome guest by last name
Verify dates of stay and room type
Ask for identification & credit card/payment
Review any notes on the reservation while continuing small talk
Explain hotel information
Use last name in this process
Offer luggage assistance, if applicable
Thank guest by last name

Guest Request

Listen to the guest's request
Verify the request while speaking clearly
Contact the appropriate department for request
Verify request has been completed with the appropriate department
Notify guest that request has been fulfilled if applicable

AAA Standards

AAA applies a diamond rating scale, with a 5 diamond rating being the highest, to several different aspects of the host experience. A 3 diamond experience is considered Great while 4 is Excellent and 5 is Superior. Below are the guidelines to reach the 5 diamond rating:

"PULL QUOTE"

Small businesses need to keep their head on a swivel these days and make a concerted effort to appeal to travels across generations, if they are to remain profitable.

Check-in Score Card

Below is a scorecard you can use to rate yourself or your front desk staff. Use this template to make it your own.

Of course, not all of these questions will apply to your property while there may be others you would like to add. Ultimately, ask yourself when was the last time you checked in at your property. Does it meet your standards? Are there areas that can be improved? Have team members assess one another so they know what to look for in the perfect check-in. Continue reading to see my suggestions for the ideal check-in.

The Perfect Check-in

The most important part of the check-in experience is to make the guest feel welcome. Remember the guest first, computer second.

1. Smile
2. Welcome guest
3. Ask for guest name & thank them if they are a return guest
4. Verify room type, departure date, & that Guest Requests (upgrades) were met or not
5. Review payment details of the room
6. Ask the guest to insert Credit Card during which time you will explain the incidental authorization/hold placed on the guest card
7. Ask why the guest is traveling through the area
8. Ask if the guest has any animals staying with them in their guest room
9. Offer luggage assistance, if applicable (ADA)
10. Thank the guest by the last name and wish them a pleasant stay

Now, let's see it in practice.

Agent: Good Afternoon and welcome to [insert property name]. My name is ___ how may I assist you?
Guest: I will be checking in

Agent: I can certainly assist you, may I have your last name?
Guest: Walters

Agent: (Verify the room type and number of nights the guest will be staying with us.) Ms. Walters, Thank you for coming to see us again. We have you staying here for 3 nights, departing Monday, in a king guest room with mountain views, does that sound accurate?
Guest: That sounds about right.

Agent: Ms. Walters, may I please take a peek at your photo ID and the credit card you would like to use for your stay? (reviews credentials) How was your drive to the property today?
Guest: Yes, everything was good.

Agent: Can I offer you two complimentary bottles of water or answer anything questions about the property for you while I get you checked-in?
Guest: Yes, please.

Agent: What brings you to the area this weekend?
Guest: My 55th Birthday!

Agent: Happy Birthday Ms. Walters, what are you looking forward to during your trip to the area? (LISTEN intently and offer suggestions for dining and things to do.)

Agent: Any animals staying with you during this trip? (explain that we are not a pet-friendly hotel *or if they have a service animal, explain having an animal supersedes any other room placement requests they may have. We will need to put them on the first floor. Ask how many people are staying in the room to ensure there are enough beds. IF none of those room types are available, see if we have a rollaway bed available. Review with the manager and see PET POLICY)

Agent: Here are your rooms keys. (DO NOT SAY ROOM NUMBERS ALOUD!!) Offer directions and hours on the fitness center, pool/hot tub, breakfast, etc.
Guest: Thank you

Agent: I hope that you enjoy your stay Ms. Walters; it is a pleasure having you stay with us. Please let me know if I can assist you throughout your stay. There is someone here at the front desk 24/7.

What's most important is that you do not follow a script but that it feels and sounds natural. Make the above your own and practice hitting all the high points. The front desk is a stage and you are front and center as you represent the property and the company.

If the room isn't ready for check-in yet, ask if you can store their luggage for them and suggest activities and restaurants in the area.

Make sure the guest expectations are met. If you indicate that the guest will receive a call once their room is ready for check-in, be sure to do so. Don't over promise and under deliver.

Check-out Score Card

Below is a scorecard you can use to rate yourself or your Front Desk Staff. Use this template to make it your own.

The Perfect Check-Out

The most important part of the checkout experience is to make the guest feel their stay was valued and that they were appreciated. Remember the guest first, computer second.

1. Provide guests with a warm sincere greeting
Ex: Good morning, Good afternoon
2. Ask for the guest's name if room number not known
Verify you have the correct room number before proceeding
3. Ask the guest how their stay was and use their last name
If the guest had an issue, use the "LEARN" model to provide service recovery
4. Review charges
5. Confirm the payment method
6. Print final Folio
7. Offer luggage assistance or if they needed any final directions
8. Thank the guest for their stay by their last name and offer a return reservation
9. It has been our pleasure

Agent: Here is a copy of the charges to your account. Could you please review the charges to verify everything is correct?
Guest: Everything is correct

Agent: How would you like to settle the charges? We still have your card on file if you would like to use that one?
Guest: Yes, please use that one

Agent: Thank you (Print Folio, fold, and place in the guest's hands). Ms. Walters, may we assist you with your luggage?
Guest: Yes, that would be great

Agent: May I go ahead and book your next stay with us?
Guest: No, I am not sure about my dates

Agent: Our number is printed on your folio when you decide to come back and stay. Will you need any driving directions today?
Guest: No, but thank you!

Agent: Ms. Walters, thank you so much for staying with us. It's been a pleasure having you stay; we hope to see you again soon! Please feel free to share your experience online.

Make a Lasting Positive Impression

"Poor customer service is a gift you give your competitor"

Summary - Words of Wisdom

Look for areas to reduce any areas of struggle for the guest. Simple phrasing can help with this a lot. You have to remember that when guests come to check-in they may be exhausted from driving all day. I once had a guest hand me a credit card but when I asked, "Is this the card you would like to use to pay for the room?" He said no. He had just driven for eight long hours. Below are a few other examples:

I noticed that when guests were checking in they often struggled to get their gears turning when prompted with simple questions. One example of this is when asking them to confirm their departure is in 4 days. Often the response I would get was, "Umm...yeah checking out Tuesday, however many days that is." So, I adjusted my check-in routine to include that helpful information.

Always use guest-centric language whenever possible. Explain to them what is in it for them. One such example of this would be when asking them for their phone number. Consider this: "Can we get a good phone number from you, in case you leave anything behind?"

This same concept can be applied to collecting email addresses for guests. Of course, I'm going to use it to send them marketing emails but I like to phrase it like, "Can I have your email so we can send you over an electronic copy of the receipt upon your departure?"

Keep these suggestions in mind if you find that guests are getting hung up on words or phrasing. You don't want to be robotic, mundane, or rehearsed but you do want to be sure to save yourself any hardship with misleading or inaccurate information.

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