Hospitality establishment receptionist

Hospitality establishment receptionists provide first point of contact and assistance to the guests of a hospitality establishment. They are also responsible for taking bookings, processing payments and giving information.

The duties of a hospitality establishment receptionist include, but are not limited to:

• Greeting guests and answering questions about the property’s facilities, activities, services, and policies
• Contacting vendors to arrange for room service delivery or housekeeping services if needed
• Providing information about local attractions, events, and restaurants to guests
• Entering reservations into a computer system for guests who have made reservations online
• Reviewing guest check-in information, such as name, address, credit card number, and phone number
• Processing payments using a computer terminal or other device, such as a point of sale system or mobile app
• Booking reservations for guests, including room rates, room availability, and special requests
• Handling problems or complaints from guests, and resolving issues through interaction with staff members or by contacting higher-level managers
• Making sure that all guests check out properly by confirming their departure arrangements and settling their accounts with the hotel

Hospitality establishment receptionists work in the lobby or front desk area of hotels and are responsible for greeting guests, checking them in, and answering any questions they may have about the hotel or its services. They also handle the hotel’s phone system, take messages, and direct calls to the appropriate hotel staff member.

Hotel receptionists typically work in shifts that include evenings, weekends, and holidays. They may also be required to work overtime during busy periods, such as holidays and conventions. The work environment is usually fast-paced and can be stressful, especially during peak periods.

The following job titles also refer to hospitality establishment receptionist:

reception worker
hotel receptionist
reception assistant
reservations clerk
reception area clerk

Hospitality establishment receptionists are typically required to have at least a high school diploma or equivalent. Some hotels may prefer candidates who have completed some college courses. Receptionists who are interested in advancing their careers may pursue a bachelor’s degree in hospitality or business administration.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Hospitality establishment receptionist is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to hospitality establishment receptionist.

hotel concierge
camping ground operative
night auditor
hotel butler
travel agent

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of hospitality establishment receptionist. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of hospitality establishment receptionist with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

rooms division manager
camping ground manager
hospitality entertainment manager
accommodation manager
tourist information centre manager

These skills are necessary for the role of hospitality establishment receptionist.

• Explain features in accommodation venue: Clarify guests’ accommodation facilities and demonstrate and show how to use them.
• Comply with food safety and hygiene: Respect optimal food safety and hygiene during preparation, manufacturing, processing, storage, distribution and delivery of food products.
• Implement marketing strategies: Implement strategies which aim to promote a specific product or service, using the developed marketing strategies.
• Maintain relationship with customers: Build a lasting and meaningful relationship with customers in order to ensure satisfaction and fidelity by providing accurate and friendly advice and support, by delivering quality products and services and by supplying after-sales information and service.
• Deal with arrivals in accommodation: Handle arrivals, guest’s luggage, check-in clients in line with company standards and local legislation ensuring high levels of customer service.
• Greet guests: Welcome guests in a friendly manner in a certain place.
• Handle customer complaints: Administer complaints and negative feedback from customers in order to address concerns and where applicable provide a quick service recovery.
• Process booking: Execute a booking of a place according to client’s requirement in advance and issue all appropriate documents.
• Provide tourism related information: Give customers relevant information about historical and cultural locations and events while conveying this information in an entertaining and informative manner.
• Handover the service area: Leave service area in conditions which follow safe and secure procedures, so that it is ready for the next shift.
• Identify customer’s needs: Use appropriate questions and active listening in order to identify customer expectations, desires and requirements according to product and services.
• Maintain customer service: Keep the highest possible customer service and make sure that the customer service is at all times performed in a professional way. Help customers or participants feel at ease and support special requirements.
• Assist clients with special needs: Aid clients with special needs following relevant guidelines and special standards. Recognise their needs and accurately respond to them if needed.
• Deal with departures in accommodation: Handle departures, guest’s luggage, client’s check-out in line with company standards and local legislation ensuring high levels of customer service.
• Implement sales strategies: Carry out the plan to gain competitive advantage on the market by positioning the company’s brand or product and by targeting the right audience to sell this brand or product to.
• Maintain customer records: Keep and store structured data and records about customers in accordance with customer data protection and privacy regulations.
• Handle financial transactions: Administer currencies, financial exchange activities, deposits as well as company and voucher payments. Prepare and manage guest accounts and take payments by cash, credit card and debit card.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of hospitality establishment receptionist. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Distribute local information materials Hand out leaflets, maps and tour brochures to visitors with information and tips about local sites, attractions and events.
• Tend to clients’ personal items Make sure that clients’ personal belongings, such as jewellery, personal documents, CDs and shoes, are properly stored, maintained and returned, according to its value and in line with organisational procedures.
• Maintain incident reporting records: Keep a system for recording details of unusual events that occur at the facility, such as job-related injuries.
• Train reception staff: Instruct the reception staff in order to make sure the staff can execute their tasks adequately, efficiently and according to guidelines.
• Assess cleanliness of areas: Evaluate cleanliness of areas in order to make sure that they are clean and presentable for customers.
• Carry out end of day accounts: Execute end of day accounts to ensure that business transactions from the current day have been correctly processed.
• Process reservations: Execute customers’ reservations in accordance to their schedules and needs by phone, electronically or in person.
• Ensure the privacy of guests: Develop methods and strategies to ensure maximum customer privacy.
• Take room service orders: Accept room service orders and redirect them to the responsible employees.
• Detect drug abuse: Identify people under excessive use of alcohol and drugs inside a facility, effectively deal with these people and supervise customers own safety while applying relevant regulations.

4224 – Hotel receptionists

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References

1. Hospitality establishment receptionist – ESCO
2. Lodging Managers : Occupational Outlook Handbook – U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
3. Hotel Receptionist Job Description: Salary, Duties, & More – ClimbtheLadder
4. Featured image: By Spensnook – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0