Everytime when we enter into any hotel the very first person we usually interact with is the receptionist of the hotel who handles all kinds of front desk activities. In short a receptionist is the frontline spokesperson of a hotel and the customers’ impression about the hotel is dependent upon the receptionist to many extent. Additionally, the job of a receptionist is a very prestigious one and the person who is in search of such a job needs to be pretty smart and efficient enough to meet all the hotel requirements as well as to take care of customer satisfaction. A good receptionist should be able to handle any type of customer and service issues very systema
tically and at the same time tactfully.
Therefore, in this article we will try to light up on the expected duties and responsibilities of a good receptionist. But before jumping into that discussion we will start with a brief description of the qualifications and skills that a receptionist must possess.
So, let’s dive in:
A hotel receptionist is considered to be the face of any hotel, so he or she must be very much versatile in different skills as well as should be well qualified to his or her job with proficiency.
Qualifications of a Receptionist
Though the hiring procedures for receptionists vary and depend on different hotels’ HR rules and job policies, yet any receptionist must be a college graduate or at least in possession of a high school diploma. It will be better if he or she completes hotel management diploma and certificate courses.
Most of the receptionist job seekers are used to being trained that includes in their management courses. Those who are academically trained are preferred by the hotel authorized to get approval to join the job of the front desk receptionist. Sometimes, fresher receptionists receive training organized by the hotel authority that can be a short period of one or two week. After the completion of the training the receptionists get certified by the hotel. The motto behind these types of training is to make the employees efficient in keeping visitors’ check in and check out records including the knowledge of handling telecommunication services and particular computer software applications that would be needed for the job.
The receptionist can be positioned for a more prestigious position in future if they gather enough advance experience in their present job like spreadsheet application, word processing etc.
Essential qualities and duties of a receptionist
- Communication skills both verbal and written
A good receptionist must be very much clear to express his or her own point of views as well as able to explain each and every queries of the customers both verbal and written.
- Customer service
A hotel receptionist indirectly represents a hotel, so he or she needs to be very helpful, courteous and polite towards the customers while they are asking for any service.
- Friendliness
Receptionists must welcome customers with a smile on their faces that would help the customers to feel friendly ambience.
- Professionalism
A receptionist should be accounted for in his or her profession. He or she must maintain positive conduct, behaviour and attitude to the specific needs of the particular job.
- Adaptability
Receptionists should possess excellent ability to adjust themselves with the different work environment that means quick response towards changes in job ideas, business developments, trends, strategies and also acting according to the customers’ needs.
- Perseverance
Receptionists must be patient and keep cool while handling different customers.
- Problem solving ability
Receptionists must have the skill to convince the customers to solve their problems.
- Accuracy and Attentiveness
Receptionists should be attentive while listening to the customers’ queries and also be accurate during providing any information.
- Obsequious attitude
A receptionist must have the attitude to provide the best service.
- Integrity
Receptionists must need the ability to handle distinctive customer details. They should be reliable enough to the customers to take care of their privacies.
- Telecommunication skills
Telecommunication skill is very important to become a good receptionist as customers call at the reception for any kind of service.
- Special focus on customer satisfaction
A receptionist’s main goal is to provide the customers assurance of total comfort while living in the hotel and also make sure to provide the best service.
- Ability to work under pressure
A receptionist’s job is indeed a tough one, yet he or she needs to be cool in work pressure that requires an extreme amount of mental stability.
- Multitasking abilities
Receptionists should be multitaskers while handling different customers at a time.
- Microsoft office handling skills
Receptionists must have enough knowledge of handling several computer applications including Microsoft office tasks.
- Interpretation abilities
A receptionist should be able to interact with the customers without any hesitation and be smart in attitude.
- Organizational skills
Other than handling customers’ details and providing services a receptionist also needs to do several different works in course of times that requires good organizational skills to handle diverse responsibilities.
Responsibilities of a receptionist
Whenever we go to any hotel, we always go to the hotel reception area and ask for any query from the receptionist. In that case the receptionist has a number of responsibilities to take care of to make the customers’ satisfaction. Here are some those listed below:
- A receptionist should be dealing with every previous and instant bookings both telephonic and face to face.
- He or she must be good in greeting, welcoming as well as directing every guest properly during check in and check out.
- To satisfy customers’ queries and also inform them of notable notifications.
- Maintaining a proper customer and hotel security system by verifying the guests’ legal identities.
- Notifying the customers about specific features and regulations of the hotel.
- Informative about the guest to the hotel authority.
- Arranging rooms for customers and handling the keys’ charge.
- Maintaining the confidentiality of every customer
- Making the bills according to service, room rents etc and also taking the payments.
- Dealing with customers’ special requests and complaints and also solving them as possible.
- Keeping the reception area clean, sound and presentable to the guests.
- Contributing efforts for the team works.
- Monitoring internal security procedures of the hotel.
- Operating telecommunication services and fulfilling customers’ needs.
