Front Office Administrator

POSITION SUMMARY

Assist staff with expediting problem payments (e.g. problems processing credit card). Follow up with guest regarding satisfaction with guest-related issues. Process all guest check-ins by confirming reservations assigning room and issuing and activating room key. Process all payment types such as room charges cash checks debit or credit. Anticipate sold-out situations and obtain satisfactory alternative accommodations when the property cannot accommodate guests with reservations. Process all check-outs including resolving any late and disputed charges. Answer record and process all guest calls messages requests questions or concerns. Coordinate with Housekeeping to track readiness of rooms for check-in. Run daily reports (number of arrivals departures) identify any special requests and check reports for accuracy. Cash guests personal checks and travelers checks. Review shift logs/daily memo books and document pertinent information in logbooks. Count bank at the beginning and end of shift. Balance and drop receipts according to Accounting specifications. Assist management in training motivating and coaching employees; serve as a role model. Report accidents injuries and unsafe work conditions to manager; complete safety training and certifications. Follow all company policies and procedures; ensure uniform and personal appearance are clean and professional; maintain confidentiality of proprietary information. Anticipate and address guests service needs. Speak with others using clear and professional language; prepare and review written documents accurately and completely; answer telephones using appropriate etiquette. Develop and maintain positive working relationships with others. Ensure adherence to quality expectations and standards. Stand sit or walk for an extended period of time. Move lift carry push pull and place objects weighing less than or equal to 10 pounds without assistance. Perform other reasonable job duties as requested by Supervisors.

CRITICAL TASKS

Safety and Security

• Follow company and department safety and security policies and procedures to ensure a clean safe and secure environment.
• Maintain awareness of undesirable persons on property premises.
• Report work related accidents or other injuries immediately upon occurrence to manager/supervisor.
• Follow property specific procedures for handling emergency situations (e.g. evacuations medical emergencies natural disasters).

Policies and Procedures

• Ensure uniform nametags and personal appearance are clean hygienic professional and in compliance with company policies and procedures.
• Protect the privacy and security of guests and coworkers.
• Maintain confidentiality of proprietary materials and information.
• Perform other reasonable job duties as requested by Supervisors.

Guest Relations

• Welcome and acknowledge each and every guest with a smile eye contact and a friendly verbal greeting using the guests name when possible.
• Engage guests in conversation regarding their stay property services and area attractions/offerings.
• Actively listen and respond positively to guest questions concerns and requests using brand or property specific process (e.g. LEARN PLEASED Guest Response LEAP MYSTIQUE) to resolve issues delight and build trust.
• Anticipate guests service needs including asking questions of guests to better understand their needs and watching/listening to guest preferences and acting on them whenever possible.
• Address guests service needs in a professional positive and timely manner.
• Assist other employees to ensure proper coverage and prompt guest service.
• Thank guests with genuine appreciation and provide a fond farewell.
• Provide assistance to individuals with disabilities including assisting visually hearing or physically-impaired individuals within guidelines (e.g. escorting them when requested using words to explain actions writing directions on paper moving objects out of the way or offering access to Braille or TDD phones).

Communication

• Discuss work topics activities or problems with coworkers supervisors or managers discreetly and quietly avoiding public areas of the property.
• Prepare and review written documents (e.g. daily logs business letters memoranda reports) including proofreading and editing written information to ensure accuracy and completeness.
• Talk with and listen to other employees to effectively exchange information.
• Provide assistance to coworkers ensuring they understand their tasks.
• Answer telephones using appropriate etiquette including answering the phone within 3 rings answering with a smile in ones voice using the callers name transferring calls to appropriate person/department requesting permission before placing the caller on hold taking and relaying messages and allowing the caller to end the call.
• Speak to guests and co-workers using clear appropriate and professional language.

Assists Management

• Assist management in screening resumes conducting interviews and selecting new hourly hires using selection tools and systems.
• Ensure that hourly employees are trained on company core values job roles responsibilities and technical and service aspects of the job.
• Serve as a departmental role model or mentor by working alongside employees to perform technical or functional job duties.
• Assist management in establishing and communicating goals performance expectations timetables and deadlines for shift or departmental operations to hourly employees and ensure that they are understood.
• Assist management to ensure that hourly employees have the necessary resources to effectively perform their jobs (e.g. supplies equipment and inventory).
• Assign and ensure work tasks are completed on time and that they meet appropriate quality standards.
• Coach and develop employees (e.g. create expectations for continual improvement provide challenging tasks and assignments hold development discussions and construct and execute development plans).
• Encourage and motivate employees to perform their best take responsibility for tasks and assignments make decisions and provide input on possible improvements.
• Collaborate with management to formally recognize hourly employees performance contributions.
• Listen to hourly employees suggestions for improving how work is done and how guests are served gaining management support as needed to act upon suggestions.
• Coordinate tasks and work with other departments to ensure that the department runs efficiently.
• Collaborate with management to develop and carry-out ideas and procedures and set goals to continuously improve department performance around guest and employee satisfaction scores.

Working with Others

• Develop and maintain positive and productive working relationships with other employees and departments.
• Partner with and assist others to promote an environment of teamwork and achieve common goals.
• Actively listen to and consider the concerns of other employees responding appropriately and effectively.
• Support all co-workers and treat them with dignity and respect.
• Handle sensitive issues with employees and/or guests with tact respect diplomacy and confidentiality.

Quality Assurance/Quality Improvement

• Monitor the performance of others to ensure adherence to quality expectations and standards.
• Identify and recommend new ideas technologies or processes to increase organizational efficiency productivity quality safety and/or cost-savings.

Physical Tasks

• Read and visually verify information in a variety of formats (e.g. small print).
• Enter and locate work-related information using computers and/or point of sale systems.
• Grasp turn and manipulate objects of varying size and weight requiring fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
• Reach overhead and below the knees including bending twisting pulling and stooping.
• Move lift carry push pull and place objects weighing less than or equal to 10 pounds without assistance.
• Stand sit or walk for an extended period of time or for an entire work shift.

Check-in/Check-out

• Process all guest check-ins by confirming reservations in computer system (e.g. Fidelio PMS FOSSE OPERA) verifying guest identity requesting form of payment assigning room and issuing room key in accordance with property policies and procedures.
• Activate room keys using electronic key machine (e.g. Saflok) and reissue new room keys to guests as necessary (e.g. lost key) by verifying guest identity and using electronic key machine.
• Sell a room/accommodation to guests without reservations based on availability.
• Organize and coordinate master accounts for arriving groups.
• Organize and coordinate check-in/pre-registration procedures for arriving groups.
• Verify and adjust billing for guests.
• Set up accurate accounts for each guest upon check-in according to their requirements (i.e. sharewiths separate room/tax/incidentals comp).
• Assign room according to guest request and preferences whenever possible.
• Ensure rates match market codes and that any exceptions are documented and include an explanation.
• Secure valid form of payment (e.g. credit card cash) prior to issuing room key.
• Obtain and verify proper tax-exempt information for tax-exempt guests.
• Ask for and enter Marriott Rewards information (e.g. number name address) when taking reservation or checking guest in.
• Sign guests up for Marriott Rewards.
• Pre-register designated guests and prepare key packets.
• File guest room keys and ensure the safe keeping of keys at the Front Desk.
• File guest paperwork or documentation.
• Communicate to appropriate staff that there are guests that are waiting for an available room.
• Advise guest of any messages (e.g. voicemail mail faxes) received for them and send to room if required.
• Accommodate requests for room changes when possible.
• Review requests for late check-outs and approve according to occupancy.
• Keep track of changes in room status (e.g. early check-out late check-out room transfer unexpected stay over) for Housekeeping.
• Print and fold folios and ensure that they are placed under each guest room door the night before check-out.
• Process all check-outs including express check-outs resolving any late and disputed charges settling account retrieving room key and requesting comments on guests stay.
• Research and resolve disputed charges with credit card companies.
• Conduct group check-ins/outs.
• Clear departures in computer system to document that rooms are no longer occupied.
• Coordinate with Housekeeping to track readiness of rooms for check-in and to report guest concerns.
• Review out-of-order rooms daily to determine status and estimated date for return to room inventory.

Reservations/Blocking Rooms

• Confirm reservations and cancellations.
• Take reservations by phone internet request or in person.
• Identify any over-commitments by room type (e.g. bedding view size).
• Manage daily room inventory and determine room sales strategy (e.g. over-commitments).
• Anticipate sold-out situations and determine how many rooms are over-committed.
• Perform call-arounds of surrounding area properties for occupancy and rate and maintain list of alternative accommodations.
• Obtain satisfactory alternative accommodations for guests with reservations when the property cannot accommodate them.
• Ensure that current information on rates packages and promotions is available at the Front Office.
• Cancel reservations that are not secured with a credit card after designated time.
• Respond to fax/email reservation requests.
• Block rooms in the computer and identify designated requirements and requests (e.g. guaranteed room types special requests VIPs early arrivals guest recognition).
• Perform duplicate reservation checks.
• Pull rooms from inventory for group blocks and ensure rooming lists are correct and updated in computer systems.
• Track complimentary rooms and ensure they are allocated appropriately.

Communications

• Operate telephone switchboard station in order to answer telephone calls.
• Monitor busy or unanswered lines check back with callers on hold to update status and offer to take a message.
• Communicate guest and employee messages by printing messages and arranging for delivery of printed messages.
• Serve as liaison with Regional/Central Reservation Centers.
• Update property extensions and caller identification display.
• Activate and deactivate guest room message lights as appropriate.
• Assist callers with credit card calling card long distance collect overseas and person to person calls.
• Process guest requests for wake up calls screening calls do not disturb call forwarding conference calls TDD relay calls and non-registered guest calls.
• Make photocopies at request of guests.
• Transfer guests with internet access issues to the internet service providers customer support line.
• Instruct guests on how to access the internet (e.g. dial-up broadband wireless).
• Test beepers and radios to ensure communications equipment works properly.
• Make pre-departure calls to guests to identify needs related to wake-up transportation etc.
• Forward calls to Front Desk during breaks at night or whenever the switchboard is unattended.

Reports/Recordkeeping

• Review shift logs/daily memo books and document pertinent information in logbooks.
• Log all guest requests incidents adjustments and comment cards into computer to allow for proper tracking and documentation of guest problems and solution.
• Document maintenance needs on work orders and submit to manager/supervisor.
• Run daily reports (number of arrivals departures) identify any special requests and check reports for accuracy.
• Print contingency lists to have a record of all guests in case of emergency.
• Compile list of guests with extended stays for guest recognition purposes.
• Run credit card authorization report and check for discrepancies.
• Complete the Room Rate Variance Report.
• Maintain and update database containing preferences of repeat and VIP guests.

Greet/Escort Guests

• Open doors and assist guests/residents/visitors entering and leaving property.
• Supply guests/residents with directions and information regarding property amenities services and hours of operation and local areas of interest and activities.

Guest Services

• Make pre-arrival midstay and post-stay calls to guests to ensure needs are met.
• Send and respond to emails and website requests from guests.
• Compile and distribute list of anticipated services and amenities to relevant departments.
• Answer record and process all guest calls requests questions or concerns.
• Contact appropriate individual or department (e.g. Bellperson Front Desk Housekeeping Engineering Security/Loss Prevention) as necessary to resolve guest call request or problem.
• Ensure that any outstanding requests or problems from the previous day receive priority and are resolved.
• Follow up with guests to ensure their requests or problems have been met to their satisfaction.
• Arrange transportation (e.g. taxi cab shuttle bus) for guests/residents/visitors and record advance transportation request as needed.
• Accept and record wake-up call requests and deliver to appropriate department.
• Maintain welcome beverage station.
• Deliver wake-up calls for guests at requested time.
• Deliver items (e.g. messages mail faxes packages flowers sundry items gift items) to guest/resident rooms.
• Deliver and retrieve guest/resident dry cleaning/laundry.
• Provide complimentary toiletries to guests such as toothpaste razors and shampoo.
• Log lost and found items and help guests locate lost items.
• Sell snacks beverages and other supplies (such as toothpaste and over-the-counter medications) to guests.
• Bake pre-made cookies in the restaurant.
• Monitor and maintain supply and cleanliness of coffee station.

At Your Service/Delighted to Serve

• Input room service orders into computer system.
• Follow up with guest regarding satisfaction with guest-related issues.

VIP/Concierge Services

• Gather summarize and utilize information about the property and the surrounding area amenities including special events and activities.
• Maintain updated resource materials on all vendors and information to accommodate guest/resident requests.
• Respond to guest/resident requests for special arrangements or services (e.g. spa services transportation religious services babysitting financial services business center services interpretation services reservations dry cleaning entertainment/sporting events shopping) by making arrangements or identifying appropriate providers.
• Respond to special requests from guests/residents with unique needs.
• Complete confirmation cards and deliver to guest/residents upon completion of each arrangement coordinated for guest.
• Telephone newly registered guests after check-in to establish their needs and satisfaction and follow up on any guest requests.
• Communicate VIP arrivals to designated personnel for escort and delivery of amenities.
• Greet and escort VIPs to their rooms upon arrival.
• Call or assist VIPs on their first day to ensure all their requests and needs are met as well as ask their preferences for time of requested service(s).

Mail/Packages/Fax

• Receive deliver and document incoming packages for guests.
• Distribute incoming mail and faxes to guests and staff.
• Package label and ship items for guests maintaining receipts and paperwork on all shipped items for tracking and billing purposes and ensuring charges are applied to proper accounts room numbers or credit cards.
• Prepare and send faxes to appropriate personnel and guests.
• Coordinate delivery of packages and/or boxes to the proper meeting room or guest room.

Group Events

• Direct guests to their meeting/function rooms and all property areas.
• Verify that groups food and beverages are refilled and that meeting rooms are maintained (e.g. emptying of trashcans removal of dirty dishes) during event.

Business Center

• Open and close the Business Center.
• Assist guests with their business center needs (e.g. copies faxes typing) and bill services.
• Rent and/or sell electronics or miscellaneous office supplies (e.g. cell phones cameras laptop paper cutters paper products) to guests.

Parking

• Dispatch bell staff or valet staff as needed.
• Communicate parking procedures to guests/visitors.
• Stock jogger station with clean towels bottled water and/or fruits.
• Monitor and maintain safety security and cleanliness of parking areas/levels and report any vehicles/safety hazards unauthorized personnel or potential security problems to the manager/supervisor.

Cash Handling

• Count bank at the beginning of shift to ensure that amounts are correct and that there is adequate change.
• Count bank at end of shift and secure bank.
• Balance and drop receipts according to Accounting specifications.
• Process all payment types such as room charges cash checks debit or credit.
• Process adjustment vouchers paid-outs correction vouchers and miscellaneous charges.
• Provide change to guests.
• Cash guests personal checks and travelers checks.
• Reconcile all guest checks in the computer system and maintain accountability for all financial transactions.
• Obtain manual authorizations and follow all Accounting procedures when computer system is down.

Finance-Related

• Process accounts receivable (e.g. direct billing invoices).
• Assist staff with expediting problem payments (e.g. problems processing credit card).
• Print credit check report review status of each account and follow up on accounts beyond approved credit limits.
• Process advance payment/e-commerce reservations.
• Maintain original copies of all billed services for accounting purposes and organize Group receipts ensuring they are accounted and copied for bill review.
• Handle deposits of payment checks to the property by documenting information and putting checks in drop.

Inventory/Procurement

• Monitor inventory and order general office supplies (fax paper copier toner etc.) for the department.
• Order and stock supplies for guests such as snacks beverages and toiletries.
• Establish and maintain relationships with outside vendors.

Maintenance/Security

• Escort unwelcome persons off property and/or contact Security when necessary.
• Announce all visitors to guests before allowing them to go up permitting access only to authorized visitors.