Table of Contents

1. The Customer Service Experience
2. How a Typical Day Unfolds

Hotel front desk agents are at the front lines of a hotel’s overall guest experience, and because of this, they occupy one of the most important, highly visible customer service roles in the entire property. Front desk agents are often the first person a guest interacts with at the hotel, and the last person they see when they check out.

The hotel front desk offers a wide variety of roles depending on experience level, from entry level to management roles for those with previous training and education in the hotel industry.

But, even if you’re starting out at the beginning of your hotel career, it’s beneficial to come in with some type of previous customer service experience so your employer feels confident that you can shine in such an interactive customer-facing role. 

The Customer Service Experience

Front desk agents are the first impression a guest forms when walking through the doors. On a personal level, front desk agents should truly enjoy interacting with people; being a front desk agent is definitely not for introverts who prefer working behind the scenes or on their own. Being a people person is paramount, and most hotel front desk agents should expect to: 

• Deal regularly with businesses travelers and understand the kind of customer service interactions corporate or professional travelers prefer
• See a steady influx of new guests, usually staying for a short duration. Even with repeat customers, you probably won’t see them more than a few times a year. 
• Spend a lot of your time on check-in and check-out of single guests as well as groups and tours.
• Arrange reservations, prepare for business meetings, offer referrals for services, and troubleshoot day-to-day problems as part of the hotel team.

How a Typical Day Unfolds

Strong administrative skills are key for job seekers interested in working as a front desk agent. The position involves great organizational skills, from arranging room assignments, using a computer, and handling cash to dealing with a variety of customer service expectations and requests.

Here’s what a typical hotel front desk agent’s day might look like:

• Arrive at 6:45 a.m. for a 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. shift.
• Review what happened in the previous shift.
• Look at immediate needs or things that have to be done asap.
• Count the cash.
• Review guest checks check-ins and checkouts.
• Prepare for business meetings in the hotel.
• Do room assignments.
• Handle incoming packages.
• Reconfirm dinner reservations.
• Process reservations, checkouts, and check-ins.

Successful hotel front desk clerks or guest services agents always do their best to anticipate potential problems and find solutions ahead of time before the guest experience is affected.