Guest Service Agent - Holiday Inn Express and Suites Norfolk

Guest Service Agent

Job Summary: Represents the hotel to the guest throughout all stages of the guest's stay. Determines a guest's reservation status and identifies how long the guest will stay. Helps guest’s complete registration cards and then assigns rooms accommodating special requests whenever possible. Verifies the guest's method of payment and follows established credit-checking procedures. Places guest and room information in the appropriate front desk racks and communicates this information to the appropriate hotel personnel. Works closely with the housekeeping department in keeping room status reports up to date and coordinates requests for maintenance and repair work. Maintains guest room key storage and maintains and supervises access to safe deposit boxes. Must be sales-minded. Presents options and alternatives to guests and offers assistance in making choices. Knows the location and types of available rooms as well as the activities and services of the property.

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Registers guests and assigns rooms. Accommodates special requests whenever possible.
2. Assists in pre-registration and blocking of rooms for reservations.
3. Thoroughly understands and adheres to proper credit, check-cashing, and cash-handling policies and procedures
4. Understands room status and room status tracking.
5. Knows room locations, types of rooms available, and room rates.
6. Uses suggestive selling techniques to sell rooms and to promote other services of the hotel.
7. Coordinates room status updates with the housekeeping department by notifying housekeeping of all check-outs, late check-outs, early check-ins, special requests, and part-day rooms.
8. Possesses a working knowledge of the reservations department. Takes same day reservations and future reservations when necessary. Knows cancellation procedures.
9. Files room keys.
10. Knows how to use front office equipment.
11. Processes guest check-outs.
12. Posts and files all charges to guest, master, and city ledger accounts.
13. Follows procedures for issuing and closing safe deposit boxes.
14. Uses proper telephone etiquette.
15. Uses proper mail, package, and message handling procedures.
16. Reads and initials the pass-on log and bulletin board daily. Is aware of daily activities and meetings taking place in the hotel.
17. Attends department meetings.
18. Coordinates guestroom maintenance work with the engineering and maintenance division.
19. Reports any unusual occurrences or request to the manager or assistant manager
20. Knows all safety and emergency procedures. Is aware of accident prevention policies.
21. Maintains the cleanliness and neatness of the front desk area.
22. Understands that business demands sometimes make it necessary to move employees from their accustomed shift to other shifts.

Requisites

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE: High school diploma at a minimum required and 3 or more years of hotel operations experienced preferred.
LANGUAGE SKILLS: Must have developed language skills to the point to be able to:

• Read and interpret documents in English such as routine correspondence, newspapers, periodicals, journals, and manuals.
• Write routine reports, correspondence, business letters, summaries, and reports in English using prescribed format, and conforming to all rules of punctuation, grammar, diction, and style.
• Ability to speak effectively in English to customers and employees.

REASONING ABILITY: Must have developed reasoning abilities to the point to be able to:

• Apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form.
• Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide numbers; and ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts and percentages.
• Read and interpret business records and statistical reports.

COMPUTER SKILLS: Must have sufficient computer skills that will allow the individual to be able to use, in a proficient manner, certain Company-issued software programs implemented at the hotel, including but not limited to Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Office 365, Microsoft Outlook, Company-issued internet browser programs, and Company-issued electronic mail programs. [NOTE: Company-issued software programs may change from time to time; the individual is required to learn the new programs and upgrades as soon as practicable after such items are provided to the hotel.]

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and talk or hear. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. The employee must be able to see differences in widths and lengths of lines such as those on graphs. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS: Inside: Protection from weather conditions but not necessarily from temperature changes. A job is considered "inside" if the worker spends approximately 75 percent or more of the time inside.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Must be able to work effectively in a stressful environment, communicate well with others, effectively deal with guests, and accept constructive criticism from supervisors.
• Must be able to change activity frequently and cope with interruptions.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Essential functions of this job are described under the headings above. The job requirements and features are subject to change from time to time due to the then-current needs and requirements of the Company and/or the hotel.