The importance of the front desk in a hotel cannot be overstated. Your front desk staff are responsible for every guest’s first impression of your establishment. In fact, front desk employees can impact the overall guest experience by 20%-40%.
| “Your hotel’s staff members need effective communication if they want to deliver the best customer service possible. Training is part of that, but so are the right tools for the job.” – Sean Schoenberger, President, Sunco Communication & Installation |
Given the impact that your front desk team can have, it’s essential that your organization implements best practices to deliver the best service. The right combination of training and tools is what you need to meet and exceed your guests’ expectations.
This blog will show you some top tips and tricks for managing your hotel check-in desk. We’ll discuss what you can do to enhance your hotel operations and how the right communication tools can make all the difference.
8 Hotel Front Desk Best Practices
1. Get to Know Your Hotel Guests
As much as is possible, train your front desk agents to get to know as much about your guests when they arrive. This could be asking about room preferences, dietary restrictions, or even suggesting activities based on their interests.
For example, offering information about a golf course in the local area to a guest who expresses an interest in golfing can add a personalized touch.
For regular visitors, noting their preferred room or any specific requests they often have can make their future stays more enjoyable.
2. Maintain a Welcoming Front Desk Area
The first thing guests see can set the tone for their stay. Ensure your front desk area is always clean, well-maintained, and reflective of your hotel’s brand and image. This extends to the lobby area around the desk and the appearance of your team members.
3. Streamline The Check-In Process
The check-in process should be efficient to reduce wait times and improve the overall guest experience. This could include self-service options or mobile check-in. You can also leverage technology like Mitel Voice Assist. This solution is designed to handle routine guest requests through IVR (Interactive Voice Response) capabilities, providing real-time, lifelike interactions.
4. Handle Feedback Effectively
Hotel managers must pay attention to guest feedback, both positive and negative. Use this information to continuously improve the service at the front desk. Try implementing as much real feedback as possible into later front desk training.
| Discover More Ways You Can Enhance Your Front Desk Operations |
5. Offer Flexible Payment Options
Offer a variety of payment methods, including a variety of credit cards and mobile payments, to cater to the preferences of all guests. This flexibility can speed up the check-in and check-out processes and enhance overall guest service.
6. Crisis Management Training
Ensure that all front desk staff are trained in handling emergencies and crises. This includes having a clear understanding of evacuation procedures, knowing how to calmly guide guests during emergencies, and having first aid and other critical response skills.
7. Effectively Use Your Technology
Implement technology to streamline operations. This includes online check-ins, contactless concierge services, and using AI chatbots for common queries. Technology not only enhances efficiency but also reduces the workload on staff, allowing them to focus on providing better hospitality.
8. Adopt a VoIP Solution
Enhance communication within the hotel using a Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) solution. This can improve internal communication, guest services, and reduce costs associated with traditional phone lines. VoIP services are typically more reliable and quick than traditional phone lines. Therefore, a staff member can be quickly called even if they’re physically far away.
For instance, your front desk can immediately contact janitorial services if the lobby needs an emergency clean-up. Even if the janitor is on the 16th floor, they’ll still quickly receive the call from reception.
How The Right Communication System Helps You Implement Hotel Desk Best Practices
By integrating a modern communication tool into your hotel front desk’s overall management system, you can more easily offer efficient service. VoIP systems reduce check-in times by allowing for efficient call routing and self-service options. They also support personalized guest service by facilitating easy access to guest preferences and history during conversations.
The ideal solutions enhance internal and guest communication by offering features like cloud-based VoIP for reliable connectivity, mobile integration for on-the-go access, and unified communications to centralize operations.
These tools facilitate efficient feedback management, flexible payment methods, and effective crisis management by ensuring clear, uninterrupted communication channels.
Although, it’s important to note that not every VoIP provider is capable of catering to a hotel’s unique needs. That’s why you need to actively seek a provider who offers all of the features we mentioned and then some. It’s even better if you can find someone who openly focuses on the hospitality industry.
Looking For The Ideal Phone System For Your Hotel Front Desk?
An integrated, reliable VoIP system will make it so much easier to follow front desk best practices, as long as it can fit into your hotel’s needs. Choosing the right provider may require some time and effort, including an analysis of your hotel’s internal operations.
Sunco Communication & Installation is one of Mitel’s Hospitality Specialization Partners for 2023. That means our team is well-versed in how communication tools can fit into a hotel’s regular business processes. We can show you how you can leverage VoIP to enhance your operations without compromising how you conduct business.
Reach out to us today to ask us how.
