3 challenges facing Front Desk Managers

Having worked closely with Front Desk Managers throughout my career, I've witnessed some of the challenges they face on a daily basis and how technology can transform how they work and interact with the rest of the hotel. The difference that technology can make is remarkable as it fosters better communication, transparency, and accountability.

A positive approach is essential for demanding guests

Front Desk Managers and their teams are the first point of contact for guests. That’s why they must be attentive to guests’ needs and do everything they can to ensure guests have the best possible stay. This is even more crucial now when room rates are higher and expectations are unsurprisingly elevated in line with this. At the end of the day, Front Desk Managers and their teams are the focal representatives for the hotel so it’s crucial that they are warm and welcoming, and equipped with the right information to help guests.

Front Desk Managers are also responsible for following up with guests and enquiring about their stay. The first place guests go to when they have questions or requests is the front desk. As the guest's main point of contact, it’s the job of the Front Desk to reach out to relevant staff members to get issues or inquiries resolved or answered quickly and efficiently.

The impact of unexpected check-ins and check-outs

After addressing guest issues from the previous night, amongst other things, Front Desk Managers will print the arrivals list for the day and check if they have any specific requirements. This is where one of the most challenging areas of the job arises. Early check-ins and late check-outs can disrupt the turnover of rooms by the housekeeping team. A guest staying in their room far later than expected can keep housekeeping from being able to prepare it for the new guest’s arrival time. It can also be difficult to get accurate information on exactly when rooms are ready, which makes interaction tricky when guests are standing in the lobby desperate to get into their rooms.

One unforeseen late checkout can disrupt the whole cleaning process. Before adopting technology, the Front Desk Manager or housekeeping supervisors would have to knock on doors to check the status of each room and report back to the housekeeping office which was incredibly time-consuming and inefficient. Housekeeping managers did not have visibility over each housekeeper’s schedule and were at risk of giving new jobs to the wrong person – fundamentally impacting the efficiency of the team.

Using hotel operations technology alongside the hotel’s PMS software enables the user to have real-time updates on the status of each room and see when it will be ready. This can allow Front Desk teams to plan ahead and make decisions to benefit their guests. By using technology for room turns and prioritizing housekeeping, Front Desk Managers can quickly get guests into rooms, resulting in a vastly enhanced guest experience.

Communication is key

For a hotel to run smoothly, good communication between the front and back of house must be at the center of its operations. The old-fashioned approach of using pen-and-paper, radios, or text messages to communicate means information is static and siloed. As a result, vital communication can be missed, impacting the hotel’s ability to serve guests well. Technology allows for open communication which creates transparency and accessibility across the hotel.

Using digital and instant messaging to replace post-it notes and noisy radios helps to improve communication. That’s because Front Desk Managers and others can easily see the logged requests from guests in the morning on the app or desktop platform and share them with their housekeeping colleagues. Putting all this information through cloud-platform technology means there is also more accountability and transparency across all departments. This creates a clear digital trail of contact and minimizes miscommunication, allowing for improved synergy across the hotel. Having visibility over the progress of each job or task and the progress and contributions of team members makes it much easier to adapt to unexpected operational changes.

The day in the life of a Front Desk Manager is challenging and rewarding. As representatives for the hotel, Front Desk teams are responsible for ensuring guests have the best stay possible. Technology now plays a crucial role in their ability to achieve this goal. That’s because it provides the tools needed to respond to guest needs, handle issues as they arise, and communicate effectively with all departments within the hotel. Most importantly, technology is crucial for enhancing hotel operations which is key to delivering a positive guest experience.