Make their stay one to remember.
A hotel clerk is often the front line of customer satisfaction for whatever hotel they work for. He is the face of all the management and service employees within that hotel, and as such usually take the entire blame or praise for a guest's experience at the hotel. Superior people skills, local expertise and physical labor all must be combined in a hotel clerk's repertoire for him to be the most successful at his work.
Skills
Communication skills are first and foremost for any hotel clerk. Guests are dependent on hotel clerks to provide accurate information on hotel rates and schedules, guide them to the proper rooms, and react calmly and professionally during to a guest emergency. A hotel clerk must be able to mediate a guest complaint to their satisfaction, or provide reparations when necessary. Night and weekend shifts are often required. A hotel clerk must be able to work standing up, often for eight to 12 hours at a time, or longer.
Duties
Beyond checking guests in and out of their stay at the hotel, a hotel clerk must be ready to perform almost every other duty within the hotel, depending on staffing situations. A hotel clerk can be called upon to deliver requested items to a guest room, store luggage, monitor reservation phone calls, and even fill in for food runners in room service. Also, if a dedicated concierge is not available at the hotel, the hotel clerk should be able to provide travel directions and information about local attractions and events. If the hotel has a store, the hotel clerk may need to monitor the cash register and guest transactions.
Training
Depending on the service quality and standards of the particular hotel, a hotel clerk often needs no more than a high school education to be hired. Most duties and services required for a hotel clerk are learned on-site and through provided training, as individual hotels have differing requirements for technical and service skills. Some hotels require many years of experience within the hospitality industry before they will consider hiring a new hotel clerk.
Employment
Hotel clerks are most often employed at the front desk of hotels, be they independently run operations or chains such as the Ramada Inn or La Quinta. Hotel clerks are also found at lodges, resorts and motels.
Salary
A hotel clerk's salary is largely dependent on the particular hotel they work for, the quality and range of services offered to guests, and the number of years they have worked within the industry. Hotel clerks are usually paid an hourly wage between $8 to $16, though front desk clerk managers can be salaried.
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