Front Desk Agent- Fairfield Inn Birmingham Birmingham, AL

Kaizen Lab Inc.; Birmingham (AL); On-site; USD 25,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a dynamic team at a leading hotel where you will play a crucial role in ensuring exceptional guest experiences. As a Guest Services Associate, you will be the first point of contact for guests, responsible for check-ins, check-outs, and providing top-notch customer service. This role requires flexibility, strong communication skills, and the ability to handle multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment. If you are passionate about hospitality and eager to make a positive impact on guests' stays, this is the perfect opportunity for you to thrive in a supportive and engaging atmosphere.

Qualifications

• 1+ year experience in customer service or related fields preferred.
• High school diploma or equivalent required.

Responsibilities

• Ensure smooth check-in and check-out processes for guests.
• Assist guests with inquiries and provide concierge services.
• Coordinate with housekeeping and maintenance for room status.

Skills

Customer Service

Communication Skills

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft PowerPoint

Data Entry

Database Management

Multi-tasking

Sales Techniques

Telephone Etiquette

Education

High School Diploma or G.E.D.

Tools

Property Management System (PMS)

Front Office Equipment

Job description

JOB DUTIES, MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

SUMMARY: GSAs ensure appropriate checking in and checking out of guests and providing services to these guests in a courteous and professional manner. Experience in Front Office, PBX, and Concierge preferred. Candidates must be able to work a flexible schedule including but not limited to: evenings, weekends, and holidays. Candidates must possess excellent customer service skills, effective written and oral communication skills, and a working knowledge of computers and facsimile machines. Candidates should have the ability to multi-task and handle stressful situations. Must be flexible to work in various capacities, which include PBX, Concierge, and Front Desk.

Professional Experience:

• Preferably 1 year’s experience in customer service, hotel, food and beverage restaurant administrative, human resources, legal, educational, training, financial, or business related field.

Computer Experience:

• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Data entry, and Database management systems.

Hotel Experience:

• Uses proper telephone etiquette.
• Be flexible and willing to perform other tasks as necessary or requested.
• Wear hotel GSA uniform in compliance with hotel standards.

TRAINING PROVIDED ON THE FOLLOWING:

• Serve as concierge (may make restaurant reservations, provide directions, recommend area attractions, etc.).
• Determines a guest's reservation status and identifies how long the guest will stay.
• Helps guests complete registration and assigns rooms accommodating special requests whenever possible.
• Verifies the guest's method of payment and follows established credit-checking procedures.
• Posts guest and room information in the PMS, 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.
• Must be sales-minded; uses suggestive selling techniques to sell rooms and promote other services of the hotel.
• 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.
• Assists in pre-registration and blocking of rooms for reservations.
• Thoroughly understands and adheres to proper credit, check-cashing, and cash-handling policies and procedures.
• Knows room locations, types of rooms available, and room rates.
• Understands room status and room status tracking.
• 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.
• Takes same day reservations and future reservations when necessary.
• Knows cancellation procedures.
• Generates secure room cards.
• Knows how to use front office equipment.
• Posts Suite Shop purchases to guest folios.
• Posts and files all charges to guest, master, and city ledger accounts.
• Follows procedures for issuing and closing safe deposit boxes.
• Uses proper mail, package, and message handling procedures.
• Reads and initials the pass-on log and bulletin board daily.
• Is aware of daily activities and meetings taking place in the hotel.
• Attends department meetings.
• Coordinates guestroom maintenance work with the engineering and maintenance division.
• Reports any unusual occurrences or requests to the manager or assistant manager.
• Knows all safety and emergency procedures.
• Is aware of accident prevention policies.
• Maintains the cleanliness and neatness of the front desk area.
• Understands that business demands sometimes make it necessary to move employees from their accustomed shift to other shifts.

Emotional Intelligence:

• Emotionally competent; able to effectively manage disruptive emotions and impulses; able to stay composed, positive, and unflappable even in trying moments while thinking clearly and remaining focused under pressure.
• Engage every guest in conversation and recognition.
• Resolve any guest issue immediately.
• Promote the hotel by demonstrating a high level of positive attitude and energy to serve our guests.
• Ability to anticipate guests’ needs.
• Represents the hotel to the guest throughout all stages of the guest's stay.
• Embraces and respects diversity and multicultural environment.

Skills:

• Excellent communication; orally and written.
• Requires finger dexterity, grasping, writing, standing for long periods, sitting, walking, repetitive motions, hearing, visual acuity, and may on occasion have to lift and carry up to 40 pounds.
• Able to stand, sit, and walk for more than 4 hours.

Education:

• Background screening for previous criminal history.
• Employment may be contingent upon at least 80% score on test on hotel’s reservations system (PMS) after training.
• At least a high school diploma or G.E.D.

Strengths:

• Mathematical; statistical.
• Social.
• Speaks guests’ preferred language.
• Hotel is a smoke-free property.
• Creativity.
• Organizational.
• Administrative.
• Sales.
• Curious about the world and people.