Front of House Manager

Company: Ocean Hotels Barbados

JOB SUMMARY

To supervise and control all Front Desk and Guest Services areas to Ocean Hotels, AAA 5 Diamond standards and LQA Benchmark standards, while maximising revenues, and profits to agreed budgetary limits.

SCOPE

• To ensure that Front Desk and Guest Services is successful as an independent profit centre; ensuring
• maximum guest satisfaction consistent with our hotel standards, through planning, organising, directing, and controlling all aspects related to the revenues and operating expenses.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Operational

• Ensure that staff members operate in full compliance with the AAA 5 Diamond standards and LQA Benchmark standards.
• Serves as the lead customer service contact for members at the front desk, including: answering questions, welcoming, and other member communications.
• Acts as a liaison between the front desk and all other departments, communicating relevant information to the front desk staff as needed.
• Ensure departmental rostering, payroll and departmental attendance records are done and completed to the standards of the company.
• Manages the control of stock, ordering inventory and working utensils as budget dictates.
• Implements, monitors, and analyzes the front desk budget.
• Develops and implements front desk policies and standard operating procedures , in accordance with the AAA 5 Diamond standards and LQA Benchmark standards .
• Monitors accuracy of the POS and PMS at the front desk, making adjustments, as necessary.
• Conducts departmental meetings, gathering feedback from the team to improve their performance and working environment, offer commendation and develop plans for improvement.
• To ensure that guests are greeted, checked in and allocated rooms promptly and courteously. Where a guest room is not ready by the advertised time, ensure that guest is given access to the hotel’s facilities and provided with frequent updates on the estimated time the room would be ready, in accordance with the AAA 5 Diamond standards and LQA Benchmark standards .
• To ensure that check-in procedures are strictly adhered to and that the correct address and charge out details are obtained from each guest, ensuring that guests are always made aware of the hotel’s payment methods for quick and efficient transactions, in accordance with the AAA 5 Diamond standards and LQA Benchmark standards .
• To be readily available at all times to deal with problems or complaints, investigating issues as they arise and offering compensation where appropriate
• Managing the reviews and responses provided by the Guest Relations Manager on all guest feedback platforms such as Booking.com, Revinate and Trip Advisor verifying that all reviews and surveys are responded to in a timely manner ensuring constant visibility and the company’s good reputation is maintained.
• To ensure maximum room occupancy within agreed overbooking policy. This refers to the amount of persons allowed to check into rooms on arrival. In the event additional persons are allowed in the room, then the additional cost per person must be applied to the guest account and paid prior to the guests going to the room.
• To ensure that reservations are taken according to established procedures and reflected in the PMS.
• To ensure that all charges are correctly entered on the guest's bill and that the bill is itemised, grammatically correct, accurate and free of any unexpected charges, in accordance with AAA 5 Diamond standards and LQA Benchmark standards .
• To ensure that an opportunity is provided for guests to verify bill charges, ensuring that if any discrepancies, charges are quickly and discreetly removed from the bill in accordance with AAA 5 Diamond standards and LQA Benchmark standards .
• To ensure that credit control procedures are strictly adhered to, that no bills exceed the stipulated limit without prior approval and that written confirmation, purchase orders, or order numbers are on file.
• To ensure that guest accounts are balanced daily.
• Manage cashier float ensuring any discrepancies are investigated and rectified, while being logged in accordance with the policy and procedure.
• To ensure effective and speedy check-out facilities.
• To ensure that luggage is delivered to and collected from rooms speedily, ensuring that the lobby and public areas are always kept clear of unattended luggage, in accordance with AAA 5 Diamond standards and LQA Benchmark standards .
• To ensure that enquiries, messages, and bookings are dealt with courteously and efficiently, and wherever possible, ensuring that guests / callers requests are repeated and confirmed, so as to not miss any key details, in accordance with AAA 5 Diamond standards and LQA Benchmark standards .
• Ensure that all Front Desk staff are correctly dressed according to company standards in accordance with the company’s Handbook, AAA 5 Diamond standards and LQA Benchmark standards complete with face masks and name badge.
• Ensure that all Front Desk areas have been sanitised, cleaned and tidy at all times.
• To ensure that all guest related and departmental deliveries are taken to respective areas promptly and logged when necessary.
• To ensure that incoming and outgoing telephone calls are handled promptly and courteously that the caller is left with a great impression of Ocean Hotels Barbados. In addition, ensure that all calls are answered within three rings / ten seconds with an appropriate greeting, and that callers are not placed on hold without their permission or for longer than thirty seconds, in accordance with AAA 5 Diamond standards and LQA Benchmark standards .
• Carry out system atic checks of all Front Desk areas for maintenance requirements, repairs, or refurbishing, ensuring that these are actioned without delay.
• To ensure that the Hotel Entrance is easily accessible to cars and taxis at all times.
• To hold regular performance appraisals with all staff, identifying areas for development and training needs and ensuring that this training is effectively done.
• Coordinate luggage collection and storage if necessary
• Overseeing all check-in and check-out procedures, including reservations and financial transactions, in accordance with the company’s standards, AAA 5 diamond standards and LQA Benchmarking standards
• Attend to all VIP requirements and needs, personally taking care of all VIP guest arrivals, in accordance with the company’s standards, AAA 5 diamond standards and LQA Benchmarking standards
• Coordinate and manage communication between guests and staff and follow up to ensure all guest concerns are resolved within a timely manner
• Ensure maximum security in all areas under your control and sensitise the team on such.
• Manage a small fleet of independent taxi operators ensuring that they and their vehicles are consistent with diamond standards.
• Act as a Duty Manager when required.
• Attend all Management Meetings.
• Circulate regularly throughout all Front Desk areas, maintaining a high profile with guests and staff.
• Maintains the high standards with particular regard to the services of Owners and VIP guests.
• Ensure accurate and timeous submission of all reports and administrative work.
• Prepare and submit the required format annual budgetary information and updates as required.
• Promote all hotel amenities conveniences and programs offered
• Coordinate, improve and train the staff within the guest service team to achieve higher standards within the luxury field.
• Create and follow the department budget and financial statements
• Constantly observing and guaranteeing the rosters of the department is within the set budget according to the full operation standards.
• Examine daily duties, assign tasks and check on progress
• Establish great communication and relationship with regular guests
• Aim to make every guest a repeat guest
• Coordinating and working closely with the Food and Beverage department to achieve high standards in all outlets
• Checks on guests in all outlets during the day
• Performing spot checks to make sure all standards are followed and with result create new training programs.

People Management

• Manages, motivates and monitors the performance of the front desk supervisors and staff.
• Actively participates in the recruitment process for the department by identifying staffing needs and shorting potential candidates by utilising the company’s HRIS (BambooHR).
• Conducts candidate interviews as required, and informs the human resources team of successful candidates in a timely manner.
• Identifies candidates that are not performing to the expected standards of the company and recommend what steps should be taken, up to and including dismissal, if deemed necessary.
• Manages the performance management process within the department by providing continuous and constructive feedback, keeping communication lines open, providing clarification of expectations and identifying areas for improvement.
• To ensure that department goals are clear and in alignment with company objectives, AAA 5 Diamond standards and LQA Benchmark standards, and shared with supervisors and staff to maximise on performance expectations.
• Actively coaches supervisors and staff to unlock team member’s potential and growth, help them to develop new skills and to aid in promoting individual responsibility.
• Conduct annual performance appraisals for department staff, ensuring that the process is fair, free of biases, accurate, and promotes the overall purpose of the performance management system.
• Able to access and identify department conflicts and infractions against company policies / procedures, and understands how, when and what form of disciplinary action should be taken.
• Plan and execute frequent team building activities, in an effort to maintain the momentum and productivity of all staff within the department.

Training and Development

• Manages all aspects of Training and Development and Talent Management to maximise on supervisors and staff, personal and professional growth, in accordance with company’s Human Resources - Training and Culture Development team initiatives and to agreed AAA 5 Diamond standards and LQA Benchmark standards.
• Identifies and conducts assessments to determine what training needs are required for supervisors and staff within the department to increase job knowledge.
• Monitor guests' feedback from various media and provide feedback on how supervisors and staff could improve on their overall performance.
• Recommends and assists with the creation and implementation of training plans, based on assessment and guests’ feedback.
• Liaise with the Human Resources - Training and Culture Development team to support the department’s development objectives and ensure that supervisors and staff are equipped with the necessary tools and materials to effectively execute their daily tasks.
• To carry out or ensure that regular On-the-Job training is taking place to align with the AAA 5 Diamond standards and LQA Benchmark standards .

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

Knowledge

The Front of House Manager must have proficient knowledge in the following areas

• Must have an understanding of hotel operations.
• Must understand and be able to effectively and efficiently carry out all tasks in accordance with the AAA 5 Diamond standards and LQA Benchmark standards.
• Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
• Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection and training.
• Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, designing forms, and other office procedures
• Knowledge of hotel switchboard systems
• Knowledge and operation of telecommunications systems.
• Principles and methods for describing the features of the island; including physical characteristics, locations.

Skills

The Front of House Manager must demonstrate the following skills

• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Team building skills
• Employee motivational skills
• Decision making skills
• Effective verbal and listening communications skills
• Attention to detail and high level of accuracy
• Effective organisational skills
• Effective written communications skills
• Computer skills including the spreadsheet and word processing programs, and e-mail at a highly proficient level
• Time management skills

Personal Attributes

The Front Desk Manager must demonstrate the following personal attributes

• Hospitality
• Creativity
• Reliability
• Compatibility
• Effective follow up
• Flexibility
• Consistency
• Leadership
• Professional deportment