1/30/2017
lms.pennfoster.edu | GSA001: Introduction to Guest Services
A Career in Guest Services
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READING ASSIGNMENT
A Career in Guest Services
There are many advancement opportunities in a guest services
career.
The required education for a career in guest services is a high school diploma. A high school diploma will
allow you to have a great career in guest services and pursue advancement opportunities without an
advanced degree. However, those looking to climb the ladder faster should consider obtaining a career
diploma, or even a degree in Hotel Management or Business Administration. A college degree in one of
these two areas can give you an advantage over other candidates looking to fill a position. It’s important to
start at an entry­level position to properly learn guest services techniques and hotel operational
procedures. You must build a strong foundation before entering a role that will actually use more of your
college degree.
Guest Services Positions
Because the front office processes most transactions, it’s considered the heart of the hotel. The front office
is the guest’s first point of contact with the hotel, whether for making a reservation or for registering.
Guests see the front office as their contact to the whole hotel, and that’s usually where they go with any
problems. It’s very important, then, that front­office personnel be properly trained to handle complaints so
that all guests are completely satisfied. All front­office employees play an important role in the sales effort of
the property.
Depending on the size of the hotel, the front office can be broken into many positions. A reservation agent
may be dedicated to taking reservations and supplying information about the hotel and surrounding areas.
Larger hotels may employ several reservation agents.
The Cashier
The cashier is the associate responsible for collecting payments from arriving or departing guests.
Cashiers may also make change for guests or exchange foreign currency. The cashier sometimes is
responsible for supplying change to other hotel departments so that they can do business.
The cashier manages a bank, which is an amount of cash designated for doing business. At the end of
each shift, the cashier surrenders the bank to the manager on duty, who verifies the amount of cash.
Some hotels use a revolving bank, which a cashier going off duty will turn over to the cashier starting the
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next shift. In this case, both departing and arriving cashiers count and verify the amount of money in the
bank and document any discrepancies.
Guest Service Representative
Guest service representatives, or GSRs, are responsible for checking guests into and out of the hotel. In
the registration process, they verify the guest’s personal information, assign the guest a room, and direct
the guest to the room. During the guest’s stay, the GSR provides information on the hotel’s services. In the
check­out process, the GSR inquires about the guest’s stay, offers to make future reservations, and
provides directions to the guest’s destination.
A guest services representative may be asked to do a variety of
tasks.
The guest service representative often wears many hats, handling guest check­ins and check­outs and
sometimes collecting payments, answering the phone, or taking reservations. Since the front desk is the
heart of the hotel through which all business passes, the GSR must provide the best customer service.
The GSR must be trained to greet guests courteously, handle their matters professionally, and see to it that
no guest goes away unhappy. Hotels provide more than a bed to sleep in—guests also hope to find a
friendly face, a sympathetic ear, and a warm smile.
The GSR has sometimes been compared to an actor and the front desk to a stage. Like actors, GSRs
may have bad days and personal problems, but they can’t take those problems with them on stage. They
need to step to the desk and greet each guest with a smile—not just a pasted­on smile, but a sincere,
convincing one. Tone of voice is also important. How you say something is really more important than what
you say. Guests must immediately feel that the GSR is their friend.
Housekeeping
The housekeeping department is responsible for the cleanliness of the entire hotel, so it must work with
every hotel department. The housekeeping department consists of room attendants, who clean each
occupied guest room every day. They’re supervised by inspectors, who verify the room’s cleanliness
before the next guest arrives or before the current guest returns to the room. Housepersons assist the
room attendants by maintaining supplies in the closets and removing trash or dirty linen from the room
attendant’s cart. The houseperson also cleans the public areas of the hotel.
Laundry attendants, also part of the housekeeping department, wash, dry, and fold the hotel’s linen. When
inspecting these materials, laundry attendants may find stains or other damage. If possible, they repair the
damage or remove the stain to return the item to use, but if this isn’t possible, damaged towels become
cleaning rags and damaged bed linens go to a shelter or to charity.
Transportation
As a convenience to their guests, hotels can arrange for transportation, such as a taxi, limousine, or car.
Many provide airport shuttle service. Some hotels also offer valet service. The valet is the parking
attendant who parks the guest’s car in the parking lot or garage when the guest arrives at the hotel. The
transportation department often works hand in hand with the bell staff.
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Bell Staff
Members of the bell staff, or bellpersons, help carry guests’ luggage to and from their rooms. While with
guests, they make friendly conversation, and after they lead newly arrived guests to their rooms, they
show the guests around and explain the operation of any equipment, such as heating and air­conditioning
devices. When no guests need assistance, bellpersons may open the door for guests or take on other
duties as necessary.
Concierge
The concierge is the person responsible for assisting guests with their needs, so he or she is truly the
hotel’s guest service department. Although all hotel staff members should be ready to provide guests with
information on area attractions and services, the concierge is considered the expert in this field. The
concierge is totally committed to attending to any guest request, including giving directions, recommending
sights to see, obtaining show tickets, and making dinner reservations. Usually, only large, full­service
hotels employ a concierge. In smaller hotels, the front­desk staff handles those responsibilities.
Advancing Your Career
The first step in advancing your career is to plan your career path. There are many resources to help you
plan and grow in the guest­services career field.
1) Look into nearby hotel and lodging associations you can join. Sometimes only those who work in the
industry can become members, but there are some associations where anyone can sign up for a yearly
fee. Joining one of these associations can be a great way to network and meet other industry
professionals in your area. Often these associations offer seminars and various events only for members
to help them grow in their knowledge of hospitality.
2) Begin taking hospitality certification courses to grow in your career or to help you get a position in the
industry. Seek out certifications from those educational institutions accredited by hospitality professionals.
Cornell University is an example of an educational institution that offers certifications that are highly
accredited and recognizable and recommended by industry professionals. Keep in mind that there are
certifications for almost every area of hospitality. So even if you decide guest services isn’t for you but you
enjoy the atmosphere of working for a hotel company, you can still obtain certifications in areas such as
guest services marketing or hotel real estate investment.
Advanced guest services jobs include front desk manager, hotel manager, bell captain, valet supervisor,
housekeeping supervisor, and concierge lead. These positions are most commonly obtained after 2–5
years of work experience in hospitality depending on the size of the hotel and company structure.
Executive guest services jobs include executive director of operations, head of front desk services,
housekeeping executive and executive director of concierge services. These executive positions often
require 10–20 years of experience and are highly competitive. They may require various certifications and
are often held by those who have obtained at least an MBA (Master of Business Administration degree).
Reflect and Respond
Look up one hospitality certification course online and write it down. Then, give the course description and explain why you
think this may be a beneficial course for furthering your career.
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