Receptionist - London

Receptionist - Holiday Inn - Kensington

Department: Front Office

Reports to:  Reception Manager

Job overview

The moment a guest steps into one of our hotels, they walk into a genuinely memorable experience. As a Front Desk Agent, you’ll not only be the person they rely on to handle transactions, offer local insights and anticipate every detail of a friction-free experience. You’ll also create the warm atmosphere that makes our guests feel at home in any location.

Duties and responsibilities

• Be the warm welcome that kicks off a memorable guest experience Acknowledge
• Rewards Club members and returning guests, in person or on the phone Take and manage guest bookings, up-selling opportunities and telling them about ways to improve their stay
• Handle cash and credit transactions
• Start every stay right by swiftly checking guests in and out – take IDs, hand out room keys, and control and release safety deposit boxes
• Stay one step ahead of guests’ needs – record and act on their preferences, and handle their messages, requests, questions and concerns
• Be a trusted contact for all guests. Help them with anything from bill issues to local knowledge, and loop in management when necessary
• Stay safe all the time. Following our safety procedures, you’ll report all incidents and wear any protective gear needed
• Take pride in your appearance and place as a brand ambassador
• Always know what events and activities are on the day’s schedule
• Jump into other ad-hoc duties when your colleagues need your help  

What we need from you

• Communication skills - guests will need to come to you with concerns as well as compliments, so you’ll be easy to talk to
• Your problem-solving skills will turn issues into opportunities so every guest leaves with great memories
• Fluency in the local language - extra language skills would be great, but not essential
• Literate and tech-savvy - you’ll need a good grasp of reading, writing, basic maths and computers
• Flexibility - night, weekend and holiday shifts are all part of the job
• You’ll have a high school diploma or qualification. A college or university degree would be a bonus, but not essential
• Experience - ideally, you’ll have spent at least one year in a front desk or guest service position
• Strength - sometimes you’ll need to lift, push and pull big objects up to 50lbs (23 kg). This can involve bending and kneeling  

  Key performance indicators:

• Customer Feedback
• Shift procedures
• 1:1 with Manager

Benefits

• Meals on duty
• Staff uniform
• Monthly performance-based incentives
• Company pension contribution after you passing your probation period
• Recommend a friend fee
• 20 days holiday plus 8 bank holidays
• Training fund assistance of NVQ’s
• Awards and Recognition Programme
• Seasonal annual parties
• Staff rate with IHG hotels globally