What Does a Hotel Front Office Manager Do?

A hotel front office manager has many responsibilities in the hotel where he or she works. He or she is tasked with making sure that the front office, the place where guests first come into contact with hotel staff, runs smoothly and efficiently. His or her primary job is to oversee the front office and train the employees who work in this area of the hotel. The front office manager must also act as a means of communication between the general manager and other employees. Finally, he or she is responsible for staff scheduling.

Just below the general manager and assistant general manager, the hotel front office manager is responsible for the front office, also known as the front desk. It is in this part of the hotel that guests check in and check out. Most hotels also have concierge services in the front office to assist guests with a range of issues. As the front office is the area of the hotel where guests form their first and last impressions of the hotel, a hotel front office manager must work hard to create a pleasant experience for guests so they will return.

One of the specific job duties of a hotel front office manager is to train employees who work in the front office. These other hotel workers are the concierges, guests service agents, night auditors, security officers and bellmen. Though a senior guest service agent may teach a new employee some of the technical aspects of the job, for example, the front office manager is responsible for teaching the skills necessary to provide excellent customer service. Along with training employees individually, he or she must be available to resolve any disputes.

The front office manager is a liaison between the general manager and front office employees. He or she informs front office employees about changes in hotel policy. This person also reports to the general manager about issues ranging from employee performance to guest satisfaction.

A hotel front office manager also arranges staff scheduling. This includes taking into account employees' requests for vacation or specific days off. An experienced manager can usually work out a schedule that meets his or her employees' requests, but denying a request is sometimes unavoidable. Though a manager creates his or her schedule along with that of the other front office employees, the importance of the job usually means that he or she is on call at all times if some issue should arise.