The front desk agent is a person who generally acts as a service provider for the guests and is responsible for educating them with all the necessary information. The front desk agents usually work for the hotels, restaurants, motels, and resorts. They generally act as the customer service representatives, guest service associates, receptionist or reservation clerks. The job of a front desk agent is categorized in the hospitality industry and their responsibility includes meeting the needs of the customers or guests staying in the hotel. Some of the common front desk agent responsibilities include answering phone calls, booking reservations, responding to emails, checking in new guests, greeting the guest upon entry to the hotel, checking out guests, answering the questions, and providing all the required services to ensure customer satisfaction.
The front desk agents are also responsible for providing quotes for the room rates and other hotel services. They are also responsible for coordinating the front desk and housekeeping departments and ensuring proper cleanliness of the rooms and premises. Verifying the correct charges and credits to the corresponding guest folio and collecting the payments for the charges on the guest folio is another important job responsibility of a front desk agent. The front desk agents are also responsible for maintaining the reports of all the cash and cash equivalents at the beginning and end of each work shift. Coordinating the different departments such as the accounts, management, kitchen, and housekeeping is another major job responsibility of a front desk agent.
The job of a front desk agent is highly responsible and requires tremendous hard work and dedication. Thus, the candidates looking forward to build their career in this field must be aware of different skills and proficiencies required by a front desk agent. Along with this, the applicant must also be aware of various job duties performed by the front desk agent. The below given descriptions of the the front desk agent's educational qualification, skills and proficiencies, job responsibilities, and salary will educate you about this job profile.
Educational Qualification of a Front Desk Agent
The front desk agent must be a well qualified candidate with adequate knowledge of accounts, hospitality, and management. According to employers, the candidate applying for the job of front desk agent must possess a bachelor's degree in management, hospitality, hotel management, or any other relevant field. Along with this qualification, the candidate is also responsible for possessing adequate knowledge of various computer applications.
Key Skills and Proficiencies of a Front Desk Agent
The front desk agents need to possess various skills and proficiencies in order to undertake the desk agent's job effectively. Following is the list of various skills that help the front desk agents during their job:
Job Responsibilities of a Front Desk Agent
The job responsibilities of a front desk agent include providing customer service to the guests and answering their queries. The other responsibilities of a front desk agent include:
Salary of a Front Desk Agent
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual salary of a front desk agent is $30,000 and usually ranges in between $15,000 to $45,000. The salary of a front desk agent is generally decided considering the applicant’s educational qualification, skills, and experience. The above mentioned salary number may also vary according to the industry types.
The job of a front desk agent has a huge competition and the applicant thus must be aware of the different duties performed by a front desk agent. The front desk agent responsibilities mentioned above will definitely help you in understanding the job profile of a front desk agent and plan your career accordingly.