Front Office Supervisor Responsibilities

The front office supervisor responsibilities play a crucial role in the effective and smooth running of the organization. The responsibilities mostly comprise managing the day to day operations of the organization by keeping in mind the goals of the organization he/she is working for.

If you have leadership qualities and are able to support and motivate people to give output that meets or surpasses their maximum potential, then you can definitely opt for the position of a front office supervisor. These professionals are generally found in the health care and hotel industry.

The front office supervisor is accountable for coordination and oversight of all the staff functions pertaining to the front office as well as the reception area that may include greeting the incoming guests, visitors, etc., handling the telephone system, computer systems, etc., handling the some part of the accounting section and some basic administration duties as well.

Key Responsibilities of Front Office Supervisor

Let us review some of the core responsibilities that need to be handled by the front office supervisor in a hotel industry:

1. To overview and ensure the smooth operation of all the activities of the front office
2. To monitor and review the checklist of all the arrival and departures
3. To give a warm welcome to all the guests especially the VIP's and to provide them with the best possible services
4. To handle the booking and reservation duties and to resolve issues if there are any complaints, especially about the quality of services delivered by the staff members
5. To work as per the instructions given by the front office manager and to organize and coordinate all the front office duties
6. To supervise the front office staff and to ensure that they adhere by the rules and regulations of the hotel and to make sure that discipline is followed by all the staff members

Also front office supervisor has following duties:

• The front office supervisor is responsible for communicating and directing the staff members in a clear and concise manner and provides details regarding their work if possible in a written format.
• He/she encourages them to improve their work, thus enhancing the quality of services they deliver.
• He/she listens carefully to the requests made by the incoming guests and tries to understand and respond to them by giving appropriate details regarding the timings of the outlets, near by tourist spots, local attractions, etc.
• He/she is involved in the registration process and retrieving data whenever there is a need.
• He/she selects appropriate rooms as per the varying requirements of the guests and confirms the rates by handing over the keys.
• He/she verifies the credit cards for authorization and handles all cash and posts charges.
• He/she receives all the telephone calls, inputs the messages into the system and retrieves them to convey the content of the message.
• He/she remains alert and aware and serves as a role model to the other staff members, especially in emergency situations.

The duties of the front office supervisor would slightly differ if he/she is working in the health care industry. He/she may be responsible for ensuring smooth patient flow, obtaining correct information about registration, optimizing the sales of the front office, scheduling and rescheduling the appointments, managing the medical records, referrals, etc., and may assist in the hiring, training, and taking disciplinary actions against the staff who are not adhering by it. Thus, the supervisor in the front office needs to handle a wide range of duties.

Essential Skills and Abilities

• The individual aspiring to be in this profession should be able to deal with internal and external customers with high levels of patience, diplomacy and tact.
• He/she should be good at doing fast calculations and have basic knowledge of math to perform complex calculations fast. He/she should be a good observer and should be able to detect the possible signs of danger or emergencies.
• He/she should be skilled at preparing complex reports pertaining to rooms and revenue generated.
• He/she should be able to maintain effective working professional relationship with the associates.
• Excellent organization and management skills, effective communication skills, ability to function well in pressure situations, etc., are some of the other required skills.

Educational Background

The basic eligibility criteria to make an entry in this profession is that an individual should have completed a high school diploma or should have any other relevant educational qualification. The experienced candidates or those who have more advanced qualifications will definitely have an edge over the rest of the candidates.

Work Schedule

The job of a front office supervisor generally lasts for forty to forty five hours per week, and the office hours may get extended in case there is work pressure. The front office supervisor may need to work in night shifts as well.

Salary Details

The average salary of the front office supervisor generally varies between $28,000 to $40,000. The individual who is experienced with relevant educational background will get a salary close to $37,000. It may vary according to the location, size, and type of the industry the individual is working in.

Career Prospects

The individuals in this position have bright career prospects to progress to higher management positions that promise better salary and a great future ahead. Those with higher qualifications and proven abilities will have better chances for promotion.

Therefore, if you have a demonstrated track record of success of shouldering the front office supervisor responsibilities efficiently, you will definitely climb the ladder of success more easily.