Payments Blog

5 Ways Your Front Office Can Help Your Hotel Grow

First impressions make a lasting impression, and for you and your business, your reception area/front office desk is your customers’ first point of contact. It is at this point  that you can shift a client’s mindset about your hotel and the services you offer. Your front office employees will set the tone of the experience that your guests will have during their stay at your property. There are various ways in which you can cultivate some traits in them, coach and train them to be great at what they do. Today we share some ways in which you can make your front office reception more lively.

 

1. Ambiance

The front office should be as warm, homely and comfortable as possible. Some of your guests could be traveling from far and wide to come to your property.  Make sure that they can relax and catch a breath before you direct them to their rooms. On the other hand, some could be traveling past your hotel and are attracted to it, this is your chance to grab their attention so that they can book with you next time if not on that day. Examples of how you can do this include: have a comfortable lounge where they can rest, reading materials like magazines that can keep them busy as they wait to be served, and lights that are not harsh to their eyes. 

2. Provide Training

It is important to organize training sessions and workshops for your front office staff so that they can constantly improve their skills. Training ranges from etiquette lessons, interpersonal communication skills, personal grooming etc. All these will play a role in enabling them to offer maximum productivity in their job. It is prudent to organize training about your property and all that you offer so as to keep your staff informed. In case a client asks a question about your hotel, they are able to answer correctly constantly providing value to your guests. 

3. High Emotional Intelligence

Dealing with many people in a day can be emotionally draining for someone. This is because you meet people with different temperaments and from all walks of life. As a hotel owner you should employ a person who has the ability to control their emotions so that they never lose their cool when addressing guests or potential clients. You can organize ways in which your employees can have an avenue of releasing work tension, this could be done through a counselor, enrolling them into a sport or hobby, organizing team building activities or having bonding sessions either weekly or monthly. After these, they will be refreshed and will easily deal with situations they encounter soberly. 

4. Proper Dress Code

Front office staff need to be on top of their game when it comes to the way they present themselves. As a hotel owner you need to be specific about how you would want your staff to present themselves before your guests and potential clients. Because they are the first point of contact with your guests, they need to dress to impress. Decency, cleanliness and sharpness are qualities that your front office staff should always uphold. Guests will naturally address them with more respect if they present themselves in a professional way.

5. Provide a Point of Sale Solution

Train your staff to up-sell by enabling them to process payments from their desk. Provide them with a simple and convenient payment process that will enable seamless transactions. At Pesapal we offer you the Pesapal Sabi terminal; a mobile point of sale solution that is portable, simple and easy to use. This way, your guests receive a warm welcome,a smooth check-in and payments process right at the customer’s first point of contact; your trusted front-office.