Front-desk executive: how to train and review the role
Greets guests, members or visitors at a hotel, guest house, club or gym, handles check-in, bookings, payments and queries, and passes requests to housekeeping, kitchen or maintenance. Works rotating shifts and reports to the front office manager or duty manager.
Not sure what you need? Tell us about your business in six short steps and we will come to the first meeting prepared.
Share your requirementsWho usually fills this role
Often graduates or hotel management diploma holders, plus school-leavers and trainees from the local area who speak several languages. Small properties promote night staff or helpers. At hiring, test spoken English and local languages, patience, honesty with cash, typing, grooming and how the person handles a complaint at midnight.
Skills ladder
Stage 1
New joiner
- Greet guests and check them in with a senior watching
- Enter bookings and payments correctly in the system
- Answer common questions about room, timings and the area
- Pass requests to the right department and note them
Stage 2
Independent
- Run a shift at the desk alone, including check-in, check-out and cash
- Handle complaints, late arrivals and overbooking calmly
- Upsell rooms or services without pressure
- Complete the handover with pending requests and cash
Stage 3
Senior or lead
- Manage the desk in busy periods and train new staff
- Resolve tough guest problems and decide on small gestures
- Spot booking, rate or cash mistakes before audit
- Work with housekeeping and sales to improve the guest stay
Training path
First weeks
- 1
Property knowledge and tour
The front office manager walks the joiner through rooms, facilities, rates, timings and emergency exits. The joiner then explains the property to a colleague as to a guest, and the manager corrects gaps.
- 2
Booking system and payments
A senior shows the system for bookings, room allotment, advance and bills. The joiner practises on training entries, and the senior checks every entry for the first shifts.
- 3
Greeting and guest identification
The manager teaches greeting, ID checks and form completion as the firm requires. The joiner role-plays check-in and gets feedback on tone, speed and accuracy.
- 4
Handover and logbook
The joiner learns to write the shift handover with open requests, cash and guest issues. The manager reads it each day at first and marks missing details.
First year
- 1
Complaints and service recovery
Role-play on noise, dirty rooms, wrong bills and missing bookings. The executive learns the steps to listen, apologise, act and record, and the manager reviews real cases.
- 2
Night shift and cash
The night auditor or senior explains night procedures, security and day-end cash. The executive balances cash on supervised nights before alone.
- 3
Working with other departments
Joint sessions with housekeeping, kitchen and maintenance show how requests move. The executive tracks a few requests to completion and reports delays.
- 4
Selling rooms and services
The sales or front office manager teaches rate options and offers without pressure. The executive practises and the manager reviews guest feedback.
Towards senior
- 1
Peak days and groups
The manager gives the executive group check-ins, events or festival rush. The executive plans staff and steps, and the manager reviews the day.
- 2
Training new staff
The senior uses the same checklists to train new executives, and the manager reviews the trainees' first solo shifts. The manager checks the trainees' first solo shifts and the senior's notes on what was taught.
- 3
Revenue and audit awareness
The accounts staff explain how room status, rates and discounts affect audit and revenue. The executive finds errors in a sample day's records.
- 4
Handling serious situations
The manager and security lead prepare the senior for medical, fire, theft or police matters. The senior knows who to call and what to record, and confirms legal duties with your adviser.
Performance review
A monthly one-to-one with the front office or duty manager based on guest feedback and desk records, and a written half-yearly review. Observe a busy shift and a night shift to see real behaviour.
What to measure
| Measure | How it is seen |
|---|---|
| Guest handling | Guest feedback, mystery visit notes and the manager's observation at peak times. |
| Booking and billing accuracy | Audit remarks, bill corrections and complaints on wrong charges. |
| Cash and night handling | Cash difference records and night report quality. |
| Follow-through on requests | Request log showing time to pass on and close each item. |
| Complaint recovery | Complaint register and how cases were closed. |
| Teamwork and handover | Handover notes and feedback from other departments. |
Evidence to bring
- Guest feedback and review notes
- Audit and bill correction records
- Request and handover log
- Cash difference records
Questions to ask in the review
- Which guest was hardest to handle and what did you do?
- What mistakes do you see in bookings or bills?
- Which requests got stuck and why?
- How do you handle a full house or overbooking?
- What do you find hardest on the night shift?
- How do other departments help or slow you?
- Which rooms or rates do you find hard to explain?
- What do you want to learn next?
Pitfalls
- Putting a new joiner alone on the night desk because there is no one else.
- Reviewing only the monthly occupancy and not how guests were treated.
- Ignoring review comments on the property that name specific staff.
- Holding reviews only on the day shift while the night team is never observed.
Questions about this role
A hotel desk handles room stays, rates and night operations, while a gym desk handles memberships, passes and class bookings. Keep the same ladder and adapt the property, system and guest examples.
Use them as one input only. A rating often reflects the room, food or price as well as the desk. Read comments for patterns and discuss them without blaming one person.
Collect the specific incidents, show them to the person, retrain on handling complaints and observe. Repeat conduct issues should follow your disciplinary process, with steps confirmed with your adviser.