The demand for hospitality-related services is growing worldwide. If you have experience in hospitality or possess many transferrable skills, you may be able to build a solid career in guest services.
Those working within the hospitality industry need strong interpersonal and communication skills. They also need to be strong problem solvers.
Make sure you know the skills that are required for a job as a guest services employee and highlight those skills when applying for jobs.
The front desk position at a hotel requires many different skills, and the details can vary depending on how the hotel is organized and what kind of guests the hotel serves.
What Are Guest Service Skills?
Hotel front desk employees (also known as guest services employees) are responsible for making sure each guest has a pleasant experience at a hotel. Tasks typically involve checking in and checking out guests, taking reservations, and answering any questions guests may have.
You don’t need a college degree or any relevant experience to be a hotel front desk employee, although an associate’s degree in business, administration, or hospitality can help. Some people that are interested in the hospitality industry begin as guest services employees and then move up to supervisory positions.
Top Guest Services Skills
The following are a few types of guest service skills.
Communication
Communication is critical for hotel front desk and guest service employees. They speak with guests in person and over the phone all day, so it is important that they speak clearly and maintain a positive tone.
GreetingNonverbal CommunicationOral CommunicationPhone EtiquetteFormalityAdherence to Policies and Procedures
Composure
Because a front desk worker has to multitask and serve many guests at once, a good employee must keep calm under pressure. Even when the hotel is very busy, the employee should be able to juggle a variety of tasks while remaining friendly to customers.
Multitasking Flexibility Professionalism Professional Appearance Stress Management Bearing
Computer Literacy
Working at the front desk requires using computers to keep records, process payments, and complete other tasks. While you don’t need to be an expert in the world of tech, you do need to be computer literate. You must either be already comfortable with the software the hotel uses and be able to learn new software quickly.
Central Reservations Systems (CRS) Mathematics Microsoft Office Payment Processing
Friendliness
A front desk employee is typically the first person a guest sees upon entering a hotel. Therefore, front desk workers have to be extremely welcoming. A good guest services employee greets every guest with a smile and kind word.
Customer Service Courtesy Enthusiasm Energy Guest Relations Interpersonal Positivity
Organization
Front desk employees are always multitasking; they must answer phones, greet guests, answer questions, check out customers, and more. Being organized allows a front desk worker to juggle these multiple tasks.
Attention to DetailEfficiencyPrioritizationTime Management
Problem Solving
Being a front desk employee means you will be the first person that guests bring their problems to. These problems could be minor, such as a request for restaurant recommendations. They could be major, such as a guest whose reserved room is not wheelchair accessible, as they had requested. There could even be unexpected emergencies, such as a guest in a medical crisis.
Your job will be to resolve the problem if possible or figure out who to call to get it solved.
If you can respond promptly and creatively to these challenges, you can give guests a good experience, and you can earn a good review for your hotel despite a difficult situation.
AnalyticalCreativityResolving ComplaintsTroubleshootingCustomer Service
Sales Skills
While front desk employees are not salespeople, they should be able to promote specific hotel services and offer suggestions. They might also encourage guests to purchase more luxurious and expensive rooms, if their goals and budget would be better served. People in guest services, therefore, need to be comfortable promoting products and services.
Communicate Sales and PromotionsPromote Facilities and ServicesRecall Customer ProgramsProvide Information on Hotel ServicesUpselling
Teamwork
Front desk employees often have to work with others. Sometimes they have to work with other employees at the front desk to handle a difficult problem. Other times, they have to communicate with people in different departments within the hotel—including parking, housekeeping, and management—to ensure that guests are satisfied with their stay. Front desk employees need to be able to get along and work with a variety of people.
IntegrationCollaborationLeadershipTeam Building
More Guest Service Skills
Written CommunicationConfidenceConciergeSchedulingMemoryPhysical EnduranceResilienceActive ListeningPresentationNegotiationMultilingualMobile DevicesEmpathyArticulatingPatienceFocusAgilityQuality AssuranceVersatilityCompassionApproachabilityInitiativeAttentivePeople-OrientedCritical ThinkingDiligencePoise
How to Make Your Skill Stand Out
Add Relevant Skills to Your Resume: You can include relevant skill words in your resume. In the description of your work history or your resume summary, you might also want to use some of these keywords. Highlight Skills in Your Cover Letter: In the body of your letter, you can mention one or two of the required skills and give a specific example of a time when you demonstrated each skill in the workplace. Use Skill Words in Your Job Interview: Make sure you have at least one example for a time you demonstrated some of your top skills.
The demand for hospitality-related services is growing worldwide. If you have experience in hospitality or possess many transferrable skills, you may be able to build a solid career in guest services.
Those working within the hospitality industry need strong interpersonal and communication skills. They also need to be strong problem solvers.
Make sure you know the skills that are required for a job as a guest services employee and highlight those skills when applying for jobs.
The front desk position at a hotel requires many different skills, and the details can vary depending on how the hotel is organized and what kind of guests the hotel serves.
What Are Guest Service Skills?
Hotel front desk employees (also known as guest services employees) are responsible for making sure each guest has a pleasant experience at a hotel. Tasks typically involve checking in and checking out guests, taking reservations, and answering any questions guests may have.
You don’t need a college degree or any relevant experience to be a hotel front desk employee, although an associate’s degree in business, administration, or hospitality can help. Some people that are interested in the hospitality industry begin as guest services employees and then move up to supervisory positions.
Top Guest Services Skills
The following are a few types of guest service skills.
Communication
Communication is critical for hotel front desk and guest service employees. They speak with guests in person and over the phone all day, so it is important that they speak clearly and maintain a positive tone.
GreetingNonverbal CommunicationOral CommunicationPhone EtiquetteFormalityAdherence to Policies and Procedures
Composure
Because a front desk worker has to multitask and serve many guests at once, a good employee must keep calm under pressure. Even when the hotel is very busy, the employee should be able to juggle a variety of tasks while remaining friendly to customers.
Multitasking Flexibility Professionalism Professional Appearance Stress Management Bearing
Computer Literacy
Working at the front desk requires using computers to keep records, process payments, and complete other tasks. While you don’t need to be an expert in the world of tech, you do need to be computer literate. You must either be already comfortable with the software the hotel uses and be able to learn new software quickly.
Central Reservations Systems (CRS) Mathematics Microsoft Office Payment Processing
Friendliness
A front desk employee is typically the first person a guest sees upon entering a hotel. Therefore, front desk workers have to be extremely welcoming. A good guest services employee greets every guest with a smile and kind word.
Customer Service Courtesy Enthusiasm Energy Guest Relations Interpersonal Positivity
Organization
Front desk employees are always multitasking; they must answer phones, greet guests, answer questions, check out customers, and more. Being organized allows a front desk worker to juggle these multiple tasks.
Attention to DetailEfficiencyPrioritizationTime Management
Problem Solving
Being a front desk employee means you will be the first person that guests bring their problems to. These problems could be minor, such as a request for restaurant recommendations. They could be major, such as a guest whose reserved room is not wheelchair accessible, as they had requested. There could even be unexpected emergencies, such as a guest in a medical crisis.
Your job will be to resolve the problem if possible or figure out who to call to get it solved.
If you can respond promptly and creatively to these challenges, you can give guests a good experience, and you can earn a good review for your hotel despite a difficult situation.
AnalyticalCreativityResolving ComplaintsTroubleshootingCustomer Service
Sales Skills
While front desk employees are not salespeople, they should be able to promote specific hotel services and offer suggestions. They might also encourage guests to purchase more luxurious and expensive rooms, if their goals and budget would be better served. People in guest services, therefore, need to be comfortable promoting products and services.
Communicate Sales and PromotionsPromote Facilities and ServicesRecall Customer ProgramsProvide Information on Hotel ServicesUpselling
Teamwork
Front desk employees often have to work with others. Sometimes they have to work with other employees at the front desk to handle a difficult problem. Other times, they have to communicate with people in different departments within the hotel—including parking, housekeeping, and management—to ensure that guests are satisfied with their stay. Front desk employees need to be able to get along and work with a variety of people.
IntegrationCollaborationLeadershipTeam Building
More Guest Service Skills
Written CommunicationConfidenceConciergeSchedulingMemoryPhysical EnduranceResilienceActive ListeningPresentationNegotiationMultilingualMobile DevicesEmpathyArticulatingPatienceFocusAgilityQuality AssuranceVersatilityCompassionApproachabilityInitiativeAttentivePeople-OrientedCritical ThinkingDiligencePoise
How to Make Your Skill Stand Out
Add Relevant Skills to Your Resume: You can include relevant skill words in your resume. In the description of your work history or your resume summary, you might also want to use some of these keywords. Highlight Skills in Your Cover Letter: In the body of your letter, you can mention one or two of the required skills and give a specific example of a time when you demonstrated each skill in the workplace. Use Skill Words in Your Job Interview: Make sure you have at least one example for a time you demonstrated some of your top skills.
The demand for hospitality-related services is growing worldwide. If you have experience in hospitality or possess many transferrable skills, you may be able to build a solid career in guest services.
Those working within the hospitality industry need strong interpersonal and communication skills. They also need to be strong problem solvers.
Make sure you know the skills that are required for a job as a guest services employee and highlight those skills when applying for jobs.
The front desk position at a hotel requires many different skills, and the details can vary depending on how the hotel is organized and what kind of guests the hotel serves.
What Are Guest Service Skills?
Hotel front desk employees (also known as guest services employees) are responsible for making sure each guest has a pleasant experience at a hotel. Tasks typically involve checking in and checking out guests, taking reservations, and answering any questions guests may have.
You don’t need a college degree or any relevant experience to be a hotel front desk employee, although an associate’s degree in business, administration, or hospitality can help. Some people that are interested in the hospitality industry begin as guest services employees and then move up to supervisory positions.
Top Guest Services Skills
The following are a few types of guest service skills.
Communication
Communication is critical for hotel front desk and guest service employees. They speak with guests in person and over the phone all day, so it is important that they speak clearly and maintain a positive tone.
GreetingNonverbal CommunicationOral CommunicationPhone EtiquetteFormalityAdherence to Policies and Procedures
Composure
Because a front desk worker has to multitask and serve many guests at once, a good employee must keep calm under pressure. Even when the hotel is very busy, the employee should be able to juggle a variety of tasks while remaining friendly to customers.
Multitasking Flexibility Professionalism Professional Appearance Stress Management Bearing
Computer Literacy
Working at the front desk requires using computers to keep records, process payments, and complete other tasks. While you don’t need to be an expert in the world of tech, you do need to be computer literate. You must either be already comfortable with the software the hotel uses and be able to learn new software quickly.
Central Reservations Systems (CRS) Mathematics Microsoft Office Payment Processing
Friendliness
A front desk employee is typically the first person a guest sees upon entering a hotel. Therefore, front desk workers have to be extremely welcoming. A good guest services employee greets every guest with a smile and kind word.
Customer Service Courtesy Enthusiasm Energy Guest Relations Interpersonal Positivity
Organization
Front desk employees are always multitasking; they must answer phones, greet guests, answer questions, check out customers, and more. Being organized allows a front desk worker to juggle these multiple tasks.
Attention to DetailEfficiencyPrioritizationTime Management
Problem Solving
Being a front desk employee means you will be the first person that guests bring their problems to. These problems could be minor, such as a request for restaurant recommendations. They could be major, such as a guest whose reserved room is not wheelchair accessible, as they had requested. There could even be unexpected emergencies, such as a guest in a medical crisis.
Your job will be to resolve the problem if possible or figure out who to call to get it solved.
If you can respond promptly and creatively to these challenges, you can give guests a good experience, and you can earn a good review for your hotel despite a difficult situation.
AnalyticalCreativityResolving ComplaintsTroubleshootingCustomer Service
Sales Skills
While front desk employees are not salespeople, they should be able to promote specific hotel services and offer suggestions. They might also encourage guests to purchase more luxurious and expensive rooms, if their goals and budget would be better served. People in guest services, therefore, need to be comfortable promoting products and services.
Communicate Sales and PromotionsPromote Facilities and ServicesRecall Customer ProgramsProvide Information on Hotel ServicesUpselling
Teamwork
Front desk employees often have to work with others. Sometimes they have to work with other employees at the front desk to handle a difficult problem. Other times, they have to communicate with people in different departments within the hotel—including parking, housekeeping, and management—to ensure that guests are satisfied with their stay. Front desk employees need to be able to get along and work with a variety of people.
IntegrationCollaborationLeadershipTeam Building
More Guest Service Skills
Written CommunicationConfidenceConciergeSchedulingMemoryPhysical EnduranceResilienceActive ListeningPresentationNegotiationMultilingualMobile DevicesEmpathyArticulatingPatienceFocusAgilityQuality AssuranceVersatilityCompassionApproachabilityInitiativeAttentivePeople-OrientedCritical ThinkingDiligencePoise
How to Make Your Skill Stand Out
Add Relevant Skills to Your Resume: You can include relevant skill words in your resume. In the description of your work history or your resume summary, you might also want to use some of these keywords. Highlight Skills in Your Cover Letter: In the body of your letter, you can mention one or two of the required skills and give a specific example of a time when you demonstrated each skill in the workplace. Use Skill Words in Your Job Interview: Make sure you have at least one example for a time you demonstrated some of your top skills.
The demand for hospitality-related services is growing worldwide. If you have experience in hospitality or possess many transferrable skills, you may be able to build a solid career in guest services.
Those working within the hospitality industry need strong interpersonal and communication skills. They also need to be strong problem solvers.
Make sure you know the skills that are required for a job as a guest services employee and highlight those skills when applying for jobs.
The front desk position at a hotel requires many different skills, and the details can vary depending on how the hotel is organized and what kind of guests the hotel serves.
Make sure you know the skills that are required for a job as a guest services employee and highlight those skills when applying for jobs.
Make sure you know the skills that are required for a job as a guest services employee and highlight those skills when applying for jobs.
What Are Guest Service Skills?
Hotel front desk employees (also known as guest services employees) are responsible for making sure each guest has a pleasant experience at a hotel. Tasks typically involve checking in and checking out guests, taking reservations, and answering any questions guests may have.
You don’t need a college degree or any relevant experience to be a hotel front desk employee, although an associate’s degree in business, administration, or hospitality can help. Some people that are interested in the hospitality industry begin as guest services employees and then move up to supervisory positions.
Top Guest Services Skills
The following are a few types of guest service skills.
Communication
Communication is critical for hotel front desk and guest service employees. They speak with guests in person and over the phone all day, so it is important that they speak clearly and maintain a positive tone.
- GreetingNonverbal CommunicationOral CommunicationPhone EtiquetteFormalityAdherence to Policies and Procedures
Composure
Because a front desk worker has to multitask and serve many guests at once, a good employee must keep calm under pressure. Even when the hotel is very busy, the employee should be able to juggle a variety of tasks while remaining friendly to customers.
- Multitasking
- Flexibility
- Professionalism
- Professional Appearance
- Stress Management
- Bearing
Computer Literacy
Working at the front desk requires using computers to keep records, process payments, and complete other tasks. While you don’t need to be an expert in the world of tech, you do need to be computer literate. You must either be already comfortable with the software the hotel uses and be able to learn new software quickly.
- Central Reservations Systems (CRS)
- Mathematics
- Microsoft Office
- Payment Processing
Friendliness
A front desk employee is typically the first person a guest sees upon entering a hotel. Therefore, front desk workers have to be extremely welcoming. A good guest services employee greets every guest with a smile and kind word.
- Customer Service
- Courtesy
- Enthusiasm
- Energy
- Guest Relations
- Interpersonal
- Positivity
Organization
Front desk employees are always multitasking; they must answer phones, greet guests, answer questions, check out customers, and more. Being organized allows a front desk worker to juggle these multiple tasks.
- Attention to DetailEfficiencyPrioritizationTime Management
Problem Solving
Being a front desk employee means you will be the first person that guests bring their problems to. These problems could be minor, such as a request for restaurant recommendations. They could be major, such as a guest whose reserved room is not wheelchair accessible, as they had requested. There could even be unexpected emergencies, such as a guest in a medical crisis.
Your job will be to resolve the problem if possible or figure out who to call to get it solved.
If you can respond promptly and creatively to these challenges, you can give guests a good experience, and you can earn a good review for your hotel despite a difficult situation.
Your job will be to resolve the problem if possible or figure out who to call to get it solved.
Your job will be to resolve the problem if possible or figure out who to call to get it solved.
- AnalyticalCreativityResolving ComplaintsTroubleshootingCustomer Service
Sales Skills
While front desk employees are not salespeople, they should be able to promote specific hotel services and offer suggestions. They might also encourage guests to purchase more luxurious and expensive rooms, if their goals and budget would be better served. People in guest services, therefore, need to be comfortable promoting products and services.
- Communicate Sales and PromotionsPromote Facilities and ServicesRecall Customer ProgramsProvide Information on Hotel ServicesUpselling
Teamwork
Front desk employees often have to work with others. Sometimes they have to work with other employees at the front desk to handle a difficult problem. Other times, they have to communicate with people in different departments within the hotel—including parking, housekeeping, and management—to ensure that guests are satisfied with their stay. Front desk employees need to be able to get along and work with a variety of people.
- IntegrationCollaborationLeadershipTeam Building
More Guest Service Skills
- Written CommunicationConfidenceConciergeSchedulingMemoryPhysical EnduranceResilienceActive ListeningPresentationNegotiationMultilingualMobile DevicesEmpathyArticulatingPatienceFocusAgilityQuality AssuranceVersatilityCompassionApproachabilityInitiativeAttentivePeople-OrientedCritical ThinkingDiligencePoise
How to Make Your Skill Stand Out
Add Relevant Skills to Your Resume: You can include relevant skill words in your resume. In the description of your work history or your resume summary, you might also want to use some of these keywords. Highlight Skills in Your Cover Letter: In the body of your letter, you can mention one or two of the required skills and give a specific example of a time when you demonstrated each skill in the workplace. Use Skill Words in Your Job Interview: Make sure you have at least one example for a time you demonstrated some of your top skills.
How to Make Your Skill Stand Out
Add Relevant Skills to Your Resume: You can include relevant skill words in your resume. In the description of your work history or your resume summary, you might also want to use some of these keywords. Highlight Skills in Your Cover Letter: In the body of your letter, you can mention one or two of the required skills and give a specific example of a time when you demonstrated each skill in the workplace. Use Skill Words in Your Job Interview: Make sure you have at least one example for a time you demonstrated some of your top skills.
Add Relevant Skills to Your Resume: You can include relevant skill words in your resume. In the description of your work history or your resume summary, you might also want to use some of these keywords.
Highlight Skills in Your Cover Letter: In the body of your letter, you can mention one or two of the required skills and give a specific example of a time when you demonstrated each skill in the workplace.
Use Skill Words in Your Job Interview: Make sure you have at least one example for a time you demonstrated some of your top skills.
