Front Of House Manager - The Cape Town EDITION

JOB SUMMARY

Responsible for the management of all aspects of the Front of House functions including Doorman, Bellman, Bell Captain, Concierge Agent, Guest Relations Agent, Front Desk Agent, Matrix Coordinator, Club Concierge, Club Attendants and Learning Coaches, in accordance with hotel standards. Directs, implements and maintains a service and management philosophy that serves as a guide to respective staff. Responsible for developing and maintaining the acknowledgment of all guests visiting the location. Ensures all departments are aware of all guests’ needs and information prior to arrival that will lead to a unique, memorable and personal stay. 

CANDIDATE PROFILE 

Education and Experience

• High school diploma or GED; 4 years experience in the guest services, front desk, or related professional area.

OR

• 2-year degree from an accredited university in Hotel and Restaurant Management, Hospitality, Business Administration or related major; 2 years experience in the guest services, front desk, or related professional area.

CORE WORK ACTIVITIES

Maintaining Front of House Goals

• Manages day-to-day operations, ensuring the quality, standards and meeting the expectations of the customers on a daily basis.


• Develops specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.


• Keeps front of house team focused on the critical components of operations to drive guest satisfaction and the desired financial results.


• Handles complaints, settles disputes, and resolves grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiates with others.


• Supervises staffing levels to ensure that guest service, operational needs and financial objectives are met.


• Ensures that regular on-going communication is happening with employees to create awareness of business objectives and communicate expectations, recognizes performance, and produces desired results.


• Understands the impact of department’s operations on the overall property financial goals and objectives and manages to achieve or exceed goals.


• Maintains knowledge of room availability and rates and suggestively sells.


• Reviews previous night's no-shows and ensures appropriate billing.


• Reviews the arrival report for accuracy and completeness. Checks printed registration cards against information on arrival report; rectifies any deficiencies with respective personnel.


• Maintains complete knowledge of property features and services, including hours of operations, hotel restaurant concepts, menu price range, dress code and ambience, hotel room types, numbers, hotel top repeat guests, rate programs, packages and scheduled daily events and activities.

Managing Front of House Team

• Supervises all areas of the Front of House.


• Utilizes interpersonal and communication skills to lead, influence, and encourage others; advocates sound financial/business decision making; demonstrates honesty/integrity; leads by example.


• Encourages and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.


• Serving as a role model to demonstrate appropriate behaviors.


• Supervises and manages employees. Manages all day-to-day operations. Understands employee positions well enough to perform duties in employees' absence.


• Establishes and maintains open, collaborative relationships with employees and ensures employees do the same within the team.


• Ensures staff is knowledgeable about rates, packages and promotions available.


• Ensures all cashiering procedures comply with accounting policies and standards.

Ensuring Exceptional Customer Service 

• Provides services that are above and beyond for customer satisfaction and retention.


• Improves service by communicating and assisting individuals to understand guest needs, providing guidance, feedback, and individual coaching when needed.


• Responds to and handles guest problems and complaints.


• Sets a positive example for guest relations.


• Empowers employees to provide excellent customer service.


• Observes service behaviors of employees and provides feedback to individuals.


• Interacts with customers to obtain feedback on quality of product, service levels and overall satisfaction.


• Ensures employees understand customer service expectations and parameters.


• Interacts with guests to obtain feedback on product quality and service levels.


• Emphasizes guest satisfaction during all departmental meetings and focuses on continuous improvement.


• Monitors the check-in/check-out process, ensuring agreement to hotel standards; anticipates critical situations and assists to process the guest expediently.


• Anticipates sold-out situations and number of rooms overbooked. Locates alternative accommodations for guests and "walk" guests, following hotel policies and procedures.


• Works closely with Housekeeping management to ensure accurate status of each room, readiness of rooms for check-in and to report guest concerns.

Managing Projects and Policies

• Implements the customer recognition/service program, communicating and ensuring the process.


• Supervises same day selling procedures to maximize room revenue and control property occupancy.


• Supervises daily shift operations and ensures compliance with all policies, standards and procedures.


• Ensures property policies are administered fairly and consistently, disciplinary procedures and documentation are completed according to Standard and Local Operating Procedures (SOPs and LSOPs) and support the Peer Review Process.

Supporting Human Resource Activities          

• Supports the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.


• Solicits employee feedback, utilizes an “open door” policy and reviews employee satisfaction results to identify and address employee problems or concerns.


• Brings issues concerning employee satisfaction to the attention of the department manager and Human Resources.


• Assists as needed in the interviewing and hiring of employee team members with the appropriate skills.


• Supports a departmental orientation program for employees to receive the appropriate new hire training to successfully perform their job.


• Participates in employee progressive discipline procedures.

Additional Responsibilities 

• Provides information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.


• Analyzes information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.


• Informs and/or updates the executives, the peers and the subordinates on relevant information in a timely manner.


• Participates in departmental meetings and continually communicates a clear and consistent message regarding the front of house goals to produce desired results.