Hotel receptionists have a varied work day dealing with guests face to face, on the phone, by letter, fax or email. The duties and responsibilities of a hotel receptionist can include:
Allocating rooms and handing out keys
Making reservations and cancellations
Taking and passing on messages
Handling foreign exchange
Preparing guests' bills
Taking payments
Ordering room service
Arranging taxis for guests
Booking excursions - for example, to the theatre or for sightseeing trips
Providing information about facilities and amenities in the hotel and the surrounding area.
Depending on the hotel, hotel receptionists will have to handle a variety of equipment, including computerised reservation systems, fax machines, and telephone systems. In large establishments, roles will be more specialized, while in smaller hotels, they are more likely to cover a wide range of duties, everything from serving drinks in the bar to helping guests with their luggage.
While there are no formal qualifications needed for this job, employers will look for a good standard of basic education, including GCSEs in English and maths. There are college courses available, including the BTEC National Certificate/Diploma in Hospitality Supervision and the SQA National Certificate in Hospitality, and many employers will offer in-house training schemes.
These can be taken alongside off-the-job training, for example, working towards NVQs - there are NVQs in Reception available at Levels 1 and 2, in Hospitality Service at Level 2 and Hospitality Supervision at Level 3.
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