Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks — Tasks

Task statements

• Contact housekeeping or maintenance staff when guests report problems.
• Make and confirm reservations.
• Greet, register, and assign rooms to guests of hotels or motels.
• Verify customers' credit, and establish how the customer will pay for the accommodation.
• Post charges, such as those for rooms, food, liquor, or telephone calls, to ledgers, manually or by using computers.
• Issue room keys and escort instructions to bellhops.
• Advise housekeeping staff when rooms have been vacated and are ready for cleaning.
• Transmit and receive messages, using telephones or telephone switchboards.
• Record guest comments or complaints, referring customers to managers as necessary.
• Keep records of room availability and guests' accounts, manually or using computers.
• Perform bookkeeping activities, such as balancing accounts and conducting nightly audits.
• Compute bills, collect payments, and make change for guests.
• Review accounts and charges with guests during the check out process.
• Clean and maintain lobby and common areas, such as restocking supplies and watering plants.
• Date-stamp, sort, and rack incoming mail and messages.
• Answer inquiries pertaining to hotel services, guest registration, and travel directions, or make recommendations regarding shopping, dining, or entertainment.
• Deposit guests' valuables in hotel safes or safe-deposit boxes.
• Prepare for basic food service, such as setting up continental breakfast or coffee and tea supplies.
• Plan, schedule or supervise the work of other employees.
• Arrange tours, taxis, or restaurant reservations for customers.