Guest Services Representative - Sheraton Hotel, Northbrook, IL

Hotel Equities•Northbrook, IL

6d•$18 - $20•Onsite

About The Position

Hotel Equities is seeking a Front Desk Agent for the Sheraton Northbrook Hotel. The role involves responding professionally and courteously to guests, providing accurate information and services, and handling inquiries regarding reservations, hotel information, and guest concerns. The goal is to provide warm, knowledgeable service and helpful guidance to ensure guests feel they have made the right choice. Key responsibilities include greeting and welcoming guests, registering them into the computer system, verifying reservation and payment information, and promoting the preferred guest program. The role also involves accepting payments, managing a house bank, cashing checks, exchanging currency, issuing safety deposit box keys, posting miscellaneous charges, and promptly responding to and resolving guest complaints. Additionally, the Front Desk Agent must answer telephones promptly and politely, take reservations accurately and efficiently, and perform check-ins and check-outs efficiently. If applicable, the role may involve operating shuttle services and assisting guests with luggage. The position requires using guests' names, being knowledgeable about the local area and hotel services, handling messages, wake-up calls, mail, and faxes, and assisting with laundry/dry cleaning needs. The agent should be aware of incoming VIPs, follow all Company Standard Operating Procedures, and perform other assignments as directed by the General Manager. The role emphasizes being an enthusiastic, helpful, and positive team member, maintaining professional conduct, being encouraging and friendly to coworkers, using time wisely, maintaining open communication with all departments, responding positively to new ideas, accepting feedback, and maintaining effective communication through various channels. The agent must also be available to assist other departments in emergencies and adhere to all company work rules, procedures, and policies.

Requirements

High School diploma /Secondary qualification or equivalent.
Experience with Marriott, Hilton, IHG, Wyndham or Hyatt processes and standards.
Must be able to speak, read, write and understand the primary language(s) used in the workplace.
Must be able to read and write to facilitate the communication process.
Requires good communication skills, both verbal and written.
Must possess basic computational ability.
Must possess basic computer skills.
Extensive knowledge of the hotel, its services and facilities; General knowledge of the city where hotel is located and its attractions.
Must be able to stand and exert well-paced mobility for up to 4 hours in length.
Must be able to exert well-paced ability to reach other departments of the hotel on a timely basis.
Must be able to lift up to 15 lbs occasionally.
Requires grasping, writing, standing, sitting, walking, repetitive motions, bending, climbing, listening and hearing ability and visual acuity.
Talking and hearing occur continuously in the process of communicating with guests, supervisors and subordinates.
Vision occurs continuously with the most common visual functions being those of near vision and depth perception.
Ability to spend extended lengths of time viewing a computer screen.
Requires manual dexterity to use and operate all necessary equipment.
Must have finger dexterity to be able to operate office equipment.

Nice To Haves

Being passionate about people and service.
Strong communication skills are essential when interacting with guests and employees.
Reading and writing abilities are used often when completing paperwork, logging issues/complaints/requests/ information updates, etc.
Basic math skills are used frequently when handling cash or credit.
Problem-solving, reasoning, motivating, and training abilities are often used.
Have the ability to work a flexible schedule including nights, weekends and/or holidays.

Responsibilities

Greet and welcome guests upon arrival.
Register guests into the computer, verifying reservation, address, and credit information.
Promote “preferred” guest program and provide recognition and benefits to all current members.
Accept payment for guests’ accounts both at the time of registration and at checkout.
Maintain a house bank and make a deposit and accurate report of receipts daily.
Cash checks and exchange currency for guests.
Issue key to and control entrance of safety deposit boxes.
Post miscellaneous charges as requested.
Promptly respond to and resolve guest complaints.
Answer telephone promptly and properly being polite, courteous, and friendly.
Be friendly, thorough, accurate and efficient in taking reservations.
Be friendly, thorough, accurate and efficient in performing Check-ins.
Be friendly, thorough, accurate and efficient in performing Check-outs.
Operate or assist with shuttle or transportation Service in a timely and courteous manner (If applicable).
Assist guests with luggage upon their arrival to and departure from the hotel.
Use the guests’ names.
Be knowledgeable and helpful about the local area, the hotel and hotel services.
Handle messages, wake-up calls, mail, and faxes properly.
Assist guests’ with laundry/dry cleaning needs.
Know of incoming VIPs.
Follow all applicable Company Standard Operating Procedures.
Perform other assignments as directed by the General Manager.
Be an enthusiastic, helpful and positive member of the team.
Be professional, responsible and mature in conduct and behavior.
Be understanding of, encouraging to and friendly with all co-workers.
Be self-motivated and use time wisely.
Maintain open line of communications with each department.
Communicate pertinent information.
Respond positively to new ideas.
Openly accept critical/developmental feedback.
Maintain effective communication through the use of meetings, log books and bulletins.
Be available to help other departments in emergency situations.
Adhere to all work rules, procedures and policies established by the company.
Properly handle and account for keys.
Be knowledgeable of policies regarding emergency procedures and security concerns.
Aggressively seek and react to opportunities to sell rooms, including re-rents, and last rooms available.
Have complete knowledge of hotel rooms, function space, restaurant (if applicable), other outlets, and services; have in depth knowledge of and regularly re-stock and sell pantry items.
Increases revenues by offering customers upgraded rooms and promoting hotel amenities and outlets.
Have full understanding of franchise honors program.
Ensure all customers establish credit upon check-in.
Improves timeliness of cash flow by adhering to all established credit and inventory control procedures.
Verifies all information on reservations check-in; name, address, method of payment, etc.
Retrieves proper name and address verification and proper approval codes for cash and credit card paying customers.
Identifies and records special billing instructions and notifies accounting.
Completes shift closing accurately by getting appropriate approval signatures and authorization codes.
Adheres to hotel policies regarding the use of cash banks.
Stays current with developments in the hotel by reviewing the communication log book each shift; updates log book for next shift.
Report potential sales contacts to the sales department.
Protection of guests’ room numbers.

Benefits

Medical, dental, vision insurance available for full-time employees and their families
Short-term and Long-term Disability Insurance
Supplemental Life Insurance
Flexible Savings Account
401k with up to a 5% company match
Vacation Time - 80 hours on your first 3 years of service
Sick Time – 1 hour accrued per 30 hours worked
Paid Holidays: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day
Career Growth Opportunities/ Manager Training Program
Reduced Room Rates throughout the portfolio
Third Party Perks (Movie Tickets, Attractions, Other)
Access to our Talent team to help you reach your career goals.