keihin_242

I'm getting tired of playing "Find the front desk staff" when I check in, especially at HI/HIX, and CPs in some cases. Most of the time this ends up with me having to make as much noise as possible when I enter the lobby to bring the employee(s) out of hiding or actually having to call out "good evening" or something as long those lines.

Now, I'm not talking about checking in when the night audit is working - they often have a reason to be in the back (accounting the day's receipts) - I'm talking about the regular day front desk staff. They may occasionally have duties that involve walking behind the partition (which vary by hotel and what systems they have installed), but this is something that I experience on a regular basis. It makes the hotel look very unprofessional.

That having been said, managers at these hotels need to give their check-in staff a chair to sit in - one adjustable to a height so the employee has a good view of the lobby and so it's obvious to guests that someone's there to help them. Standing up for eight hours or more isn't a lot of fun (and for those of you who stand up for much longer than that, I've been there) and I'm pretty sure what most of the "hiding" employees are doing is sitting down behind the partition.

I guess some managers may see a chair as unprofessional, but I don't care as long as someone's there to handle check-in/check-out. Managers could just suggest that "hiding" employees be fired, but I suspect just letting them sit down in plain view would keep most of them out front.

Has anyone else experienced this often - and do any hotels already let their staff sit down?

DoubleJ

I've never seen seated front desk staff (apart from that at the Embassy Suites--Waikiki Beach Walk). Tradition perhaps?

martinp13

In general, the counter is so high that a "chair" is useless. It would almost have to be a bar stool. But I'd like to see one "high chair" on a computer at the end of the counter, that the front desk staff can sit at between customers. When a customer comes in, they can get up and do the standing thing while helping the customer. I often check in after midnight, and 90% of the time the staff is in the back talking on their cellphone.

DoubleJ

Maybe the desk clerks would get too comfortable and fall asleep while on duty (ala Seinfeld) .

martinp13

They already do that, but it's behind the partition where I can't throw a pen at them.