Hotel front desk service standards during the day vs. night
Mar 2, 2019, 6:47 pm
#1
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Hotel front desk service standards during the day vs. night
When I check into hotels very late at night I often get a subpar front desk agent. They don't greet me or make much eye contact. Elite recognition is spotty and perks (like bottled water) are often neglected unless I ask for them. They're very curt and don't even provide basic information about the hotel (like breakfast hours) unless I ask specifically.
Infallibly, when I check out the next day at a normal hour, I am met with a smiling, warm agent that you would expect from a Hilton or Marriott caliber of hotel.
Do hotels reduce the bar for hiring night shift front desk agents?
Infallibly, when I check out the next day at a normal hour, I am met with a smiling, warm agent that you would expect from a Hilton or Marriott caliber of hotel.
Do hotels reduce the bar for hiring night shift front desk agents?
Mar 2, 2019, 8:25 pm
#3
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Maybe not officially but overnights are not usually a preferred work situation and as a company you'd want to put your best foot forward when it will have the most impact which will be during the mornings, mid-afternoon to early evening.
Mar 3, 2019, 12:16 am
#5
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Mar 3, 2019, 12:41 am
#6
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Agree wholeheartedly with @mikew99, although not all FlyerTalkers would agree. I can't find my own post anymore, but I've kvetched about big-city Northeast US store clerks not saying things like hello and thank you. The replies were some riff of "saying hello holds up the line."
Last edited by davie355; Mar 3, 2019 at 12:59 am
Mar 3, 2019, 5:33 am
#7
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Agree wholeheartedly with @mikew99, although not all FlyerTalkers would agree. I can't find my own post anymore, but I've kvetched about big-city Northeast US store clerks not saying things like hello and thank you. The replies were some riff of "saying hello holds up the line."
Mar 3, 2019, 6:28 am
#8
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OP's post is a broad generalization. What specific property and what specific lack of service did you experience.
I've been very pleasantly greeted at 03:00 by a FD clerk saying, "it's late, I have your card key right here and won't bother you with the usual plesantries. Will that be Ok?" Good customer-facing personnel learn how to read their customer. There are people who want to be fawned over and there are people like me who consider good CS to be the absolute minimum necessary for the transaction, If I want to know that the rooftop bar serves a lovely vodka martini, I know how to ask the question.
I've been very pleasantly greeted at 03:00 by a FD clerk saying, "it's late, I have your card key right here and won't bother you with the usual plesantries. Will that be Ok?" Good customer-facing personnel learn how to read their customer. There are people who want to be fawned over and there are people like me who consider good CS to be the absolute minimum necessary for the transaction, If I want to know that the rooftop bar serves a lovely vodka martini, I know how to ask the question.
Mar 5, 2019, 1:37 pm
#9
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The best late-night check-in experience is the Hilton app.
Enter hotel, go straight to my room, tap the phone, enter room, go to sleep.
Marriott, you listening?
Enter hotel, go straight to my room, tap the phone, enter room, go to sleep.
Marriott, you listening?
Mar 5, 2019, 2:15 pm
#10
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When I roll into a hotel at 2am and need to leave at 7 the same morning the only thing I'm focused on is making as many of those five hours as possible involve sleep. I don't care about the breakfast hours - I wont be there for them. I just want to go to bed, Just give me the key, thanks.
Mar 15, 2019, 9:12 am
#11
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When I check into hotels very late at night I often get a subpar front desk agent. They don't greet me or make much eye contact. Elite recognition is spotty and perks (like bottled water) are often neglected unless I ask for them. They're very curt and don't even provide basic information about the hotel (like breakfast hours) unless I ask specifically.
Infallibly, when I check out the next day at a normal hour, I am met with a smiling, warm agent that you would expect from a Hilton or Marriott caliber of hotel.
Do hotels reduce the bar for hiring night shift front desk agents?
Infallibly, when I check out the next day at a normal hour, I am met with a smiling, warm agent that you would expect from a Hilton or Marriott caliber of hotel.
Do hotels reduce the bar for hiring night shift front desk agents?
Mar 15, 2019, 5:53 pm
#12
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Yeah, this really depends on the hotel. I've had to both wait around in the lobby for a while for someone to help check me in and get checked in extremely quickly in my travels.
Personally I prefer less small talk but it's still possible to be polite and courteous without having to have a long conversation, IMO.
Personally I prefer less small talk but it's still possible to be polite and courteous without having to have a long conversation, IMO.
Mar 15, 2019, 6:13 pm
#13
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As mentioned OP has not identified the hotel. We all know training levels are much higher in general at "brand name " chains. I recently had a wonderful check in experience at a Marriott in Bali and even a three star atMumbai airport at 3 AM, "sir ould you care for a cup of ttea?"
Mar 15, 2019, 6:35 pm
#14
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The late night folks know where all the parties are. LOL.
Maybe I don’t pay much attention, but I never get these impolite slights that people seem to always complain about. I stay pleasant because I’m usually in a great mood. I enjoy interacting with people. I like small talk.
Im the guy that sits up front chatting with the Uber driver.
The night clerks are usually not busy and often more engaging because they aren’t really busy.
Chances are, I’m gonna see them the next night if I come stumbling in at 3AM so they might as well remember me fondly. Lol
Maybe I don’t pay much attention, but I never get these impolite slights that people seem to always complain about. I stay pleasant because I’m usually in a great mood. I enjoy interacting with people. I like small talk.
Im the guy that sits up front chatting with the Uber driver.
The night clerks are usually not busy and often more engaging because they aren’t really busy.
Chances are, I’m gonna see them the next night if I come stumbling in at 3AM so they might as well remember me fondly. Lol
Mar 15, 2019, 8:15 pm
#15
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It is, and I agree with this broad generalization. It's easy to imagine that the day shift is a preferable work condition (in general, for most people), hence the better people end up there.
Sometimes in the middle of the night it's the night auditor who has checked me in. Auditors are not known for their customer service skills.
Sometimes in the middle of the night it's the night auditor who has checked me in. Auditors are not known for their customer service skills.
