Front Desk to Back Office

From Front Desk to Back Office

So, after being at the front desk for two weeks working for day shifts and night audit, I was officially moved to the back office, which includes sales, marketing, and accounting departments, and the management offices.

I was so glad that I didn’t have to be at the front desk anymore because honestly, I still don’t fell 100% comfortable with it. I found it super difficult to work at the front desk because there is too much information that I need to know to be able to take the shift myself, but two weeks of training is certainly not enough. Also, since we only have one person per shift normally, it is extremely stressful when we have to assist walk-in customer while there are calls ringing constantly. However, I did realize that how important this front desk experience is for me to work at the back office. It is so useful that I am actually considering taking one day each week to work at front desk, just so to better understand customer needs.

For example, the first thing I did on Monday at marketing department was updating new map. The map we had been giving out to our guests is black and white, blurry and hard to see. I have never been told that we have other version of this map. But surprisingly, I found that they actually have a colored version of the same map, which is so much more clear and fancier. I was shocked to find out that the marketing manager knew nothing about the disgusting black/white map we had been using and the front desk staffs knew that they have colored map at the back office but never asked for it. Here comes a gap of communication. Its not about unable to communicate, but not willing to. All front desk staffs need to do is ask for more colored version, but they didn’t, even though they were aware of it. Again, it goes back to the lack of motivation and initiative.

The second thing I did was creating a TV channel list. There were so many guests called or came to front desk ask for TV channel list because they didn’t have one at the rooms. Marketing manager knew nothing about it, but the TV channel list we had been handing out to our guests, again, is a crappy-looking copied version piece of paper that it couldn’t be shabbier. I made a new one and also laminated the copies so it not only look fancy, but also can last forever. It is smalls things after all that make a big difference.  

 

Anyway. I did find myself enjoy the back office so much better because I could make difference and create progress of this resort. It feels like seeing a child growing up, improve one step at a time, and finally becomes professional for good.