This time I would like to treat an item maybe a little bit thorny….how important is the motivation of your Staff…

After working for a long time at the Front Office Department I have seen and observed the many people collaborating with me…and I can tell that the most of them were often not so much satisfied with their tasks…
For every person there is a different reason :

1. People ambitious but without any chance to change or improve the competences ;
2. People without any specified interest put in the wrong department to perform a task that causes personal problems or difficulties;
3. People only interested in having good shifts without any ability or willing to work in team (how often it happens ??)
4. People a little bit unfriendly, good at working alone…
5. People, in rare cases, satisfied….–> WOW, what a fortune they have !!

Now, the only reason I consider the Front Office Department so important in the Hotel Management is because in many cases it does not exist anymore the standard receptionist with the standard tasks of check-in/-out, customer care…but this profile has nowadays a role much more complete and engaging in the general Hotel Management…
In theory the Staff should be divided by sectors or specific tasks depending on the various abilities of everyone to get the Best of them !! But the question is : do you think it happens ??

Who tends to work alone, should perform possibly back-office tasks without any chance to relate to the guests;
Who is pretty sociable and open is perfect for the Concierge or generally customer service and care
Who is sociable, open but also precise and meticulous can manage reservations, Stop Sales and Online update of the Rate strategy ;
Who is all of this and as plus is able to coordinate and motivate the group, can become a supervisor or more..

For the Staff there is usually the possibility to periodically organize training or update courses, useful expecially to understand if somebody can or want to grow professionally and specialize in a specified sector.
From the Front Office, you can have the goal to develop your abilities and move to the other departments of the Hotel with the right knowledge and studies…

You should have possibly or preferably the Degree in Economics if you want to qualify yourself in the Revenue branch, since the only ability or intuition are not sufficient for the mathematic analysis of the Revenue of your Property but you can contribute with your work everyday !!
Think about it : every time you have a walk-in, you get a telephone call, you manage a fax or e-mail for infos you can change and transform in a confirmation a simple request, if you are flexible at managing the tariffs  you can learn to make a good offer, to make an upgrade or an upselling depending on the Roomtypes at your property…

Reservations and Revenue are closely related !

If you are good in Computer, you can help by moving your skills to the Online Marketing and Social Media….

I think that the Front Office Department is a Starting Point, from where then you can and have to realize much more, if you want it actually !