In a world of distorted values, many things and many jobs do not occupy their rightful place in society, and working at reception is certainly one of the undervalued jobs.

It is common to say of someone working at reception that they could not find work anywhere else, so they “stand around” at the front desk. Is that really the case, and are ordinary receptionists truly good-for-nothings?

A receptionist in a better hotel is required to have at least a bachelor’s or master’s qualification in tourism or economics, knowledge of two foreign languages, two years of work experience, advanced computer skills, knowledge of the basics of currency exchange and strong communication skills.

Anyone who thinks that some good-for-nothing could meet these requirements and perform a receptionist’s job is welcome to skip the rest of this article.

“When Mass begins, the altar is the focus of the faithful’s attention because, according to Christian belief, Christ is on the altar, and all bows during Mass are made exclusively towards the altar, not the tabernacle.”

Or, by analogy: when a hotel stay begins, reception is the focus of the guest’s attention, and almost all enquiries throughout the holiday are directed to reception.

I believe this analogy speaks sufficiently for itself.

A receptionist’s work therefore begins the moment a guest books accommodation because, in most cases, the receptionist allocates the most suitable accommodation, subject to availability. It is very important to bear in mind that an overbooking policy may mean the booked accommodation is unavailable. In that case, an upgrade must be arranged, with upselling if possible; the quality of the accommodation must never be downgraded. If there is no possibility of accommodating the guest in the hotel, the search begins for suitable accommodation in another hotel.

The receptionist’s work continues when the guest checks in — here we are discussing individual check-in. It is very important to collect all the details carefully and, depending on the channel used to book and the payment method, inform the guest that the bill has been paid. If it has not, part of the payment should be collected immediately or an appropriate card pre-authorisation made to avoid payment problems. Sometimes, for one reason or another, a guest does not want to pay for a service provided or simply forgets to pay.

The receptionist then gives the guest more detailed information about the hotel’s facilities and their opening hours, and about everything they have booked, from the accommodation itself to the level and type of service. Examples include bed and breakfast (BB), half board (HB), full board (FB), all-inclusive, or bookings for services such as a restaurant reservation, various massages in the spa centre or excursions. The receptionist also tries to sell an additional service through upselling or a related service through cross-selling. If possible, they take the guest to the hotel’s key locations; if not, they direct the guest to their room, or to one of the food and beverage outlets if the room is not ready.

It is essential not to send a guest to a room that is not ready. Once a guest sees an unprepared room, the image of a dirty room stays in their mind for the rest of the holiday, and this mistake is very difficult to put right.

Group check-in has its own particular challenges: at one moment, you literally have an entire coachload in front of reception, and tension builds very quickly, especially if guests arrive several hours before the earliest possible check-in time.

To make check-in for a large group as quick as possible, it is necessary to work with the agency representative, usually the tour guide. The agency representative collects the necessary documents on the coach and takes them straight to reception on arrival. Reception then checks guests in one by one and calls them by name to collect their room keys or cards, gives them the basic information they need during their stay and directs them to their rooms.

It is also important to provide a suitable drink and finger food while guests wait to check in, as well as a luggage storage room if guests would like to visit some of the hotel’s facilities before checking in.

After check-in, an astonishing number of questions, requests and uncertainties arise for guests, and receptionists have to deal with them in different languages.

It is excellent when a problem or enquiry can be resolved, but if a problem cannot be solved, compensation becomes necessary. Depending on the nature of the problem and the compensation required, this may be handled by a senior receptionist, reception shift supervisor, head of reception — in some cases, the front desk manager — duty manager, operations manager or deputy, or hotel manager or deputy.

Compensation may take the form of an accommodation upgrade, such as a larger room or apartment or a move to a room or apartment with a sea view; an enhanced service, such as lunch, dinner or a massage; an extended stay; or a monetary discount, which is the worst option for the hotel.

Every working day is a challenge of its own for a receptionist, and the beauty of the job is the opportunity to make guests happy every day and give them an unforgettable stay.

Finally, at the end of the story comes check-out, and it is fascinating how the success of the entire hotel can be captured in the expression on a departing guest’s face.

If the guest is satisfied, your happiness knows no bounds. If not, the visible dissatisfaction is followed by a barrage of emails and comments that the hotel’s staff wish they had never received, let alone read.

If only all guests, like worshippers leaving Mass, would go in the peace of God.