Assistant Front Office

The Rockefeller Hotel & Residence in Foreshore, Cape Town is looking for a vibrant, dynamic Assistant Front Office & Reservations Manager. The individual will be responsible for:

- Monitor trends within the industry and make suggestions how these could be implemented.
- Ensure that the department meets and works according to the standards set out and the department’s Standard Operating Procedures.
- Assist in managing and overseeing Reservation’s personnel.
- Assist in managing service levels and response times to ensure adherence to the policies and procedures of the property.
- Monitor rates online and in opera and report any discrepancies to Reservations Manager.
- Assist with monitoring Front Office activities regarding billing instructions and compliance with hotel credit policies.
- Oversee the allocation of rooms; ensuring VIP guests are allocated applicable room types. Attend Revenue meetings in the absence of the Reservations Manager. Manage tentative and confirmed reservations in the system.
- Produce daily and weekly room occupancy reports for management and ensures all third-party reservations are accurately captured in the system.
- Actively endeavor to seek and resolve guest complaints, where possible, exercise judgement and escalate it to the manager should it be required.
- Continuously endeavors to improve the department’s efficient operation.
- Manage relationships with other departments.
- Prepare daily pick up reports when required.
- Conduct in house site inspections as and when required.
- Achieves guest satisfaction and room revenue goals by supervising the Front Office operation.
- Ensures that Front Office is staffed according to need by utilizing business forecasts to schedule employees.
- Oversees and participates in the prompt and courteous check-in and check-out of guests.
- Aids in planning for meetings and special events by meeting with individual customers and convention representatives.
- Ensures that guest mail and messages are delivered promptly by overseeing mail and message delivery functions.
- Controls room rates and implements approved rate changes.
- Monitors advance deposit and credit procedures.
- Responds orally to positive and negative comments expressed in comments from guests, and in comment cards, and develops strategies to improve.
- Brings major needs for repair to the attention of the FOM & General Manager.
- Challenges Front Office staff to utilize yield management, occupancy, and average room rate to maximize room revenue.
- Controls and analyses departmental costs on an ongoing basis; takes action to control negative deviation.
- Checks the arrival list, conference guest list, and VIP list and informs appropriate individuals on returning guests, VIP’s and special guests.
- Blocks rooms for VIP’s and special guests.
- Actively participate in cost savings exercises applicable to your working area.
- Prepare weekly revenue and pace reports as needed.
- Monitor Front Office activities regarding billing instructions and compliance with hotel credit policies.
- Complete required reports for Head Office and Consortia partners on quarterly or required basis.
- Establish and quote rates within the limits of the authorized rates negotiation procedure.
- Liaise with the Sales department regarding VIP reservations as needed.
- Monitor outstanding accounts, attend Finance meetings on behalf of the department.
- Assist with monthly training in the department.
- Assist with rostering & payroll.
- Making reservations at the hotel and preparing rate proposals and following up on the business to ensure revenue.
- Ensure accurate & detailed capturing of reservations
- Ensure accurate records about guests’ bookings, payments, and any additional information that hotel staff might need when interacting with a guest.
- Answer reservations calls in a pleasant and courteous manner, in accordance with the Quality standards.
- Based on the nature of the reservation required, check the availability of the room / type of room and confirm the reservation.
- Up-selling, when appropriate, by informing guests of additional services or special packages, or higher room category.
- Ensure that all company policies, procedures & SOPs are adhered to
- Responsible for the management of the front-office team members porters, and the Reservations Agents.
- Maximizes the average room occupancy & average room rate achieved.
- Maintains excellent relationships with guests.
- Ensures that guest satisfaction is established & maintained by F/O staff
- Identify & implement staff training to ensure company standards are met.
- Liaise with other departments to ensure smooth flow of information through-out the property as per operating standards.
- Supplies relevant information to other departments to assist them with planning & running their departments.
- Schedules staff duties & draws up rosters.
- Be visual face of the business & interact with guests & employees.
- Manage any people issu