For many of your owners and guests, reception is their first real experience of your resort. And it can leave a lasting impression. How many times have you read a TripAdvisor review when the experience in reception has altered the entire vacation – both positively and negatively?

An efficient check-in process, acceptable queue times, personalized customer service all play their part. But how do you make your resort reception run as smoothly and efficiently as possible? Especially when your guests descend at the same time, all looking for the best accommodations and to get to the pool/park/ski run as quickly as possible!

We asked Merlin’s Sonja Mathews, who has managed resorts and reception teams for over 30 years, for her top tips.

1 Let your resort property management software take the load

“If your software cannot handle your weekly guest check-ins it’s time to get new software,” says Sonja. Software that is protracted, temperamental and inflexible will slow down your staff and, by default, your check-in process. And will make your guest’s first experience with you a negative experience.

The right property management system will have specific front desk functionality where your reservations show in real-time, clearly indicating what type of reservation has been made and if payments are due. It will also:

• Show a history of your owners’ activities;
• Allow you to book and pay for additional services there and then;
• Follow up on any marketing activity (like confirm tour times);
• Move accommodations when required;
• Handle points-based bookings;
• Make notes; and
• Manage requests.

Offering these services at the front desk through your software will make the guest’s experience more personalized, while also giving staff the information they need to adjust or change a reservation immediately.

2 Where possible remove the queue (and the reception desk)

“This is especially important in these COVID19 times when you want to reduce the number of people in one space and get them to their units as quickly as possible”.

If you have the latest property management software and are using hospitality apps, there should be no need for a queue in reception – and indeed, no formal reception desk. Your staff should be walking around a welcome area with tablets/smartphones, attending to your guests as they arrive and moving them to their units as quickly as possible. The aim is to avoid having a mass of people coming in at one time.

If that is not possible, work out your ideal process. It might look something like this:

• A guest arrives and welcomed by a team member
• They are asked if they are here for the first time or a regular guest 
• Point them to a sanitization station
• Offer a welcome drink and snack
• Ask if they require any information about the resort
• Let them choose their preferred communication method
• Sign any documentation
• Collect keys 

If you need to check documentation such as PCR tests, have a separate information point or welcome station. This will move your guests around the reception area and psychologically make them feel they are in the process of checking in. 

“The biggest win of all is to have online check-in so your guests don’t need to go into reception at all and can use a smartphone app to access their apartments”. 

3 Prioritize your front desk duties

“Think about what you need to achieve at reception and divide and delegate accordingly”.

Every resort is unique. If you are a large resort, then you might want to optimize your reception for speed. In contrast, smaller resorts might be able to focus on providing more personalized but slower service. Determining what your customers’ expectations are will help you provide a service that prides itself on efficiency or one that offers individual guest attention.

Make sure that you stop any unnecessary staff bustle and moving around at the time of check-in, remove the clutter and focus on welcoming your guests. 

One of Sonja’s golden reception rules is don’t interrupt your staff when they are busy with a guest. They have to be your priority. Manage potential interruptions like the telephone, SMS messages or emails when the check-in process is underway. Maybe have a staff member available to handle these? 

4 Empower your reception staff

“Training your staff thoroughly on your software, procedures, reservation rules, and the products you are selling is essential for them to do their job effectively.”

It is always disappointing when guests can’t get the answers they want. And this is especially so when they are dealing with reception staff. Make sure your team is sufficiently trained to answer all possible questions or can point guests to a person who can assist. This is basic customer service. 

Moreover, make sure your team has the authority to make decisions to enhance a guest’s experience. And to what level they have this authority. Your team should know what is available to resolve issues.

This could be by upgrading guests, offering vouchers or free breakfast, and providing additional services if specific parameters are met. This allows for a speedy resolution to any issues without the involvement of higher management.

5 Create a daily reception checklist

“Every smooth-running operation needs a daily checklist of activities, so nothing is overlooked or left to chance. Preparation is everything”.

Most timeshare resorts have experienced and trained reception staff so a checklist may be a reminder or aid de memoir. However, all these tasks are essential so you might want to add these items:

• Reporting: Make sure someone runs the room/tax report, shift audit report, departures report, arrivals report and housekeeping/maintenance reports.
• Arrivals: Understand who is due to arrive, their arrival time, special requests, and issues. Find out if they have been before or if this is their first time. Are they new members or on an exchange?
• Departures: Find out who and when each guest is leaving, and make sure accounts are settled.
• Identify owners: Regular visitors to your resort will probably require less time at the front desk than first-time guests. 
• Know what’s going on: Make sure that every day you know what could affect your resort and your guests. Identify weather issues, local events, national holidays, political activities, sporting events and industrial action.

6 Make changes and be flexible

“Change is inevitable as a way of improving our customer service”.

Technological advances and the COVID19 pandemic have all impacted the way reception and front desk teams operate. Change is frightening for many, but by monitoring and measuring your activities, you will find better ways to run this vital function. Don’t be put off improving processes.

Make sure that your rules and procedures are flexible. Your guests are going to throw some weird and wonderful requests your way. Just because they are unexpected, doesn’t mean you have to say no. With built-in flexibility, your staff will be able to fulfil that request.

7 Put contingencies in place 

“Make sure you have a plan B for busy times or when unplanned events happen like bad weather and illness.”

If you know that your check-in day is going to be busy, make sure that you have enough staff available to handle the queues. And have other staff available in reception who can handle the overflow, answer questions, offer bottles of water and manage requests. Everyone should be trained and able to man a terminal to check-in your guests.

Where possible, look into alternatives to face-to-face check-in such as remote apps, reception screens or tablets that can speed up the process – and avoid large groups of people in one place.

If your reception is unexpectedly busy, make sure you have staff available to call in to handle the rush – and procedures in place if your guests are delayed.

8 Ask your guests about their experience

“Ask your guests and your reception team how things are going and accept that you might not always like what you hear back.”

Implementing customer feedback tools to determine your guests’ reception experience can provide some critical insight. But it is only valuable if you use what your guests are telling you. Tools like the Net Promoter Score (NPS) and Customer Effort Score (CES) and post-stay survey questions which are both score-based and open-ended will give you a clear idea of what is working and what isn’t.

Take any criticism on the chin, work through the suggestions and make the changes. It could be the difference between a positive review on TripAdvisor or a negative review which you are then going to have to manage.

If your property management system is affecting your customer experience, then find out more about Merlin Software’s front desk and property management functionality. It can handle all ownership and reservations types, speed up your check-in and check-out procedures, handle all daily front desk tasks and includes a wealth of reporting tools.

To find out more, contact Mark Thomas on markt@quickmerlin.com or request a demo today.

9 Be prepared and personalize

“The adage is true. Fail to prepare and don’t be surprised if you have a negative outcome”.

Make sure your team knows who is arriving and understand who they are. Are they on holiday or is this a business trip? Are they paying for the accommodation, or is this a member? Is this their first visit? Are they coming with children, or is it just a couple? Are they celebrating something special during their stay? 

If your guest records are up to date (and they should be with a good PMS), you’ll know about any previous visits and can identify their requirements. Check with them before they arrive that these are still valid.

It is more important than ever to limit the time at check-in so make sure you have everything pre-printed so your guests can sign, collect their keys and go. Once again, you can contact guests before their arrival and request the information you need. 

If your guests have to go through a security gate before they reach you, ask them to contact you when a new guest is checking-in. This means that when they arrive at reception, you can welcome them by name and have everything ready. 

10 It’s not just check-in that matters

“Reception plays a crucial role throughout a vacation, so make sure your team has everything they need to provide a great customer experience”.

The role of the reception team should not be under-estimated. It is often the first place guests go with questions and requests. And it is also responsible for many guest communications.

But make sure you know how each guest wants to be contacted and have different systems in place to accommodate this. Ask your guests how they would like you to communicate with them during their stay: 

• Face to face
• Mobile applications such as WhatsApp/Messenger
• SMS
• Email
• Telephone message
• Printed

Then make sure your offers, events, activities are available in various formats for the different ways your guests want to receive them.

Be sincere when you talk to guests. Don’t ask how guests are if you don’t mean it. Instead, ask them how their day is going and what they have been doing? Make your communications with them as personal as possible.

Another of Sonja’s golden reception rules is that there is nothing better than knowing a guest by name and where they are staying. Find a way for your team to identify guests. It will pay off with a great customer experience. 

11 Prepare and plan for departure

“Don’t just focus on the first impression. Guests will remember their last impression just as well. Indeed, it can last longer”.

Where possible, your technology should support online check-out with the ability to pay outstanding accounts directly.

Where that is not possible, make sure the process is streamlined and stress-free. Guests are going to be anxious if they are heading to the airport or have long distances to travel and don’t want long queues or arguments.

All accounts should be prepared the night before and sent directly to guests through their chosen communication method. You can also slip a copy under the door.

Ensure that their departure is as good as their arrival, so they are sad to leave. One way to do this is by presenting them with a little gift as a thank you for staying with us. A branded facemask, a bottle of hand sanitizer and travel packs for the children can make a big difference.

“When it comes to key events like check-in and departure, plan for the worst and hope for the best”.

Reception teams can sometimes be so busy that they forget they are in the business of hospitality. Following these simple tips can help you plan, prioritize and prepare to give your guests the very best experience at the beginning, during and at the end of their vacation. 

For further information on Merlin Software’s Property Management System and front desk functionality, contact Mark Thomas for an online demo on markt@quickmerlin.com.