Front Desk Clerk Job Description and Duties

The front desk clerk is a position that is commonly found in the hotel and health care industry. The front desk clerk responsibilities comprise attending the guests, understanding their requirements, providing them with the necessary information, directing them to the concerned personnel, etc. If you have good interpersonal communication skills with some basic education and are willing to learn new things and adapt to the changing situations, then handling the front desk clerk duties would definitely be much easier.Though this is an entry level position that essentially requires him/her to handle the basic front end duties, it is a crucial position in the organization, as he/she is the first person to be responsible for impressing the guests and creating a positive image of the organization.

The front desk clerk is responsible for handling the reception, administrative and some of the accounting duties as well. He/she is responsible for welcoming the guests, serving them, promoting the services of the organization, maintaining hospitality at all times, and interacting with them in a courteous, friendly manner, both on the phone as well as while interacting with them face to face. Thus, he/she needs to perform some basic, but very important duties and to understand them in a better way, let us have a look at some key responsibilities that are mentioned below:

Key Responsibilities of a Front Desk Clerk

To welcome the incoming guests by immediately acknowledging their presence with a pleasant smile
To anticipate the needs of the guest and to provide them assistance by allotting guest rooms based on their budget
To follow all the procedures of the organization with respect to check in and check out procedures, understanding the concerns of the guests and sorting them out, accepting the payment by check or cash mode, etc.
To handle the incoming calls and to provide accurate details regarding the facilities, rates, amenities, etc.
To handle the mails and route the incoming calls to the concerned person in the right department, to handle the fax operations, voice mail system and assist the guests in retrieving the messages
To be responsible for adhering to all the rules and regulations of the organization and set as a role model for the other staff members.

The professional in the hotel industry generally carries out the above mentioned duties. However, if he/she is functioning the health care industry, his/her duties will differ slightly. Here are some of the responsibilities that need to be carried out by him/her:

To ensure that all the records of the patient, his/her documents, forms, etc., have been prepared and kept ready prior to the appointment of the patient
To perform all the relevant data entry work, to update the information and to verify all personal details like phone number, address, email address, etc.
To compile all the data related to health insurance
To communicate any changes or delays that may occur and convey it to the patient
To document all the medical reports, prescriptions and other paper work, so that it can be picked up by the patient whenever there is a requirement
To maintain complete confidentiality about the patients' information and to make the entry of payments, charges and ensuring that it has been balanced on that day itself in the computer

Thus, the front desk clerk, whether he/she is working in the hotel or medical fraternity, does need to handle a broad range of responsibilities.

Essential Skills

To be the best front desk clerk, an individual must have excellent hospitality skills.
Strong verbal communication, ability to sort out problems effectively, good business acumen, good organization, time management and interpersonal skills are some of the other required skills.
He/she should be well conversant with Microsoft Office and should be able to type, operate and handle the front office system efficiently and should be familiar with the relevant database software.
He/she should be an active listener and should be able to understand the concerns of the customers.
In case of emergencies, he/she should be able to take decisions independently as well as should be able to prioritize his/her work requirements according to the situation.

Educational Background

There is no specific educational criteria required to make an entry into this field. However, the individuals who have completed a high school diploma with some knowledge of business or those with some relevant computer background have better chances for getting that job. Associate degree in business management, hospitality, or business administration would surely get more preference over the rest of the candidates. This is only a general idea and the specifications may differ from one employer to other.

Work Schedule

The typical front desk clerk normally works during standard routine business hours. He/she may need to work in the night shifts as well or may need to work overtime on some occasions.

Salary Details

The average salary of this professional lies in the range of $24,000 to $34,000. It generally varies with the kind of experience, skills, and education that an individual has in that particular field. Similarly, it may change according to the location of the job, the size of the organization, and the type of industry he/she is employed in.

Career Prospects

There is a huge scope for the professional in this field to move to higher managerial or supervisory positions once he/she gains enough work experience in this particular field. If you have higher qualifications, there is wider scope for your personal growth as well as professional development.

Therefore, to achieve success in this field, it is crucial that you handle your front desk responsibilities effectively and efficiently and take your career to greater heights.

Front Desk Clerk Cover Letter