**Overview**
This role, Guest Experience Expert (Junior Front Desk Agent), at the Johannesburg Marriott Hotel Melrose Arch, a Marriott International property, focuses on creating memorable and unique guest experiences beyond standard check-in and check-out procedures. Guest Experience Experts are empowered to take initiative, provide a wide range of services throughout a guest's stay, and manage their workspace effectively. Key responsibilities include processing operational needs, addressing guest requests, completing reports, and sharing local area highlights, all while making transactions feel integral to the guest experience. Success in this position requires maintaining a safe workplace, adhering to company policies and procedures, upholding confidentiality, protecting company assets, ensuring quality standards, and presenting a professional appearance and communication style. The role also involves physical demands such as prolonged standing, sitting, or walking, and light lifting.
**What you will do**
* Process guest check-ins, including confirming reservations, verifying identity, securing payment, assigning rooms, and issuing keys.
* Organize and coordinate check-in/pre-registration procedures for arriving groups.
* Process all guest check-outs, resolving late/disputed charges, settling accounts, and retrieving room keys.
* Keep track of changes in room status for Housekeeping (e.g., early/late check-out, room transfers).
* Sell rooms/accommodations to guests without reservations based on availability.
* Actively listen and respond positively to guest questions, concerns, and requests using brand-specific processes to resolve issues and build trust.
* Anticipate guests' service needs by asking questions and observing preferences.
* Engage guests in conversations about their stay, property services, and local attractions/offerings.
* Welcome and acknowledge guests with a smile, eye contact, and a friendly verbal greeting, using their name when possible, and provide a fond farewell.
* Provide specific recommendations for guests by staying up-to-date on the local area.
* Provide assistance to individuals with disabilities within established guidelines.
* Support co-workers and foster positive, productive working relationships.
* Handle sensitive issues with employees and/or guests with tact, respect, diplomacy, and confidentiality.
* Follow property-specific procedures for handling emergency situations (e.g., evacuations, medical emergencies).
* Maintain awareness of undesirable persons on property premises.
* Report work-related accidents or injuries immediately and identify/correct unsafe work procedures or conditions.
* Comply with quality assurance expectations and standards.
* Enter and locate work-related information using computer and/or point of sale systems.
* Communicate clearly, appropriately, and professionally with guests and co-workers, including answering telephones using proper etiquette.
* Run daily reports (e.g., arrivals, departures) and credit card authorization reports, checking for accuracy and discrepancies.
* Review shift logs/daily memo books and document pertinent information.
* Print contingency lists for emergency guest records.
* Arrange transportation and other special services (e.g., religious services, babysitting, dry cleaning) for guests.
* Contact appropriate departments to resolve guest calls, requests, or problems and follow up to ensure satisfaction.
* Manage access to public space technological devices and provide basic troubleshooting assistance.
* Process all payment types (room charges, cash, checks, debit, credit), adjustment vouchers, and miscellaneous charges.
* Count and secure the bank at the beginning and end of each shift, ensuring correct amounts and adequate change, and balance/drop receipts according to Accounting specifications.
* Obtain manual authorizations and follow Accounting procedures when computer systems are down.
* Ensure uniform, nametag, and personal appearance are clean, hygienic, and professional.
* Follow company and department policies and procedures.
* Protect company tools, equipment, machines, or other assets, and protect the privacy and security of guests and co-workers.
* Perform physical tasks including standing, sitting, or walking for extended periods, and moving, lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, and placing objects weighing less than or equal to 10 pounds without assistance.
**Requirements (from the original advert)**
* **Education:** High school diploma or G.E.D. equivalent.
* **Related Work Experience:** No related work experience.
* **Supervisory Experience:** No supervisory experience.
* **License or Certification:** None.
* **General Success Factors:**
* Ability to create a safe workplace.
* Adherence to company policies and procedures.
* Maintenance of confidentiality.
* Protection of company assets.
* Upholding quality standards.
* Ensuring professional uniform, personal appearance, and communications.
* **Physical Demands:**
* Ability to stand, sit, or walk for an extended period of time or for an entire work shift.
* Ability to move, lift, carry, push, pull, and place objects weighing less than or equal to 10 pounds without assistance.
* Ability to read and visually verify information in a variety of formats (e.g., small print).
* Ability to enter and locate work-related information using computers and/or point of sale systems.
**Who should apply**
This role is ideal for proactive individuals who are keen to create memorable and unique guest experiences, demonstrating initiative in providing a wide range of services. Candidates should be capable of anticipating and responding positively to guest needs, engaging in professional conversations, and maintaining a high level of guest satisfaction. Strong interpersonal and communication skills are essential for interacting with guests and supporting co-workers. The position is entry-level, explicitly stating "No related work experience" and "No supervisory experience" is required. Applicants should be prepared for physical demands including extended periods of standing, sitting, or walking, and light lifting (up to 10 pounds). A commitment to company policies, confidentiality, safety, and professional appearance is also critical.
**Deadline**
Not specified
**Reference**
Original posting: https://www.myjobmag.co.za/job/guest-experience-expert-junior-front-desk-agent-johannesburg-marriott-hotel-melrose-arch-marriott-international
Source: myjobmag
Summary drafted with AI assistance from the original advert. The advert itself is the authority — how we use AI.
Job description
POSITION SUMMARY
* Our jobs aren’t just about giving guests a smooth check-in and check-out. Instead, we want to build and experience that is memorable and unique. Our Guest Experience Experts take the initiative to deliver a wide range of services that guide guests through their entire stay. They are empowered to move about their space and do what needs to be done. Whether processing operational needs, addressing guest requests, completing reports, or sharing the highlights of the local area, the Guest Experience Expert makes transactions feel like part of the experience.
* No matter what position you are in, there are a few things that are critical to success – creating a safe work place, following company policies and procedures, maintaining confidentiality, protecting company assets, upholding quality standards, and ensuring your uniform, personal appearance, and communications are professional. Guest Experience Experts will be on their feet and moving around stand, sit, or walk for an extended time and taking a hands-on approach to work move, lift, carry, push, pull, and place objects weighing less than or equal to 10 pounds without assistance. Doing all these things well and other reasonable job duties as requested is critical for Guest Experience Experts – to get it right for our guests and our business each and every time.
CRITICAL TASKS
Safety and Security
* Follow property specific procedures for handling emergency situations e.g., evacuations, medical emergencies, natural disasters.
* Maintain awareness of undesirable persons on property premises.
* Report work related accidents, or other injuries immediately upon occurrence to manager/supervisor.
* Identify and correct unsafe work procedures or conditions and/or report them to management and security/safety personnel.
Guest Relations
* Actively listen and respond positively to guest questions, concerns, and requests using brand or property specific process e.g., LEARN, PLEASED, Guest Response, LEAP, MYSTIQUE to resolve issues, delight, and build trust.
* Address guests' service needs in a professional, positive, and timely manner.
* Anticipate guests' service needs, including asking questions of guests to better understand their needs and watching/listening to guest preferences and acting on them whenever possible.
* Assist other employees to ensure proper coverage and prompt guest service.
* Engage guests in conversation regarding their stay, property services, and area attractions/offerings, including social media where appropriate.
* Provide assistance to individuals with disabilities, including assisting visually, hearing, or physically-impaired individuals within guidelines e.g., escorting them when requested, using words to explain actions, writing directions on paper, moving objects out of the way, or offering access to Braille or TDD phones.
* Thank guests with genuine appreciation and provide a fond farewell.
* Welcome and acknowledge each and every guest with a smile, eye contact, and a friendly verbal greeting, using the guest's name when possible.
* Stay up-to-date on the local area so that you are prepared to provide specific recommendations for guests.
* Communicate recommendations in a way that builds excitement and interest among guests and associates.
* Perform other reasonable duties as requested.
Working with Others
* Support all co-workers and treat them with dignity and respect.
* Develop and maintain positive and productive working relationships with other employees and departments.
* Handle sensitive issues with employees and/or guests with tact, respect, diplomacy, and confidentiality.
Quality Assurance/Quality Improvement
* Comply with quality assurance expectations and standards.
Physical Tasks
* Enter and locate work-related information using computers and/or point of sale systems.
* Move, lift, carry, push, pull, and place objects weighing less than or equal to 10 pounds without assistance.
* Read and visually verify information in a variety of formats e.g., small print.
* Stand, sit, or walk for an extended period of time or for an entire work shift.
Check-in/Check-out
* Keep track of changes in room status e.g., early check-out, late check-out, room transfer, unexpected stay over for Housekeeping.
* Organize and coordinate check-in/pre-registration procedures for arriving groups.
* Process all check-outs including express check-outs, resolving any late and disputed charges, settling account, retrieving room key, and requesting comments on guest's stay.
* Process all guest check-ins by confirming reservations in computer system e.g., Fidelio, PMS, FOSSE, OPERA, verifying guest identity, requesting form of payment, assigning room, and issuing room key in accordance with property policies and procedures.
* Secure valid form of payment e.g., credit card, cash prior to issuing room key.
* Sell a room/accommodation to guests without reservations based on availability.
* Verify and adjust billing for guests.
Communications
* Provide assistance to coworkers, ensuring they understand their tasks.
* Speak to guests and co-workers using clear, appropriate and professional language.
* Instruct guests on how to access the internet e.g., dial-up, broadband, wireless.
* Answer telephones using appropriate etiquette including answering the phone within 3 rings, answering with a smile in one's voice, using the callers' name, transferring calls to appropriate person/department, requesting permission before placing the caller on hold, taking and relaying messages, and allowing the caller to end the call.
Reports/Recordkeeping
* Run daily reports number of arrivals, departures, identify any special requests, and check reports for accuracy.
* Run credit card authorization report and check for discrepancies.
* Review shift logs/daily memo books and document pertinent information in logbooks.
* Print contingency lists to have a record of all guests in case of emergency.
Guest Services
* Arrange transportation e.g., taxi, shuttle bus for guests/residents/visitors, and record advance transportation request as needed.
* Contact appropriate individual or department e.g., Bell person, Front Desk, Housekeeping, Engineering, Security/Loss Prevention as necessary to resolve guest call, request, or problem.
* Follow up with guests to ensure their requests or problems have been met to their satisfaction.
* Manage access to technological devices within public spaces e.g., television, remote control, computer, Internet, games, etc. and provide basic troubleshooting assistance or refer to appropriate individual or department e.g., Engineering, Security/Loss Prevention as necessary.
* Contact appropriate individual or department e.g., Bell person, Front Desk, Housekeeping, Engineering, Security/Loss Prevention as necessary to resolve guest call, request, or problem.
Cash Handling
* Process all payment types such as room charges, cash, checks, debit, or credit.
* Process adjustment vouchers, paid-outs, correction vouchers, and miscellaneous charges.
* Count bank at end of shift and secure bank.
* Balance and drop receipts according to Accounting specifications.
* Obtain manual authorizations and follow all Accounting procedures when computer system is down.
* Count bank at the beginning of shift to ensure that amounts are correct and that there is adequate change.
Policies and Procedures
* Ensure uniform, nametags, and personal appearance are clean, hygienic and professional.
* Follow company and department policies and procedures.
* Perform other reasonable job duties as requested by Supervisors.
* Protect company tools, equipment, machines, or other assets in accordance with company policies and procedures.
* Protect the privacy and security of guests and coworkers.
VIP/Concierge Services
* Gather, summarize, and utilize information about the property and the surrounding area amenities, including special events and activities.
* Respond to guest requests for special arrangements or services e.g., transportation, religious services, babysitting, dry cleaning, entertainment/sporting events, shopping by making arrangements or identifying appropriate providers.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education:
* High school diploma or G.E.D. equivalent.
Related Work Experience:
* No related work experience.
Supervisory Experience:
* No supervisory experience.
License or Certification:
* None
Before you apply
Confirm the requirements and closing date on the original listing (myjobmag). SPANi lists vacancies from other sites and may not reflect last-minute changes.
Legitimate employers do not charge application, registration or training fees.
Don't send your ID or bank details before you have confirmed the employer is real.
Setting and Maintaining Goals for Culinary Function and Activities Ensuring Culinary Standards and Responsibilities are Met Managing and Conducting Human Resource Activities
Supporting Management of Department Operations and Inventories Participating in and Leading Banquet Teams Providing and Ensuring Exceptional Customer Service