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Front Desk Manager
The front desk is the place in the casino hotel where guests check in and check out. To run this area in an efficient manner, the hotel employs front office or front desk clerks. The person responsible for overseeing these employees is called the Front Desk Manager. In some casino hotels the person is called the front desk supervisor. The Front Desk Manager supervises all activities of the front desk clerks. He or she is responsible for making sure the clerks are properly trained. The Front Desk Manager makes certain that clerks welcome guests when they arrive and treats each one in a courteous and pleasant manner.
The Front Desk Manager is responsible for handling problems that may occur with guests’ reservations. This might include, for example, a reservation that somehow is not in the computer. The Front Desk Manager does everything possible to keep guests happy. This can mean upgrading a room or offering some type of amenity. In some cases, these decisions may have to be authorized by the front office manager.
The Front Desk Manager assists clerks in solving difficulties with credit cards or in handling check cashing or other monetary transactions. The Front Desk Manager assists clerks with guests’ problems at checkout. These might include charges guests think are incorrect or were supposed to be “comped” or provided at no charge. Other duties of the casino hotel Front Desk Manager may include:
- Handling customer complaints and problems
- Recommending front office clerks for promotion
Earning possibilities for Front Desk Managers
Depending on the specific casino hotel, Front Desk Managers are paid an hourly wage or a weekly salary. Individuals may earn between USD 12.00 and USD 20.00 or more per hour or be paid annual salaries ranging from USD 28,000 and USD 42,000 plus. Factors affecting earnings include the geographic location, size, and prestige of the specific casino hotel, as well as the experience and responsibilities of the individual.
Employment opportunities for casino hotel Front Desk Managers are fair.
Las Vegas, Reno, Laughlin, Lake Tahoe, Atlantic City, Biloxi, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and Detroit offer the greatest number of job possibilities. Other employment settings include casinos and casino hotels in other areas of Nevada, Mississippi, New York, Louisiana, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Arizona, and California.
Other regions hosting Indian gaming and land-based or riverboat gaming facilities offer additional opportunities. New casinos and casino hotels are constantly under construction. More casinos and casino hotels are also opening every year as areas legalize gambling.
Casino hotel Front Desk Managers may climb the career ladder by obtaining more experience and/or training. They may then locate similar jobs in larger, more prestigious casino hotels, resulting in increased earnings. With additional experience and training an individual may also be promoted to the job of assistant front office manager.
Most hotels require individuals to hold a high school diploma or the equivalent. Experience may be accepted in lieu of education.
Individuals are usually trained on the job for this position.
Generally, Front Desk Managers must have at least one year of experience working in the front office of a hotel. Individuals must be organized, detail-oriented, and have supervisory skills. Computer skills and customer service skills are essential in this job. An understanding of the front office and the hospitality industry is also necessary.
Those interested in learning more about careers as casino hotel Front Desk Managers can obtain additional information by contacting the Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education (CHRIE), Hotel Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMA), or the human resources departments in casino hotels.
7 steps to this job
1. If you do not live in a gaming area and aspire to work in a casino hotel, get experience in the front office of a luxury hotel before you move.
2. The human resources departments of casino hotels will tell you of any job openings.
3. Most casinos have job hotlines. These are frequently updated messages listing jobs available. You can call each casino directly to get its job hotline phone number.
4. Jobs are often advertised in the classified sections of newspapers in areas hosting gaming. Look under classifications such as “Hotel Front Desk Manager,” “Casino Hotel Front Desk Manager,” “Front Desk Manager,” “Hospitality Industry,” or “Casino Hotel Opportunities.”
5. Check out casino and casino hotel Web sites for openings.
6. You might also want to surf the net for openings on traditional job sites like Monster.com and Yahoo Hotjobs.
7. There are Web sites dedicated specifically to jobs on the casino industry. Check out the appendix for some of them.