The guest relations department is responsible for keeping a hotel’s guests happy and comfortable. It’s a rewarding job but it also comes with its own challenges unique to the role. 

To help you make the most out of your time in the role, we have some handy tips. We recently spoke with Valentine Carriere, guest relations manager at Hôtel Le Meurice in Paris, to give her expert opinion.

Plan Ahead

A lot of important work of the guest relations manager is done before the guests even arrive at the hotel. A lot of planning goes into making every guest stay as seamless as possible. 

Valentine says:

“We are in contact with all the departments of the hotel, mainly the front desk and the housekeeping. We also deal with the F&B departments. We are in charge of the smooth greeting of the guests from the beginning to the end of their time with us and we plan everything in advance. Which means that when a guest books a room, we have a chat with them, via phone or email, to understand why they're coming to the hotel and what their preferences may be. So then we are able to put some amenities in the room to provide a more tailored experience for each person that stays with us.”

Talk to your guests

Being a strong and friendly communicator is incredibly important for success in the role. You will need to be confident speaking and writing in whatever language your hotel operates in, most likely English. 

One of the best reasons to be in constant contact with your guests is to receive feedback. Many people may not take the initiative to complain about minor inconveniences. Having an ongoing dialogue with your guests lets you check in with them and see if there are any issues with their stay. This will allow you to improve their experience while they are still at the hotel rather than receiving written feedback after they leave.

Valentine says:

“Planning ahead is really important but once the guest arrives there is still plenty of work to do. One of the main ways to make sure we are providing the best experience possible is to talk to the guests during their stay to check in and see how they are doing. Maybe they have nothing they need from you at that time but it's good to give them an opportunity to inform us of any issues or problems they might have.”

Be Curious

A good guest relations manager should have an abundance of natural professional and cultural curiosity. It’s important that you take an active interest in what is happening in your industry so you can always be ahead of the curve. You want to pay attention to what other companies in the sector are doing so you can learn from their mistakes or successes. 

This is also a great way to learn about companies that you could work for some day.

Valentine says:

“A very important thing, for me, is to be curious. You should be very curious about what is going on in this industry. It was important before covid and now it’s even more necessary than it was in the past. There are so many opportunities and openings in this industry now. So, you always need to stay up-to-date about what is going on in the industry. Read articles, meet people, and ask as many questions as you can.”

Have patience

The guest relations department spends a lot of time planning to make sure a guest’s stay is pleasant. However, if a client has a problem while they are at the hotel, they will come to you with their complaint. It's important to stay patient and calm even if the guest is upset. You will likely be able to find a solution to the issue that will make them happy, and doing it with a smile makes the process go much smoother.

If you think you'd be a great fit for the role, check out the open jobs in guest relations available on Hosco today.