Salary and Outlook

According to the US Department of Labor, there are 238,800 people employed as hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks in the United States. The median annual salary is $28,080. Entry level employees earn approximately $21,440 per year and senior employees earn approximately $36,470 per year.

Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime pay, or retirement benefits that may be offered by employers.

Job Duties

• Keep records of room availability and guests' accounts, manually or using computers.
• Post charges, such as those for rooms, food, liquor, or telephone calls, to ledgers, manually or by using computers.
• Review accounts and charges with guests during the check out process.
• Record guest comments or complaints, referring customers to managers as necessary.
• Compute bills, collect payments, and make change for guests.
• Transmit and receive messages, using telephones or telephone switchboards.
• Answer inquiries pertaining to hotel services, guest registration, and travel directions, or make recommendations regarding shopping, dining, or entertainment.
• Advise housekeeping staff when rooms have been vacated and are ready for cleaning.
• Perform bookkeeping activities, such as balancing accounts and conducting nightly audits.
• Clean and maintain lobby and common areas, such as restocking supplies and watering plants.
• Prepare for basic food service, such as setting up continental breakfast or coffee and tea supplies.
• Date-stamp, sort, and rack incoming mail and messages.
• Greet, register, and assign rooms to guests of hotels or motels.
• Contact housekeeping or maintenance staff when guests report problems.
• Issue room keys and escort instructions to bellhops.
• Make and confirm reservations.
• Verify customers' credit, and establish how the customer will pay for the accommodation.
• Arrange tours, taxis, or restaurant reservations for customers.
• Deposit guests' valuables in hotel safes or safe-deposit boxes.
• Plan, schedule or supervise the work of other employees.

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