Hotel Service Manager: Characteristics, Responsibilities, Advantages and Disadvantages

Hotel service managers have been meeting more and more recently. The need to consider the main characteristics of this activity is important for each candidate. The responsibility of the hotel service manager is very great. This profession has both advantages and disadvantages that deserve close attention.

The activity of any hotel in the reservation can not do without the contribution of managers of hotel services. It is generally believed that services are provided at the same time as they are produced. For example, this is the case with dry cleaning, washing clothes, taxi service or organizing holidays. But in the field of hotel business and economy, everything is fundamentally wrong.

So, cleaning, redecorating and even more overhaul (as a form of preparation of rooms for work) are made, of course, only in the absence of customers. Therefore, the manager has to control all this carefully. He also needs to track the preparation of meals (both included in the room price and ordered separately), the development of support services. And all this should be done in real time. Where managers of other specializations can afford, in principle, a short pause, hotel employees are required to continue working without interruption for a minute.

Moreover, the sometimes lost second means that customers will soon choose another hotel. The hotel manager has also to a very large extent taken into account the human factor. And it is not always possible to overcome it due to its leadership status. For example, many restaurants and other institutions providing services are only located in the hotel, but are not directly subordinate to him, you can only negotiate with them. Also, the specifics of the hotel manager can be considered:

• strict observance of common standards;
• rationing of time for accommodation and departure (even with a significant number of guests);
• rationing of time for performing an ordinary procedure;
• Mandatory wearing of the prescribed uniform;
• seasonal nature of the load;
• the need to consider the purpose of the travel of customers, and not the fact of their arrival at a particular hotel;
• the ability to interact even with unskilled employees to the same extent as with highly qualified employees;
• compulsory knowledge of foreign languages ​​and so on.

The hotel manager may, within certain limits set forth by order of its owners, adjust the cost of living and individual services, as well as redistribute income between structural units. It is this person who determines which guests should be served, how to change the design of the rooms themselves and the common rooms. He coordinates the administrative activities in general and in detail. In small hotels, managers personally manage all matters. In larger ones, they can have a whole staff of assistants - and then they must determine the duties and powers of each of these assistants.

Another duty of the manager is knowledge:

• federal and regional laws;
• investment standards, civil, tax, labor codes;
• principles for drawing up business plans;
• specifics of the market, management, hotel marketing;
• requirements for the content and design, to the material support of the hotel;
• native languages ​​of the most likely clientele.

The manager's responsibilities also include:

• coordination of the work of all departments;
• maintaining the full condition and profitability of all property;
• identification of shortcomings in the work of employees;
• punishing or rewarding these employees;
• direct participation in the development of a marketing strategy, in the development of long-term plans and pricing policies;
• conclusion of contracts with suppliers of goods, repair and construction organizations;
• staff selection and establishment of requirements for him;
• Studying audience feedback
• report to the organizers on the economy of the hotel.

In such a position, responsibility is also great. Of course, the manager will be responsible for violation of the criminal and civil codes committed by himself or with the participation of other employees. But also the specialist is obliged to be responsible for improper work in accordance with his official duties prescribed by the instruction.

Hotel manager in preparation studying many humanitarian, economic disciplines. Later, he will constantly maintain a level of ownership of them. This post is perfect for outgoing, easy-to-get-together people. The salary of the administrator on average reaches 30 thousand rubles. And in large high-class hotels, it may be even greater for a novice - given, however, the difficulty of getting there.

Great prospects for career growth. For several years, skillful administrators easily turn into managers, while others even create their own hotels. However, not everything is so cloudless. The hotel manager is constantly in a state of nervous tension. The typical image of “standing at the counter, periodically walking around rooms and corridors” is not too true.

Even if it looks really like this in appearance, in fact, at this time, the specialist can think something hard. Further, the hotel administrator is almost always irregular, exhausting working day and daily schedule (or work is organized in mode 2 after 2 days). It is necessary to stand and walk a lot during working hours, and if the manager sits down, then usually to familiarize himself with the documents or to draw up reports. Education for this specialty is mostly paid.

True, this moment will be characteristic of an increasing number of professions now. You should also consider:

• lack of the right to make a mistake;
• constant psychological stress;
• the need to communicate with the flow of visitors and with employees (even if they don’t like one or the other);
• the inability to instruct someone to resolve conflicts;
• the need to satisfy the "whims" of VIP clients;
• that the work is going on "under the roof, in the heat."