Loyalty Manager / Guest Relation Manager

Position: Inventive Host Date: June 2019
Business Unit:

Department:

Job Family Front-line Leader: Guest Services/Front Desk
Reports to:

Career Band: Red
JOB SUMMARY
Serves as the property front line manager for the Front Desk operations, ensuring that guest expectations are met and exceeded at all times with a particular focus on special guests, VIP guests and Elite Members. Represents property management in resolving any situation related to such guests. Handles the tracking of service issues and continuously invents new and better ways to exceed customer satisfaction.
Areas of responsibility include Guest Services/Front Desk/Rooms, M Lounge and Restaurants/Bars, as applicable. Works with managers and associates of these areas to ensure a flawless guest experience between departments. Strives to continually improve guest satisfaction and Elite Appreciation and that standards and procedures are being followed. Leads and manages the GRO team.
JOB FAMILY CORE WORK ACTIVITIES
Leading Guest Relation Team
- Supervises and managing GRO associates. Manages all day-to-day operations. Understands associate positions well enough to perform duties in associates' absence
- Coordinate with concerned departments for the arrival and departure of VIPs and Elite Members for flawless stay experience such as concierge for limousine arrangement, housekeeping and engineer team for room preparation.
- Utilizes interpersonal and communication skills to lead, influence, and encourage others; advocates sound decision-making; demonstrates honesty/integrity; leads by example.
- Encourages and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
- Ensures that regular on-going communication is happening with associates to create awareness of business objectives and to communicate expectations
- Improves service by communicating and assisting associates to understand guests- ever changing needs, providing guidance, feedback, and individual coaching when needed.
- Serves as a role model in displaying outstanding hospitality skills, confidence and enthusiasm.
- Ensures that all brand standards are being maintained in the area.
- Motivates, encourages and empowers staff to solve guest and associate related concerns.
- Celebrates successes and publicly recognizes the contributions of team members.
- Establishes and maintains open, collaborative relationships with associates and ensures associates do the same within the team.
- Observes and provides feedback about service behaviors of front line associates and ensures that all uniformed associates are properly attired and groomed, each wearing a nametag.
- Ensures that staffing levels are appropriate to exceed guest expectations.
- Ensures all team members meet or exceed all hospitality requirements.
- Ensures associates understand all of brand benefits, employee handbook and non-subscriber plan.
- Ensures that all associates understand the brand- s service culture - Art of Hosting


Maintaining Guest Services and Front Desk Goals
- Maintains a strong working relationship with all departments to support a flawless stay experience for VIPs and Elite Members.
- Handles complaints, settles disputes, and resolves grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiates with others.
- Shares all GSS results in a timely fashion including all GSS forms, comment cards and guest letters.
- Analyses guest comments and proposes inventive ways of improving overall guest service
- Participates in the development and implementation of corrective action plans to improve guest satisfaction.
- Records guest issues in the guest response tracking system.
- Emphasizes on guest satisfaction during all departmental meetings and the weekly guestVoice meeting and focuses on continuous improvement.
- Shares forward VIP guest arrivals during stand up meetings and the weekly operation meeting
- Is a leading contributor to the VIP movement Line group chat


Ensuring Exceptional Customer Service
- Provides services that are above and beyond customer expectation by maintaining high visibility in public areas during peak times.
- Proactively finds out guest preferences and constantly invents new ways to exceed their expectations
- Shares these guest preferences on a daily basis with concerned associates and departments to ensure every section delivers accordingly
- Ensures Marriott Bonvoy Elite Benefits are executed flawlessly to achieve the Elite Satisfaction goal
- Responds to Ambassador and Ambassador liaison requests on a timely basis
- Interacts with customers on a regular basis throughout the property to obtain feedback on quality of product, service levels and overall satisfaction.
- Improves Trip Advisor ranking by encouraging happy guests to leave a review


Managing and Conducting Human Resource Activities
- Participates in associate progressive discipline procedures.
- Uses all available on the job training tools for associates.
- Solicits associate feedback, utilizes an - open door- policy and reviews associate satisfaction results to identify and address associate problems or concerns.
- Supervises on-going training initiatives and conducts training when appropriate.
- Participates in the associate performance appraisal process, providing feedback as needed.
- Takes proactive approaches when dealing with associate concerns.
- Takes proactive approaches when dealing with guest concerns.

Additional Responsibilities
- Provides information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Analyzes information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Informs and/or updates the executives, the peers and the subordinates on relevant information in a timely manner.
- Performs Duty Manager duties in high demand times or during Duty Manager absence
- Assigns and ensures work tasks are completed on time and that they meet appropriate quality standards
- Performs other duties as requested by Superiors
CANDIDATE PROFILE
Education and Experience
- High school diploma or GED; 2 years experience in the guest services, front desk, or related professional area.
OR
- 2-year degree from an accredited university in Hotel and Restaurant Management, Hospitality, Business Administration, or related major; no work experience required.
Management Competencies
Leadership
- Professional Demeanor - Exhibiting behavioral styles that convey confidence and command respect from others; making a good first impression and representing Marriott in alignment with its values.
- Problem Solving and Decision Making - Identifying and understanding issues, problems, and opportunities; obtaining and comparing information from different sources to draw conclusions, develop and evaluate alternatives and solutions, solve problems, and choose a course of action.
- Adaptability - Maintaining performance level under pressure or when experiencing changes or challenges in the workplace.
Managing Execution
- Driving for Results - Setting high standards of performance for self and/or others; assuming responsibility for work objectives; initiating, focusing, and monitoring the efforts of self and/or others toward the accomplishment goals; proactively taking action and going beyond what is required
- Building and Contributing to Teams - Leading and participating as a member of a team to move toward the completion of common goals while fostering cohesion and collaboration among team members.
Building Relationships
- Coworker Relationships - Interacting with others in a way that builds openness, trust, and confidence in the pursuit of organizational goals and lasting relationships.
- Customer Relationships - Developing and sustaining relationships based on an understanding of customer needs and actions consistent with Marriott's Spirit to Serve.
- Fostering Inclusion - Supporting associates with diverse styles, abilities, motivations, and/or cultural perspectives; leveraging personal differences to achieve objectives; and promoting a work environment where all associates are given the opportunity to contribute to their full potential.
Generating Talent and Organizational Capability
- Talent Management - Providing guidance and feedback to help individuals develop and strengthen skills and abilities needed to accomplish work objectives.
Learning and Applying Personal Expertise
- Technical Acumen - Understanding and utilizing professional skills and knowledge in a specific functional area to conduct and manage everyday business operations and generate innovative solutions to approach function-specific work challenges
o Guest Services - Knowledge of procedures for wake-up services, safe deposit boxes, room and property amenities, property-specific programs (e.g., kids programs), guest rewards programs, and local attractions.
o Front Desk - Knowledge of procedures and policies for check-in/check-out; pre-arrival planning; Marriott Bonvoy Program; Corporate-sponsored programs; Property based systems (i.e., MGS, PMS, Fidelio Opera, Key); front desk supply management; room inventory management.
o Problem Resolution- Ability to record, track and resolve guest problems via property software (i.e. Guestware, FOSSE, etc.) handle emergencies, and effectively deal with customer issues and complaints.
- Basic Competencies - Fundamental competencies required for accomplishing basic work activities.
o Basic Computer Skills - Using basic computer hardware and software (e.g., personal computers, word processing software, Internet browsers, etc.).
o Mathematical Reasoning - The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly, correctly, and in a way that allows one to solve work-related issues.
o Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
o Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
o Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.