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Front desk clerk vs desk clerk

The differences between front desk clerks and desk clerks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a desk clerk has an average salary of $29,096, which is higher than the $26,669 average annual salary of a front desk clerk.

The top three skills for a front desk clerk include reservations, customer service and night audit. The most important skills for a desk clerk are reservations, front desk, and customer service.

Front desk clerk vs desk clerk overview

Front Desk ClerkDesk Clerk
Yearly salary$26,669$29,096
Hourly rate$12.82$13.99
Growth rate--
Number of jobs141,042113,183
Job satisfaction-5
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 35%Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Average age3737
Years of experience--

What does a front desk clerk do?

Front desk clerks are responsible for welcoming office guests and accommodating any questions they may have. As their designation suggests, they are usually stationed at the entrance or front of the office. They are often the first company employee that a guest encounters upon reaching the office area. Front desk clerks should be familiar with the office space and the employees of the company so that they can effectively direct guests or visitors. Front desk clerks should also have a copy of the general schedule of appointments or meetings in the office so that they can let in guests accordingly. They also often do most of the administrative or clerical activities needed by the front office. They should have great interpersonal skills, patience, and communication skills.

What does a desk clerk do?

The desk clerk or general office clerk is an employee who works with little supervision from the manager. The duties and responsibilities of desk clerks vary depending on the industry they belong to. These may include but are not limited to answering phone calls, electronic correspondence, filing paperwork, taking and maintaining inventory levels, and setting calendars and schedules. They are expected to always offer excellent customer service. In hotels, they check-in and check-out their guests.

Front desk clerk vs desk clerk salary

Front desk clerks and desk clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.

Front Desk ClerkDesk Clerk
Average salary$26,669$29,096
Salary rangeBetween $21,000 And $33,000Between $23,000 And $36,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateHawaiiCalifornia
Best paying companyHilton Grand VacationsDeborah's Place
Best paying industryRetailManufacturing

Differences between front desk clerk and desk clerk education

There are a few differences between a front desk clerk and a desk clerk in terms of educational background:

Front Desk ClerkDesk Clerk
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 35%Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Front desk clerk vs desk clerk demographics

Here are the differences between front desk clerks' and desk clerks' demographics:

Front Desk ClerkDesk Clerk
Average age3737
Gender ratioMale, 24.2% Female, 75.8%Male, 30.0% Female, 70.0%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 6.5% Hispanic or Latino, 20.3% Asian, 9.4% White, 51.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 6.5% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 10.0% White, 55.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%
LGBT Percentage13%13%

Differences between front desk clerk and desk clerk duties and responsibilities

Front desk clerk example responsibilities.

  • Manage customer service issues with ease and charm and train other co workers in daily operations.
  • Deliver messages and run errands.
  • Job responsibilities consist of being a cashier, bagging groceries, assisting customers, stocking, cleaning, etc.
  • Cross-Train and provide back-up for PBX representatives when necessary.
  • Follow emergency procedures for evacuating property safely via PBX phone.
  • Advertise Ramada facilities by creating fliers, arranging promotions, and facilitating group reservations.
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Desk clerk example responsibilities.

  • Manage customer service issues with ease and charm and train other co workers in daily operations.
  • Assist with setting up meetings using PowerPoint presentations.
  • Book keeping, check ins, paperwork, PowerPoint, enter information into database.
  • Communicate with previous shift, organize shift and review reservations and update contingency
  • Position require guest reservations to be coordinate with housekeeping and maintenance needs.
  • Register new patients and updates existing patient demographics by collecting patient detail patient information including personal and financial information.
  • Show more

Front desk clerk vs desk clerk skills

Common front desk clerk skills
  • Reservations, 36%
  • Customer Service, 14%
  • Night Audit, 4%
  • Computer System, 4%
  • Room Availability, 4%
  • Guest Service, 3%
Common desk clerk skills
  • Reservations, 22%
  • Front Desk, 14%
  • Customer Service, 12%
  • Room Availability, 11%
  • Direct Calls, 6%
  • Telephone Calls, 5%

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