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.
Front desk clerk responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real front desk clerk resumes:
- 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.
- Make hotel and other reservations by entering or telephoning requirements; checking availability; confirming requirements.
- Register new patients and updates existing patient demographics by collecting patient detail patient information including personal and financial information.
- Help create a more stream line check-in process for VIP clientele to ensure short check-in times while anticipating any additional needs.
- Utilize Marriott specific reservation and reporting software.
- Provide excellent hospitality at a premier Marriott property.
- Monitor checkout stations to ensure that they have adequate cash available and that they are staff appropriately.
Front desk clerk skills and personality traits
We calculated that 36% of Front Desk Clerks are proficient in Reservations, Customer Service, and Night Audit. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Integrity, and Interpersonal skills.
We break down the percentage of Front Desk Clerks that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Reservations, 36%
Advertised Ramada facilities by creating fliers, arranging promotions, and facilitating group reservations.
- Customer Service, 14%
Promoted within one year for superior customer service and technical skills including property management and online travel agency systems.
- Night Audit, 4%
Conducted night audit to reconcile daily monetary activity.
- Computer System, 4%
Recorded personal/confidential information into computer system.
- Room Availability, 4%
Trained in monitoring room availability using Opera PMS Systems while fostering strong working relationships with all hotel departments.
- Guest Service, 3%
Audited daily transactions and process payments Responsible for providing quality guest service within the guidelines specified by management.
Common skills that a front desk clerk uses to do their job include "reservations," "customer service," and "night audit." You can find details on the most important front desk clerk responsibilities below.
Communication skills. The most essential soft skill for a front desk clerk to carry out their responsibilities is communication skills. This skill is important for the role because "information clerks must be able to explain policies and procedures clearly to customers and the public." Additionally, a front desk clerk resume shows how their duties depend on communication skills: "answer any questions that they have concerning their hotel room and things to do around town skills used communication eye contact"
Integrity. Another essential skill to perform front desk clerk duties is integrity. Front desk clerks responsibilities require that "information clerks, particularly human resources assistants, have access to confidential information." Front desk clerks also use integrity in their role according to a real resume snippet: "entrusted with the most complex customer service issues as a result of exceptional ability to promptly resolve concerns and satisfy customers/guest. "
Interpersonal skills. front desk clerks are also known for interpersonal skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to front desk clerk responsibilities, because "information clerks who work with the public and customers must understand and communicate information effectively to establish positive relationships." A front desk clerk resume example shows how interpersonal skills is used in the workplace: "provided a high level of customer service and client relations based on outstanding communication and interpersonal skills. "
Organizational skills. front desk clerk responsibilities often require "organizational skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "information clerks must be able to retrieve files and other important information quickly and efficiently." This resume example shows what front desk clerks do with organizational skills on a typical day: "used excel to complete night audits and archive organizational data"
The three companies that hire the most front desk clerks are:
- Concord Hospitality49 front desk clerks jobs
- Marriott International30 front desk clerks jobs
- Delaware North27 front desk clerks jobs
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Compare different front desk clerks
Front desk clerk vs. Receptionist
Receptionists are employees assigned at the entrances or lobbies of offices. They welcome guests, check identification, issue visitor badges, attend to questions or inquiries, and direct guests to where they are supposed to go. They also receive general mail or packages, answer calls, and manage schedules. Receptionists perform various clerical or administrative functions as assigned by their supervisors. They should have good client relations skills.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a front desk clerk are more likely to require skills like "reservations," "night audit," "room availability," and "guest service." On the other hand, a job as a receptionist requires skills like "patients," "phone calls," "data entry," and "front desk." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Receptionists earn the highest salaries when working in the finance industry, with an average yearly salary of $31,030. On the other hand, front desk clerks are paid more in the retail industry with an average salary of $28,828.The education levels that receptionists earn slightly differ from front desk clerks. In particular, receptionists are 0.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a front desk clerk. Additionally, they're 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Front desk clerk vs. Data entry associate
Data entry associates are a group of professionals using computers and data processing programs to supply information into a database or documentation platform or to transcribe data via phone conversations or recordings. They can multitask effectively with excellent verbal and written communication skills and perform repetitive tasks accurately with excellent attention to detail. Part of their task is to maintain the database by encoding new and updated customer account information by preparing source data for computer entry, compiling, and sorting information. To be effective, typing speed and accuracy must be considered.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, front desk clerk responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "reservations," "night audit," "room availability," and "guest service." Meanwhile, a data entry associate has duties that require skills in areas such as "computer database," "data entry," "payroll," and "wpm." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Data entry associates may earn a higher salary than front desk clerks, but data entry associates earn the most pay in the finance industry with an average salary of $52,978. On the other hand, front desk clerks receive higher pay in the retail industry, where they earn an average salary of $28,828.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Data entry associates tend to reach similar levels of education than front desk clerks. In fact, they're 0.7% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Front desk clerk vs. Data entry operator
A data entry operator is someone responsible for entering collected information into a database using different computer software. Data entry duties include updating customer data, transcribing information, and entering accounting records. Also, it is their responsibility to organize collected data and maintain their accurate record on the database so it can be accessed at any time. Data operators must be proficient in typing skills, keen to details and able to manage a large amount of data. They must also be familiar with using spreadsheets, along with other word processing programs.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, front desk clerks are more likely to have skills like "reservations," "night audit," "room availability," and "guest service." But a data entry operator is more likely to have skills like "data entry equipment," "computer database," "wpm," and "word processing."
Data entry operators earn the highest salary when working in the finance industry, where they receive an average salary of $38,543. Comparatively, front desk clerks have the highest earning potential in the retail industry, with an average salary of $28,828.data entry operators typically earn similar educational levels compared to front desk clerks. Specifically, they're 1.1% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Front desk clerk vs. Receptionist/billing clerk
A receptionist/billing clerk is responsible for performing administrative and clerical duties as needed to maintain a smooth flow of operations for the business. Receptionist/billing clerks process the customers' payment transactions, manage account payables, releasing invoices, and immediately resolve account discrepancies. A receptionist/billing clerk must have excellent communication and analytical skills, responding to customers' inquiries and concerns, escalating high-level complaints to the billing management. They should also maintain records of financial documentation for reference and reconciliation as needed.
Types of front desk clerk
Updated January 8, 2025
