Guest Arrival Expert (Porter) Western Cape

BRIEF DESCRIPTION:-

The Guest Arrival Specialist (Porter) at Westin Hotels & Resorts is responsible for creating memorable first impressions for guests by providing seamless arrival and departure services. Key tasks include addressing guest inquiries and needs, arranging transportation, managing guest luggage, and ensuring a professional and safe workplace. Success in this role requires adherence to company policies, maintaining confidentiality, and upholding quality standards.

Job Title: Guest Arrival Specialist (Porter) Company: Westin Hotels & Resorts

JOB SUMMARY

First impressions are everything. When guests arrive at our hotels, we aim to create memorable experiences that resonate throughout their stay. We want them to depart with smiles and a sense of having been valued. Our Guest Arrival Specialists play a pivotal role in delivering seamless arrival and departure services. They are empowered to navigate their responsibilities and take initiative to enhance guests' journeys. Whether managing operational tasks, addressing guest inquiries, completing reports, or sharing local insights, the Guest Arrival Specialist transforms transactional processes into memorable experiences. Success in this role hinges on fostering a safe workplace, adhering to company policies, maintaining confidentiality, safeguarding company assets, upholding quality standards, and ensuring a professional appearance and communication. Executing these duties meticulously (and other reasonable job requests) is essential for Guest Arrival Specialists to ensure excellence for our guests and our business consistently.

CRITICAL TASKS

Guest Relations

• Actively listen and respond positively to guest inquiries, concerns, and requests, employing specific brand or property processes to resolve issues, delight, and build trust. • Address guests' service needs promptly, professionally, and positively. • Anticipate guests' service requirements by inquiring about their needs and observing preferences to act on them when feasible. • Collaborate with other employees to ensure proper coverage and prompt guest service. • Engage guests in conversations about their stay, property services, and local attractions/offerings, including social media where appropriate. • Thank guests with genuine appreciation and offer a warm farewell. • Welcome each guest with a smile, eye contact, and a friendly greeting, using their name when possible. • Stay informed about the local area to provide specific recommendations for guests. • Communicate recommendations in a manner that generates excitement and interest among guests and associates. • Perform other reasonable duties as requested.

Guest Services

• Arrange transportation (e.g., taxi, shuttle bus, Uber) for guests/residents/visitors and record advance transportation requests as needed. • Contact appropriate individuals or departments (e.g., Valet, Front Desk, Housekeeping, Engineering, Security/Loss Prevention) to resolve guest calls, requests, or problems. • Follow up with guests to ensure their requests or problems have been satisfactorily addressed. • Manage access to technological devices in public spaces (e.g., television, remote control, computer, internet, games, etc.) and provide basic troubleshooting assistance or refer to appropriate individuals or departments as necessary.

Greet/Escort Guests

• Provide guests/residents with directions and information regarding property amenities, services, hours of operation, and local areas of interest and activities. • Tag, store, and retrieve luggage from luggage storage, providing guests with proper claim tickets for their luggage.

Communications

• Communicate with guests and coworkers using clear, appropriate, and professional language. • Discuss work topics, activities, or problems with coworkers, managers discreetly and quietly, avoiding public areas of the property. • Exchange information effectively by talking with and listening to other employees. • Answer telephones with appropriate etiquette, including answering within three rings, using a smile in one's voice, using the caller’s name, transferring calls to appropriate personnel, requesting permission before placing the caller on hold, taking and relaying messages, and allowing the caller to end the call.

Working with Others

• Support all co-workers and treat them with dignity and respect. • Develop and maintain positive and productive working relationships with other employees and departments. • Handle sensitive issues with employees and/or guests with tact, respect, diplomacy, and confidentiality.

Policies and Procedures

• Ensure uniform, nametags, and personal appearance are clean, hygienic, and professional. • Follow company and department policies and procedures. • Perform other reasonable job duties as requested by supervisors. • Protect company tools, equipment, machines, or other assets in accordance with company policies and procedures. • Protect the privacy and security of guests and coworkers.

Quality Assurance/Quality Improvement

• Comply with quality assurance expectations and standards.

Safety and Security

• Complete appropriate safety training and certifications to perform work tasks. • Follow company and department safety and security policies and procedures to ensure a clean, safe, and secure environment. • Report work-related accidents or other injuries immediately upon occurrence to manager/supervisor. • Identify and correct unsafe work procedures or conditions and/or report them to management and security/safety personnel. • Follow Hazardous Material Management Program procedures for handling and disposing of chemicals, fertilizer, pesticides, bloodborne pathogens, etc., including using Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS). Follow any local Training requirements & Guidance. • Follow property specific procedures for handling emergency situations (e.g., evacuations, medical emergencies, natural disasters). • Maintain awareness of undesirable persons on property premises. • Support all co-workers and treat them with dignity and respect.