Guest Relations Manager (Johannesburg Marriott Hotel Melrose Arch)

We are seeking a highly motivated, vibrant and energetic Guest Relations Manager to join our team. The successful incumbent must have a keen eye for detail and focus on an exceptional Guest Journey prior to arrival and after departure.

JOB SUMMARY

Supports all property operations, ensuring that the highest levels of hospitality and service are provided. Manages the flow of questions and directs guests within the lobby. Supports the tracking and resolution of service issues.

CANDIDATE PROFILE

Education and Experience

• Accredited Hospitality qualification is advantageous.
• At least 2 years’ experience in similar role. 
• At least 2 years’ experience in a management role.

CORE WORK ACTIVITIES

Managing Guest Services and Front Desk Operations

• Utilizes interpersonal and communication skills to lead, influence, and encourage others; advocates sound financial/business decision making; demonstrates honesty/integrity; leads by example.
• Encourages and builds mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Serves as a role model to demonstrate appropriate behaviors.
• Supervises and manages employees. Understanding employee positions well enough to perform duties in employee’s absence.

Maintaining Guest Services and Front Desk Goals

• Manages day-to-day operations, ensuring the quality, standards and meeting the expectations of the customers on a daily basis.
• Develops specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Supports handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Assists with energy conservation efforts by monitoring compliance during property tours.
• Supporting Projects and Policies Related to Guest Experience and Safety
• Supports implementation of the customer recognition/service program, communicating and ensuring the process.
• Supports regular inspection tours of the entire facility for appearance, safety, staffing, security, and maintenance.
• Sends copy of MOD report to all departments on a daily basis.
• Ensures compliance with all policies, standards and procedures.
• Understands and can implement all emergency plans including accident, death, elevator, thefts, vicious crimes, bombs, fire, etc.
• Understands and complies with loss prevention policies and procedures.

Ensuring and Providing Exceptional Customer Service

• Provides services that are above and beyond for customer satisfaction and retention.
• Improves service by communicating and assisting individuals to understand guest needs, providing guidance, feedback, and individual coaching when needed.
• Intervenes in any guest/employee situation as needed to insure the integrity of the property is maintained, guest satisfaction is achieved, and employee well being is preserved.
• Serves as a leader in displaying outstanding hospitality skills.
• Sets a positive example for guest relations.
• Empowers employees to provide excellent customer service
• Observes service behaviors of employees and provides feedback to individuals.
• Maintains high visibility in public areas during peak times.
• Provides immediate assistance to guests as requested.
• Interacts with customers on a regular basis throughout the property to obtain feedback on quality of product, service levels and overall! satisfaction.
• Records guest issues in the guest response tracking system.
• Reviews comment cards and guest satisfaction results with employees.
• Emphasizes guest satisfaction during all departmental meetings and focuses on continuous improvement.

Managing and Conducting Human Resource Activities

• Identifies the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Provides guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Assists as needed in the interviewing and hiring of employee team members with the appropriate skills.
• 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 updating the executives, the peers and the subordinates on relevant information in a timely manner.
• Maintains a strong working relationship with all departments to support property operations and goals and to expedite the resolution of any problems that may arise through the general operation of the property.
• Communicates any variations to the established norms to the appropriate department in a timely manner.
• Participates as needed in the investigation of employee and guest accidents.
• Performs Front Desk duties in high demand times.

MANAGEMENT COMPETENCIES

Leadership

• Adaptability - Determines how change impacts self and others; displays flexibility in adjusting priorities; and communicates both the reasons for change and how it impacts the workplace
• Communication - Customizes approach to conveying complex information and ideas to others in a convincing and engaging manner; appropriately interprets verbal and non-verbal behavior; and models active listening to ensure understanding
• Problem Solving and Decision Making - Models and coaches others on breaking complex issues into manageable parts identifying and evaluating alternatives and their implications before making decisions and involving and gaining agreement from others when making key decisions.
• Professional Demeanor - Exhibits behavioral styles that convey confidence and command respect from others; makes a good first impression and represents the company in alignment with its values

Managing Execution

• Building and Contributing to Teams - Leads and participates as a member of a team to move the team toward the completion of common goals while fostering cohesion and collaboration among team members.
• Driving for Results - Sets high standards of performance for self and/or others; assumes responsibility for work objectives; initiates, focuses, and monitors the efforts of self and/or others toward the accomplishment goals; proactively takes action and goes beyond what is required.
• Planning and Organizing - Gathers information and resources required to set a plan of action for self and/or others; prioritizes and arranges work requirements for self and/or others to accomplish goals and ensure work is completed.

Building Relationships

• Coworker Relationships - Interacts with others in a way that builds openness, trust, and confidence in the pursuit of organizational goals and lasting relationships.
• Customer Relationships - Develops and sustains relationships based on an understanding of customer needs and actions consistent with the company's service standards.
• Global Mindset - Supports employees and business partners with diverse styles, abilities, motivations, and/or cultural perspectives; utilizes differences to drive innovation, engagement and enhance business results; and ensures employees are given the opportunity to contribute to their full potential.

Generating Talent and Organizational Capability

• Organizational Capability - Evaluates and adapts the structure of team assignments and work processes to best fit the needs and/or support the goals of an organizational unit.
• Talent Management - Provides guidance and feedback to help individuals develop and strengthen skills and abilities needed to accomplish work objectives.
• Learning and Applying Professional Expertise
• Applied Learning - Seeks and makes the most of learning opportunities to improve performance of self and/or others.
• Business Acumen - Understands and utilizes business information to manage everyday operations and generate innovative solutions to approach team, business, and administrative challenges.
• Technical Acumen - Understands and utilizes 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
• 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.
• Front Desk - Knowledge of procedures and policies for check-in/check-out; pre-arrival planning; Marriott Rewards Program; Corporate-sponsored programs; Property based systems (i.e., MGS, MARSHA, PMS, Fidelio Opera, FOSSE Call Accounting, Voicemail, Movies, Key); vendors, products, services, and merchandise; front desk supply management; room inventory management.
• 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.
• Basic Computer Skills - Uses basic computer hardware and software (e.g., personal computers, word processing software, Internet browsers, etc.).
• Mathematical Reasoning - Demonstrates ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly, correctly, and in a way that allows one to solve work-related issues.
• Oral Comprehension - Demonstrates ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken
• Reading Comprehension - Demonstrates understanding of written sentences and paragraphs in work-related
• Writing - Communicates effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.