- Owner
- Front Office Manager
- Effective date
- September 15, 2026
- Review cycle
- Every 12 months
1.Purpose
To keep front desk operations consistent across shifts so guests receive the same standard of service no matter who is on duty.
2.Scope
Applies to front desk agents on all shifts at the property. Guest check-in, check-out and night audit have their own dedicated SOPs.
Definitions
- PMS
- Property management system. The software used to manage reservations, room status and guest folios.
- Shift handover
- The exchange of information between an outgoing and incoming front desk agent covering open issues and pending tasks.
- House bank
- The fixed amount of cash assigned to a front desk agent's drawer at the start of a shift.
3.Responsibilities
- Front Desk Agent
- Handles phones, guest requests and cash transactions, and completes shift handover notes.
- Front Office Manager
- Oversees front desk staffing, approves cash variances, and resolves escalated guest issues.
- Housekeeping Supervisor
- Shares room status updates and responds to front desk requests for room checks.
RACI matrix
| Activity | Front Desk Agent | Front Office Manager | Housekeeping Supervisor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Count and secure the house bank | R | A | - |
| Handle phone and email inquiries | R/A | I | - |
| Complete shift handover | R | A | I |
| Coordinate room status with housekeeping | R | A | R |
R = Responsible, A = Accountable, C = Consulted, I = Informed
4.Materials and PPE
Materials, tools and systems
- →PMS terminal
- →House bank cash drawer
- →Shift handover log or app
- →Property phone system
- →Guest request tracking sheet
- →Front desk procedure binder
5.Procedure
- 5.1
Sign in and collect the house bank
Front Desk AgentLog into the PMS at the start of the shift, collect and count the house bank against the recorded amount, and report any discrepancy to the front office manager immediately.
Checkpoint: The house bank count matches the recorded starting amount before the shift begins.
- 5.2
Read the shift handover log
Front Desk AgentRead the handover notes from the previous shift for open guest issues, pending requests and anything flagged for follow-up.
- 5.3
Review the day's arrivals and departures
Front Desk AgentCheck the PMS for expected arrivals, departures, VIP guests and any special requests noted on reservations for the day.
- 5.4
Answer phone calls promptly
Front Desk AgentAnswer incoming calls within three rings using the standard greeting, and transfer or take a message for calls that need another department.
- 5.5
Respond to email and online inquiries
Front Desk AgentCheck the shared inbox regularly through the shift and respond to guest inquiries and booking questions within the property's target response time.
- 5.6
Log guest requests
Front Desk AgentRecord every guest request, such as extra towels or a wake-up call, in the request tracking sheet with the room number and time, and notify the department responsible.
Checkpoint: Every logged request shows which department it was sent to and whether it was completed.
- 5.7
Coordinate room status with housekeeping
Front Desk AgentConfirm room status updates with the housekeeping supervisor throughout the day, especially for early arrivals or rooms needing priority cleaning.
- 5.8
Process cash and card transactions
Front Desk AgentProcess incidental payments and folio adjustments in the PMS, counting cash back to the guest clearly and printing a receipt for every transaction.
Warning: Never leave the house bank drawer open or unattended, even briefly.
- 5.9
Handle general guest questions
Front Desk AgentAnswer questions about property amenities, local directions and policies, using the front desk procedure binder for anything outside personal knowledge.
- 5.10
Balance and secure the house bank
Front Desk AgentCount the house bank at the end of the shift, record the closing amount, and secure it in the designated safe or drawer.
Checkpoint: The house bank balances to the expected amount within the property's allowed variance before the shift ends.
- 5.11
Write the shift handover notes
Front Desk AgentSummarize open issues, pending guest requests and anything the next shift needs to follow up on in the handover log before leaving.
6.Quality checks
- →House bank balances to the expected amount at the start and end of every shift.
- →Every guest request logged during the shift shows a completion status.
- →Handover notes are completed before the agent leaves the desk.
- →Phone calls are answered within the property's target ring count on spot checks.
7.Records
- →Shift handover log
- →Guest request tracking sheet
- →House bank count sheet
- →Cash variance reports
8.KPIs
- →Average phone answer time
- →Guest request completion time
- →Cash variance incidents per month
- →Guest satisfaction score for front desk service
9.Common mistakes
- →Leaving the house bank drawer unattended.
- →Forgetting to log a guest request, so it never reaches the right department.
- →Skipping the shift handover notes when the desk is busy.
- →Not confirming room status with housekeeping before promising an early check-in.
10.Revision history
| Revision | Date | Description | Reviewed by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | September 15, 2026 | Initial release | Alexa Uskova |
This is a template. Adapt it to your organization, equipment and local regulations before use.
