Telephone services: Managing the switchboard
One of the most important duties of Front Office is to answer the phone on behalf of the hotel, and either deal with the enquiries or issues raised by the caller (e.g.. give Information or take a reservation); or transfer the call to the person or extension requested (whether a staff member or a guest); or transfer the call to the most appropriate person or department to help the caller; or take messages if required.
In a larger hotel, there will usually be a separate switchboard operator or telephonist to perform all these tasks. In smaller hotels, the receptionist may answer the phone alongside her other duties – and particular care will have to be taken to avoid sounding irritated or confused by the interruption! As with guests calling in person at the front desk, every telephone caller will expect to be greeted courteously and professionally and given the telephonist's full and undivided attention for the duration of the call.
Managing the switchboard
Basic requirements and techniques that should be observed.
●
Every incoming
telephone call should be answered promptly and with an appropriate greeting:
'Good morning. The Hill Town Hotel. You're speaking to Joe: how can I help
you?'
●
The switchboard
operator should have immediate access to a directory of in-house extensions, to
transfer calls to the requested person; a guest index (an alphabetical list of
guests, by name, showing their room numbers, extensions and dates of stay), in
order to put calls through to guest rooms; and arrivals and departure lists, in
order to deal with calls for guests who have not yet arrived or checked out.
●
The switchboard
operator should be familiar with the procedures for dealing with different
types of calls: to whom different types of enquiries should be transferred;
what information about guests can be given out to callers (if any); how to deal
with common switchboard problems (e.g. disconnected calls, unobtainable
numbers, engaged numbers); how to provide particular switchboard services (e.g.
directory enquiries or reverse-charges or 'collect' calls); and how to take
messages or connect callers to voice mail facilities.
●
Callers should
not be left on hold indefinitely, if the extension to which a call has been put
through is not being answered, or if the switchboard operator puts a caller on
hold while making enquiries or handling other calls. The operator should return
regularly to an on-hold caller, keeping him informed of progress (‘I’m sorry,
there’s no answer on that extension’, or 'I'm sorry to keep you waiting’, etc)
and offering options where possible (‘would you like to leave a message?’ or
can I get Ms X to call you back when she becomes available?’).
●
When
transferring a call to another department, the switchboard operator should
ascertain the caller's name and purpose for calling, and pass this on to the
target recipient, so that callers don't have to repeat themselves.
