Opening, shift and closing tasks for front desk agents: arrivals, departures, cash, keys and handover.
The front desk is where guests judge the whole hotel. A shift checklist keeps arrivals smooth and makes sure nothing falls between shifts.
Follow your property management system’s procedures and your brand standards where they apply.
12 items. Complete it digitally or on paper, whichever your team prefers.
An evening agent’s handover notes a guest who reported a noisy air conditioner. The night agent checks with the guest at 10 pm and offers a room move, which the guest accepts.
The front desk handles cash, guest identity, room keys and complaints, often with different agents on each shift. A checklist with drawer counts and a written handover protects cash accountability and guest privacy and makes sure promises to guests carry through shift changes.
| Hotel and shift | Harbor Inn, Charleston, 3 pm to 11 pm |
|---|---|
| Handover read | Room 214 AC complaint, engineering due 4 pm |
| Opening drawer count | $250.00, matches |
| Arrivals and VIPs | 42 arrivals; 2 repeat guests |
| Requests logged | Late checkout 308; crib for 117 |
| Closing drawer count | $250.00 plus $86.40 cash sales |
| Handover written | 214 AC fixed; 117 crib delivered |
The handover entry closes the loop on the AC complaint carried from the morning, so the night agent knows the issue is finished and does not call the guest again.
Open requests, issues, VIPs and cash notes.
Each agent for their drawer.
Behind the desk, encoded only on request.
Yes, many hotels use digital logs.
Log the item with date, time, location found and who found it, then store it securely. Contact the guest using the reservation details, and do not confirm the item to anyone who cannot verify they are the guest. Note the log entry in the shift handover so the next agent knows where it is.
No, a standard hotel practice is never to share a room number, including over the phone. Offer to connect the call to the room or take a message instead. Put this rule on the start of shift checklist for new agents so it is reviewed each day.
More for the same job
Once the hotel front desk checklist is in place, the next question is usually about shifts and hours. Book a demo to see how EZTime handles scheduling and time tracking.