| This is the first article in my "A Day in the Life of... " | | | | looking for the afternoon/evening desk clerk to show |
| series covering different Property Management | | | | up and take over. Once your clerk made it, you could |
| positions. After having filled these type positions | | | | start relaxing. Usually at this point you could try to |
| myself in numerous localities, I find the urge to pass | | | | get some errands done, do some shopping or get |
| on some of my experiences to those, either | | | | supper ready. You MUST, however, keep your cell |
| considering such positions in their upcoming plans, or | | | | phone handy in case your desk clerk has a question |
| as a comparison to those already having filled similar | | | | or problem (they usually do, unless you're fortunate |
| positions. | | | | enough to have an experienced veteran). Then, the |
| I would start with the statement that there will be a | | | | evening is yours. Again, KEEP the cell phone handy! |
| wide disparity in just what goes on for a Motel | | | | AT 11pm, you approach another "hurdle". Does your |
| Manager....with respect to whether the Motel is run by | | | | "Night Auditor/Desk Clerk" show up? If so, you're all |
| a "Mom & Pop" or single owner on the one end | | | | set and should only have to answer a few questions |
| ...or a larger corporate chain on the other end. | | | | related to "getting through the night audit" or perhaps |
| So, having said that, my experience was right about | | | | a late check-in/customer issue!? If your night auditor |
| in the "middle" with a small West Coast chain of | | | | doesn't show up, you will have to cover that shift, as |
| about 30 or so motels. We had a reservation system | | | | well as your regular one coming up in the morning. |
| run by our "home office" and they also took care of | | | | Now, admittedly, in my time as a Motel Manager, I |
| much of our accounting functions so that helped a | | | | have only had to "stand in" for "no shows" on a |
| lot. We were hired as a couple (husband & wife) | | | | handful of occasions. So I don't want to shed an |
| and we usually started each day working the "day | | | | undue concern over that, but it does happen often |
| shift" (7am to 3pm). | | | | enough to bring it up and to make one aware of |
| First, we made sure the housekeeping staff showed | | | | those matters. A lot will depend on your employee |
| up and got the rooms "turned over" as people | | | | hiring and training practices. |
| checked out. Then, we saw that any needed | | | | All-in-all, I made a lot of friends during my time as a |
| maintenance items were taken care of, along with | | | | Motel Manager with many "interesting" memories. |
| the landscape work which was usually done by a | | | | To anyone liking people and not afraid of a bit of |
| contract service. Then we would usually end up | | | | work now and then, Motel management can be a |
| taking care of early check-ins, and by 3pm, would be | | | | rewarding challenge. |