Are you new in the hospitality? Read the article hotel check-out in 3 steps.
Are you going to work at the reception desk and you don`t know how to do a check-out? Or maybe do you want to know more about this procedure?
In this article we will explain the most important steps to do and what to consider during the check-out. Learn how to do an Hotel check-out in 3 steps.
It`s early in the morning and you just started your shift. Normally, one of the most important duties and priority in the checklist, is to control all departures. This procedure will save time while guests are standing at the reception desk for the check-out.
What should you control exactly? During the general control of all departures, you need to check all invoices and the related payment conditions. If there is something strange, you are still in time to find out the error and correct the invoice. In other case, if some charges are missing or have been double charged by mistake, you can proceed with the adjustments.
Moreover, the most important thing to consider concerns the room rate: there are rates which are requiring the advance payment and other paid on spot. There are payments requesting to send an invoice or there are other manners of payment. Further, guests are booking via different portals, hence this market sees several different conditions. Over and above, there are overnights booked by points or vouchers. Depending on the case, you need to do the following: charge the virtual credit, send the invoices, redeem points and vouchers.
Hotel cehck-out in 3 steps:

Step 1: greet
It`s the last day of the journey and the guest is ready to leave your property. Greet the guest and pay attention to his behaviour: has the guest stress? Maybe he is late and need to run to catch a train, don`t waste time and go ahead quick. Instead, if you have the impression that the guest can spend few minutes, take the opportunity to ask how the stay was. In this way, if the guest was unhappy, you can still try to excuse or offer a compensation. The purpose is to avoid negative feedback and let the guest leave satisfied the property.
Step 2: invoicing
Double check all charges on the invoice with the guest. Always inform in case of extra charges. Proceed with the last payment and explain how it works with the deposit, if a deposit was left during the check-in.
Step 3: say goodbay
The guest might still need help: maybe you can ask where is going next. In fact, if he is going to have a walk in the city, offer to store the luggage in the hotel. If he goes to the airport, ask if they know the train at what time departs. Or maybe needs a taki, then just call a tarnsfer service. For some hotels the level of guest`s care is surely connected to the standards, but some attentions are always appreciated. Always anticipate the needs. At the end say hello and make sure that the guest leaves happy.
Always remember that each hotel has the own standards and procedures. Depending on the organization and standards, the check-out might be different. Nevertheless, there are hotels which are offering the online check-out too. In that case the the automatization of the procedure does not consider the relational part. In any case, the control of the invoice in advance is always advisable.
Written By
Knowess International
Knowess International helps business owners and department heads working in the hospitality and restaurant industries to develop the necessary skills with targeted consulting.