Privacy at the front desk

Privacy is a crucial topic for all departments and especially for the front desk. Do you know how to handle with privacy?

Everyone is going through the lobby and passing by the reception desk. Receptionists never know who is coming in the lobby or who is sitting on a couch beside the desk. In fact, many hotel’s entrances are open for guests and public.
Check-ins and check-outs are the most frequent procedures, during which are provided a lot of sensitive personal data. Furthermore, the phone is ringing any time and the employees are speaking names, room numbers and are confirming activities.
Receptionists writes most of the details on a note beside the keyboard, together with credit card information, whereas is distractedly fogetting an ID`s on the desk.

A receptionist receives the most private information by a guest in few minutes. Hence, part of the job is to preserve the privacy of all guests. The point is: employees cannot be negligent about privacy.

First and foremost, the reception desk has a responsibility, for which need to safeguard privacy between guests:

• Guests must respect distance with the desk while staying on queue
• Guests cannot watch behind the desk (surely the CRM or the emails are open and probably there are notes, registration cards or other private data)
• By uncomfortable questions regarding other guests, the reception must refuse to respond

Beyond that, the reception desk must consider the following security`s measures:

• Speaking low all information
• Hiding all written notes, by turning the paper note on the blanche side
• Indicating the room numbe on the key envelop, without telling it in a loud voice
• The employer cannot watch, while the guest is entering the pin code
• Do not show written information to other guests. Keep them safe behind the desk
• Updating written information in the system as soon as possible (as per procedure)
• Never lose information
• GivingtThe key card to the designed guest only

If a guest lose the key card and has no ID with, there is the possibility to double check the guest`s information directly from the system. For security reason, all available data must be proofed. Therefor is important to update promptly all guest`s information.
Another important point is if the key card has been lost or left in the room. If this latter get lost, all cards must be deactivated. Afterwards the front office employee must explain to the guest that the old cards will not work longer. If the guest is doubting about where the card is, is advisable to provide a new one and cut the old cards.
Written information are the following: name, surname, room number, passport number, ID number, telephone number, email address, credit card, medical conditions, allergies, location of the guest as restaurant, flight, train, excursion, or transfer reservation.

Lastly, is necessary to be careful by phone calls or emails where the speaker or the email sender is looking for someone. In this case is suggestable to never provide guest`s name, never say “yes, Mr. Johnson is here” and never transfer calls directly. In fact, the guest must be always informed of who the speaker is and the call transfer must be confirmed.
It`s advisable to integrate all security m