Hotel Front Desk Pre-Shift Brief SOP

Standard procedure for conducting a front desk pre-shift briefing covering arrivals, VIPs, walk-ins, groups, and rate strategy.

Steps

• Open the pre-shift briefing and confirm attendance
  The front office supervisor opens the pre-shift briefing at the scheduled time and confirms which team members are present. Record any late arrivals, absences, or role changes in the shift handoff log. If staffing is below the minimum coverage level, the supervisor escalates the issue to the duty manager before guest-facing operations begin.
• Review the arrival forecast and room status
  The front desk agent reviews the arrival report, occupancy forecast, and current room status in the PMS. Verify expected check-ins, room readiness, out-of-order rooms, and any room-type constraints that may affect assignments. The agent flags any mismatch between forecasted arrivals and available inventory for supervisor review.
• Brief VIPs and special handling requirements
  The front office supervisor reviews all VIP arrivals, repeat guests with preferences, and any special handling notes. Communicate arrival time, room assignment expectations, amenity requirements, and service recovery notes to the team. If a VIP request cannot be met within policy or inventory limits, the supervisor escalates the deviation to the guest services manager.
• Review walk-in demand and selling strategy
  The front desk agent reviews expected walk-in demand, local demand drivers, and the current sell strategy. Confirm the approved room types, rate thresholds, upgrade rules, and any restrictions on discounting. If demand exceeds the planned rate strategy or a rate exception is requested, the agent escalates to the supervisor before quoting a non-standard rate.
• Review group arrivals and rooming priorities
  The front office supervisor reviews all arriving groups, rooming lists, billing instructions, and any cut-off times. Confirm room blocks, key distribution needs, luggage handling coordination, and any early arrival or late departure requests. If a group requirement conflicts with room inventory, billing terms, or staffing capacity, the supervisor escalates the issue to the duty manager.
• Assign responsibilities and confirm escalation paths
  The front office supervisor assigns each team member their primary focus for the shift, such as arrivals, VIP handling, walk-ins, or group support. Review escalation criteria for overbookings, room readiness delays, rate exceptions, guest complaints, and payment issues. The supervisor confirms who must be contacted first, second, and third for each deviation.
• Document the briefing and release the team to service
  The front office supervisor records the key briefing points, including arrivals, VIPs, walk-ins, groups, rate strategy, and any open issues. The supervisor confirms that the team acknowledges the briefing and is ready to begin guest-facing operations. If any unresolved non-conformance remains, the supervisor documents it in the shift handoff log and assigns follow-up ownership.