Alam mo ‘yung feeling ng first week mo sa front desk?
Yung tipong naka-smile ka pa pero deep inside, panic mode ka na kasi may guest na galit, may tumatawag sa trunk line, tapos si housekeeping tinatanong kung may vacant room pa. 😅
Welcome to the front desk life — kung saan parang laging may sabay-sabay na laban, pero kailangan, naka-smile ka pa rin.
Pero okay lang.
Lahat tayo dumaan diyan.
Yung awkward stage na gusto mo lang hindi magkamali — pero ayun, nagkamali ka pa rin. 😂
So today, pag-usapan natin ang 7 Common Mistakes of New Front Desk Agents (and How to Avoid Them) — mga relatable moments at real lessons na makakatulong sa’yo para hindi ka na kabahan sa next shift mo.
Ready ka na? Tara, kape muna tayo. ☕
1. “Yes po, wait lang po ah...” — Yung Hindi Marunong Mag-Prioritize
A classic rookie move sa hotel front desk world.
Lahat gustong sagutin, lahat gustong i-accommodate, sabay-sabay.
May guest sa harap mo, may phone ringing, may chat sa Viber, tapos si manager biglang, “Can you print this for me real quick?”
Result: sabog focus.
Ang ending, nakalimutan mong i-encode yung walk-in guest, tapos nagulat ka na lang — occupied pala yung binigay mong room. 😭
How to avoid it:
👉 Breathe.
👉 Prioritize tasks like a pro.
Kung sino yung nasa harap mo, sila ang unahin. The rest can wait for a few seconds — promise, hindi magugunaw ang mundo kung ‘di mo agad nasagot si caller.
Pro tip,
Sanayin mo ‘yung utak mo sa “mini checklists.”
Lalo na sa peak hours.
Ganito lang,
- Check in
- Room key
- Payment
- Encode
Pag nasanay ka, automatic na ‘yan — parang muscle memory ng hospitality skills mo. 💪
2. “Akala ko alam ko na lahat…” — Overconfident Without Knowing Procedures
Minsan kasi, confident ka pa more.
Yung tipong, “Ay, madali lang ‘yan!” kahit di mo pa nababasa yung hotel SOP. 😂
Tapos pag tinanong ng guest
“Can I check out late for free?”
Ang sagot mo,
“Sure ma’am!”
… kahit bawal pala. 😬
How to avoid it:
Don’t pretend to know everything.
Mas okay na magtanong kaysa magkamali.
Sabihin mo lang ng maayos,
“Let me double-check that for you, ma’am.”
Hindi ito sign ng weakness — sign ito ng professionalism.
Kasi sa totoo lang, kahit ten years ka na sa front desk training, may bago at bago ka pa ring matututunan.
3. “Good morning, sir!” — sa babaeng guest 😅
Yung classic gender slip-up.
Hindi mo naman sinasadya, pero minsan, autopilot mode na kasi.
Tapos ayun, napangiti si guest pero ramdam mong medyo awkward.
How to avoid it:
Observe before you speak.
Minsan mabilis lang ‘yung instinct natin, lalo na pag sunod-sunod na guest check-ins.
Pero kapag nagkamali ka, acknowledge agad with humor or grace,
“Oh! Sorry po, ma’am! Kape na kasi ‘to eh.” 😅
Guests appreciate honesty and humility.
Hindi mo kailangan maging perfect — kailangan mo lang maging genuine.
Yan ang isa sa mga hospitality tips na ‘di mo matututunan sa manual.
4. “Sige lang po, ako bahala.” — Yung Ayaw Humingi ng Tulong
Ito ‘yung “silent warrior” stage.
Yung kahit hirap ka na, gusto mong ipakita na kaya mo lahat.
Pero guess what?
Hindi ka robot.
Pag nagkamali ka dahil pinilit mong mag-isa, ikaw rin ang mapapagalitan.
How to avoid it,
Teamwork is the backbone of the hotel front desk department.
Huwag kang mahihiyang magsabi:
“Can you assist me for a moment?”
“Pahawak muna nito, please?”
Mas okay na magtulungan kaysa magkaproblema sa guest.
Remember: sa hospitality industry, “front desk” is never one person — it’s a team.
5. “Okay lang po ‘yan, ma’am.” — Yung Hindi Marunong Mag-Handle ng Complaint
Ito ‘yung make or break moment ng isang front desk agent.
Minsan kasi, pag may nagrereklamo na guest, instinct mo is to defend yourself.
Pero guess what — that’s not what they need.
They need someone to listen first before you explain.
Example:
Guest: “Why is my room not clean?!”
Rookie: “Sir, housekeeping is short-staffed kasi…”
Pro: “I understand, sir. I’ll personally coordinate it for you right now.”
See the difference?
Yung isa defensive.
Yung isa, solution-oriented.
At kung gusto mong maging kalma master pag may galit na guest…
👉 Check out my eBook “Guest Complaint Crusher.”
Doon ko tinuro paano humarap sa irate guests, paano mag-sound confident kahit kinakabahan ka na, at paano gawing positive experience ‘yung reklamo. 😅
6. “Wala po akong magagawa, ma’am.” — Yung Kulang sa Initiative
Ito ‘yung line na ayaw na ayaw marinig ng guests.
Kasi kahit minsan wala ka talagang magagawa, meron pa ring way to sound helpful.
Example:
Instead of,
“Wala po akong magagawa diyan, ma’am.”
Say,
“Let me check if there’s another option for you, ma’am.”
Same situation, pero magkaibang impact.
How to avoid it,
Always offer options — kahit maliit lang.
Guests don’t expect miracles.
They just want to feel that you care enough to try.
Yan ang tunay na essence ng hospitality service — showing effort kahit di mo agad ma-solve.
7. “Done na po!” — Yung Walang Double Check
Ito ‘yung tahimik pero delikadong mistake.
Akala mo okay na lahat — pero may mali pala sa room assignment, o kaya sa payment posting.
And the worst part?
Ikaw ang hahabulin. 😅
How to avoid it,
Before ending your shift, do a quick review checklist:
- May pending arrivals ba?
- May folio na di pa posted?
- May guest concern na di pa resolved?
Ang tawag diyan, front desk audit mindset.
Kahit basic lang, ‘yan ang magse-separate sa “newbie” at sa “reliable front desk pro.”
Yan din ang sign ng isang agent na may excellent attention to detail — isa sa pinakapinupuri sa hotel front desk training programs.
Bonus Tip: Don’t Forget to Enjoy the Chaos 😎
Yes, nakaka-stress minsan.
Pero promise, nakaka-proud din.
Kasi ikaw ‘yung nasa frontline ng hospitality.
Ikaw ‘yung unang nakikita ng guests, at madalas — ikaw din ang last nilang naaalala.
At habang tumatagal ka sa trabaho, mapapansin mo rin,
Yung dati mong kinakatakutang guests… ngayon, kaya mo nang kausapin na parang tropa. 😁
So take every mistake as a story.
Kasi balang araw, ikaw rin ‘yung magko-coffee talk sa newbie at magku-kwento ng,
“Alam mo dati, muntik ko nang ibigay yung master key sa guest…” 😂
Front Desk FAQ ☕
1. Paano ko haharapin ‘yung galit na guest nang di ako kinakabahan?
Breathe first, then listen.
Focus on what they’re saying, not how they’re saying it.
Smile (genuine ha), and show empathy before giving solutions.
(Extra tip: may full guide ako nito sa Guest Complaint Crusher 😉)
2. Paano kung di ko alam sagot sa tanong ng guest?
Never fake it.
Say, “Let me double-check that for you, sir.”
Mas okay ang honest than confident-but-wrong.
3. Paano kung may sabay-sabay na dumating na guests?
Use quick eye contact and acknowledgment.
“Good evening, sir! I’ll assist you right after this check-in.”
Small gestures go a long way in guest satisfaction.
4. Paano kung mali na-assign kong room?
Own up to it immediately, apologize, and fix it fast.
Guests appreciate honesty + effort more than excuses.
5. Paano ko mapapabilis ang pag-improve ko as a new agent?
Observe seniors, take notes, and never stop learning.
You’ll get better every shift — promise.
Final Thoughts: From Rookie to Rockstar 💫
Lahat ng magaling na front desk agent, nagsimula sa pagiging kabado.
Hindi mo kailangan maging perfect.
Kailangan mo lang maging maasahan, magalang, at may puso sa hospitality.
Kasi at the end of the day —
Hindi lang guest service ang ginagawa mo.
You represent the whole hotel experience.
So the next time you feel overwhelmed, just remember,
Lahat ng pro, dati ring nagkamali.
Ang difference lang…
Tinatawanan na nila ngayon. 😉
💬 P.S.
If gusto mong matutunan step-by-step paano maging kalma, confident, at effective sa guest complaints —
👉 Grab a copy of my eBook “Guest Complaint Crusher.”
It’s your ultimate guide to turning stressful guest moments into shining front desk wins.