When he first took up the position of Night Manager at ibis Jaipur Civil Lines, Vikalp Chaturvedi spent
a good deal of time explaining to folks what his role truly entailed. Most people wrongly presumed that all he had to was man the front desk during the graveyard shift. Au contraire, a night manager, also called a duty manager, is responsible for the entire hotel’s operations during the night shift.
While they primarily focus on front office operations. they are also responsible for night audits, overall security, safety of guests and the property, while ensuring top-notch service quality at all times. In short, these night warriors represent the hotel in lieu of the General Manager from dusk to dawn, figuratively speaking. As can be imagined, this is a position of great responsibility, and one that can be discharged by someone who can manage various component of the night shift.
KNIGHTS WITH A BADGE
Unbeknown to most, when lights are dimmed in a hotel, all the countertops wiped clean, colleagues bid
each other adios and guests turn in for a shuteye, the night manager is just getting started with their workday.
It usually begins with the night audit. This process, which is con-ducted at the end of a business day, requires them to properly record and reconcile guest folios with their transactions. They have to ensure that all guest transactions of the day are captured and charged correctly to respective guest accounts. Moreover, they have to evaluate and analyse the daily occupancy account and the housekeeping room status reports to deduce the correct occupancy status of the hotel.
Chaturvedi added that the main stores also have to be managed if any emergency occurs during the night. “Additionally, night managers should be aware of IT related issues, in case they need to handle it during their shift. They also have to log in any guest issues that crop up during the night, manage reputation performance score as well as daily reports,” he explained.
Fortunately, Chaturvedi was primed to manage these responsibilities because of his earlier roles. His last assignment was as Duty Manager of Radisson Hotel Varanasi, where he handled the day-today operations while assisting the Front Office Manager. Often, he would be responsible for the overall functioning of the front office department when the manager was absent. This gave him better insight on the various processes and protocols involved, which has held him in good stead in his current assignment.
It also gave him the aptitude to deal with many a cantankerous guest, checking in at night after a long or exhausting trip. A calm demeanour and patient hearing goes a long way in dealing with frayed nerves and prevents matters from escalating to a point of no return.
“We do receive guests who have completed a long flight and need a homely space to relax. We make them feel as comfortable as possible upon their arrival. The key is to listen to their requests and try to offer the best possible solution,” Chaturvedi stated.
GUMPTION FOR EXCELLENCE
Filling the position for a night manager can be quite challenging for the HR team because of some prevalent, and unfortunate, misconceptions associated with the job. The odd working hours, for starters, definitely make most professionals think twice.
After all, they have to be the proverbial night owls – active and agile when everyone around is asleep – and resist the temptation to turning into Rip Van Winkle themselves. But those who can deal with this challenge can have a satisfying career ahead. “Taking up this role says a lot about one’s sense of adaptation and perseverance, in addition to their commitment to holistic growth for professional advancement,” Chaturvedi stated.
Explaining why he picked up this particular gauntlet, he said it is because Accor offers rotational shifts at its properties, including ibis Jaipur Civil Lines. Hence, night managers do not always have to work night shifts.
Today, Chaturvedi has no regrets about his decision to take up this position. “This hotel and opportunity have given me a lot of exposure. The role helped me learn the end-to-end procedures involved in running a property, while ibis has helped me grow and develop personally as well as professionally,” he noted. In fact, he is confident that he has received all the hands-on training required to graduate to a Front Desk Operation Manager.
NO PRO TEM, PLEASE
Chaturvedi advised people evaluating the opportunity of a night manager position to consider it as a long-term assignment rather than a stopgap arrangement. Citing his own example, he stated that this role taught him every aspect of hotel operations, including cross-department work, which opens more opportunities for him to excel in.
“The key skills required for the position of a night manager go beyond the managerial. It includes financial acumen, time management, customer handling, property supervision, overall operational flow, planning of shifts, managing staff and guests as well as overall safety and security. So, those viewing it as a stop-gap arrangement will not gather the requisite skills needed to meet these parameters,” he explained.
Night managers should have the aptitude to deal with cantankerous guests, who might be checking in at night after a long or exhausting trip.
However, there can be a downside to this role, which is a seismic shift in one’s social life. The irregular sleep timings can also be damaging to the health. Hence, it is pertinent for night managers to subscribe to a balanced lifestyle.
Chaturvedi has managed to crack the code for maintaining a work-life balance and a semblance of normalcy in his life. “Typically, I try to catch up on my sleep in the afternoon. I keep myself free in the evenings for some time to connect with my family or friends before starting my shift,” he claimed. This gives him a positive burst of energy when he walks into his workplace. And he sure does love his job! It is one where he can assume assume the role of an astute negotiator.
“A simple situation could get blown out of proportion – like forgetting to give a wake-up call, delayed in-room service or airport pick-up, or even overbooking. These challenges can send shifts into a spin. One needs to have accurate information and a proper handle on things to find a way to negotiate and manage such situations,” Chaturvedi proudly noted.
Shifting gears into the position of a night manager has also helped him professionally. Today, he better appreciates operational elements of the hotel business along with nuances like risk assessment. For instance, overall upkeep of safety, security, housekeeping, room service, kitchen, public areas, etc., are conducted after business hours.
A night manager is the captain of the ship that sails at night. When the world sleeps, they stay awake to solve problems, take snap decisions and ensure all is smooth sailing.
