Guest Services/Reservationist Hands-on Lead
Join The Herbfarm as the Guest Service /Lead Reservationist. This position strives to ensure all runs smoothly from first contact to our patron’s arrival at The Herbfarm. It is your goal, as well as The Herbfarm’s, to make for a few hours life as perfect as our guests had always hope it would be.
This is your opportunity to actively work with folks from around the globe who come to enjoy the highly rated 5-hour, 9-course dining experience focusing on seasonal and regional ingredients at their prime.
Smiles on your face and in your voice. Organization. Strong communication skills—written, in person, on phone. Poise gained through several years of Hospitality/Guest Service/Office experience are needed to apply for this position.
We seek an enthusiastic, passionate, disciplined, organized, warm, team member who is eager to learn The Herbfarm 5-Diamond ways and become a leader of our small, quality-oriented, fun-loving reservation team.
The Herbfarm is a world-class fine dining experience where our food follows the seasons. Our feet are on the ground and we usually have a sense of humor. We are America’s only 5-diamond restaurant west of Chicago and north of San Francisco. That said, we are also the only restaurant serving 9-course meals where guests can visit and feed our pet piggies during dinner!
This position is usually a 5-day a week job--40-50 hours--that includes 30-50% weekend days as the 7-day a week office schedule rotates through the team. This is a day job. Some (3-8 annually) evenings as backup when owners are out of town.
Overview
Oversee restaurant reservations, guest service, information, office systems, and other general business interactions via phones, mail, email, and in person. Oversee the staff involved in these activities. Some minor accounting.
Outgoing and incoming guest contacts--through the phone, email, electronic reservations requests and in person. Returning calls from voicemail and waiting lists. Careful tracking & sharing (systems currently in place) of reservation information to all guest service/kitchen folk so we all know everything that has been communicated to each guest and how to help them when they call or arrive in person. Mail order/retail shipping. Some data entry and special projects. Follow organized procedures while putting the guest first. Strive to exceed the guest?s expectations. Support others as needed. Backup owners on a daily basis. Fill in for owners when gone. Be an ambassador of The Herbfarm inside and outside of work.
Pre-requisites
College Education. 3+ Years guest relations office/phone/in person experience. International travel is a plus. A genuine desire to serve the guest, co-workers, and the company. Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office programs. Some Adobe InDesign is helpful. Supervisory experience.
Skills Needed
- Excellent verbal & written
- Service oriented
- Team oriented communication skills
- Organized, tidy worker
- Self-Motivated
- Multi-tasking skills
- Quick learner
- Sense of Humor comfort
- Detail Oriented
- Natural leader
- Hard Worker/Dedicated
- Comfortable in tight spaces, and up & down stairs to serve guests
More Details of Guest Services/Reservationist Hands-on Lead
- Actively Manage day-to-day reservation systems
- Lead by example and inspire your staff to greatness
- Strong MS office skills
- Working knowledge of Adobe In Design
- The Herbfarm operates by collecting and utilizing an incredible amount of detail. Become proficient data miner
- Strategically balance guest, business and employee needs
- All T's must be crossed and I's dotted while being warm and friendly
- Office is Open 7 days a week (you work 5 usually)
- 35-50% of weekends are required so all staff share the weekends
- Crew of 2-3 reservationists to coach, schedule, train and maintain
- Exceed guest's expectations
- Voice of The Herbfarm - welcoming in person, on the phone or via email
- Communicates well with co-workers and guests
- Oversees copier, computers, phone system, website, marketing collateral, etc
- Collecting, organizing, maintaining, and dispersing as needed myriad information regarding guest's needs and desires
- Work well under pressure demonstrating cooperative behavior with guests, colleagues and supervisors
- Incredibly busy small office that requires everyone to take responsibility for their work and to incorporate a sense of humor
- After training take on the groups (larger that 9) bookings
- Involved in all aspects of special events
- Somewhat of an executive assistant to the owners as well
- Coach, train, review, staff
- Be able to work a flexible schedule, and meet/address multiple, sometimes competing deadlines
A Successful Guest Services/Reservationist Hands-on Lead Would
At the end of the First Month
- YES-searching for guests, invoices, vendors
- YES-Invoicing-retail, reservations
- YES-Reports-inventory, reservation auditing
- Calendar Maintenance-audits between calendar, binder, and YES
- Creating gift certificates
- Redeeming Gift certificates
- Understanding Herbs... the software
- Pig care details
At the end of Three Months
- Demonstrates perspective, acuity in prioritizing and responding to various tasks, demands, requirements
- Involved in new software testing/implementation/designing
- Thorough knowledge of website
- Office schedule
- Instill guest service attitude in all employees
- Backing up Ron on last minute signs/briefing sheet/maps/menus if needed
- Knows where inventory is and what it is called
- Full understanding and can perform Mail Order shipping, backorders, call-when-in box
- Keep office tidy
- Understands library process of inventory, labeling, tracking, follow-up
Six Months
- Understands phone system parts and voicemail hardware/software
- Understands network/users of main server
- Understands music system
- Can back Carrie up "in coat room" during dinner
- Puts in time at the farm to understand/appreciate the process
- Make employee handbook "Herbfarmy" with artwork and humor
- Keep Thomas and Sarah organized and productive
At the end of One Year
- Helps Ron's world get and stay organized and tidy
- Start involvement in group/private events to lighten Carrie's load
- Oversees Website & Maintenance
Please email resume and cover letter to Carrie Van Dyck, carrie@theherbfarm.com. She will contact you to complete an application after she reviews all resumes.
