How to Use the Hotel Receptionist One-to-One Template

Why structured hotel receptionist one-to-ones matter

Your hotel receptionists are the first and last face every guest sees. They set the tone for the entire stay at check-in and shape the lasting impression at check-out. When they are confident and supported, guests feel welcomed, problems get resolved quickly, and the front desk runs smoothly. When they are struggling, you see longer queues, escalating complaints, and a reception area that feels chaotic instead of professional.

The challenge is that receptionists work in a constant state of interruption. They handle check-ins, phone calls, guest queries, complaints, billing issues, and housekeeping coordination simultaneously. Without intentional one-to-ones, you will only hear about problems when they become visible to guests — or when your receptionist hands in their notice.

This template structures your weekly conversations around the areas that matter most for receptionist performance and retention. Each section builds on the last: preparation gives you context, their agenda shows you what is on their mind, the discussion sections cover role performance, team dynamics, growth, and wellbeing, and the engagement indicators give you an early-warning system for disengagement.

Preparation

Complete these steps before each meeting to ensure a focused and productive conversation. Arriving prepared shows your receptionist that you take this time seriously.

Review notes from previous one-to-one — Pull up the notes from your last session. What actions did you commit to? What did they commit to? If you promised to chase a PMS fix or speak to housekeeping about room turnaround times, check whether you followed through. Walking in without knowing what was agreed last time undermines the entire process.

Check recent performance data or feedback — Glance at check-in times, upsell conversion rates, and guest satisfaction scores from the past week. Check for guest feedback mentioning them by name — positive or negative. Review any PMS error logs. This takes a few minutes and gives you specific talking points instead of vague impressions.

Note any observations from the past week — Think about what you have noticed at the desk. Did they handle a difficult check-in particularly well? Were they slow to respond during the afternoon rush? Did they help a colleague cover the desk or seem withdrawn during a quiet shift? Write down two or three specific observations before the meeting.

Send agenda prompt to employee ahead of time — Message them mid-morning: "We are catching up at 11. Anything from the last few days I should know about?" This gives them time to think. Receptionists spend shifts reacting to whatever comes through the door; asking them to suddenly reflect requires mental preparation. If they reply "all good," try: "What was the most stressful check-in from the weekend?"

Customisation tips:

• Schedule at 11am between check-out and check-in waves — this is typically the quietest window at the desk
• 10-15 minutes is enough for a weekly check-in. Do not let it stretch into a 45-minute session unless something significant comes up
• Meet in the back office, not at the desk — the desk feels like work, and they need to step away from interruptions
• For the first 90 days, keep these weekly without exception. After that, you can move to fortnightly if they prefer — but ask first

Their Agenda

Start every one-to-one by asking: "What has been on your mind?" Record whatever they raise before covering your own items.

If they say "nothing really," do not fill the silence immediately. Count to five. Silence is uncomfortable and they will often fill it with something real. If they still do not, offer a specific opener: "How did the weekend check-ins feel? Talk me through the busiest half hour." The specific framing works because "How was your week?" is too vague for someone who processed dozens of arrivals.

Once they are talking, ask "What else?" until they run out. Do not jump to solutions or share your perspective yet. This section is about understanding their world, not managing it.

If you have items to cover — new booking system procedures, upcoming events, feedback from guests — mention them at the start so they know it is coming, then let them go first: "I want to talk about the group arrival next week before we finish, but first — what has been on your mind since last time?"

What to record: Their exact concerns in their own words. Do not paraphrase into management language — "the PMS keeps crashing during check-in" captures reality better than "discussed system challenges."

Role Performance

These four questions are designed to uncover how the front desk actually feels from your receptionist's position. Work through each one during the conversation and tick it off as you cover it.

"Walk me through check-in yesterday. What went smoothly, what was frustrating?"

This reveals where the daily process breaks down in practice. The moments that frustrate them are the moments that slow down guest service. If check-in keeps stalling because room allocations are not ready, or because the PMS takes three clicks too many, those are systemic issues you can fix. If it went smoothly, ask what made it work — those are conditions worth replicating.

What good answers sound like:

• Describes a specific shift with genuine detail about the flow of arrivals
• Mentions what worked well and what created bottlenecks
• Shows awareness of how their experience connected to the guest experience

What to do with the answer: If they describe process friction, investigate whether it is a system issue, a staffing issue, or a communication gap with other departments. Fix the system, not the symptom.

"How's the PMS working? Any system issues slowing you down?"

Technology friction is one of the biggest silent killers of front desk efficiency. A PMS that crashes, runs slowly, or requires workarounds for basic tasks adds minutes to every interaction. Your receptionist absorbs that frustration dozens of times per shift, and guests notice the delay even if they do not understand the cause.

What good answers sound like:

• Specific examples of system problems rather than vague complaints about technology
• Identifies workarounds they have had to develop and how much time those cost
• Suggests improvements or flags features they do not know how to use

What to do with the answer: Log system issues and escalate them. If the PMS is genuinely limiting performance, that is a business case for IT investment. If they need training on features, schedule it.

"When guests have complaints, do you have the authority to fix them? Or do you always have to get approval?"

Receptionists who cannot resolve problems independently feel disempowered and slow. If they need a duty manager for every room change, every late check-out, and every minibar dispute, service suffers and their confidence erodes. This question reveals whether you have given them enough autonomy to handle the front desk effectively.

What good answers sound like:

• Clear about where they feel empowered and where they feel restricted
• Gives examples of situations where they wished they could act independently
• Shows good judgement about when to act and when to escalate

What to do with the answer: Clarify their authority explicitly. Give them more where appropriate — "You can offer a room upgrade or a complimentary drink without asking me. Anything involving a rate reduction over ten percent, check with me." Clear boundaries are better than vague expectations.

"How's the coordination with housekeeping? Are you getting rooms ready on time?"

The front desk depends on housekeeping more than any other department. When rooms are not ready, the receptionist bears the guest frustration. When communication breaks down — rooms marked clean that are not, early arrivals with no information — it is the receptionist who manages the fallout. This question surfaces whether that interdepartmental relationship is working.

What good answers sound like:

• Specific about timing patterns and communication gaps rather than general blame
• Understands housekeeping's constraints alongside their own frustrations
• Identifies peak pressure points where coordination fails

What to do with the answer: If housekeeping coordination is genuinely broken, address it with both teams together. Do not make your receptionist the messenger between departments. If it is a communication tool issue, fix the tool.

Record the key points from your discussion, focusing on recurring themes and anything that needs action. Note specific examples they gave — these are valuable evidence for performance reviews. If they mentioned a check-in they handled particularly well or a system that is failing them, capture that detail.

Team and Relationships

These questions surface the dynamics that affect front desk operations — colleague partnerships, team support, management backing, and shift handovers.

"Who do you work best with on shift? Who's harder to work with?"

Some receptionist pairs flow naturally — they divide tasks instinctively, cover each other during rushes, and keep the desk calm. Others create friction. Understanding these dynamics helps you schedule more effectively and identify relationships that need attention.

What good answers sound like:

• Names specific colleagues and explains what makes the partnership work or struggle
• Focuses on work style differences rather than personal complaints
• Shows awareness of their own contribution to team dynamics

What to do with the answer: Use scheduling insight where possible. Also probe: "What makes working with [person] easier or harder?" If there is genuine friction between two team members, address it — do not just avoid scheduling them together.

"When you're slammed at check-in, does the team support each other? Or is it everyone for themselves?"

This reveals whether there is genuine teamwork at the desk or a culture of "my guests, your guests." A reception where everyone helps during rushes — greeting arrivals, pulling keys, answering phones — creates seamless guest experiences. A desk where people retreat to their own tasks during pressure creates visible gaps.

What good answers sound like:

• Specific examples of colleagues helping or not helping during busy periods
• Distinguishes between individuals who are supportive and those who are not
• Acknowledges their own contribution to the team dynamic

What to do with the answer: If support is lacking, address it at team level. Make clear that everyone helps during check-in rushes — phone coverage, key preparation, queue management. This is a culture issue, not an individual one.

"How's the relationship with the duty manager? Do you feel supported when things go wrong?"

The duty manager is the receptionist's safety net. When a guest escalates beyond what the receptionist can handle, they need to know support is coming quickly and confidently. If the duty manager is dismissive, unavailable, or undermines their decisions, the receptionist feels exposed.

What good answers sound like:

• Honest about whether they feel backed up when they need help
• Specific examples of good or poor support rather than general impressions
• Shows they understand when escalation is appropriate

What to do with the answer: If the relationship is weak, facilitate a conversation between them. If the duty manager is genuinely unsupportive, that is a performance issue you need to address separately.

"Any handoff issues between shifts? Information getting lost, guests getting different answers?"

Shift handovers at the front desk are critical. A guest who explains their issue to the morning receptionist and has to repeat it to the afternoon receptionist feels uncared for. Lost information about VIP arrivals, maintenance issues, or special requests damages service quality. This question surfaces whether your handover process actually works.

What good answers sound like:

• Identifies specific information that gets lost or miscommunicated
• Describes the current handover process and where it breaks down
• Suggests improvements to how information is passed between shifts

What to do with the answer: If handovers are failing, review the process. A structured handover checklist — outstanding guest issues, VIP arrivals, maintenance updates, billing queries — takes five minutes and prevents hours of confusion.

Capture the team dynamics discussed, any scheduling insights, and concerns that need follow-up. Note shift handover issues carefully — these often recur and directly affect guest experience.

Growth and Development

These questions explore career aspirations and development needs. The answers shape how you invest in this receptionist's growth.

"Do you see yourself staying at front desk, or moving toward guest services management, concierge, something different?"

There is no wrong answer, but the answer changes everything about how you develop them. A career receptionist needs mastery goals — VIP handling, complaint resolution expertise, training new starters. Someone aiming for guest services management needs operational exposure — scheduling, revenue awareness, interdepartmental coordination. Someone using reception as a stepping stone still deserves investment, but you should be realistic about retention timelines.

What good answers sound like:

• Honest about their trajectory without feeling they need to perform loyalty
• Specific about what interests them, even if it is outside your hotel
• Shows they have thought about it rather than just shrugging

What to do with the answer: If they want to stay at the desk, focus on skill refinement and senior receptionist pathways. If they want management, involve them in operational decisions. If it is a stepping stone, make their time valuable anyway — you will get better work from an invested short-term employee than a disengaged long-term one.

"What would you need to learn to feel confident handling any guest situation?"

This surfaces their honest self-assessment. If they name something specific — handling aggressive guests, managing group bookings, understanding revenue management — you have found a concrete development opportunity. If they say "nothing" or "I do not know," they may be disengaged or lack self-awareness, both worth exploring.

What good answers sound like:

• Names specific skills or knowledge gaps
• Shows ambition to improve rather than defensiveness about weaknesses
• Connects learning to guest experience or personal satisfaction

What to do with the answer: Create a plan to build the skill they name. If it is complaint handling, role-play scenarios. If it is PMS proficiency, schedule dedicated training time. If it is confidence with VIPs, pair them with your strongest receptionist during high-profile arrivals.

"If you were training a new receptionist, what's the one thing you'd tell them that nobody told you?"

This reveals gaps in your onboarding and training. Whatever they answer tells you what was missing from their own induction — and probably from everyone else's too. It also shows whether they think about their work reflectively, which is a sign of engagement.

What good answers sound like:

• Specific and practical ("Nobody told me how to handle it when a guest's card declines and there is a queue behind them")
• Based on experience rather than opinion
• Shows care for incoming colleagues

What to do with the answer: If it is useful, add it to your training. If multiple receptionists give similar answers, you have found a systemic gap.

"Where do you see yourself in a year? Here, somewhere else, doing something different?"

The honest answer to this question is the most valuable piece of information in the entire one-to-one. If they are planning to leave soon, you can make their remaining time positive and plan for replacement. If they want to stay, you can build a path. If they are uncertain, you have an opportunity to influence their decision.

What good answers sound like:

• Genuine honesty rather than what they think you want to hear
• Specific enough to be actionable ("I would like to be a duty manager here" or "I am thinking about moving to a bigger hotel")
• Willing to have the conversation rather than deflecting

What to do with the answer: Do not react emotionally to any answer. If they want to leave, ask what would make them stay. If they want to progress, show them the path. If they do not know, help them think through it.

Record their career direction, development interests, and any specific skills they want to build. This feeds directly into performance review objectives and helps you plan training investment.

Wellbeing and Support

These questions catch burnout, frustration, and unmet needs before they cause resignations. Ask them genuinely, not as a box-ticking exercise.

"What's the single most frustrating thing about your job right now? If you could fix one thing by next week, what would it be?"

This cuts through politeness to their top priority. Whatever they name is the thing most likely to make them leave if it is not addressed. The "single most" framing forces them to prioritise rather than list everything.

What good answers sound like:

• Names something specific and fixable rather than vague dissatisfaction
• Trusts you enough to be honest about genuine frustrations
• Differentiates between temporary annoyances and persistent problems

What to do with the answer: Fix it if you can. If you cannot, explain why and offer alternatives. Either way, respond within 48 hours — speed of response matters more than the outcome.

"How's the emotional side of this job? The constant guest interaction — is it manageable or wearing you down?"

Emotional labour is one of the hidden costs of front desk work. Receptionists project warmth, patience, and professionalism for hours on end — including when they are tired, stressed, or dealing with rude guests. This question acknowledges that the emotional component of the role is real work and checks whether it is sustainable.

What good answers sound like:

• Honest about energy levels rather than performing resilience
• Identifies specific types of interactions that drain them
• Distinguishes between "good tired" (busy but satisfying) and "bad tired" (exhausted and resentful)

What to do with the answer: If emotional fatigue is building, look at their schedule. Review shift patterns, break timing, and whether they are getting enough recovery time between demanding shifts. Small adjustments — a quieter shift after a weekend of group check-ins — can prevent burnout.

"Do guests appreciate what you do? Or does it feel invisible?"

Receptionists often feel like their work is only noticed when it goes wrong. A smooth check-in gets no acknowledgement; a slow one gets a complaint. This question checks whether they feel valued by the people they serve — and by extension, by you and the hotel.

What good answers sound like:

• Honest about whether they feel their work is recognised
• Gives examples of interactions that felt rewarding or thankless
• Connects recognition (or its absence) to their motivation

What to do with the answer: If they feel invisible, find ways to make their contribution visible — share positive guest feedback, acknowledge good work publicly, and ensure the wider team understands how critical the desk is. Recognition does not cost anything but matters enormously.

"Is there anything you need from me that you're not getting?"

This is the most important question in the section. It directly asks whether you are doing your job as their manager. Whatever they say, write it down. Then do it or explain why you cannot — within 48 hours, not at the next one-to-one.

What good answers sound like:

• Specific and actionable ("I need you to sort out the PMS issue" rather than "more support")
• Trusts you enough to ask for something
• Acknowledges what you are already doing well alongside the gap

What to do with the answer: Deliver on it. Fast. If you make commitments and do not follow through, trust disappears and future one-to-ones become surface-level exercises.

Record energy levels, frustrations, and support requests. Flag anything that suggests burnout or flight risk — these notes are critical early-warning signs that need action, not just documentation.

Engagement Indicators

These are observational indicators you assess based on what you have seen during the week, not questions you ask directly. Tick each indicator that is genuinely present. Anything you cannot tick is worth exploring — either in this meeting or through closer observation before the next one.

Maintaining usual warmth and engagement with guests — Are they still creating genuine connections with guests, or has service become transactional? A receptionist who used to greet arrivals warmly and ask about their journey but now just processes check-ins is showing disengagement. Pay attention to their energy at the greeting and whether they are reading guests or going through the motions.

Continuing to suggest upgrades naturally — Are they still offering room upgrades, late check-outs, and additional services as part of natural conversation? Receptionists who stop upselling have not forgotten how — they have stopped caring. This is one of the earliest and most reliable disengagement signals, and it directly affects your revenue.

Presentation standards remaining consistent — Is their uniform as sharp as it was? Are they maintaining grooming standards? A subtle decline in presentation often signals declining engagement or personal difficulties. Do not make it about appearance policing — notice it as a potential indicator.

Arriving on time and showing flexibility — Are they arriving ready for their shift or cutting it fine? Do they stay engaged through quieter periods or start clock-watching? Are they still willing to cover when needed? Punctuality and sustained engagement indicate someone who values being here.

Stepping up to avoid difficult situations — Do they still take initiative to prevent problems — spotting a disgruntled guest in the lobby, catching a billing error before check-out, flagging a room issue before the guest arrives? Or have they retreated to reactive mode, only dealing with what lands in front of them? Proactive behaviour is a strong engagement signal.

Note which indicators you could not tick and what you have observed. If multiple indicators are absent, this receptionist needs urgent attention — increase frequency to twice-weekly and focus on understanding what has changed.

Actions and Follow-Up

At the end of every one-to-one, summarise what you have both agreed to do. Say it out loud before you finish:

"So by next week I am going to: [your actions]. And you are going to: [their actions]. Is that right?"

Then send a brief message confirming: "From today: I am sorting [X] + [Y]. You are trying [Z]. Chat next [day] at [time]."

What to record:

• Your commitments with deadlines (e.g., "Chase IT about PMS issue by Friday")
• Their commitments with deadlines (e.g., "Try the new upsell approach for weekend check-ins")
• Any items to escalate to your manager
• Topics to revisit next time

Follow-through matters more than anything else in this template. If you promise something, tell them when you have done it — do not wait for the next meeting. Message: "Spoke to IT — PMS update rolling out Thursday." Receptionists are used to managers who do not follow through. Being reliable sets you apart. If you cannot do something you promised, tell them immediately and offer an alternative.

Session Notes

Record your overall impressions from the conversation: patterns you are noticing, changes in their engagement or mood, anything you want to revisit in future sessions.

This is also where you note how your approach should adapt:

• First 90 days: 80% listening, 20% guiding. Focus on understanding their world.
• Established relationship: Push into development territory. Career conversations, leadership opportunities, skill-building.
• When things are going well: Share business context, ask for their input on operational decisions, acknowledge specific contributions.
• When things are struggling: Increase frequency, ask diagnostic questions, focus on support rather than criticism. Remove obstacles faster.

Over time, these session notes create a narrative of your working relationship — invaluable for performance reviews and progression decisions.

What's next

Once you have established regular one-to-ones, the conversations you have will feed directly into formal performance reviews. See our guide on Hotel Receptionist performance reviews for how to use the evidence you gather in these sessions to write a thorough, fair assessment.

• Read our Hotel Receptionist job description for the full scope of responsibilities
• Check out our Hotel Receptionist onboarding guide if you are supporting someone in their first 90 days