A night auditor is someone who welcomes the guests coming into hotels late-night. He manages all the features of their stay at the hotel.
In other words, the night auditor acts as a representative at the front desk. He has to deal with the matters concerned with the stay of guests at night.
Some of the situations are rare. These involve the night auditor to be working as a front-desk agent. And at the same time, he has to handle the duties of the accounting department.
What Is A Night Auditor? – Basic Requirements
Night auditors have their work shifts from 11 P.M to 7 A.M. But the timings can vary according to different hotels.
Though the most common timings are 10 P.M to 6 A.M.
Like the shift timings, workweeks of night auditors vary according to the rules of hotels.
Most of the hotels have two kinds of night auditors working for them.
The first ones are full-time night auditors working five nights a week. While the second one is a part-time auditor who works the other two nights of the week.
In some of the large hotels, night auditors work along with other nighttime employees.
The larger hotels can afford to have many night auditors. While small hotels have an only one-night auditor.
He works alone to run the daily reports. And once he completes it he attends requests from guests.
Who can work as a night auditor?
The position of a night auditor requires specific qualifications. And it depends on the job for which you are going to apply.
The basic requirements related to the position of a night auditor are:
1. Criteria to Become Night Auditor:
While the employers are looking for someone to fill the position of night auditors. They prefer someone who has at least a diploma from school or an equal degree.
Although it’s not a compulsory need to have an associate degree. Like a degree in administration, business, or hospitality. But it can be good for the ones who want success in their career.
1. Certifications Help In Becoming A Night Auditor:
Professional certifications can be of great help. These kinds of certificates help the night auditors. It increases their hands-on understanding of the duty.
It also helps to enhance their skills. For example, skills of record-keeping are important in this aspect.
These certifications also make them so efficient. That they can handle the duties of from-desk late at night.
So these are the most important certificates one can earn for this position:
-License Of Front-Desk Officer
This is a certificate-based upon the knowledge and skills of successful night auditors.
The certificate is valid for five years. And people who want to get this certificate have to pass an exam consisting of 30 questions.
-License Of Guest-Service Executive
This certificate is the most known for the guest service employees. The employees belonging to the hospitality and tourism industry.
This certificate is also valid for five years.
The rule to get this certification is to pass an exam with a score of 70%. Before the exam, there is a training program consisting of four hours and that is a must to complete.
If a person has one of these certificates, then he can apply for the job of a night auditor.
2. Training Of Night Auditor:
The night auditors need different skills and knowledge to perform their roles.
They can learn these skills and knowledge while working as a front-desk agent.
Night auditors get their training from a new employer during the orientation process.
The training process consists of reviewing training videos and safety instructions.
During the training, a current night auditor works to see if everything is going fine. Or until the trainee feels proficient enough to complete the tasks on his own.
After the training is complete, the trainee is set to work in the field and show his performance.
3. Expertise Of Night Auditor:
Night auditors must be attentive and comprehensive. They must have analytical skills. These skills would help him to reconcile the transactions of previous days.
Also, they can be more skilled to increase charges to accounts of guests.
The night auditors having specific skills can also perform the role of a caretaker of the hotel. During all the night, they keep on providing their services to the customers.
The night auditors who are considered successful have the following skills:
A. Bookkeeping
Though the night auditors work during the night shifts. They still make a record of the dealings that took place during the day. Calculating visitor charges and reconciling of registers is on their hands.
The skilled night auditors make complete reports about all these duties.
B. Serving the customers
Night auditors adopt this skill of serving customers to check their guests in their rooms. It’s done to make sure that everyone is doing alright.
They walk around and address all the guest’s requests and complaints at once.
Customer service is an important skill and it makes the process easier.
C. Communication:
Communication is the most important of them all. Perfect expertise of communication is in demand to greet the guests.
Night auditors need these skills to attend phone calls and talk to the staff.
Also, to make long reports about the activities that took place the previous day. Night auditors also record the activities that occur during the night time.
D. Technical skills
Night auditors use technical skills about the use of software programs. They process payments, check reservation records, and other tasks using this skill.
For using reservation software and payment processing programs one needs basic literacy.
Technical skills help one to make a thorough understanding of bookkeeping. Also, it assists in the use of digital auditing programs.
E. Organization:
Organization and multitasking is a must-have skill for night auditors. The organization makes them finish the work in a proper way.
2. Responsibilities Of A Night Auditor:
All this hassle is about what does a night auditor does?
This is an audit of the guest ledger. It’s also known as collecting of the guest folios.
The night auditor handles the duties of front desk agents as well as accounting duties.
First, the auditor manages the day’s business. Then he remains available to serve the overnight needs of customers.
The amount of time spent between the two roles depends on the size of the establishment.
Bigger hotels and motels may have many night auditors. These night auditors handle the accounting and front desk.
While the smaller hotels depend on the auditor to take care of the business overnight.
Some of the prominent responsibilities performed by night auditors are as follows:
1. Greet and check the guests when they arrive. And provide them with the necessary information about the hotel.
2. Balances and audits the reports of the day from different shifts.
3. Verifies that all other departments have completed their tasks.
4. Answer phones take up reservations and schedule wake-up calls.
5. Running the end-of-day reports before the shift ends.
6. Answering guest inquiries, concerns, and complaints as needed.
7. Preparing guest invoices for the checkouts of the next day.
8. Supervising and managing the safety of the hotel. Also making sure the guest valuables are safe or not.
9. Ensure cleanliness of hotel amenities by communicating with maintenance and housekeeping departments.
10. Answering the calls from hotel guests. And then making records of calls for later reference.
11. Providing information about rooms, rates, and hotel amenities.
12. Promoting the hotel by its features and services and doing the up-selling of guest rooms.
3. Salary Of Night Auditor:
Night auditors can be either full-time or part-time workers. And they work overnight.
Their salaries can vary depending upon the experience they hold. Skills, education, and certifications are some other factors that affect the salary range.
The amount they get paid can also vary according to the size, location, or service of a hotel or resort.
4. The Work Environment Of A Night Auditor:
Night auditors function in very visible settings. And their work environment is also very hospitality-oriented.
The following points highlight the focus of the work environment of night auditors:
– Most of the time night auditors work alone.
– Night auditors themselves talk to the guests during a phone call.
– They have to make the autonomous decision for satisfying the guests.
– Night auditors maintain the schedule for overnight shifts.
– They work by standing for a very long time.
Night auditors have a wide variety of skills and experience. These attributes are accessible by different industries. Some of these industries are:
– Customer service
– Retail
– Bookkeeping
– Administration
See Also: What is the Role of Mentor – A Complete Guide
How To Pursue The Career Of Night Auditor:
There are specific steps to follow if you have an interest in this career. Let’s take a look at these steps in a bit detail:
1. Get Related Experience:
Retail, customer services, and hospitality can help in gaining skills. The skills needed are the requirements for this career.
Entry-level front-desk positions help the most in this respect.
Performing some tasks can also be beneficial. The tasks that need are clarifying the credit cards. And maintaining the records in books.
Also, using software of accounting to get auditing and accounting operations done.
2. Earn Certifications:
Earning certifications is more important than getting a degree in this field. Most of the hotels need different skills from applicants for the vacancy of night auditors.
Applicants must have technical skills. So that they can efficiently do the auditing tasks.
Customer service skills are also important about the provision of guest service.
If you want to polish these skills, then you should attend a course or certification.
Local colleges and trade schools provide such kind of courses.
These programs also provide training for entry-level jobs like night auditor.
Such training includes record keeping and data entry.
Some exceptional training also provides instructions about hotel technology. Billing procedures are also in this category.
3. Make A Resume:
A resume is important for getting any job. Make the resume which should include the levels of education.
One can also include the experience of working in industry and work history.
The section of experience must contain the name of the company. And also the working tenure. You can also mention your responsibilities and duties related to work.
A CV can be attractive enough and help you to secure the position of night auditor. If it has your career progression and personal growth.
4. Apply For Commencing Seats:
At last, you need to look for the vacant positions and jobs near to you. And then apply to those positions which you are eligible for.
You can check eligibility based on the requirement of abilities. Also, try to apply for jobs that contain the opportunity for success.
If you know your skills, then you can easily understand what kind of job you want.
Mention your education and abilities in the summary of the cover letter. So it shows that you are able to do a specific role.
See Also: 6 Most Common Stages Of Career Development
Conclusion:
The night auditor works overnight in hotels and other lodging establishments. He performs front desk duties as well as accounting duties.
Though formal education is not necessary to get this position. But a strong background in a related field can be beneficial.
The night auditors act as a necessary component for the hotel establishments. Establishments that want to be successful, should hire night auditors with utmost care.
Hiring and retaining the night auditors can be beneficial for the hotels in the long term.
Share your experience and thoughts in the comment section below.
Last Updated on 3 years by Shahzaib Arshad
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