16 years
We never blocked anything, but once in a while we had to have a serious talk with some staffers. It wasn´t about surfing though - Austrians are addicted to their cellphones!
Does anyone have issues with employees surfing the Web instead of doing work at the front desk? Does anyone block access to the Web or to certain sites?
For example, employees treating guests rudely so that they can get back to surfing MySpace, Neopets.com or other addictive Web sites?
At one hostel we eventually had to block access to neopets.com because the situation was getting out of control. Once MySpace became popular, it became a problem also, where even managers were ignoring guests or pretending to do work while they were really surfing MySpace or playing video games.
I think the front desk needs access to the Internet -- it only gets out of control when the staff don't want to answer the phone or take a reservation because they want to get back to their instant messenger conversation or post a new MySpace comment.
16 years
We never blocked anything, but once in a while we had to have a serious talk with some staffers. It wasn´t about surfing though - Austrians are addicted to their cellphones!
16 years
I used to work at the reception of a luxury hotel, and our internet access was completely blocked. The only site that wasn't restricted was the hotel's own website. It was extremely frustrating and detrimental to our level of customer service. I couldn't even find a telephone number for a guest if it wasn't in the local phonebook. I can't tell you how many guests left my desk flabbergasted because the company refused to give us the tools we needed to do our job for fear that we might look at our email on company time.
16 years
If I ever get the chance to manage one of these places (why not?) I will make damn sure only people with hostel front des experience get a job.
I once worked in a five-star hotel a few days (the guys I worked for rented the entire Vienna Plaza - one of the best in town - for a weekend and I was put into the reception because I knew the guests). All the receptionists were total crackpots. They were either never asked to use their brains or not able to do it in the first place. Every time they had a tricky situation they called the manager. All they could do was looking nice in their weird uniforms. :D
16 years
They were either never asked to use their brains or not able to do it in the first place. Every time they had a tricky situation they called the manager.
That reminds me of the Wiki page (stub) about front desk procedure manual... just posted a new poll here.
16 years
It's never about blocking the internet, it's always about the staff. If you choose right, and the staff responsibilities are clear, it's quite easy to control internet traffic. If everything is done perfectly, and we are having 10 quiet minutes I don't mind staff members surfing the web. In fact, it's not possible to have good guest service without internet - train, bus, flight schedules, travel tips and much more - it's what we give to the guest at our reception.
15 years
We tried putting up firewalls and then some sites reception needed to get at to help out guests were blocked. Also, clever receptionists got around the firewall. Our biggest concern was people downloading viruses by accident and wiping our our reservations system.
We have a no surfing the internet policy now, but knowing full well they do it anyway, we put aside one computer, that is NOT connected to our reservations system that they can use to 'help' the guests...and as we know, surf when they think we're not looking.
We say we can write them up and dismiss then if found surfing during work hours but are pretty lax about it as long as they are doing their job when guests are around.
But they are forbidden from using internet on the reservations/check in computers and they are forbidden from looking up porn or downloading anything. Any of those are immediately dismissable.
Funny story. One receptionist recently got around the blockade on the reception computer by going through the network until she found one that was not blocked. But what she didn't know is that was the manager's computer and while in the office, we 'watched' her check her facebook.
Then she had the nerve to deny it and made a big show of wondering who had comprised her facebook...long story short, we let her off the hook but i'm damned sure she won't try that again!
15 years
We tried putting up firewalls and then some sites reception needed to get at to help out guests were blocked. Also, clever receptionists got around the firewall. Our biggest concern was people downloading viruses by accident and wiping our our reservations system.
Have you tried blocking sites with the Windows hosts file? I think Neopets was blocked that way. You can even have fun with them -- redirect Facebook to something funny :D
15 years
Nope!
As a manager I want them to feel free. They have showed me to be responsible. Of course I have to be on their asses all the time, but since we just started I´m still watching and feeling who´s who, of you know what I mean...
We have for them a site we know is safe for movies.
They are able to browse internet.
Everyday I check the history, and I haven´t seen porn yet...Our male staff are nerds so they see linage pages, or maximizing their own laptops...
Female staff are the swetest I could find, they are probably on the faceebook or their blogs...
As long as they do their job, I don´t care what they do in their free time!
OH! I forgot, we have 24/7 cameras everywhere, so I can take a look of whats going on from home... lol! Sometimes I feel like Big Brother, but now I just check and forget about it.
I repeat, we just opened...there is sooooo much to be happening!
15 years
As long as they do their job, I don´t care what they do in their free time!
This is is a good mentality which I try to follow as well! :)
However, sometimes some newbies get it wrong and prefer to have a social life as they just don't see what can they work. That's why it's important for them to take the good care of the work with enthusiasm... If you keep bothering you haven't done this or that, they will pretend working to fill up their day but if they understand they are free to do anything else as soon as they finished their tasks and if they do it well, the less chance of getting sacked and the more chance of getting bonuses, promotion or just more freedom and trust! ;)
15 years
Does anyone have issues with employees surfing the Web instead of doing work at the front desk? Does anyone block access to the Web or to certain sites?
For example, employees treating guests rudely so that they can get back to surfing MySpace, Neopets.com or other addictive Web sites?
At one hostel we eventually had to block access to neopets.com because the situation was getting out of control. Once MySpace became popular, it became a problem also, where even managers were ignoring guests or pretending to do work while they were really surfing MySpace or playing video games.
I think the front desk needs access to the Internet -- it only gets out of control when the staff don't want to answer the phone or take a reservation because they want to get back to their instant messenger conversation or post a new MySpace comment.
Either you want to be in this business or you dont, When the guest is being ignored by the people who are there to serve them, that is a problem. I have seen this happen in more than one hostel. I can state as a irafutable fact if they did that at my Hotel it would result in a sacking.Staff should be happy to serve the guest, not treat them as a inconvienance. When hireing make it clear what is expected of them and monitor them, other wise they will not take you seriously. Keep the work place fun.
Patrick
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