One-on-one interactions are straightforward, but what happens during a busy front desk shift? This is where timing and flow become crucial. You can’t control the flow of things if you don’t understand timing. It is easy to step on someone or something during busy times. With an understanding of timing, you can manage your flow, even when you need to go a mile a minute. I encourage you to pay attention to how long each step of an interaction takes.
There is a timing for the greeting, the clarification, the resolution, and the closing of each interaction. Practice each step individually, with attention to the timing. Go through each step out loud and notice if you are rushing or dragging in areas unnecessarily. This will help you adjust your timing when you have multiple things happening at once. A big mistake people make in busy front desk situations is to try to resolve everything for one guest before moving on to the next.
This typically means others are waiting longer than they should and you are creating unnecessary urgency which will be reflected in your tone. Instead, practice how to work in the pauses and transitions between interactions. An example would be: I just resolved a portion of this interaction and now I am going to acknowledge the next guest. I am going to go back to the first interaction and complete the next step. Then, I will acknowledge the third guest. This way, I am managing my time and the flow of my interactions. I encourage you to practice this in a low stakes situation.
Pretend you have two or three things happening at once. Go through the interactions out loud, navigating between each interaction. Pay attention to your tone of voice and the words you are using. If you are speaking too fast or using filler words, slow down and try again. Practicing your tone, even in the busiest of situations, will give the impression you are confident and in control. When we feel overwhelmed, we have the tendency to rush.
Rushing typically leads to mistakes and missed steps in the interaction. Instead of rushing, I encourage you to always complete one interaction or step before moving on to the next. This may be finalizing a reservation or closing an interaction before moving on to the next person. The more you practice this, the more your brain will retain the expectation of your interactions and you will be able to manage your flow, even when feeling overwhelmed.
Finally, I encourage you to spend time daily practicing your interactions. This could be as simple as going through the individual steps of an interaction, then putting them together to practice the flow. At the end of your practice, reflect on the areas which felt rushed or where the transition wasn’t smooth. Then go back and practice those pieces again. The more you do this, the more your brain will start to naturally understand the timing and flow of your interactions.
This will happen without even realizing it in your daily practice. With practice, busy situations will start to feel more manageable. Instead of reacting to everything at once, you will start to manage the flow of your interactions. This will allow you to stay calm, maintain a professional tone, and provide intentional guest service, even in the most fast-paced situations.