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Housing & Conference Services

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Guest Experience Assistant (Conference & Event Services) Job Description

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Job Description

The Conference Guest Experience Assistant represents McMaster University Conference & Event Services as a vital link between Conference Organizers and internal operating partners, fostering exceptional guest service. By maintaining a visible and accessible front-line presence, the Guest Experience Assistant creates a welcoming environment for students, visiting clients, and guests, ensuring their time on campus is both enjoyable and efficient.

In this role, the Guest Experience Assistant addresses client needs by offering proactive support, assisting with inquiries, and effectively triaging issues to ensure timely resolutions. A commitment to adaptability ensures they can take on diverse tasks as required, always striving to enhance the overall experience.

With a professional demeanor, organizational skills, and a positive attitude, the Guest Experience Assistant excels in both independent and team settings. Their creativity, attention to detail, and problem-solving abilities are essential in delivering an outstanding experience for all who visit McMaster University.

This role includes the opportunity to specialize in the following portfolios:

Client Relations

  • Liaise with a series of accounts (clients) and act as the primary account ambassador before, during and after the event
  • Plan the logistics of each event alongside the client which may include but not limited to: accommodations, meeting spaces, banquet spaces, meals, signage, parking, Wi-Fi codes, luggage storage, arrival and departure logistics, etc.
  • Anticipate, understand and respond to all client inquiries and needs
  • Attend to the entire cycle of an account/client
  • Contract with clients for the upcoming events or modifying existing contracts as needed
  • Communicate with campus partners, suppliers, and other team members
  • Create informational documentation for partners and team members (i.e. Action Memos, AV instructions, personalized maps, meeting space/accommodation outlines, etc.)
  • Determine resources required for successful execution
  • Organize the pre and post event operations (i.e. parking, meals, signage, etc.)
  • Execute the event (check-in and check-out, daily touch points, on demand troubleshooting)
  • Invoice and bill in less than 5 business days post-event
  • Plan for the group’s future return by working with the Coordinator(s), Client Success
  • Conduct site tours with clients interested in hosting their event at McMaster
  • Ensure the necessary campus locations are accessible, and willing to host a site tour
  • Act as a tour guide for the client and note details of their event for future action or follow up
  • Report findings and ideas from the tour to the Client Success Coordinators or Business Development Managers; and help prepare the necessary spaces for the event
  • Ensure the spaces are well-maintained and up to the client’s standards prior to the event; and at the end of the day, ensure the spaces were well-kept. Take action to remedy any issues alongside the Guest Satisfaction Ambassadors.
  • Communicate and provide regular updates to the Client Success Coordinator who will support every step of the aforementioned cycle as needed

Service-Operations

  • Support day-to-day operations within the Service Centre
  • Provide meal/break relief to the Service Centre team to maintain 24-hour exceptional service level
  • Deliver an exceptional customer experience while welcoming guests to McMaster
  • Coordinate event rentals and additional AV with out preferred vendors
  • Utilize effective problem solving to meet and exceed the demands of our guests
  • Develop and present new ideas/technologies to reduce process steps and better guest experiences
  • Create and maintain an up-to-date activity guide for events in and around Hamilton for guests; as well as general campus and city information templates and transportation guides, to be placed on bulletin boards throughout the buildings
  • Update and create messaging on the digital signage of the department
  • Partner with the Communications and Marketing team to finalize on-brand materials for publication
  • Create, maintain, update, and improve temporary campus signage regularly for Hotel McMaster and special events
  • Redirect/redeploy assets and resources in response to communication received through the main telephone line and assigned shift cell phone
  • Communicate and provide regular updates to the Coordinator, Client Services

Online Bookings

  • Manage, maintain and increase occupancy availability and rates
  • Allocate OTA bookings into McMaster’s Housing System (StarRez)
  • Anticipate and respond to client requests by creating standardized responses for online messaging platforms, emails, and e-cards
  • Greet and welcome guests at arrival and conduct a remote check-in and out process on-location where possible
  • Conduct remote check-in and/or check-out for larger conferences
  • Receive and process e-payments and refunds
  • Communicate and provide regular updates to the Coordinator(s), Client Success, Manager(s), Business Development, and Senior Manager, Conference & Event Services
  • Provide and receive regular updates and support to and from the Housing Assistants at the Guest Service Centres
  • Collaborate on space planning and best practices with internal stakeholders
  • Cross-check allocations and bookings with internal stakeholders to ensure that processes are followed correctly

Group Accommodation Bookings

  • Allocate group accommodations for events of various sizes in an efficient and accurate manner into McMaster’s Housing System (StarRez) and other tools
  • Communicate with Service Centre Guest Experience Assistants to provide updates on changes made by Conference Organizer
  • Import and export rooming lists into the housing software while ensuring a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail
  • Maintain and audit guest information and bookings regularly in the housing software to ensure that the system is always updated with accurate and uniform data
  • Cross-check allocations and bookings to ensure that processes are followed correctly
  • Collaborate on space planning and best practices with internal stakeholders regularly
  • Support the Reservations System Coordinator with other tasks or projects as needed
  • Knowledge and previous experience on Microsoft Excel are a great asset
  • Prepare the bed occupancy reporting for invoicing by collaborating with internal stakholders

Guest Satisfaction

  • Maintain relations and dialogue with in-house guests by collecting guest feedback via online and in-person surveys
  • Promote and initiate pleasant experiences for in-house guests
  • Organize social events to draw feedback from in-house guests
  • Summarize and present feedback at weekly team meetings and weekly partner meetings
  • Analyze guest feedback, take immediate action using this feedback and propose long term action where needed
  • Visually inspect and audit all Hotel McMaster facilities and event spaces and provide immediate remedies or long-term solutions
  • Support all other portfolios on a regular basis by understanding the intricacies of their processes and anticipating and responding to business demands
  • Write thank-you cards & prepare gifts for departing conference organizers
  • Communicate and provide regular updates to the Coordinator, Client Success
  • G Class License required

Job Summary:

Performs a variety of routine tasks including: assisting customers with general inquiries, processing transactions, and filing according to established procedures.

Accountabilities:

  • Assist customer’s in-person, via email or on the phone with routine inquiries
  • Seek out assistance and escalate issues when necessary, based on established departmental guidelines
  • Process transactions in accordance with established departmental guidelines
  • Update and maintain files, correspondence and records according to established guidelines
  • Manager conference email inboxes
  • Create final event invoicing (under guidance)
  • Conduct daily walk-throughs of venues
  • Identify and prepare work orders for issues
  • Performs other clerical duties of a similar nature, as required

Qualifications:

Education:

  • High school diploma or equivalent

Experience:

  • 6 months of previous customer service experience

Assets:

  • Hamilton tourism and attraction knowledge
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Publisher)
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
  • Ability to embrace new technology and software
  • Possess a G class driving license
  • Previous hospitality experience preferred
  • Hamilton tourism and attraction knowledge is an asset

Additional Information:

To deliver exceptional customer service, the Guest Experience Ambassador will need to be available for shifts from Monday to Sunday and must be able to work flexible hours, including early morning, evening and weekend shifts.