Kaleb Jean de La Croix

Assist the Director of Front Office and the Director of Housekeeping in leading their departments to achieve hotel balanced scorecard KPIs, while actively and practically learning to lead the complex Rooms Division team.

Currently leading the Front Office Department at both Marriott Hotel (5-star) and Four Points by Sheraton (4-star) in Kigali, overseeing the achievement of balanced scorecard KPIs and ensuring operational excellence across both properties.

I served as the Head of the Guest Experience Department and the custodian of the guest journey at an international luxury resort brand with an average daily rate (ADR) of $4,000.

Reporting directly to the Resort Manager, my key operational responsibilities included:

• Guest & Service Orientation:
  I was responsible for managing guest services and ensuring the delivery of a wide range of experiences. This was achieved through discipline, punctuality, and a keen awareness of guest needs.
• Guest Requests & Complaints Management:
  I handled guest requests and complaints, exercising independent judgment to respond to individual needs. My ability to make quick decisions and take appropriate actions was a key part of my daily responsibilities.
• Team Orientation:
  I coordinated services from various support departments and individuals to ensure guests received the highest level of service. This collaboration was essential in delivering an exceptional guest experience.
• Personalized Tours & Field Activities:
  I oversaw, coordinated, and developed personalized tours, field activities, and other services for guests and visitors. Additionally, I actively participated in and assisted with conservation and ecological efforts, acting as the primary liaison between guests and excursions. I ensured that all equipment and facilities used by Experience Hosts/Experts and guests were safe and maintained to the required standards.
• Communication & Development:
  I was responsible for communication between guests and Experience Hosts/Experts, ensuring seamless interactions. I also developed and trained Experience Hosts and Experts, focusing on ecology, history, heritage, and culture to enhance the guest experience.

Key Responsibilities:

• Ensured flawless, upscale, professional, and high-class guest service experiences.
• Analyzed customer feedback and provided strategic direction to continuously improve guest satisfaction and overall ratings.
• Responded to guests’ needs, anticipating their unstated desires, and ensuring that personalized experiences and special arrangements were delivered.
• Acknowledged returning guests, offered surprises, and ensured their preferences were met.
• Supported the delivery of seamless service at all times and in all areas, stepping in to assist when necessary to maintain high standards.
• Lived and projected the philosophy, vision, mission, and core values of the ACCOR brand.
• Ensured all staff (Heartists) adhered to ACCOR grooming standards at all times.
• Prepared weekly duty rosters and led the Guest Relations Officers, ensuring smooth daily operations.
• Kept the Director and General Manager fully informed of any significant issues or unusual matters.
• Maintained transparent and open communication with the Assistant Guest Relations Manager and liaised with other departments to ensure guest requests and complaints were handled effectively.
• Conducted house tours, site inspections, and special room drops for VIPs.
• Personally escorted all VIP guests to their suites, ensuring that the Guest Relations Officers did the same for all guests.
• Inspected all VIP rooms prior to arrival, ensuring the correct standards were met (allocations, amenities, special requests) and preferences were accommodated.
• Personally greeted all resident guests and engaged with them to enhance their experience.
• Promoted inter-hotel sales, in-house facilities, and services.
• Managed guest complaints and feedback according to ACCOR standards, ensuring necessary actions, follow-up, and proper recording were done.
• Prepared the departure list for the following day and made any necessary arrangements for VIP guests.
• Delivered maximum guest satisfaction through personal recognition and prompt, cordial attention to all guests.
• Ensured Club members and repeat guests received all benefits and special recognition.
• Coordinated with Concierge, Butler, and ACCOR Club for hotel events, restaurant promotions, limousine services, and VIP requests.
• Prepared compendiums prior to guest arrival and ensured all information was accurate.
• Maintained close communication with the Airport Concierge and Reception for new arrivals and departures.
• Updated and maintained an efficient guest history system.
• Attended daily and monthly management briefings to facilitate coordination and operational improvements.

Key Responsibilities:

• Led the Front Office Department as the head of the team, ensuring the smooth and efficient operation of all front office functions.
• Played an integral role as part of the pre-opening team, responsible for recruiting, training, and leading the opening Front Office team to successfully launch the hotel and ensure exceptional service delivery.
• Trained and cross-trained Receptionists, Night Auditors, Porters, and Guest Relations Officers, ensuring that the team consistently provided professional and friendly service.
• Troubleshot emergency situations, ensuring quick and effective resolution.
• Scheduled staff rosters to ensure adequate coverage and efficient service delivery.
• Liaised with other departments to ensure seamless coordination and smooth guest experiences.
• Monitored daily reservations in OPERA PMS, ensuring all bookings were correctly processed, including handling BLOCK reservations.
• Collaborated with the Reservations team to prevent overbookings and ensure accurate room allocations.
• Worked closely with Central Reservations to communicate new rate plans, promotions, and special offers.
• Managed the Reservations team and all rooms reservations processes for both individual and group bookings.
• Guided the Reservations team to meet and exceed budgeted targets, ensuring maximum revenue generation.
• Monitored email traffic and ensured reservations were appropriately recorded in OPERA PMS and TARS, checking all details, such as dates, pricing, market segmentation, and sources.
• Handled no-show and canceled reservations in line with hotel policy and processed relevant charges.
• Collaborated with the Sales team to identify leads, convert leads into confirmed bookings, and support sales efforts.
• Liaised with the Revenue Manager to optimize room revenue and assist with daily, weekly, and monthly revenue reporting.
• Addressed guest complaints and reviews promptly and professionally, ensuring guest satisfaction was maintained at all times.
• Actively engaged with guests, handling complaints and responding to inquiries, ensuring that all guest needs and desires were met and followed up for complete satisfaction.

Key Responsibilities:

Business Strategy Development & Implementation:

• Participated in the development and implementation of business strategies for the hotel, ensuring alignment with City Blue Hotel Chain’s overall mission, vision, values, and global strategies.
• Developed and executed strategies for the Front Office, Bell Stand, Door Staff, PBX, Guest Services, Parking, and Concierge departments to support the achievement of the hotel’s goals.
• Regularly monitored performance and adjusted strategies as necessary to maintain alignment with business objectives.

Operational Management:

• Managed the operations of the Front Office and related areas, ensuring smooth and efficient service delivery across departments.
• Supervised the Door, Bell Stand, Parking, Concierge, and Front Office areas, creating a positive first impression for all guests.

Process & Procedure Development:

• Developed and implemented processes and procedures for Front Office departments to support service and financial goals.
• Ensured that the Front Office handled billing and cash in accordance with City Blue's standards.

Budget & Financial Management:

• Participated in the preparation of the annual budget, monitored achievement of budget targets, and took corrective actions as necessary to stay on track.
• Prepared and analyzed reports to create an informative database for decision-making and to communicate upcoming business initiatives across the hotel.
• Analyzed business forecasts and maximized productivity by adjusting schedules as needed.

Compliance & Standards:

• Ensured the Front Office adhered to all City Blue Hotel Chain policies and procedures, maintaining operational consistency and compliance.
• Planned and coordinated hotel housing activities, working closely with Sales, Catering, Housekeeping, and other departments to align strategies and operations.

Employee Management & Engagement:

• Developed and implemented strategies to support employee engagement and job satisfaction.
• Recruited and selected qualified candidates for Front Office roles.
• Provided employees with orientation, training, and ongoing feedback to ensure they understood expectations and performed their job responsibilities.
• Offered coaching and counseling as needed to help employees achieve performance objectives and reach their fullest potential.

Guest Satisfaction & Service Excellence:

• Created 100% guest satisfaction by providing the City Blue experience, demonstrating the standards of genuine hospitality, and consistently exceeding guest expectations.
• Provided personal attention and took responsibility for delivering exceptional service, using teamwork when interacting with guests.
• Listened actively, empathized, apologized, and found solutions when resolving guest problems, ensuring their satisfaction and loyalty.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Actively monitored guest satisfaction levels, identifying and addressing issues promptly to ensure all guests were fully satisfied.
• Performed other duties as required by management to uphold service brand behavior and genuine hospitality, ensuring a memorable guest experience.

• Selling rooms
• Posts room charges and taxes to Guests account
• Post charges to the Guests' accounts that have not been posted or were incurred on the night audit shift
• To verify that all transactions performed at the desk are supported by documentary evidence and signatures as necessary and that they have been correctly posted and allocated in PROTEL (PMS)
• To verify that all charges posted from the Micros (POS) had reached the correct Guests folios and also not missing in PROTEL (PMS)
• Prints up and files reservations for the next business day
• Verifies all account postings and balances
• Verifies that room rates are correct
• Function as a front desk agent especially in terms of check-in and check-out procedures
• Check figures, postings, and documents for accuracy
• Record, store, access, and/or analyse computerized financial information
• Run end of day process in PROTEL (PMS)
• Performs wake-up Calls

• Was responsible of performing check in and check out guests, collect payments, make reservations, sell rooms to the walk ins and all hotel receptionist duties and responsibilities in general