Night shift and night audit
How the curriculum is structured when you specialise
Night shift at reception differs from day shift. There are fewer guests at the desk but night shift often has responsibility for night audit — the daily accounting reconciliation that gathers the day's sales and prepares for the new day.
§What is night audit?
Night audit is the process where today's transactions in the booking system are reviewed and reconciled before the system 'closes' the day and opens a new one. It involves posting room rates and fees to each guest's account, reconciling sales from the restaurant and other departments, and ensuring that the figures match before reports are generated.
- 01Post room price and charges to each guest account
- 02Match sales from restaurant, bar and other departments
- 03Check that card payments and cash till match
- 04Generate reports to management on occupancy and turnover
§Service at night
Although the night shift is quiet it is still the face outwards. Late arrivals requests for wake-up calls and guests who need help in the middle of the night require the same professionalism as during the day — just with fewer colleagues to draw on.
| Assignment | Why |
|---|---|
| Prepare the day after | So the morning shift can start right away |
| Keep an eye on safety | Night shift is often the only employee awake in the house |
| Handle late check-ins | Guests arrive late due to flights and travel |
| Prepare reports | Management must be able to see yesterday's figures in the morning |
§Safety and lone work
Because the night watch often works alone, knowledge of alarms, emergency procedures, and the company's guidelines for solo work is an important part of training. You must know who you can contact if something goes wrong and know evacuation procedures as well as the day shift.
“Night shift is the house that never sleeps — and the receptionist who keeps it safe until sunrise.”