Job of a Doorman or Porter in Hotel

A doorman is a person who generally stands in front of guest to receive the guest and his belongings. In UK, doorman is known as porter. A doorman is the very first and most interestingly the very last person of a hotel with whom a guest has the first & last contact. That’s why they are called the ambassador. Doorman shows courtesy to guests. They mainly help to open the door and handle guest luggage.

The job of a doorman is very important. They help to portray good impression of their hotel in guest’s mind. Today we will learn about the most basic duties of a Doorman in a hotel step by step.

For more front office related tutorials and SOP see our Hotel Front Office Training Manual with 231 SOP.

1- Lays out the Floor Mat at the Hotel’s Entrance

Standardjob doorman porter hotel

Ensure that floor mats have always lain out at the hotel entrance during the rainy season so as to prevent guest from slipping.

Procedures

Doorman are assigned to perform such actions which are as follows:

  • Make sure that all hotel mats are properly cleaned, orderly and in good condition before the start of the rainy season.
  • During the rainy reason or when the rain comes, take out the mat from the storage room and lay out at the front landing of the hotel.
  • Keep an umbrella rack and check guests keep their umbrella over there before entering the premises.
  • Ensure that mats are lain out all times at the hotel entrance during rainy season.

2- Assists Guest in & out of Cars

Standard

To ensure that all guests are safely led in and out of their cars with the assistant of the doorman.

Procedures

  • Make sure that the guest’s car stops right in front of the hotel entrance.

For incoming guest:

  • Open the car door with proper etiquette for the guest and greet the guest by saying politely: Good morning/afternoon/evening (according to the time of day), Sir/ Madam. After the guest has stepped out from the car, close the car door gently.

For outgoing guest:

  • Open the car door following standard for the guest and wish the guest an enjoyable day. Close the car door gently when the guest is inside the car.
  • Inform and direct the driver to the correct path.

3- Open Vehicle Doors for all Guests

Standard

Make sure that correct procedures are followed to open the doors of guest vehicles for all guests in order to assist them get in or out of their vehicles.

Procedures

Certain procedures are followed by the doorman as follows:

For vehicles with guests entering them:

  • Until the car stops at the front landing area, wait for the vehicle.
  • When the guest’s vehicle is at a full stop at the car landing area, stand to the side, giving path to the guest and gently open the door for him/her.
  • Cover the dome of vehicle by using your hand in order to protect guest’s head.

For vehicles with guests getting down from them:

  • Wait for the vehicle until it stops at the front landing area.
  • When the vehicle is at a full stop, go to the side of the car where the guest is seated.
  • Cover the dome of vehicle by using your hand to protect guest’s head.
  • Open the door for guest firmly but with proper manner.

4- Loading & Unloading of Luggage into & from Guest’s Vehicle

Standard

To ensure a quick and prompt check-in and check-out process, all guest luggage should be loaded and unloaded for guests by the personnel concerned into and from guest vehicles.

Procedures

Loading

  • Wait until the vehicle stops at the front landing area of the hotel.
  • Ask the driver of the vehicle to open the trunk.
  • Load the luggage into the trunk in the presence of the guest and reconfirm the guest the number of bags you loaded. But only load the luggage if the guest is not in the vehicle.
  • To ensure security, obtain the make or line (for taxis) and plate number of the vehicle.

Unloading

  • To unload the luggage from the car, wait for the vehicle to stop at the front landing area.
  • For guest convenient, open the door for the guest.
  • When the guest has stepped out from the car, ask the driver of the vehicle to open the trunk.
  • Complete the unloading process by doing the following steps:
  1. Unload the bags.
  2. Tag the bags.
  3. Check to ensure the guest name.
  4. Keep the plate number of the vehicle and the number of bags unloaded on the tag for security purposes.
  5. Reconfirm with the guest the number of bags you unloaded.

5- Obtain Taxis for Guest if Requested

Standard

In order to satisfy the guest, taxi should be immediately arranged by the doorman upon guest request.

Procedures

A doorman will act the following actions to obtain the taxi for the guest:

  • Ask the guest politely requesting for taxi to sit down at the lobby while you call for one.
  • Notify concierge that a guest is requesting for one taxi, so they can call via telephone. Ask how long will it take.
  • Inform the guest that you just have called for one and the time that it will take to get here.
  • Make sure that you have arranged taxi for the correct guest.
  • Inform concierge to take action accordingly.

6- Maintain all Accesses through Hotel Drive way Clear of Cars

Standard

To make the driveway accessible for incoming and outgoing cars, ensure that the driveway is cleared of cars.

Procedures

  • Once a car has unloaded its guest, make sure that it leaves the driveway immediately.
  • A car should be parked in an empty parking space.
  • If there is no empty parking space at the front, inform the driver to park the car in the back parking area. 
  • Check to ensure no car is left unattended to along the driveway.
  • Make sure that the correct flow of traffic procedure is followed.

7- Rain Procedure

Standard

To ensure smooth operation, correct procedures are followed during the rainy seasons in accordance with the standards of the hotel.

Procedures

A doorman will initiate the following procedures during rainy season:

  • Make sure that rain mat is in good condition, ready and stored properly at the concierge during the rainy seasons.
  • When the rain comes, lay out the rain mat in front of the hotel door.
  • Arrange the umbrella stand with umbrella for guests.
  • If guest does not has any umbrella, escort the guest with hotel umbrella while guests are leaving and coming inside the hotel.
  • Make sure that all guest’s umbrella are kept in the umbrella stand before they stepped into the hotel. Do not allow any wet umbrella inside the hotel.
  • Issue a tag for guest’s umbrella so that the guests can claim during their departure. Do not keep any umbrella without tag.

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