Working the Hotel Night Audit Shift

by Alex A. Kecskes

You're a hotel worker and you've been assigned the night shift. Or as some call it the "Bates" shift.

As a night shift clerk, your duties will, at times, be somewhat different that those of a day clerk. Each hotel has a different set of night shift hours, but they typically run from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. Like a day shift clerk, you'll register and assign rooms to hotel guests. And you'll answer inquiries about hotel services, giving travel directions to exhausted late-night guests and advising them about nighttime dining options.

In the middle of the night, guests become increasingly impatient about getting into their rooms. They just want to get some sleep. So you'll need to check them in quickly and be as accommodating as possible. That means, you'll have to know all the room types available, as well as their layouts and locations. You'll also need to be aware of room rates, promotions and special packages, as guests will be in no mood to argue about these details.

You may be asked to maintain confidentiality of guest information and important hotel data and to lock up a guest's valuables. You'll handle things like wake-up calls and breakfast menus. And you'll often find yourself in the "hot seat," resolving guest complaints in person or via telephone.

A hotel's reconciliation activities are typically addressed during overnight hours. That means, you may be asked to print end-of-day reports regarding food and beverage sales or audit the day and evening work of shift cashiers and correct any discrepancies. You'll monitor and maintain the cleanliness and organization of work areas, which may or may not be assigned to you. And you'll fill out work orders for any maintenance issues that may arise.

For a lighthearted perspective, check out this video:

Alex A. Kecskes has written hundreds of published articles on health/fitness, "green" issues, TV/film entertainment, restaurant reviews and many other topics. As a former Andy/Belding/One Show ad agency copywriter, he also writes web content, ads, brochures, sales letters, mailers and scripts for national B2B and B2C clients. Please see more of his blogs at and view additional job postings on Nexxt.