Guest Services Specialist

Company Overview

Furnished Quarters is a leading LGBTQ+ diverse supplier of short-term housing, combining travel, hospitality, real estate, lifestyle, and design. With 25 years of experience, we're one of the largest independent companies in our industry.

We offer a wide range of housing options for business and leisure travelers staying 30 days or more. Our extensive inventory and top-notch service ensure a superior home-away-from-home experience.

At Furnished Quarters, we embrace five Core Values: Challenge, Collaboration, Care, Career, and Community. We thrive on exciting challenges, foster collaboration, and prioritize caring for people and promoting diversity. We support our employees' career growth and create an inclusive community where everyone can be themselves.

We value work-life balance and provide an entrepreneurial environment where each person's voice is valued. Join us to experience what it means to #StayDifferent.

Job Summary

The Guest Service Specialist at Furnished Quarters is vital in delivering an exceptional guest experience aligned with our core values of care, collaboration, community, challenge, and career. This role ensures seamless service from pre-arrival to departure, focusing on personalized attention to make each guest feel valued. Specialists proactively address guest requests, collaborating closely with partners, properties, and internal departments to ensure every need is met promptly and efficiently. They follow up diligently to verify the completion of requests and maintain open communication with guests to confirm their satisfaction, embodying our commitment to care and quality. Schedule: Must have availability for night and weekend shifts.

Essential Functions

Guest Communication and Support

• Ensure all guests receive comprehensive pre-arrival information 5-7 days before their stay, including key codes (Kaba, Latch, SmartRent, lockboxes) and detailed arrival instructions.
• Work with the Global Team, housing partners, and local properties to relay arrival and departure instructions to the guest.
• Provide superior customer service by promptly resolving guest or client service requests and deficiencies.
• Answer incoming telephone calls following the Guest Service Telephone Standard Operating Procedure, exhibiting high-touch customer service techniques.
• Engage clients and build rapport through an upbeat personality, positive tone of voice, and active listening skills during telephone interactions.
• Log all communications in Salesforce, including telephone calls and emails, following the Case Management Standard Operating Procedure.
• Respond to all emails, telephone call inquiries, voicemails, and new cases within a 2-hour timeframe.
• Create, assign, and complete guest and internal cases as stated in the Case Management Standard Operating Procedure.
• Efficiently manage guest and internal cases following the Case Management Standard Operating Procedure.
• Compose and send professional, friendly business emails to clients, ensuring all emails are free of grammatical and spelling errors and follow the company's established email etiquette guidelines.
• Maintain knowledge of all core market apartment locations, accessing building portals, amenities, neighborhoods, and public transit to assist guests.
• Troubleshoot technical problems such as cable, television, and high-speed internet with guests via telephone or email.
• Maintain well-documented, accurate, organized, and up-to-date information in all FQ systems.
• When gym access is requested, create the case and follow up with guest service leaders once approved.
• Greet new Key Account arrivals with a welcome telephone call and follow-up email.
• Monitoring and actioning same-day arrivals, emails regarding tenant switches, Unit ID Changes, and Name Changes.
• Handling G&S buildings as specified in our G&S training agenda.

Relationship Management and Operational Support

• Build and maintain professional relationships with partners and properties to facilitate guest needs and apartment maintenance.
• Work with the Global Team, housing partners, and local properties to relay arrival and departure instructions to the guest.
• Distribute doorman lists to all core buildings in each market once a week and update them for last-minute arrivals.
• Distribute updated Key Codes (Kaba/Latch/SmartRent) to guests who have extended their stay or as needed.
• Liaise with the Apartment Services to communicate utility upgrades for guests.
• Coordinate with service providers (plumbers, electricians, exterminators, locksmiths, etc.), ensuring billing aligns with Furnished Quarters standards.
• Responsible for uploading pre-arrival information and final inspection forms via portal/email as per our partner requirements.

Core Values, Culture, and Continuous Improvement

• Uphold and embody Furnished Quarters' core values of care, collaboration, community, challenge, and career in all interactions with guests, vendors, and colleagues. These values are the foundation of our company culture and guide our actions and decisions, ensuring we consistently deliver the highest level of service and professionalism.
• Participate in the Guest Service team meetings and huddles, asking appropriate questions and sharing best practices with team members.
• Maintain a professional appearance, following company standards to present a positive image to guests and colleagues.
• Demonstrate a friendly attitude towards guests, employees, and staff, contributing to a welcoming environment.
• Participate in the On-Call program and provide timely assistance and support to guests' emergencies outside regular business hours following the On-Call Standard Operating Procedure.  
• Stay updated with all relevant SOPs and policies, exercising discretion and judgment in all interactions.
• Demonstrate strong multitasking abilities, primarily when operating multiple computer programs.
• Follow up with pending and aging cases and update all open cases daily.

• A bachelor's degree in hospitality, business, or a related field is highly preferred.
• High School Diploma or equivalent.
• At least three years of customer-focused service experience in hospitality, apartment management, corporate housing, real estate, or a similar industry is required.
• Refinement of all computer skills, including Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, Outlook, Oscar, FQ Live, and Salesforce.
• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide into all measure units using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
• Ability to read, write, speak, and understand English to communicate with management, clientele, and co-workers.
• Ability to prioritize and multi-task in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent organizational and analytical skills with the ability to meet deadlines.
• Participates in the On-Call, after-hours program.

 
To perform the essential functions of this job successfully, an employee must meet the physical demands described here, with or without accommodation.
 
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to speak with customers and frequently sit, stand, and walk.
 
The employee must review text approximately 20 inches or less (i.e., working with small objects or reading small print), including using computers.
 
The employee must frequently enter text or data into a computer or other machine.Please note that this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the employee for this job.  Duties, obligations, and activities may change at any time, with or without notice.
Furnished Quarters is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer.  We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Benefits and Perks

• Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Long Term & Short Term Disability, Medical FSA, Commuter Benefits, 401k with Company Matching.