At a Glance
- Tasks: Enhance guest experiences and ensure top-notch quality across our hotel portfolio.
- Company: Join Criterion Hospitality, a leader in the hotel industry in London.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, career growth, and a vibrant work environment.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities to coach teams and drive improvements.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in guest satisfaction and operational excellence.
- Qualifications: Experience in hotel operations and a passion for guest service.
Guest Experience & Quality Control Manager
Company: Criterion Hospitality
Location: London hotel portfolio
Reports to: Head of Operations
Department: Operations
Purpose of the Role
The Guest Experience & Quality Control Manager is responsible for owning the complete guest experience and quality journey across the hotel portfolio.
This role combines proactive guest engagement, service recovery, online reputation management, quality inspections, coaching and continuous improvement to raise guest satisfaction and operational standards.
Key Responsibilities
Guest Experience and Service Recovery
- Maintain a visible and proactive presence at key guest touchpoints, including peak check-in and check-out periods.
- Identify guest dissatisfaction early and coordinate effective service recovery before departure wherever possible.
- Personally manage complex or escalated complaints, ensuring clear communication, ownership and timely resolution.
- Build appropriate relationships with VIP, repeat and long-stay guests and respond proactively to their needs.
- Follow up significant service recovery cases and capture learning to prevent repeat issues.
Online Reputation and Voice of the Guest
- Own GuestTouch, Voice of the Guest reporting and the review management process across the portfolio.
- Monitor reviews across Google, Booking.com, Tripadvisor and other relevant platforms and coordinate appropriate responses.
- Identify complaint and praise themes and translate guest feedback into clear operational actions.
- Encourage authentic guest feedback in line with company procedures and platform requirements.
Quality Assurance and Inspections
- Conduct planned inspections of bedrooms, bathrooms, capsules, public areas and other guest-facing spaces.
- Audit cleanliness, presentation, maintenance conditions and compliance with company and brand standards.
- Complete housekeeping, maintenance, mystery guest and thematic audits as required.
- Record findings consistently and objectively, with clear evidence and named actions.
- Verify that corrective actions have been completed and are effective before closing them.
Continuous Improvement and Team Development
- Identify recurring guest, cleanliness, product and maintenance issues and complete structured root-cause analysis.
- Create improvement plans with named owners, deadlines and clear measures of success.
- Chair the weekly Guest Experience & Quality meeting and track actions through to completion.
- Coach Front Office, Housekeeping and Maintenance teams on guest engagement, service recovery and quality standards.
- Share best practice and recognise hotels and colleagues delivering strong improvement or guest feedback.
Reporting and Accountability
- Provide a weekly dashboard to the Head of Operations covering: overall review score; review trend; top five complaint themes; top five praise themes; room inspection score; bathroom inspection score; housekeeping pass rate; and maintenance completion rate.
- The dashboard must also report: open guest issues; action-plan completion; Hotel of the Month; and Most Improved Hotel.
- Spend approximately 75% of working time in hotels completing inspections and 25% on reporting, administration and team training.
Communication and Standards
- Communicate findings and required actions clearly to hotel managers and relevant department leaders.
- Demonstrate professional behaviours through communication, presentation, accountability and guest service.
- Follow company policies and procedures, including data protection, guest confidentiality, health and safety and operational standards.
- Ensure all mandatory and role-specific training is completed within the required timescales.
Performance & Objectives
- You will be assigned objectives, targets, and/or key performance indicators (KPIs) by your line manager. These will be reasonable, relevant to your role, and aligned with business needs. Performance against these objectives may be reviewed as part of regular supervision, appraisal, or performance management processes.
Skills, Experience and Attributes
- Strong experience in hotel guest experience, quality assurance, operations or continuous improvement.
- Emotionally intelligent.
- Confident but approachable when dealing with guests and colleagues.
- Naturally observant, with excellent attention to detail and high standards.
- Commercially minded.
- Highly organised and positive in approach.
- Able to analyse guest feedback, review data and audit findings and turn them into practical actions.
- Confident coaching teams and constructively challenging managers when standards are not met.
- Able to manage priorities across multiple hotels and follow actions through to completion.
Guest Experience & Quality Control Manager in London employer: Criterion Hospitality
Criterion Hospitality is an exceptional employer that prioritises employee growth and development within a vibrant work culture. As a Night Manager/Duty Manager, you will benefit from a supportive team environment that values your contributions and encourages hands-on leadership, all while working in a dynamic hotel setting that offers unique opportunities for career advancement and a commitment to delivering outstanding guest experiences.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Guest Experience & Quality Control Manager in London
✨Get a Taste of the Scene
Try visiting local eateries and asking if they have any full-time positions available. Many hospitality jobs aren’t advertised online, so popping in for a chat can give you an edge and show your enthusiasm!
✨Network at Food Festivals
Food festivals and culinary events are buzzing with industry connections. Attend these to meet restaurateurs and other food service pros; you never know who might be looking for their next star employee!
✨Show Off Your Skills
Create a short video showcasing your cooking or customer service flair. Post it on social media or even send it directly to places you want to work at, like Criterion Hospitality. It’s a fun way to stand out and demonstrate what you bring to the table!
✨Reach Out Directly to Criterion Hospitality
Don't be shy about reaching out to Criterion Hospitality directly through their website. Express your interest in available roles and attach your CV, showing your genuine eagerness to be part of their team. Personal touches can go a long way!
We think you need these skills to ace Guest Experience & Quality Control Manager in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Service Experience:In the hospitality-food-service world, your experience is key! Make sure to highlight any previous roles you've had in restaurants, cafes, or catering. We want to see your customer service skills shine, so include specific examples where you went above and beyond for clients.
Certificates Matter:If you’ve got any relevant certifications, like food safety or bartender training, flaunt them! They can really set you apart from the crowd and show us your dedication to the industry. Just make sure to mention them clearly in your CV or cover letter!
Craft a Genuine Cover Letter:Take the time to write a personal cover letter that reflects your passion for hospitality. Share why you’re excited about Criterion Hospitality and how your skills can contribute to our team's success. We're after that genuine connection!
Highlight Your Team Spirit:In full-time roles, teamwork is everything! Emphasise your ability to work collaboratively in busy environments. Mention any experiences where you’ve effectively collaborated with colleagues or managed conflicts — it's just as important as your technical skills!
How to prepare for a job interview at Criterion Hospitality
✨Show Your People Skills
In hospitality, customer service is everything! Be ready to showcase examples of how you've engaged with customers positively. Maybe you turned a tough situation around or went that extra mile for a guest—let’s hear those stories!
✨Know Your Menu Inside Out
Expect some technical questions about food and drink, especially if you're applying for a kitchen or service role. Brush up on the menu items, including ingredients and any potential allergens. If you’ve got any favourite dishes or cocktails, have a little something prepared to discuss, too!
✨Demonstrate Your Team Spirit
Hospitality thrives on teamwork, so think of examples where you've worked well with others in a fast-paced environment. Be prepared to discuss what makes a great team member and how you contribute to a positive working vibe. They’re looking for that 'good fit!'
✨Get Ready for a Practical Test
In full-time food service roles, don’t be surprised if they want to see your skills in action. Whether it's serving a table or prepping a dish, be mentally prepared for a practical test during the interview. Practice makes perfect—a little dry run with friends could give you the edge!