2024/25 UH Guest Services - Attendant

Position Description – Guest Services

Ultimate Hikes are the exclusive operators of multi day guided walks on the famous Milford & Routeburn Tracks.

The tracks are New Zealand's most iconic of the Great Walks, and along with the Greenstone Track, showcase the majestic nature of Fiordland and Mt Aspiring National Parks.   We combine the opportunity to inhabit these great locations and challenging hiking tracks with the comfort of private lodges and unique hospitality in the most remote of locations.

Over the season we employ a range to people to work together to make our guided walks the most memorable experience for our guests.

Purpose

Guest Services staff are responsible for the delivery of excellent day-to-day customer service in the Ultimate Hikes Centre in Queenstown. Key focuses of the role are managing walker information and requirements prior to walk departure, monitoring the walker’s personal information, providing briefing presentations and a point of contact for information and assistance in Queenstown, ensuring their experience exceeds expectations.

Relationships

The role reports to the Guest Services Team Leader and works closely with the Retail Purchasing Manager, Guest Services Manager, Reservations team, and HR & Administration Manager.

Location

The role is based in the Queenstown Ultimate Hikes Centre on Duke Street.

Hours of work

The role is seasonal, and hours worked are as necessary to carry out your duties.  This will be approximately 40 hours per week and will include working at weekends, as necessary, in order to carry out your duties.

Key skills and responsibilities

Our Guest Services team plays a significant role in Ultimate Hikes successfully providing an excellent experience for our guests before and after being on track. We expect our Guest Services team to approach each working day in a positive and enthusiastic manner. Tasks include but are not limited to:

People

• First impressions are important. Ensure these are managed and delivered, providing a welcoming environment for our guests with high standards of service, while meeting company expectations in terms of quality and delivery
• Relate to and easily communicate with a wide range of people and personalities in a professional manner
• Assess walker lists prior to arrival, communicating any relevant information where necessary
• Meet and greet walkers, respond to enquiries, monitor check in forms to ensure walker profiles are updated prior to departure and important information is shared with Guides and Lodges where appropriate
• Present client briefings
• Assist with a wide range of administrative duties associated with the smooth operation of the walks throughout the working day, ensuring that appropriate guest information is distributed to lodges, drivers, guides and other staff as required
• Process bookings and complete basic reservation duties as required
• Undertake general shop duties as required including retail sales, accepting payment for goods and services, preparing sales invoices, unpacking and pricing stock, restocking shelves, and maintaining a welcoming and tidy premise
• Assist with the ongoing management of stock including product inventories and participating in stocktaking

Administration

• Complete accurate, timely and relevant reports, as required

Health & Safety

• All staff must comply with the Safety Management System when working
• Foster a positive Health & Safety culture
• Identify and report hazards within the workplace.  Comply with all procedures
• Ensure that equipment is safe and in working condition

Other

• Undertake any other administration or operational tasks as required

Person specifications

This part of the position description defines the key elements of our Ultimate Hikes Centre Guest Services team. These descriptors of what success would look like will assist Ultimate Hikes in a variety of ways.

To keep the Success Profile simple, a framework comprising three components has been created.  The details of each component are outlined in the following pages.

What I have done (experience)

To be successful as a Guest Services team member, it is expected that the individual will have been exposed to experiences that shape their future responses to often challenging situations.

Essential experience:

• A passion for providing exceptional guest experiences
• A minimum of 6 months experience in guest service and/or retail
• Strong communication skills
• Ability to work alongside team members to achieve required results
• Demonstrate ability to assess information and situations and take the best course of action to get them resolved with either team members or guests
• Confidence in addressing customer groups
• Experience working in a collaborative team environment

• You must have the right to work in New Zealand

Desirable experience:

• Working for Ultimate Hikes or an affiliated Trojan Holdings company

What I know (knowledge)

Our Guest Services team will need to know their stuff! This will ensure they deliver excellence and will contribute to their personal credibility.

Essential skills:

• Good level of physical fitness
• Be able to use computer systems including Microsoft Office
• Ability to adapt in challenging situations, showing resilience
• Ability to control outward behaviour especially under pressure
• Motivation to learn, to pick up new skills, improve yourself and enjoy your working environment.
• Great attitude and be a strong team player, ability to use initiative, and have a willingness to go the extra mile to get the job done

Desirable skills:

• A retail or guest services background
• Very good knowledge of all shop and company products

What am I capable of (personal characteristics)

These competencies define clusters of behaviours, knowledge, and motivations that are related to success or failure within the role of a highly performing Guest Services team member, and ones that we would like you to aspire to. 

Essential performance characteristics of all roles in Ultimate Hikes

Specific characteristics

Ultimate Hikes are guardians of the environment we operate in. We are leaders in the safety and education of visitors to the region and we are responsible for the health, safety and wellbeing of the people who live and work there on our behalf.

We take this commitment very seriously and pledge that everything we do will be in keeping with our own Tiaki Promise - caring for people and place.