Guest Services Assistant

SUMMARY

Responsible for providing fast, friendly service to members, groups, and guests while following proper cash handling procedures. Serves as lead cashier to assist managers and supervisor with daily tasks.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

General Front Gate Duties

• Greets all visitors with a smile, offers assistance and provides exemplary customer service to meet and exceed guest experience expectations
• Communicates clearly and in a friendly manner answering public inquiries regarding membership, group sales, and general admission

General Membership, Group Sales, and Admission Duties

• Promotes membership and group sales and assists guests with questions at entry
• Acts as point-of-sale assistant in the membership office and group sales location
• Processes new and renewal memberships, group sales payments, and admission ticket needs in person, by phone, and by mail with accuracy while communicating appreciation to the guest
• Actively upsells daily admission into memberships
• Accurately executes discounts for memberships, groups, and general admission
• Applies cash handling procedures, asset protection policies and requirements to daily routines; Accounts for any “overs or unders” at closings.
• Serves members, groups, and general guests by phone and daily via dedicated phone extension and email addresses
• Acts as customer service contact for all guests to address and solve customer service issues and failures
• Completes additional assigned duties including—but not limited to—sending gift membership packets and overseeing and processing donation requests
• Acts as a source of knowledge and point of contact for membership and groups pricing, policies, and sales for possible guests and other Zoo personnel.
• Assists in groups check-in process, including directing and greeting buses, directing teachers, chaperones, parents, and students, updating groups regarding daily changes, confirming group agendas, receiving payments, distributing materials, and gatekeeping duties.

General Lead Duties

• Handles front gate open and/or closing duties as scheduled. Ensures each cashier’s banks’ balance at closing, or determines and documents reasons for non-balance
• Maintains admissions tracking/reporting throughout the day
• Ensures strict safety protocols are being followed for guests as well as staff
• Ensures the cash handling procedures per Finance department protocol are being followed; Applies cash handling procedures, asset protection policies, and requirements to daily routines
• Provides cash runs and cash pulls as dictated by the department manager or supervisor
• Assists in the training of new cashiers
• Other duties as assigned

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• No direct reports

SAFETY ANALYSIS

The Guest Services Assistant position is impacted by hazardous exposures common to retail operations as well as public safety in an outdoor environment. Some of the following exposures will occur daily:

• The proper use and understanding of cleaning agents
• Thorough understanding of guest safety protocols, particularly with young children.

Specific training and procedures will be provided, designed to maintain safety of people as the highest priority of the zoo followed by the safety of the animal collection.

The Front Line Assistant is responsible to follow safety policies and procedures for their areas and to make any recommendations to the Guest Services team as necessary. The use and understanding of a variety of personal safety equipment is mandatory.

The Guest Services Assistant, as with any staff member of the zoo, is required to be familiar with the Zoo’s overall safety policies as outlined in the staff handbook as well as being responsible for reporting any injury immediately to their Manager, Safety Manager, first aid department or Manager on Duty (MOD).

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a staff member to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, staff should expect:

• Use of hands, fingers, tools or controls.
• Frequently required to stand; walk; sit; reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, bend, crawl, crouch and talk or hear.
• Routinely lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
• Exposure to wet surfaces.
• Depending on assignment, exposure to the elements can be expected.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

Education and work experience

• High School Degree or GED, some College preferred.
• Minimum 1 year experience working in customer service and cash handling. Retail experience helpful.

Skills and knowledge

• Ability to perform basic math and understand basic accounting and cash handling required.
• Ability to adhere to standard operating policies and procedures.
• Proficiency in using computer based software programs.
• Must have ability to act with integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality as well as exercise extreme discretion.
• Must have excellent written and verbal communication skills; high energy and enthusiasm for completion of tasks; team building skills; and the ability to handle multiple tasks and meet deadlines.
• Ability to multi-task and coordinate with others to provide deliverables on an agreed upon deadline.
• Ability to think critically and demonstrated time-management skills.
• Ability to convey information clearly and concisely.
• Must have good presentation and public speaking skills.
• Strong organizational skills with strong attention to detail.

Desirable qualities

• Strong interest in advancing the conservation missions of zoos and aquariums.
• High self-motivation and a detail-oriented work ethic.
• Professional, positive, and enthusiastic demeanor.

Other Requirements:

• Must have current negative TB test and rabies titer and provide documentation, or be willing to have a TB test and rabies titer.
• Must be First Aid/CPR certified or willing to be trained and certified.
• Must be willing to travel locally. Must have a current valid driver’s license with no prior traffic violations (within the last five years).

POSITION TYPE AND HOURS OF WORK

• Full time