Hotel Inspector Career

Competition in the hotel service industry can be brutal. So how does a hotel manager or owner successfully gather data in order to propel the hotel status to a superior rating? By hiring a hotel inspector who provides invaluable feedback, recommendations and insight. A hotel inspector career requires discretion, exceptional communication skills and attention to detail, while enjoying hotel perks such as spa treatments and great restaurants.

Hotel Inspector Details

A career as a hotel inspector can be fun or frustrating depending on an individual's ability to be ready to travel, detail oriented, able to write comments about services and understand the business needs for a hotel. While this type of career can sound exciting because of the perks such as running up hotel tabs, ordering room service and enjoying hotel services, a hotel inspector is working while at the hotel. Careful attention to details, for instance how long the room service takes, must be captured during the stay. Another aspect of a hotel inspector career is creating an effective summary or report regarding the visit, identifying issues and providing solutions for improvement.

Employee or Contractor

A hotel inspector may be an employee of a large hotel chain or can be an independent consultant servicing various hotels. A hotel inspector employee will typically have an understanding of company policies, procedures and business strategy, then will compare a visit with the company goals. The company decides on hotel visits, required reports, next steps and responsibilities for a hotel inspector employee.

A hotel inspector consultant is contracted by someone at the hotel--the owner or manager--and then anonymously checks into a hotel and begins to review details about the hotel. After information is gathered from the hotel stay, the contracted hotel inspector will provide a detailed report, service scores, narrative comments, photos and other details regarding hotel operations and potential improvements.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

A hotel inspector must have knowledge of the hotel service industry. Additional knowledge includes business savvy, service levels, customer expectations and company branding. Attention to details and strong communication skills are critical for success. Abilities also include active listening and issue resolution.

Not Just an Opinion

A hotel inspector must be able to provide detailed feedback and recommendations that are based on specific facts. Typically this career leaves little room for personal opinions and preferences unless specifically requested by the provider. Unlike a "secret shopper" that is hired to give feedback on an individual experience, a hotel inspector is focused on the hotel service industry standards and how an individual hotel operates.

Education

Most hotel inspector positions require a bachelor's degree. However, extensive hotel experience and senior management experience--five years or more--can be an exception to formal education. A hotel inspector needs to be computer-literate and have outstanding communication skills. An understanding of hotel standards, service practices, love of traveling and people skills are helpful.

There are courses and training options on hotel inspection. A hotel inspector employee position can be competitive to obtain, so reviewing qualifications and considering additional training may be helpful.

Associations

Hospitality associations provide education and training regarding the hotel service industry. In addition, hospitality associations tend to keep up with the latest trends, policies and procedures, which are helpful to a hotel inspector career.

References

• Hotel Chatter
• USA Today
• CNN

Resources

• British Hospitality Association