Every front desk has some kind of shift log. Sometimes it's a binder, sometimes a notebook, sometimes a group chat. The problem is usually the same: it's either empty or so long that nobody reads it. The next shift starts by asking around, and something still gets missed.
What belongs in the log
- Open guest issues, with the room number and what was promised
- Rooms with problems that aren't fixed yet
- Arrivals that need something special, like a late check-in or a crib
- Money matters the next shift should know about, like a deposit still owed
- Anything you told a guest someone would follow up on
What to leave out
If it's done and nobody needs to act on it, it doesn't need a note. "Busy night, lots of check-ins" doesn't help anyone. Long notes bury the one line that matters, so keep it to what the next person has to do or watch for.
Write it so someone else can act on it
A note like "312 called about AC" leaves questions. Did maintenance know? Did you move them? A better note says what happened and what's next: "312 AC not cooling. Ticket sent to maintenance at 10:40pm. Guest offered a move, said no. Check in the morning."
Start with the room number, say what's left to do, and put your name on it so the next shift knows who to ask.
Close the loop
The log only works if handled items get marked as handled. Otherwise every note looks open and people stop trusting it. When the morning shift fixes 312, they mark it done, and the night shift can see that when they come back.
How Room Warden handles it
Room Warden has a shift log built into the same app as housekeeping, maintenance and guest requests. Each note has the author and time, can be tied to a room, and stays open until someone marks it done. Every staff member has their own login, so you always know who wrote what.
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