Job Description

Front Desk Associate

Between studying at USC and interning at a wealth management firm I’m due for some relaxation during my downtime. My favorite way to unwind is through hot yoga, something I’ve practiced for over six years. After practicing at my yoga studio, Hot8Yoga, for a couple years, I thought, “Why not make some extra money and get hot yoga for free?” That is how I started working as a Front Desk Associate at the studio.

A Front Desk Associate is a person who operates the day-to-day tasks to ensure a smoothly functioning studio. The employees at the front desk are the first people you see when entering the studio and the last people you see when leaving. Our role is extremely important to the studios’ success because we have the most facetime with clients, making sure their needs are met.

There are three actions that help to sum up the duties of a Front Desk Associate:

• Check-In
• Sell
• Clean

I’ll describe each of these actions using examples from a shift on an average day.

Check-In

Because there are three classrooms constantly being used at the studio, the check-in process is important to make sure everything runs smoothly. Checking-in can be divided into three actions:

• Signing-up new clients
• Making sure each person has the supplies necessary for class
• Monitoring class attendance and creating a waitlist when needed

Starting at 4 PM, three classes will be going on simultaneously until 9 PM. With two people at the front desk, lines of clients trying to check into class will start to form. “Regulars” will come in with ease and “newbies” require more attention. When new yoga students come into the studio we sign them up for a free week by having the complete a form and sign a liability waiver. First timers must then be given a tour of the studio. Another important step of checking people in is making sure every person has a mat, mat towel and water bottle for class. All of these are needed for a safe practice in the heat. Because the studio is so popular, the room capacity of 50 people must be strictly monitored on MindBody, the software we use. When more people try checking in past the capacity we create a waitlist for slots opened by canceled online sign-ups.

Sell

As my manager would always tell us during meetings, membership is like a bathtub. People are always canceling memberships and draining the tub (community), so to keep the bathtub full we have to constantly sell memberships and class packages. Front desk staff sell memberships or class packs by:

• Telling clients they would be saving money
• Reminding people of the benefits of hot yoga
• Making clients feel like they are a part of a community

We offer multiple types of memberships and class packages to make sure that people continue to come to Hot8Yoga. As a salesperson, it’s important to identify the psychological reasons why a person buys into Hot Yoga, and then appeal to those reasons. If a person values something based on price and possible savings, I’ll explain the cost breakdown and where savings are available. For example, a single class is $26 while a ten-class package is $209. At $20.90 a class, your saving $6 a class. If I see free weekers asking about the benefits of yoga or practicing in the heat, I’ll give examples to sell them on memberships. For example, practicing in the heat and humidity reduces water retention and releases toxins from the body. Finally, introducing clients to instructors and other students creates a sense of community, giving them a reason to buy into Hot8Yoga.

Clean

Three classrooms full of sweaty yogis means a lot of space to be cleaned. Front Desk Associates are always on top of studio tidiness to make sure everyone is safe and having a good experience. Cleaning consists of these actions:

• Monitoring the floors and hallways for puddles
• Cleaning bathrooms and stocking supplies
• Wiping down weights and blocks in each class

During an average shift, I will put towels down on the floors as people leave classes to make sure no one slips on puddles of sweat. Both the women and men's locker rooms have to be ready to go at all times. This includes stocking supplies such as shampoo and razors as well as wiping down lockers and countertops. There’s a cleaning schedule at the front desk that we use to keep the weights and blocks clean throughout the week. For example, Studio 1 blocks must be cleaned in the washing machine on Mondays and Studio 2 weights must be cleaned with antibacterial wipes on Thursdays.

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