Why is night audit important in hotels?

Answer 1

Night Audit is the shift that covers the change-over from one business day to the next. The difference between NA and Front Desk is that the Night Auditor in addition to doing all the functions of FD also has to be management at many locations, as the only person on duty to handle all guests and issues for the hotel. They are also responsible for introductory accounting functions, by closing out the business day in the computers or whatever system that the hotel uses.

Depending on the property, this accounting process may be completely automated by the machinery, so that any front desk staff with a few hours training could handle it, or there may be much more extensive calculations and reports required by corporate or management that may require a Night Auditor to have more extensive training or education. Further, the night auditor may have to reconcile any issues with the day's finances. The system I'm most familiar with as a former N/A Manager wouldn't close out the day unless all the figures came-out 100% accurate, to the penny. Normally they would, but if someone was double-billed, not billed, or if the system itself miscalculated an award stay or other "bonus" program, gift certicate, etc, then I could spend an hour or more figuring out and correcting the error before continuing.

Night Audit is also Security for many properties, kicking-out drunks, homeless persons, and calling the police as necessary, both for the protection of guests and themselves.

Normally NA is paid better than Front Desk because of the responsibilities and shift premium, however this is not always the case, as Night Audit is not always respected by management as being the "weirdos" of the staff (you have to be a little crazy to work by yourself at 2 in the morning, surrounded by drunks and perverts).