Question
What questions do customers ask at the front desk?
Fewer than you'd think, asked more often than you'd like.
Quick answer
Mostly the same few: opening hours, where something is, whether you have something, how much it costs, payment methods, Wi-Fi, restrooms and parking. Hotels add check-in, breakfast and check-out; restaurants add dietary options and walk-ins; shops add stock and returns. Write the answers down once, and they can go on signs, a staff cheat sheet or an AI receptionist.
The questions every business gets
- What are your opening hours?
- Where is…? (the restroom, an aisle, the elevator)
- Do you have…?
- How much is…?
- Do you take card, or Apple Pay?
- What's the Wi-Fi?
- Is there parking?
- Can I return or change this?
- Are you open on the holiday?
- How long will it take?
By business type
- Shops: where a product is, brands, sizes and colors, returns, gift cards, delivery and pickup.
- Hotels: check-in and check-out, luggage, breakfast, gym and pool hours, taxis and airport transfers, local tips.
- Restaurants and cafés: walk-ins, kitchen hours, vegetarian and vegan options, takeout, outdoor seating, the Wi-Fi.
- Salons: services, prices, walk-ins, booking and cancellations.
- Gyms: memberships, day passes, class schedule, lockers and showers.
- Pharmacies: hours, prescription pickup, vaccinations and services, where products are.
Our free front desk template has printable checklists for each one.
The questions that always need a person
- Allergies and ingredients for someone with an allergy
- Medicines, symptoms and health
- Live availability: a table tonight, a room on Friday, a stylist at 3
- One customer's own order, booking, bill or prescription
- Complaints and exceptions
Kioskly AI is built to hand these to your staff automatically, whichever business type you choose.
How to answer the rest faster
Once the routine questions are written down, you can answer them without anyone stopping work: signs for the top five, the full list on your website, a cheat sheet for new staff, and an AI receptionist on the counter that answers out loud, in your customers' languages. Our time calculator shows how many hours that can free up.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find out which questions my customers ask most?
Keep a tally at the counter for a week: a mark next to each question every time it comes up. Our template includes a printable tally sheet.
Should the answers go on my website too?
Yes. Many customers check your website or map listing before they visit, so the same answers there mean fewer people need to ask in person.