Types Of Effective Guest Service Skill

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

1.0 INTRODUCTION

As what was discovered, Training is the process of developing a staff member’s knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to perform task required for a position. The main function of the hospitality industry is to make people feel at home, whether they are staying in a hotel or dining in a restaurant. Employees who have successful careers in hospitality have a combination of inherent skills and training. The benefits of effective training are:

Improved performance

More satisfied guest

Reduce work stress

Increase job advanced opportunities

Improved staff relationships

Will be more professional staff

Fewer operating problems

Increased morale

Lower turnover rates

Higher levels of work quality

Increased profits

As per my observation at Eastern & Oriental Penang on 1 March 2013, I have met the Training Manager by the name of Ms Praba who is working in hospitality industry for 7 years. As per Ms Praba, the hotel recently recruits number of employee for particular position and she found that it would be good to conduct a training session for the employee to develop their effective guest service skill because those staff is lacking of guest service skill in not performing well when in job and also unable to understand properly in receiving information in handling telephone calls and unable to complete their task.

1.1TYPES OF EFFECTIVE GUEST SERVICE SKILL

As what was analysing from my observation, the method or approach that can use by ENO hotel to overcome the issue above is EFFECTIVE GUEST SERVICE SKILL TRAINING. The hotel should emphasize more in Five (5) Elements of Exceptional Service, Telephone Techniques and Effective Listening Skill.

1.2 FIVE (5) ELEMENTS OF EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE

Exceptional guest service is helping the guest to decide what they want by anticipating their needs and exceeding their expectations. As what was mentioned by Ms Praba. The hotels should encourage the staff understand the Procedural and Personal dimension which help them to perform with confident when facing with the guest.

There are two dimensions in hotel service which is:

The Procedural Dimension

Systems and procedures to deliver services and products (SOP). As what was discovered, guest’s service involves helping guest to have better understanding on our products and services. Technical skills, as they relate to product operations and performance is a critical skill when providing support to guest. The staff must be able to relate to the products and services to fulfill the guest inquiries. Learning about Procedural dimensions will sets a way to ensure guest service is reliable and accurate.

The Personal Dimension

How service providers interact with customers (attitudes, behaviours & verbal and non-verbal skill). Communication is one of the important talents to interact with the guest because it connects effectively with the guest. Displaying proper communication etiquette reflects favourably on you and your employer. Therefore, it is crucial to convey professionalism while speaking with the guest and maintain good grammar. For example, using slang can confuse the guest and make appear uneducated. Be pleasant; a positive and upbeat customer service representative can turn the surliest guest into an agreeable individual. The staff must be always mindful of the tone while speaking to the guest.

There are 5 Elements of Exceptional Service which includes:

RELIABILITY

The ability to provide what was promised, dependably and accurately.

Action strategy that can be carried out by the staff are:

- make sure that you correctly identify the guest needs.

- promise only what you can deliver

- follow through to ensure that the product or service was received as promised

ASSURANCE

The knowledge and courtesy of employees and their ability to convey trust and confidence.

Action strategy that can be carried out by the staff are:

- provide service assertively by using positive communication techniques

- describe products and service accurately.

PHYSICAL

The physical facilities and equipment and appearance of personnel.

Action strategy that can be carried out by the staff are:

- Maintain workspaces in at neat, orderly manner

- Dress professionally, and maintain excellent grooming

- Upkeep hygiene standard

RESPONSIVE

The willingness to help guests and provide prompt services and a sense of urgency.

Action strategy that can be carried out by the staff are:

- project a positive, can-do attitude

- Take immediate steps to help guest and satisfy needs

EMPATHY

The degree of caring and individual attention provided to customers

Action strategy that can be carried out by the staff are:

- listen for emotions in your guest messages.

- Put yourself in their place and respond compassionately by offer8ng service to address their needs and concerns

1.3 TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES

Using the telephone is an important role in providing excellent guest service. This is especially true for those working in call centres or help desks as customers call in for assistance, support, guidance and help. All business entities rely on phone systems for aiding customers. One aspect of proving good support is the ability to use the phone system properly. Knowing how to transfer callers, place and remove people from a hold or queue status and being able to use the phone system both making and receiving calls are essential technical skills

BE ARTICULATE

Speak slowly with enough volume so that the caller can understand you. Key to good telephone intonation include:

Volume

Speed

Pronunciation

Pitch

ANSWERING THE PHONE

How the call is answer is a reflection of your hotel. Each sends a message of the level of professionalism your hotel communicates.

External Call Option & Internal Call Option

USE CALLERS NAME

Ask for and use the name of the caller

Customers want to be treated as individuals; using their names personalizes the conversation.

Example: May I know who is speaking, please? Or Could I have your name please, Sir/Ma’am?

PROJECT CONFIDENCE

Use your voice tone to in still a sense of confidence in the customer

Speaking in a monotone sounds mechanical forced, and rehearsed

By varying your voice pitch, you can convey interest and enthusiasm.

RESPOND VISUALLY

Try to visualize the caller

Smile when speaking. The listener can ‘’hear’’ it.

ELIMINATE DISTRACTIONS

It is not impossible to do two things at once, but it is difficult

Stop using your computer and don’t try to carry on another conversation while you are on the telephone.

Your respondents expect and deserve your complete attention.

PAUSE OFTEN

If you seem to be doing all the talking, pause tolet the respondent ask questions or add information.

If the caller is doing most of the talking, show that you are listening by:

- asking clarifying questions;

- injecting active silence such as "I see" or "yes", "I understand" when appropriate.

PUTTING CALLER ON HOLD

Be professional when putting callers on hold.

Example: "Mr. Tan, could you kindly wait for a moment, while I check on your request?

( wait for caller to say "yes" or "no" before putting on hold)

When you retrieve the call, thank the caller for waiting

Example: "Thank you for holding, Mr. Tan…

TRANSFERRING A CALL

Ask the guest if they mind being transferred; and explain why they are being transferred and to whom;

Example: "Mr. Tan would it be right if I transferred you to the Sales Department? Our Coordinator, Anna will be able to attend to your request."

Remember to brief the receiving party on the guest request if it was already told to you.

TAKING A MASSAGE

Explain your co-workers absence in a positive light but do not be too specific. Explain that your co-worker is of duty or in a meeting or attending to another guest.

Example: "Mr Tan, I am sorry, Anna is off duty today, is there any way I could assist you or would you want me to take a message?

Important information needed from a caller : name, company name, contact number, request also record time the call was received

ENDING THE CALL

A good guest service representative ends the call on a positive note, repeating any action agreed to be taken and what is going to be done to help or serve the guest

Example: "Mr Tan allow me to repeat your request to be sure I got it correctly….. "

Offer any last minute assistant: "is there anything else I can assist you with, Mr Tan ".

Wait for the guest to hang up before you do!

1.4 EFFECTIVE LISTENING SKILL

As a guest service representative, the staff must truly listen to the client, because the staff itself cannot capably resolve his/her issue if we are not listening intently. Not listening often results in misunderstandings and improper resolutions. Empathy is developed through listening, and a client will gravitate toward guest service personnel who are empathetic to his concerns. This also makes the guest feel valued as a customer and as a person. It is critical that you not only listen to his words but also to his emotions, which you will hear by staying silent as he speaks.

Source: Skills & Traits for Customer Service Jobs

http://www.ehow.com/way_5180626_skills-traits-customer-service-jobs.html

PARAPHRASE

Example : allow me to repeat your request . . .

CLARIFYING

Example: May I seek clarification . . .

REFLECTING

Example: I understand your situation . . .

LINKING

Example: With regards to your request for(state the request)

ENCOURAGING

Example: That’s wonderful, Fantastic! Excellent! Wow!

OPEN ENDED QUESTIONING

Example: May I know what actually happen, how else could we assist you?

SUMMARIZING

Example: Let me summarize your request Mr. Smith

ACTIVE SILENCE

Example: Aha… Mmmm… Yes… Alright

1.4 CONCLUSION

As what was analyzed, Eastern& Oriental Hotel Penang has come with a good choice of training for the staff to improve their performance. Moreover, in my point of view as a training manager, there a few criteria’s that should be prepared for the staff that is having problems in their guest service skill. Those points have been stated above will develop an excellent employee for the future of the hotel and through this the staff will fulfill the met of the customer’s expectation.

QUESTION 2

Do you agree if I said that ‘anyone can become a leader’? Is it really possible? Aren’t there people who traits make them unfit to be a leader? Explain your view.

http://ts1.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4746596920461288&pid=15.1

2.0 INTRODUCTION

According to the question given, it is possible for anyone to become a leader. With sufficient degree of knowledge and skills of influencing a group of people anyone can become a leader. In order to be a leader you must first have the propensity and desire to be a leader. Leadership is being able to bring out the best in other people. It’s not telling people what to do its showing people and giving them the opportunity to get it done, this is a skill that as a leader you have or you don’t. If you have the wrong people executing the right strategy you will never succeed. If a person is going into leadership there are few criteria that should be trained and applied on themselves as below.

2.1 TRAITS OF LEADER

Great leaders are categorically positively oriented people who think and convey success. Leaders are both goal and plan oriented. Successful leaders have goals and have plans to achieve those goals. This means that successful leaders are organized. Leaders take action and decisive individuals. Leaders are self-motivated action takers and also exceptionally great listener and insatiable learners. Based on the question given, everybody can be a leader as long as they have certain criteria to be followed. Becoming a respectable and proper leader is depends on how well does they aware of the risk and also have well do they understand their position. Successful leaders are both fact collectors and risk takers. There are several criteria that should a leader need to be specialized in it. It is in terms of communication, solving problem, leading a group or an organization successfully and so on. Successful leaders enjoy people, dealing with people, and communicate with all constituencies. Moreover, leaders enjoy learning from others as well as motivating others. A person who wants to be a leader should understand that he or she need to be a responsible person as leaders are consistent, take responsibility, and are perceived by others as dependable and honest. In addition, other than this few traits that a leader should have, there are another skills that a leader should have to be an excellent leader. As a leader, supervising, planning and organizing, decision making, monitoring indicators, controlling, representing, coordinating, consulting and administering should be a skills that need to be practiced as it will be a vital part for a leader to use it when they leads a group or an organization. For example, supervising is improving the performance of subordinates by working with them to analyze their strengths and weakness, providing training, developing skills, scheduling their work, and setting performance goals. Secondly is planning and organizing which is formulating short term plans, carrying out projects, developing budgets, and determining optimal allocation and utilization of resources. Translating long range plans info short term operational goals and recommending and developing operational policies and procedures. Thirdly is the decision making, making a decision without hesitation in an unstructured situation and authorizing minor or major deviators from established procedures to meet new or usual situations. Monitoring indicators are monitoring internal and external forces that may affect the company, including performance indicators, corporate finance and assets, market conditions and cultural, social, and political climate. Once monitoring is done, the next part is controlling. Developing schedules and cost time estimates for producing or delivering products or services, tracking productivity, assuring the quality of products or services and also the effectiveness of service, and analyzing operational effectiveness. Next is representing, representing is in terms of, answering questions and responding to complaints from outsiders,

Negotiating with outsiders and also conducting activities to establish or maintain the position. Coordinating is more likely communicating with others in the group or organizational whom one has no direct control in order to share information, meet previously established schedules, solve problems, and achieve objectives working relationship with peers, and mediating disagreements and conflicts between key individuals. As a leader they should also identify the way of consulting their group. Act like an expert advisor, consultant, or troubleshooter for others. Last but not least, it is very important for a leader to administrate their group or organization. Performing basic administrate activities such as locating information or company practices and procedures, analyzing routine information, or maintaining detailed and accurate records and documents. The point that is stated above is some of the objectives that need to be applied by every person who desires to be a successful leader.

2.2 CONCLUSION

As a conclusion, anyone can become a leader that has the willingness and drive to achieve the goal. Traits can be changed or reduced by focusing upon the more desirable traits and then using them to overpower the unhealthy ones. This is one reason there are no perfect leaders we all have a few unhealthy traits. But the better leaders concentrate on and grow their desirable traits so that they over power their weaker traits.