How often have you entered a shop, restaurant, bank, or perhaps a doctor's office, only to be greeted by a sullen-faced, unsmiling individual devoid of any human emotion? Does that strike a chord with you?
How did you feel? Did you mentally tell yourself, "I will never return here again"? We've all encountered many situations like that, and it must happen thousands of times a day all over the world.
These people should never be employed in customer-facing positions. They are not doing any favors for themselves, their employer, and, most importantly, their customers. They tend to forget that without these customers, there would be no business, and that, in turn, means no job for them!
The problem is further amplified if the person is employed in a chain of stores, hotels, banks, etc. Why?
Well, when a customer has a negative experience in one location, they will mistakenly assume that all other outlets or branches with the same name are the same and avoid them too!
So, regardless of your role in the hospitality industry, how can you ensure that you consistently deliver exemplary customer service and create a memorable experience?
The hospitality business arguably has more information about its guests before they even set foot on its premises. This knowledge comes from their registration and bookings, including the crucial factor—their names. But do we use that information to our advantage? Generally, no!
We can only work with the information available to us because we have no idea what the guest has gone through before arriving at our reception desk. For example, were they late for their taxi pickup? Were they stuck in traffic on the way to the airport? Were they seated next to screaming children on the flight? Did they encounter problems with their luggage not arriving? There are numerous problems they could have faced before their arrival.
They might be in your city or country for the first time, not speak the language, and be anxious about an important business meeting scheduled for tomorrow.
Then, they encounter a sullen-faced receptionist, and their day only gets worse, casting a shadow over the start of their guest experience.
It is your responsibility, regardless of your position in the hotel, to be warm, understanding, and welcoming. I'm not asking you to be a psychiatrist and know all their problems. I'm simply asking you to demonstrate your understanding and empathy for the challenges they might be facing.
Guests will remember how you made them feel long after they have forgotten the hotel's decor or the food. It's up to you to create that special, "Warmth of Welcome."
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