2. Explain why customers are important to the
hospitality business
Describe the needs that hospitality businesses
satisfy
Explain the importance of quality service
Describe the two types of hospitality employees
List the six characteristics of customer-focused
employees
Indentify the 11 critical moments in customer
service
Explain the importance of good communication
skills
Describe methods of handling customer
complaints
3. Is an activity that is done for another person
Hospitality – Satisfying people’s needs
Customer Service is the total customer
experience with that business
Performance of staff
Courtesy of the staff
The cleanliness of the property
Way they are treated
4. Someone who purchases products or services
from a business
Guests – a customer who purchases products or
services from a hospitality business.
Customer = main reason for hospitality industry
No customers = NO business = NO PROFITS
Who are the customers:
Anybody and everybody
Diverse – languages, background, disabilities, height,
shape, special needs
Best way to understand people – empathy – the
ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes
and know how that person feels
Empathy – figure out what customer needs
5. As a table,
List some customers needs when they are
away from home.
6. Hungry = food
Hot/thirsty = drink
Tired = a place to sleep
People need more than good food, cold
beverages or a comfortable place to sleep
Welcome
The quality of feeling welcome is often more
important that the quality of the food or the
comfort of a hotel room
Hospitality satisfies both physical &
psychological needs of customers
Abraham Maslow – ranked human needs in order from
most basic to high
7. Customer satisfaction – the positive feeling
customers have about a business that meets
their needs
How is it achieved – training employees in
the art of customer service
Quality service – service that meets or
exceeds customer expectations
Treated w/dignity & respect
Honest money transactions
Honesty in menus
Quality service = KEY establishing &
maintaining a success business
8. Cleanliness & attractive appearance of
facilities & grounds
Employees who respond quickly to requests
Employees who anticipate customer needs
9. Consistent quality service – providing the
same good service & products to customers
each & every time they come to your
business
Key to success
Depends on PEOPLE – interactions between
customer & staff member - service
encounter
Building blocks
Happens before, during and after
1st encounter = 1st impression
Fail or succeed depending on quality of
service
10. Why is it so important???
Talk
Word-of-mouth publicity – informal
conversation people have about the
experiences with a business
One of the major ways we find out a business
90% + unhappy customers will do not return &
will tell at least 9 people
Flip side = Positive people = FREE publicity
11. Two groups
Front-of-the-House
The area that guests usually see
Back-of-the-House
Area that guest normally do not see
Heart-of-the-house
Restaurant -
Front-of-the-House employees
Main function is to interact with customers
Back-of-the-house employees
Work rarely involves interacting w/customers
12. Are front of the house employees the only
ones that need to worry about customer???
NO
All employees are responsible for making
sure customers receive the best service
possible
Customer focused
All interactions makes an impression
1st Requirement of quality service
Sincere desire to please the customer
Picture to the left a BIG NO – NO
13. Quality service – customer doesn’t have to
ask for anything – it’s there!!
Customer-focused employee – an employee
who can anticipate customer needs
Make immediate eye contact
They have good posture
Smile warmly
Respond quickly to requests
Use the customer’s name whenever possible
Clean & well groomed
14. Critical moments & handling customers
Handouts
Grade Back-of-the House & Front-of-the
house gradebook
15. Eye contact
Make eye contact as soon as the he/she enters
Often, as you open the door for the customer
Eye contact – shows a willingness to serve!
Communicates that you are giving customer your TOTAL attention
Posture
Important trait for all
Employees that customers see should pay particular attention
Head – up
Do not stare at the ground or off in space
Avoid slumping or stooping back
Face – interested & lively, not bored
Project an attitude of enthusiasm
Smile
Part of the uniform
Warm smile – respect & readiness to serve, friendly, shows enjoyment
of job
16. Respond Quickly
Respond quickly
Attitude – positive & business like
Response – competency, concern for customer &
willingness to help
Customer’s Name
When possible
Restaurants – waiting list – names to be seated
Bell attendants – front desk
Feel important & welcome – likely to return to
business
Well Groomed
Hospitality image – made by the staff
EXTREMELY important
Uniforms regulations
17. All service encounters – important
Certain ones have a greater impact on
customer satisfaction
Critical moment – time when the customer’s
experience makes a bigger impact on
customer satisfaction than at others
There are 11, as a table can you name them
18. Phone calls
Guests form an impression based on the way a person answering the
phone treats them
Rude – no business
The building entrance
Set the theme
Dirty – place is dirty
People will not enter
Employees inspect the parking lot, sidewalks, lobby, plants, etc
You cannot fix the problem – tell someone who can
Spotless – good impression
The greeter
First person guest sees
Greeting – formal part of the job
Good Greeter:
Open the door
Greet all guests w/in 30 seconds
“I will be right with you”
Make all guest feel valued
19. The wait
NOBODY likes to wait
Reality
Greeter – pleasant or not
“Please wait to be seat” sign – no greeter – guest often nervous, uncertain
See a guest acknowledge guest with a smile and a “hi, I will be right with you”
Waiting list – sell the wait – nice, warm friendly smile, collect information, how
long the wait and what they can do in the mean time
The table or hotel room
Physical aspects =BIG impression
Check for cleanliness
Restaurant – check table – sturdy, rocks – menus – clean
Hotel – room – clean – smells good- proper spot
The busser & servers
Bussers
Removes extra place servers & brings water
Know food & beverage just as well as the server
Servers
Spend more time w/guests than any other
Strive to create a good experience
Know everything about the menu
Acknowledge all guests
Beverage order – 1st minutes
Learn names
Recommend
Check appearance
20. The manager
Business cannot be managed from an office
Should try to greet all guest
Watch faces as they receive and eat food
Frequently walk the lobby
Eye contact
Introduce self
The arrival of food
How long did it take
Looks appetizing
Have necessary condiments been brought
Check back within 2 bites, not minutes – is food ok
Ask if they need anything else
The restroom
Clean, well stocked,
Checked every 30 minutes
Plumbing problems – engineering dept
Clean it
21. The check or bill
sit in restaurants for hours, but when they are ready to leave,
they ARE ready to leave
Some will bring the check then disappear – not good
After delivering the check, take a few steps – look back see if guests
are ready to pay – if not – return in 2 minutes
Hotels – checkout – critical – guests packed, ready to leave
Check out – smooth & quickly
Ask pleasant stay???
Confirm if bill is okay
Can offer to make reservations for another stay
Automated checkout – smoother & faster
The good bye
last critical moment
Positive last impressive
Smile, thank them for their visit
Invite them back
SMILE
22. Out of the 11 critical moments which are the
top 5 critical moments that your table agrees
upon
23. Communication Skills
Crucial for every employee
Begins @ top
Managers – rules, standards & other info.
Front-of-the-house – must communicate
effectively w/customers & w/coworkers to make
sure things run smoothly
Back-of-the-house – each other & outside
supplier to create a smooth & efficient operation
24. Verbal
Tone of voice & way you speak
Proper grammar – not slang
NEVER use profanity
Never discuss one customer w/another or coworker
Written
Food servers – orders
Front desk staff – enter information into system
Nonverbal
Facial expressions, hand gestures, posture, eye
contact
Look away – impatience or annoyance
Ignore them – “we don’t care” attitude, not
important
Should convey warmth & concern
25. Using written communication, write how you
would handle a customer complaint.
26. Will Always be
Key – RESOLVE complaints to customer
satisfaction
Seven techniques
Can you name them???
27. Listen w/empathy
Try to understand & feel, see from their point
Most cases, they want someone to listen, understand, help
APOLOGY – “I am so sorry”
Allow customer to vent
Allow them time to
Evaluate everything carefully
Separate yourself from complain
Be supportive
Express your concern & support
Let me mad, let talk
Helpful to take notes – forms – customer heard – business keep track
Do not blame someone else
Avoid placing blame & making excuses
They don’t want to hear it
Discussion – what should and is going to be done
Your fault – own up to it & APOLOGIZE
28. Have a positive attitude
Express positive attitude about the customer & the
relationship with the business
Do not be negative
Offer solutions
Offer one or more
None acceptable – ask what will it take
Important – know company’s policies
Agree on solution
Follow through
Personally – make sure it is carried out correctly &
quickly
Handled poorly – never see them again
Handled positively – you may have a loyal customer