This document discusses customer service and the guest experience in hotels. 1. It emphasizes building rapport with customers through active listening, using their names, and observing subtle cues. Guests want to feel valued as individuals. 2. Handling customer complaints and challenges is seen as an opportunity to strengthen relationships. Staff are trained to remain calm and solution-focused when responding to upset guests. 3. Ensuring customer satisfaction at every step is key to loyalty. Exceeding expectations through small gestures can turn dissatisfied customers into advocates. Identifying hidden irritations can also improve the guest experience.

1. 1
COMMITMENT
TO
EXCELLENCE

2. 2
WISE ELDERS & YOUNG
BLOODS
WISE ELDERS
• What is the best part of working in Hotels?
• How have customers changed over the years?
YOUNG BLOODS
• What is the best part, or what do you think will be the
best part, of working in Hotels?
• When you are a customer yourself, what is the one
most important aspect of service you can
experience?
10 minutes. Discuss your answers with the main group

3. 3
WARM-UP QUIZ
1 In 30 seconds, name as many Brand names that you can
2 In 60 seconds, say whether these Brands are best known
for product, service to customers, or both
3 In 10 seconds, is this statement True or False ?
“In order to become branded, your product and service
must be consistent everywhere. In other words, customers
have to trust that the product or service will be what they
have come to expect, no matter where they are in the
world”
4 Which is easier to do - create a branded product or a
branded customer service experience? Why?

4. 4
THE WINNING FORMULA
FROM AN “US” FOCUS
Individualised service that
meets the needs of each guest
Impersonal, robot-like service
Warm, friendly service reflecting
the style of Le Méridien
Focus on relationshipFocus on task
We decide how you should be
treated & serve you accordingly
“One Size Fits All”
You tell us what your needs &
expectations are & we do our
best to serve you accordingly
A “CUSTOMER” FOCUS

5. 5
MOMENTS OF TRUTH
• “This is a place where I want to stay”
• “They care about me here”
• “I’ll look forward to coming back”
OR
• “I don’t want to be here”
• “I wish I had chosen somewhere else”
• “I won’t come back here”

6. 6
WHAT THE CUSTOMER
WANTS
Valued
Respected
Recognised
Secure
Safe
Confident
Supported
Mothered/
Fathered
Taken Care Of
Treated Honestly
& Fairly
No
Discrimination
Empowered
Informed
Given Choice
FEEL LIKE
AN
INDIVIDUAL

7. 7
STRUCTURE OF THE
WELCOME CHARTER PLUS
ROOMS
DIVISION
FOOD &
BEVERAGE
SUPPORT
FUNCTIONS
GUEST EXPERIENCE
MOMENT OF TRUTH
WHAT THE CUSTOMER EXPECTS
OPERATIONAL & BEHAVIOURAL
STANDARDS

8. 8
WHAT STANDARDS DO

9. 9
MEASUREMENT
• Guest Surveys
• Quality Audit
• Employee Surveys
• Self-Assessments
• Metrics & Measures

10. 10
WELCOME/
WELCOME BACK
• Introduce the Guest Interaction Cycle
• Learn & demonstrate behaviours associated
with welcoming guests in line with the
Welcome Charter Plus

11. 11
GUEST INTERACTION
CYCLE
WELCOME/
WELCOME BACK
• Be Ready
• Build Rapport
• Remember
SURPRISE &
DELIGHT
• Observe
• Ask
• Listen
• Respond
BE THE BEST
• Go the “extra mile”
• Check for Satisfaction
• Show Appreciation
• Follow Up

12. 12
BE READY
• What are 3 things that you can do to get
ready for your job each day?
• What can we do to prepare our attitude
towards serving our customers each day?

13. 13
HOW TO BE READY
• Prepare yourself…………..
– How You Feel
– What You Know
– How You Look
• Get Organised
• Anticipate Needs

14. 14
HOW TO BUILD RAPPORT
VERBAL
LANGUAGE
TONEBODY
LANGUAGE
7%
38%
55%

15. 15
INTERPRETING BODY
LANGUAGE
• Arms Crossed
• Leaning Forward
• Head Down, No Eye Contact
• Head Tilted
• Leaning Back
• Eyebrows Wrinkled
• Touching Mouth & Nose
• Open Arms
• Hand Wringing

16. 16
BODY LANGUAGE -
STANDING
• Straight
• Feet flat, hip distance apart
• Shoulders relaxed
• Hands clasped

17. 17
BODY LANGUAGE -
WALKING
• Head up
• Cheerful expression
• Normal pace
• Hands swinging

18. 18
BODY LANGUAGE - WITH
GUESTS OR COLLEAGUES
• Eye contact
• Smile
• Shoulders square - facing
• Arms length

19. 19
WELCOMING SKILLS
ACTIVITY
• Choose a partner & 1 of the following scenarios to practise your
Welcoming Skills
– Regular businessperson
– Family on holiday
– Guest attending conference
– Guest with small baby
– Colleague
• Think about how you will welcome this guest. What will you
say? Also focus on your tone of voice & body language
• Practise your welcome with your partner & receive feedback
• Switch roles & repeat
• 5 minutes each for Welcome & Feedback

20. 20
BARRIERS TO USING
NAMES
• Don’t know the name
• Forgotten the name
• Can’t pronounce the name

21. 21
HOW TO FIND OUT THE
GUEST’S NAME
• Ask him or her
• Ask a colleague
• Credit Card
• Bill
• Luggage/possessions
• Room key or key card

22. 22
REMEMBERING NAMES
• Listen carefully and repeat it
• Use it as soon as you can
• Make a connection between the name and
another characteristic

23. 23
SURPRISE & DELIGHT-
OBSERVE & ASK
• Learn, demonstrate & develop confidence in
the behaviours & skills associated with
Surprising & Delighting our guests
• Focus on the skills of Observing & Asking
Questions

24. 24
GUEST INTERACTION
CYCLE
WELCOME/
WELCOME BACK
• Be Ready
• Build Rapport
• Remember
SURPRISE &
DELIGHT
• Observe
• Ask
• Listen
• Respond
BE THE BEST
• Go the “extra mile”
• Check for Satisfaction
• Show Appreciation
• Follow Up

25. 25
TREATED WELL/
TREATED POORLY
ACTIVITY
GROUP 1
• Share your experiences of when you have been treated
surprisingly well as a customer
GROUP 2
• Share your experiences of when you have been treated poorly
as a customer
• Focus on the body language, words & tone of voice used by the
service professionals who looked after you.
• 10 minutes

26. 26
KEYS TO BEING A
BETTER OBSERVER
• Be Present
• Be Really Aware of the Guest
• Look for Clues
– Body Language
– Tone of Voice
– Physical Surroundings

27. 27
QUESTIONING SKILLS
ACTIVITY
• Do you want to be here ?
• Where do you want to be?
• Why do you want to be there?

28. 28
TYPES OF QUESTIONS
• CLOSED
– Get or confirm facts
– Gather information efficiently
• OPEN
– Encourage people to talk and express their
feelings

29. 29
SURPRISE & DELIGHT-
LISTEN & RESPOND
• Learn, demonstrate & develop confidence in
the behaviours & skills associated with
Surprising & Delighting our guests
• Focus on the skills of Listening & Responding

30. 30
GUEST INTERACTION
CYCLE
WELCOME/
WELCOME BACK
• Be Ready
• Build Rapport
• Remember
SURPRISE &
DELIGHT
• Observe
• Ask
• Listen
• Respond
BE THE BEST
• Go the “extra mile”
• Check for Satisfaction
• Show Appreciation
• Follow Up

31. 31
HOW TO LISTEN
ACTIVELY
• Give Your Full Attention
• Acknowledge
• Listen to Understand
• Listen for the Feelings Behind the Words
• Resist planning your response
• Restate

32. 32
DIFFICULTIES IN GIVING
ATTENTION
• Busy
• Not interested
• Tired
• Nervous
• Thinking about something else
• Distracted
• Telephone
• Other guests

33. 33
DEALING WITH OTHER
GUESTS
• Acknowledge arriving guests with eye contact and
smile
• If unable to attend within 1 minute, apologise for the
delay and give approximate waiting time
• If waiting guest becomes impatient, call for help
• If arriving guest has an urgent problem, request
permission from the guest you are currently engaged
with to deal with this

34. 34
TELEPHONE VS GUEST
• Excuse yourself before you answer the phone
• If you can handle the call within 1 minute, deal with it
immediately
• If it will take longer, offer to put them on hold or call
back. Explain to the caller that you are dealing with
another guest
• Get back to the guest you are with within 1 minute
and apologise for the delay

35. 35
HOW TO RESPOND
• Use Positive Language
• Offer Appropriate Options
• Get Agreement

36. 36
WORDS TO USE WITH
CARE
HOWEVER
WILL
SITUATION
ENSURE
BUT
BUSY
PROBLEM
TRY
CERTAINLY
PLEASE……….………PLEASE
OK, NO PROBLEM
NO………..

37. 37
POSITIVE LANGUAGE
ACTIVITY
• “What’s the problem?”
• “We’ve got another room. But you’ll have to pay more for it”
• “Unfortunately you’ll have to call back at 4.00pm for the answer”
• “It’s not my fault”
• “Sorry we are short-staffed today”
• Ahhh, that’s not my department, have you tried calling………”

38. 38
RESPONDING TO
REQUESTS - “NOT
AVAILABLE” ITEMS
• Apologise
• Develop Options
– Provide appropriate options
– State what you can and cannot do
– Discuss and agree the solution
• Get Agreement
– State the next steps
– Be clear about the timeframe

39. 39
RESPONDING TO
REQUESTS - “AGAINST
THE RULES”
• Apologise
• Explain the benefits of the policy to (other)
guests
• Develop Options
– Provide appropriate options
– State what you can and cannot do
– Discuss and agree the solution
• Get Agreement
– State the next steps
– Be clear about the timeframe

40. 40
BE THE BEST
• Learn ways to build & sustain guest loyalty -
Be the Best
• Identify ways to “go the extra mile”
• Conclude interactions on a positive note
• Verify guest satisfaction

41. 41
GUEST INTERACTION
CYCLE
WELCOME/
WELCOME BACK
• Be Ready
• Build Rapport
• Remember
SURPRISE &
DELIGHT
• Observe
• Ask
• Listen
• Respond
BE THE BEST
• Go the “extra mile”
• Check for Satisfaction
• Show Appreciation
• Follow Up

42. 42
WHY CUSTOMERS
CHANGE
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Service Quality Product Quality Price

43. 43
A SATISFIED CUSTOMER
IS LOYAL
100%
80%
LOYALTY 60%
(RETENTION)
40%
20%
0% 1 2 3 4 5
EXTREMELY SOMEWHAT SLIGHTLY SATISFIED VERY
DISSATISFIED DISSATISFIED DISSATISFIED SATISFIED
SATISFACTION MEASURE
TERRORIST
APOSTLE
ZONE OF DEFECTION
ZONE OF INDIFFERENCE
ZONE OF AFFECTION

44. 44
5 STAGES OF CUSTOMER
PERCEPTION
BASIC
EXPECTED
DESIRED
SURPRISING
UNBELIEVABLE!!!

45. 45
UNBELIEVABLE
• Excellent Product and Service
• Excellent Delivery Systems
• Excellent Service Attitude

46. 46
BE THE BEST
• Go the “extra mile”
• Check for Satisfaction
• Show Appreciation
• Follow-Up

47. 47
HANDLING SITUATIONS &
CHALLENGES
• Shift our views from seeing situations and
challenges, not as “problems”, instead as
opportunities to surprise & delight our guests
• Develop & improve our skills in using the
Guest Interaction Cycle to handle situations
and challenges

48. 48
THE COST OF A
DISSATISFIED CUSTOMER
 A typical company only hears from of its
dissatisfied customers – the other just quietly
go away
 Dissatisfied customers tell people of their
dissatisfaction ( 1 in 5 tell )
 Satisfied customers will tell people about their
problem and how it was resolved
 Customers who experience no problems are
loyal
 Satisfied complainers are loyal
_%
_%
_to_
_
_
_%
_%

49. 49
THE COST OF A
DISSATISFIED CUSTOMER
 A typical company only hears from of its
dissatisfied customers – the other just quietly
go away
 Dissatisfied customers tell people of their
dissatisfaction ( 1 in 5 tell )
 Satisfied customers will tell people about their
problem and how it was resolved
 Customers who experience no problems are
loyal
 Satisfied complainers are loyal
4%
96%
8-10
20
5
85%
90%

50. 50
3 KINDS OF GOLDEN
OPPORTUNITIES
• SITUATIONS
– Occur when guests have needs that have not yet been
fulfilled. This usually involves a straightforward request for
assistance
• CHALLENGES
– Occur when a guest becomes upset about their unfulfilled
need. This usually involves an emotional outburst by the
guest
• HIDDEN DISSATISFIERS
– These occur when the guest experiences an irritating
inconvenience caused by a system or structure within the
Hotel that is left unspoken

51. 51
SELF-AWARENESS
ACTIVITY
• Think of an especially difficult work-related situation or
challenge which you have had with a guest, colleague, supplier
etc
• Respond to the questions below:
– Describe the situation
– What were your feelings?
– What were you thinking?
– What physical reactions, if any, did you notice yourself
experiencing?
• 5 minutes to share your answers with a partner, then swap over

52. 52
GUESTS’ EXPECTATIONS
• Comments are taken seriously & constructively
• Complaint is resolved promptly
• People care about their situation
• Sense of urgency to resolve the situation
• What has been reported won’t re-occur

53. 53
GOLDEN OPPORTUNITIES
-
A COMPARISON
Concentrate on rebuilding the
relationship and completing the
task, quickly & accurately to
reinforce the relationship
Feeling-Based Golden Opportunity
Calm guest/colleague,
understand needs, then help
IN CHALLENGES…..
Concentrate on completing the
task, quickly & accurately to
reinforce the relationship
IN SITUATIONS…..
Fact-Based Golden Opportunity
Understand needs, then help

54. 54
REBUILDING THE
RELATIONSHIP
• Calm ourselves down and calm down the guest or colleague
• Acknowledge the guest by apologising for what has happened
where appropriate
• Show a sense of urgency and care through our tone of voice
and body language. Match our level of concern with theirs
• Really listen, especially for the feelings and don’t interrupt –
the person may want to “let off steam”
• Ask good questions to clarify
• Respond immediately by offering a solution or realistic options
• Continue to show care and follow-up until things are resolved
• Let your Manager or Supervisor know what happened

55. 55
HANDLING CHALLENGES
ACTIVITY
PART ONE
• In your group, spend 5 minutes brainstorming challenges that you are
faced with
• Write each challenge on a Post-It Note and place on the flipchart paper
provided
PART TWO
• From the 2 challenges you have been given, choose 1 to prepare a 3-
minute response that you will show to the other groups.
• Your response must focus on:
– Positive tone, words and body language
– Identifying creative options
– Spirit of the response (caring, sense of urgency, careful listening)

56. 56
HANDLING CHALLENGES
ACTIVITY
PART 3 - SCORING
• Each group will role-play their challenge and response to the
others who will score the role-ply as follows
• Between 1-10 marks for each of the following areas:
– Positive tone, words and body language
– Identifying creative options
– Spirit of the response (caring, sense of urgency, careful
listening)

57. 57
HIDDEN DISSATISFIERS
HIDDEN DISSATISFIERS
– These occur when the guest experiences
an irritating inconvenience caused by a
system or structure within the Hotel that
is left unspoken

58. 58
HOW TO DISCOVER
HIDDEN DISSATISFIERS
• Repeated guest requests
• Repeated observations of guest needs
• The things that would “Surprise & Delight” you
• The things that would annoy and irritate you

59. 59
IDENTIFYING HIDDEN
DISSATISFIERS ACTIVITY
• In your group, brainstorm the possible Hidden
Dissatisfiers in this Hotel. Focus on:
– Things we can do something about
– Things that others may not be aware of
• Then circle those items that can be addressed and
consider how we could do this
• Collect your ideas on flipchart
15 minutes and then report to the large group

60. 60
A WHOLE TEAM
APPROACH
• Identify opportunities to differentiate and add
value to the guest experience through
working together

61. 61
PATHWAY TO
EXCELLENCE
THE GOAL
Find the path through the maze and get the entire team through in the shortest possible time
THE CONDITIONS
• Only 1 team member may be on the maze at any one time
• You can stand on only 1 square at a time
• You may pass through the maze vertically, horizontally or diagonally, but may not miss a row
• Team members must take turns to cross the maze - batting order
• If a team member hits a “bad” square, an alarm will sound and he/she must return on the same path
and wait for a second try
• Each team member must successfully cross the maze
• If some team members have successfully crossed the maze and another team member sounds the
alarm when crossing, EVERYONE must return to the beginning and start again
• Team members must not talk unless instructed to do so
• No materials may be used
• TIMING - 10 mins Strategy, 20 mins Exercise, 1 minute Time Out

62. 62
MAPPING THE GUEST’S
EXPERIENCE ACTIVITY
PART ONE
• In 1 minute, in your group, imagine a guest - give your guest a name and decide
what type of guest he or she is (eg male/female, business/leisure)
PART TWO
• On flipchart, map out the likely areas in your hotel the guest is likely to visit. Now
choose 1 area where the guest has a really bad experience and describe that.
TEAM 1 Imagine that in your Hotel, everyone works as a team, focusing on
delivering a positive experience for guests
TEAM 2 Imagine that in your Hotel there is no team spirit and employees only focus
on doing their own jobs
• 20 minutes to prepare your story
• Story to take 3 minutes

63. 63
MAPPING THE GUEST’S
EXPERIENCE ACTIVITY
PART THREE
• Each team is to present to the rest of the group:
- The map
- The bad guest experience
- How their hotel employees handle it
- A headline that would appear in the following day’s local
newspaper written by their guest
• 5 minutes to prepare the headline

64. 64
WHITE SPACES
“The areas where no-one feels responsible for
what is happening to the guest”

65. 65
FINALE
• Your brief is to produce a song or poem that
summarises the things you have learned about
customer service during these modules.
• The song or poem can be in any style you wish so be
as creative as you like.
• You have 30 minutes to produce your script and
practice and you will then present it to everyone else.
You should plan your presentation to be a maximum
of 2 minutes