12 GUEST RELATIONS

N. Rekha

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Introduction

 

 

Guest relation is very important to ensure that guests feel welcomed, receive personal attention and enjoy their stay. The helpful and friendly service provided to the guest creates a favorable impression of the hotel. Gone are the days when customers were happy just receiving “please” and “thank you” or getting service with a smile. Although those go into the recipe for proper etiquette, it’s just not enough. Satisfied customers are looking for a memorable experience and dynamic service where it counts.

  • After going through this module, you will be able to
  • Know the importance of guest to a hotel. Acquire skills in handling guest problems.
  • Knowledge on duties and responsibilities of employees when dealing with guest.

 

Guest Needs

 

What are the guests needs?

 

Range of possible service transactions between the guest and the hotel . The Guest

 

1. Must decide where to stay and make a reservation. The way in which reception staff deals with the initial query is going to pave way to his overall impression.

2. Must be registered and taken or directed to his room on arrival.

3. May require ancillary services or information.

4. Transportation service

5. Foreign exchange of money

6.Bank facility

7.Concierge service (Enjoy personal assistance anytime, anywhere. From last-minute restaurant reservations to planning a special occasion,)

8.  Safety locker

9.  Will require a drink and a meal or at least some snacks.

10. May wish to relax in the room, perhaps reading or viewing TV.

11. May want to work in his room and possibly even to hold a meeting there or elsewhere.

12. May also want to contact or be contacted by people outside the hotel by means of the telephone or some other means of communication.

13. Provision of sauna or gym, swimming or by playing tennis or golf.

14. May want some form of group or social entertainment, such as s discotheque, going to theaters.

15. Require a good, undisturbed night’s sleep.

16. May require some kind of wake up calls in the morning and will almost certainly want some kind of tea or breakfast and possibly a news paper as well.

17. Finally will want to settle his account and leave the hotel with as little fuss and bother as possible.

18.Maintain hygienic environment

19.Expect Comfortable ,friendly and hospitable atmosphere

20.Promptness in Follow up

 

All guests do not require all the services on offer. Each chooses a slightly different selection. However, each service transactions chosen contributes to the guest’s overall service experience, and clearly the extent to which his specific needs are met will affect his view of the hotel as a whole.

 

Guest Relation Officer

 

A hotel guest relations officer (GRO) is at the forefront of customer service. He or she is one of the first hotel workers to greet guests as they arrive. The GRO provides hotel guests with above and beyond service to ensure their experience will be worth remembering. The position ensures that guests are happy from the moment they step into the hotel until they leave. Sometimes, he or she continues to provide superior customer relation after the guests are long gone.

 

GRA DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Welcoming the VIPs during check-in and giving good farewell to the guest while checkout.
  • Handling guest complaints and concerns in an efficient and timely manner. Coordinating the job duties in the hotel.
  • GRA must have through knowledge about the hotel and city.
  • Checking the VIP reservations, complete their pre-registration formalities. Making arrangements for allocation of rooms for all arriving guests.
  • Maintain  up-to date records on room rates, current offers and packages
  • Maintain all guest folios in the manner instructed and type out necessary guest likes and dislikes to the appropriate fields on the profile.
  • Collect Guest feedback during guest departure about the hotel service. Maintaining guest lockers safely.
  • Ensure that all check-ins and check-outs are handled smoothly without unnecessary delay or discomfort to any guest.
  • Must deal with all  guests without bias or prejudice.
  • Abide to the rules and policies laid down by the management. Adhere to strict staff grooming and hygiene standards.
  • Good vocabulary and command of the English language is essential, both in written and verbal
  • Strictly adhering to organization time management skills and attention to detail. Must be focused on guest service and a team player.
  • Positive attitude and outgoing personality is essential.
  • Abide to the work shifts – days, evenings, weekends and holidays. Posses skill to relate well to Hotel guests and employees.
  • Professional in demeanour and presentation.
  • Personable, enthusiastic, self-motivated and able to work independently.
  • Affable to understand and carry out oral and written instructions and request clarification when needed.
  • Robust interpersonal and organizational skills.
  • This type of job is crucial as a guest relations officer represents the hotel in a manner wherein how he does his work will reflect what kind of hotel or establishment a customer has experienced as a whole.
  • Dealing with Emergencies Fire, floods, electric failure, robbery, theft, bomb , etc.

Emergency Guidelines

 

1.The initial planning for emergencies is normally carried out by an executive planning committee, which usually involves the front office manager.

Points to consider include – identifying areas of emergency, identifying who is to be responsible, deciding what procedures is to be followed, deciding how that procedure is to be implemented.

2.The front office manager should ensure that all emergency procedures are regularly reviewed with their staff, so that they can respond properly to any emergency situation. Front office staff react quickly and efficiently, remain cool and calm, avoid panic, follow standard emergency procedures.

3.Front desk staff should be trained in carrying out various emergency procedures to ensure effective control at times of crisis. Such procedures can include: first aid, fire drills, police, fire and ambulance procedures, telephone handling, security, documentation, notifying guests of what precautions to take and how to behave in an emergency.

4.They must know the rules and must have practical experience in stimulated training sessions.

5. Regular drills and discussion must be used to keep old and new staff members current in their knowledge of emergency procedures.

Fire Safety Skills

 

Front office staff should to able to demonstrate the following fire safety skills.

  • Detail fire precaution rules
  • Detail fire – fighting procedures
  • Know the exit routes an doors
  • Identify the different fires by types
  • Identify the fire-fighting equipment
  • Operate fire-fighting equipment
  • Inform the fire station Inform guests
  • Verify that guests and staff are out of a potential danger zone.
  • Assist in evacuation of guests
  • Assist the fire- brigade.

Handling Guest’s Problems

 

There are circumstances where even in the well run and well organized hotels when things go wrong, and it is to the receptionist that guests will generally come to raise the problems and air their feelings. The procedures that receptionists or GREs need to follow in order to deal with them.

 

Types of Guest Problem

 

Problems tend to be of two kinds

  1. Incidentally created by the hotel itself.
  2. Incidentally created by external factors outside the control of the hotel.

Both the types of problem may cause guests to complain.

Some examples of problems that cause inconvenience to the guests

 

Complaints, may be considered to be the result of problems that irritates the guest and the problems which are of importance are brought to the hotel management.

 

The receptionist or the front desk staff should deal with the problematic situation in an appropriate manner, always keeping in mind that it is the responsibility of the hotel to make a guest’s stay as relaxed and enjoyable as possible.

 

 

STAFF SKILLS NECESSARY FOR DEALING WITH PROBLEMS

 

Patience and helpful

Understanding

Empathetic

Tactful and discreet

 

Key Procedures to be followed when dealing with problems

  • Stand straight and look at the guest eye and talk. It is better to stand beside the guest than remaining behind the counter. The desk in between a psychological barrier between the staff and the guest, which can aggravate the problem.
  • Put your hands by your sides. Do not fold your arms, put your hands in pocket, or jingle keys or coins. All this will exacerbate the problem or indicate that you are bother less about the guest.
  • Your face should show that you are empathetic and confident in your ability to help the guest.
  • Be calm and behave in a positive manner. Act as if you are supporting the gust, i.e., try to solve the complaint.
  • Be serious and make note of the complaint, so that the guest feels that you mean to do something.
  • Act promptly to the guest complaints though it may be a small problem in your point of view.
  • Sense of humour is a must.
  • Guests are not easy to satisfy because some of them actually enjoy complaining. In such situations the front desk staff and other staff should be alerted to pay extra/ special attention to this type of guest.
  • Staff must have confidence in their abilities to receive complaints and to handle them. Once this is been brought to open , action can e taken and a better standard of service may result.

 

SOLVING OF PROBLEMS

 

GUIDELINES

 

1.      Find out and record all the information.

2.      Always accept the guests are right

3.      Learn to listen to their words and

4.      Do not to argue

5.      Identify the main problem.

6.      Use professionalism to seek out different ways of solving the problem.

7.      Pick out the course of action.

8.      Provide instructions to staff concerned in order to rectify the problem.

9.      Check the process of action and find out whether the problem is solved.

10.  Follow up the guest to ensure that they are now satisfied and happy.

 

HANDLING COMPLAINTS

 

Handling complaints is a task which is very difficult to take, as it is a technical and skilled task. It requires great tact and diplomacy. An angry guest is difficult to deal with and the situation must be handled with care. In order to solve the complaint you must first relax the guest down, so that you can rightly find out what exactly has happened.

 

GUIDELINES

 

1.  Greet the guest and maintain good posture and eye contact.

2. Do not interrupt the guest.

3. Apologize even you are not at fault.

4.Do not excuse the fault.

5. Thank the guest for bringing the complaint to your notice.

6. Classify the complaints as serious, minor, complaints referred to the manager and complaints which receptionist can only deal.

7. Talk about the possible course of action.

8. Give instructions to other staff.

9. Record and maintain all the course of procedures carried out in the log book.

10. Talk to the guest later and ensure that appropriate action has been taken satisfactorily.

 

COURSE S OF ACTION TO BE TAKEN WHEN HANDLING PROBLEMS

 

In some incidents guests may point out what action they require in order to resolve their problems.

 

For example: Guest with a noisy neighbor may request a change of room, guest who received late room service may ask for a complimentary meal.

 

It is the responsibility of staff to decide this action is possible. A guest may wait for the staff to offer alternative action. The staff should watch for clues to indicate the guests wish.

 

For example: Front desk staff might offer a reduction in room charges, but the facial expression of the guest would indicate that this was either inappropriate or the amount was sufficient. It is better to wait for the guest to give a solution for the complaint.

 

Many guests will expect more than the staff can offer.

For Example: Guest may expect a complimentary room and not just reduction in price.

 

FOLLOW – UP

 

The staff at the front desk is respon1sible for the follow up procedures of the problem. This follow up should be done on the same day. The responsible should contact the guest and ensure that the problem has been rectified to his/her satisfaction.

 

For example: If a guest complained that his/her room was not cleaned properly the previous day, he/she should be contacted the following day.

 

To summarize, Guest relation is vital for any hospitality industry. Guest experiences and their memorable incidents in the hotel make them feel homely and ensure that the guest views the hotel sufficiently high that they wish to return. By providing desirable ambience physically socially and morally the guest tends to come again and again that evinces that the property can maintain high turnover which in turn is the indication of the best guest relation.

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