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

 Is
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an activity that is done for another person
Hospitality – Satisfying people’s needs
 Customer
Service is the total customer
experience with that business
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Performance of staff
Courtesy of the staff
The cleanliness of the property
Way they are treated
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:
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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

 As
a table,
 List some customers needs when they are
away from home.
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
 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
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Treated w/dignity & respect
Honest money transactions
Honesty in menus
 Quality
service = KEY establishing &
maintaining a success business
 Cleanliness
& attractive appearance of
facilities & grounds
 Employees who respond quickly to requests
 Employees who anticipate customer needs
 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
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Building blocks
Happens before, during and after
 1st
encounter = 1st impression
 Fail or succeed depending on quality of
service
 Why
is it so important???
 Talk
 Word-of-mouth
publicity – informal
conversation people have about the
experiences with a business
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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
 Two
groups
 Front-of-the-House

The area that guests usually see
 Back-of-the-House
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Area that guest normally do not see
Heart-of-the-house
Restaurant -
 Front-of-the-House

Main function is to interact with customers
 Back-of-the-house

employees
employees
Work rarely involves interacting w/customers
 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
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Customer focused
All interactions makes an impression
1st Requirement of quality service
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Sincere desire to please the customer
Picture to the left a BIG NO – NO
 Quality
service – customer doesn’t have to
ask for anything – it’s there!!
 Customer-focused employee – an employee
who can anticipate customer needs
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Make immediate eye contact
They have good posture
Smile warmly
Respond quickly to requests
Use the customer’s name whenever possible
Clean & well groomed
 Critical
moments & handling customers
 Handouts
 Grade
Back-of-the House & Front-of-the
house gradebook

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
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Posture
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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
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Respond Quickly
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Customer’s Name
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Respond quickly
Attitude – positive & business like
Response – competency, concern for customer &
willingness to help
When possible
Restaurants – waiting list – names to be seated
Bell attendants – front desk
Feel important & welcome – likely to return to
business
Well Groomed
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Hospitality image – made by the staff
EXTREMELY important
Uniforms regulations
 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

Phone calls
Guests form an impression based on the way a person answering the
phone treats them
 Rude – no business
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The building entrance

Set the theme
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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
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The greeter
First person guest sees
 Greeting – formal part of the job
 Good Greeter:
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Open the door
Greet all guests w/in 30 seconds
“I will be right with you”
Make all guest feel valued
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The wait
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NOBODY likes to wait
Reality
Greeter – pleasant or not
“Please wait to be seat” sign – no greeter – guest often nervous, uncertain
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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
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See a guest acknowledge guest with a smile and a “hi, I will be right with you”
Physical aspects =BIG impression
Check for cleanliness
Restaurant – check table – sturdy, rocks – menus – clean
Hotel – room – clean – smells good- proper spot
The busser & servers
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Bussers
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Removes extra place servers & brings water
Know food & beverage just as well as the server
Servers
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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
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The manager
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The arrival of food
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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
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
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Plumbing problems – engineering dept
Clean it
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The check or bill

sit in restaurants for hours, but when they are ready to leave,
they ARE ready to leave
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Hotels – checkout – critical – guests packed, ready to leave
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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
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
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last critical moment
Positive last impressive
Smile, thank them for their visit
Invite them back
SMILE
 Out
of the 11 critical moments which are the
top 5 critical moments that your table agrees
upon
 Communication
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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

Verbal
Tone of voice & way you speak
Proper grammar – not slang
 NEVER use profanity
 Never discuss one customer w/another or coworker
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Written
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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

 Using
written communication, write how you
would handle a customer complaint.
 Will
Always be
 Key – RESOLVE complaints to customer
satisfaction
 Seven techniques

Can you name them???
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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”
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Allow customer to vent
Allow them time to
 Evaluate everything carefully
 Separate yourself from complain
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Be supportive
Express your concern & support
 Let me mad, let talk
 Helpful to take notes – forms – customer heard – business keep track
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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
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Have a positive attitude
Express positive attitude about the customer & the
relationship with the business
 Do not be negative
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Offer solutions
Offer one or more
None acceptable – ask what will it take
Important – know company’s policies
 Agree on solution
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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
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