Courses » Catering » Study Room Catering » Deal with communication as part of the reception function (2R1)
Most hotels place a good deal of importance upon the way in which their receptionist speaks and deals with guests and visitors, particularly since the receptionist is more often than not the first link with them. Due to the nature of the work it is important to use a clear and regular tone of voice, varying the pitch so it is not boring and pronouncing words clearly, including the beginnings and endings of words. It is important that communication from the receptionist is done in this way to portrait a positive, professional, polite and helpful image. Good communication promotes customer satisfaction and repeat business, increase sales and overall reputation.
As a receptionist you need to be a good listener. When you listen to a guest or visitor you should be interested and concerned about what is being said. It is important you do not fiddle with pens or pencils or move things around on the front desk – these actions suggest you are bored. You should maintain good eye contact throughout your communication with your guest, this makes them feel valued and that you are listening and taking in what is being said, from this you can also take opportunities to up-sell and ensure you are promoting all products and services your hotel has to offer. When speaking to a guest you should consider your tone of voice, for most guests a pleasant tone of voice is important. You should not speak too loud or too fast, but clearly and accurately with good eye contact so the guest can understand you and the information you are giving is received clearly without confusion. At every opportunity the guest’s name should be used. This personalises the conversation and again makes the guest feel valued, it is clear evidence of interest in the guest and personal attention. In addition to this it helps you remember the name of individual guests. It is recommended by some hotel groups that a guest name should be used 3 times during check-in.
The information you communicate to your guests, visitors and also your colleagues, whether written or spoken, should always be accurate, clear, and concise and delivered in a way that is professional. This is to ensure that the information is understood; it is not misleading and avoids any conflicts which may occur from the wrong information being given. By following In-house procedures and the DATA PROCTECTION ACT 1999 you will avoid confidential information getting into the wrong hands, for example credit card details which could result in theft or fraud.
No reference to communication would be complete without considering the vital role the telephone, fax and e-mail plays in any business operation. Effective communication either by written or telephone will not only assist in selling the hotel, but will also promote an image of efficiency.
The rules that apply to good face to face communication are even more applicable to written and telephone communications as the guest only has a piece of paper or the telephone conversation on which to judge the standard of the hotel. Many hotels insist on their staff answering the telephone in a certain way i.e. “Good morning/afternoon/evening, The Spread Eagle Hotel, Joanne speaking, how may I help you?” this way of answering all calls ensures the guest receives all the information they need at that time. If the telephone call is answered promptly with the appropriate greeting the guest will feel confident that the hotel is efficient and is interested in the call.
It is important that if you are answering telephone calls either on the front office desk or on a switchboard you are familiar with the procedure for overcoming the most common problems that may occur, these could include any of the following:
Should any of the above occur when you are dealing with a guest on a telephone call you should re-establish the contact with the caller, apologise for the fault, disconnection or interruption and continue, advising the guest of what had already been discussed. Faults or interruptions on any call should be reported to your line manager, so they can be logged and if reoccurring, a solution can be found. When making a telephone call back to a guest it is important that you identify yourself accurately, where you are calling from and explain the reason for the contact, this is so you establish your level of authority, speak to the right person about the right thing and avoid confusion.
Written communication forms a major part of the front office, this may by handwritten, typed, faxed or e-mailed. Most important information will be written in a permanent way. Written communication and documentation in front office will be divided into 2 categories, these are internal and external.
Internal communication may very often be informal and brief, e.g. the housekeeper is informing reception of rooms that are ready, or reception is informing other departments of arrivals or special requests. Regardless of their informality, this form of communication is vital and it must be clear and legible with accurate and concise information. Communications such as these should be distributed with the up most of importance and speed to ensure that each department is in possession of up-to-date information.
External communication is vital to the hotel as a selling point. For many potential guests the written communication that they receive from a hotel may be their first contact with the establishment. A letter, fax or e-mail that is badly written or typed, with incorrect spelling and grammar, gives a very bad impression and many guests will equate the standard of the letter writing with the service standard provided by the hotel. This rule also applies to messages that are taken by a receptionist for a guest in the hotel or even for another department.
All written communication should be clear, concise and legible, without errors and following the correct organisational format your hotel has. It is important that all messages are relayed as soon as possible, whether written or verbal, internal or external. This ensures business opportunities are not missed and business relations are maintained; urgent situations are dealt with by the appropriate person, and guest satisfaction is ensured. When completing any written work it is important to proof read using spell checkers, dictionaries or other colleagues for advice and guidance.
The most important thing to remember when you are communicating with your guests, whether it may be verbal or written, internal or external is SMILE; smiles go a long way and portrait the hotel in a positive way. A guest or potential guest can always hear and read a SMILE.