Food and hospitality

A guide to having excellent customer service skills in the hospitality industry.

This course is ‘Industry Approved’ since it’s been built in collaboration with industry experts at SafetyCulture to meet your operational needs. 

What is good customer service and why does it matter?

Stay calm
Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that it's not personal.
Even if a guest or customer is angry, unreasonable or demanding, do your best to stay cool and address the problem.


Why should you be patient when talking to customers?


Be empathetic
It’s not only important to hear and understand what your customer is saying, it’s also vital to recognize how he/she is feeling.


Put yourself in the customer's shoes, and consider how you would like to be treated and the ideal response to the situation.


Customer Service Skills

What is the best procedure for greeting a guest in a hotel or restaurant?

They can help create a great first impression
They give customers faith in you
You can apply them in different situations and settings


Why are good social skills and etiquette important?


Appearance and Grooming
Make sure that you are presentable and you are wearing your uniform correctly. This includes neat and tidy hair and clothes.


Smile and Greet the guest
Using the 10 to 5 rule....
When a guest is ten feet away (approx. 3m) you should make eye contact with them and greet them with a smile.
When the guest approaches five feet (1.5m), you should welcome them and offer to assist.


Offer to assist
You should stop whatever work you are doing, and offer to assist the guest. This will make them feel looked after. If they are a new guest, you may inquire about their bookings and see to it that their rooms are allocated as soon as possible. You may also offer to ask someone to assist with their luggage or show them around.


Ask questions
The first question which is usually asked is for bookings and relevant documents. There may be a delay in the allocation of the room, and if so, this is a great time to get to know your guest (such as where they are travelling from or the purpose of travel). At this point you could also share suggestions about amenities or nearby attractions.


Offer something complimentary
The hotel check-in process can take time. Offering something extra, such as a complimentary coffee or similar, demonstrates that you care for the guests and appreciate their patience.


**Thank the guests **
As the guest is about to leave, make sure to thank them for choosing your hotel.


What does the 10 to 5 rule refer to?


Acknowledge and welcome guest
No matter where you are in the room, or if you have your hands full, you should acknowledge the guest. Smile and let them know that someone will be with them shortly. If you are able to attend to the customer, do so.


Acknowledge their reservation or any special requirements
If they have a reservation, cross it off the sheet, and take note of any special requests.


Take the guests to their table
Don't walk too fast, to make sure the customers can keep up with you.


Greeting Guests

What are some common customer complaints in hospitality, and how should you deal with them?

Responding to Complaints
When responding to complaints at a hotel or restaurant, follow these steps...


** “My room is too hot or too cold.”**
In most cases, the best way to deal with this is simply to direct the guest on how to adjust the temperature themselves using their air-conditioning unit.
If a guest is struggling to do this themselves, staff should go to the room to assist.


“I can’t access the Wi-Fi.”
There isn't much you can do about 'slow' Wi-Fi, thus you should be polite and upfront about this.  Many guests will simply need assistance connecting to the Wi-Fi, and therefore you should assist them with doing so.


** “I can hear too much noise in my room.”**
If the noise is coming from outside the hotel, you can offer to move the guest up several floors or to another area of the hotel.
If the noise is coming from inside, try to find the source of the noise and address it, or move the guest to another area of the hotel.


** “I found a ___, and my room isn’t clean!”**
Room cleanliness issues are usually solved through apologies and quick rectification.  For guests who are not satisfied with this, offer them a new room, or if they will not move, offer complimentary amenity such as a meal or access to the spa while the maintenance staff clean the room thoroughly.


** “I have a problem with your service…”**
Even if the service complaint does not seem entirely legitimate, you should still take it seriously, and treat the guest with care and respect. You should apologise and offer alternatives to service or amenity they expected to receive. Do your best to make them feel happy and looked after.


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