In any business, the key to success is communication. An effective communication can bring positive results, while negative communication may break the deal. I have been asked by many hoteliers about hotel areas where communication plays a vital role and how staff can improve their communication skills to impress guests.
In addition to clean rooms and modern amenities, a polite and helpful hotel staff can make guests’ stay pleasant. Hotel employees must be available all the time to assist guests with a smiling face. But the very first impression can be made on guests by front desk. After a long journey, a hotel front desk employee is the first individual with whom travelers deal. They must be tired and time taken for check-in process may make them feel irritated. This is the time when the hotel’s front desk can set the stage for a good relationship with the guests through compelling communication skills.
Considering the role of front desk’s communication, many hotels arrange special training sessions for their staff to enhance their communication skills and teach them right methods of interactions with guests of different types. But in hospitality industry, effective communication isn’t limited to conveying a message to guests clearly and with confidence. In addition to communicating with guests, the front desk as well as other staff members should impress guests by listening to them carefully, assist them in availing all hotel services and take appropriate actions on the feedback. Effective hotel front desk communication also includes:
- Assisting guests in check-in/check-out process.
- Communicating with guests and staff members to make quick arrangements when guests arrive early.
- Writing emails and responding to online queries.
- Using hotel software and website to develop a connection with potential customers.
In this technology-driven world, a failed communication with guests can affect the hotel’s business in many ways. The hotel not just loses one customer, but negative reviews-online as well as offline- can influence the brand’s reputation.
Although arranging training session is one of the most effective methods to improve communication skills of staff, there are some other ways that can help hotel employees develop impressive communication skills.
Talk to Employees, Listen to Them
To ensure that front desk employees feel confident while having a conversation with guests, management should conduct two-way communication session with the staff where employees are allowed to share their views and ideas. An environment should be provided to them where they can share problems they face while dealing with guests. Weekly feedback sessions can be conducted to understand and resolve front desk issues and problem that the hotel staff is facing.
Train Front Desk How To Attend Guests
Your hotel’s front desk should be aware of right ways to attend guests of all types. Some guests may not be happy with time taken for check-in process. Front desk as well as other hotel employees should be trained to tackle any kind of situation. During the training session, they should be taught to wisely handle the situation and solve customer query as soon as possible.
Teach Front Desk to Observe Guests
There may be some guests who don’t like to talk much, or some travelers get irritated when they are asked to wait for few minutes to make arrangements for a service they have asked. Management should teach the front desk the secret to quickly observe the guest and respond according to that. They should be told how to solve customer complaints or how to lighten up a guest’s mood.
A good conversation between the hotel’s front desk and guests can put a good impression on the guests’ mind about the hotel. Hoteliers should make necessary efforts to ensure that the front desk employees as well as other staff members learn the art of communication to represent their hotel as a pleasant place to stay. It will boost their confidence and generate more business for the hotel.
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