Exceptional customer service is the result of communicating effectively with the customers, understanding their requirements, and demonstrating a service attitude in every interaction with the customers.
In a hotel that is visited by
hundreds of guests every day, a waiter might have to face people with a diverse level of language and communication abilities. This makes the job of a waiter
demanding in terms of his ability to communicate with his guest effectively, understand
their requirements, and offer suitable solutions to satisfy them. Effective
communication by the waiter and barman ensures a congenial working atmosphere
and increases efficiencies within the team.
Communication
Communication is the activity
of exchanging meaningful information between two or more people. Communication
requires a sender, a massage, and an intended recipient. The communication process
is complete only when the receiver has understood the sender.
What is effective communication?
Effective Communication is a
process where a message is received and understood by the receiver in the manner
that the sender has conveyed. Communication in the hospitality sector is essential
to greet and respond to guests with relevant information about their inquiries.
A waiter/barman should listen to the guest and communication effectively with
them to give an appropriate solution.
Role Play
A new waiter has joined your
restaurant. You asked to give instructions to him on how to greet customers and
take orders from the customer. After giving the instruction, enact the
situation by posing as a customer, with the person who has recently joined
playing the role of a waiter.
Communication Process
Communication is effective if
the message that is received is the same one that is sent
Message
Communication is writing, speech,
or by signals
·
What you are going to say?
·
What is the nature of your message positive or
negative?
Sender
The communicator or sender is
the person who is sending the message.
Method
The medium the sender used is
called the method.
Reviver
One who is receiving the
message.
Example
Ravi is the waiter at any hotel.
A room service personnel named Lovejeet asks Ravi to serve a cup of coffee to a
customer who is in room no. 100
Message: Serve a cup of coffee
for the customer who is in room no. 100
Sender: Lovejeet
Method: Verbal
Receiver: Ravi
Verbal and Non-verbal communication
Verbal communication
Verbal communication differentiates humans and makes us unique among all creatures. Verbal communication involves using it to exchange information with others. One has to communicate verbally to understand the requirement of the guest, Express opinions, and share knowledge with your peers.
Importance of verbal
communication in the hospitality sector
Verbal communication helps to
clarify misunderstandings and provides missing information from the guests. For
example, a guest might ask a waiter whether the restaurant will be open till 11
PM. A waiter should be able to communicate the timing of the restaurant clearly
to the customer.
Convincing guests
A waiter quite often has to
perform the task of convincing the guest to try new dishes recently added to
the menu. This is done by assessing the needs of the guest and suggesting a
product that would meet his/her requirements. E.g. a guest asks for a soft
drink of his/her choice that is not available in the restaurant and a waiter
should suggest a soft drink that is available and tastes similar to the one
requested by the guest.
Providing guest service
Guest communicate their need
to the waiter. They may need a certain dish or a question to be answered. If
the waiter does not understand or cannot effectively communicate the right
information to the guest he/she may be dissatisfied resulting in a loss of
revenue. It is important to be familiar with the language which the customer understands
to make him/her happy.
Handling complaints
In the situation when the
guest is not convinced with the quality of the product or service received, he/she
tends to register a complaint. Verbal communication plays a vital role in
pacifying a guest and initiating necessary actions to satisfy the guest.
To communicate with peers
A waiter may seek the support
of his/her peers in the restaurant to help the customer. Hence communication is
very important for information with peers in the restaurant.
How to improve verbal communication?
Choose words carefully
Organize your thoughts before
you deliver a talk to the guest or a peer. You must choose your words carefully
so as not to offend your guests.
Think of a script
It is a good idea to prepare a
script or outline for frequently asked questions of information that you will
have to share regularly. E.g. A waiter who is frequently asked the way
to the bar needs to prepare the answer in his/her mind to give a clear
answer.
Avoid the usage of slang
Slang terms vary across cultures
and some people might have no idea of what you’re talking about. The best
meaning to do is try and be as formal as possible.
Speak politely
The tone is one of the most important
factors in verbal communication. The wrong tone can completely throw off the
meaning you are trying to convey with your words.
Speak with a steady pace
It is suggested to speak at a
steady pace and ensure that a guest can hear and understand you properly.
Ask questions
Listen attentively and
carefully. Ask questions to understand the requirements of the customer.
Non-verbal communication
Non-verbal communication is a vital form of communication.
When we interact with outers, we continuously give and receive countless
wordless signals. All our behavior including the gesture we make, eye contact
and physical proximity sends strong messages to the person with whom we
communicate.
- Body language accounts for 75 percent of human communication
- Voice accounts for another 20 percent and specific words only about 5 percent.
Types and importance of
Non-verbal communications
Eye Contact
Eye contact is an important
aspect of interpersonal communication. Eye contact is especially important when
communicating with the peer as well as the customer. The way you look at
someone can communicate many things, including interest, affection, hostility,
or attraction. Eye contact is also important in maintaining the flow of conversation
and gauging the other person’s response. A waiter has to maintain eye contact to
express interest.
Facial expression
The human face is capable to express
countless emotions without saying a word.
Facial expressions are universal.
The face is the inbox of the mind and hence a waiter needs to wear a smile on his/her face to make the customer comfortable.
Gestures
We wave, point, and use our
hands when we are arguing or speaking animatedly expressing ourselves with gestures
often without thinking. E.g. A nod of the head is a gesture to indicate that you
accept what the other person says.
Space
We all need physical
space. You can use physical space to communicate many messages including
intimacy, aggression, dominance, or affection. A waiter shall neither be too
close nor far off from the customer.
Touch
We communicate a great deal through touch. A firm handshake, a timid tap on the shoulder, a reassuring pat on the back, or a controlling grip on your arm is some of them. A waiter is not expected to establish physical contact under normal circumstances.
After having understood the
various forms of non-verbal communication we now move on to knowledge of the do
and don’ts of nonverbal communication.
Do’s
- Be polite and humble to the client
- Stand erect and confidently
- Keep smiling
Don’ts
- Don’t point your hand toward your client
- Do not lean casually
- Don’t look stressed and unhappy
Listening Skills
Recognize the significance of
listening skills while interacting with customers.
Storytime
A little girl asked he, mother, to buy a few hangers to dry the clothes from a nearby shop. Since was in a playful mood she failed to remember the word hanger and described to the shopkeeper that she required an item that will help in drying the clothes. The shopkeeper gave her a rope to cater to the requirement. Her mother was perplexed at seeing the rope and made her walk back to the store to replace it with a hanger.
Listening
Listening is the process of receiving
information from the sender. It is taking an effort to hear and understand what
others speak.
Listening allows you to understand what someone is “talking about”. Listening skills involve asking for clarification, showing empathy, and providing an appropriate response therefore, the listener is actively working while the speaker is talking.
Listening Process:
Hearing > Understanding > Judging
Hearing: Hearing
just means listening enough to catch what the speaker is saying
Understanding: The next
part of listening happens when you take what you have heard and understand it
in your own way.
Judging: This
is the part of listening which enables one to analyze and come to a conclusion
on the message received. E.g. Do I believe in what he said?
Importance of listening in a
hospitality sector
1) Understanding the customer
satisfaction of the guest is
the key to success for any business and the hospitality sector is no exception to
that. To offer the right services, a waiter needs to listen to the
guest on what his/her needs are.
2) Developing a relationship
Success in any business will
depend greatly on how well we nurture our relationship with the guests. To
develop a relationship of trust, it is important to make the customer feel
important and careful listening is an important step in that direction.
3) To guide the customer
Before ordering a dish, the
customer may come up with a lot of queries about a dish that he intends to
order. Hence listening to the customer’s questions carefully would help us
guide him/her to order the appropriate dish or service.
4) Handle complaints
Customers may come up with
complaints and we must resolve those complaints quickly. To
ensure effective corrective action, a waiter needs to listen actively to what
the guest is trying to convey and understand the reason for his/her
dissatisfaction.
Customer Service and its importance
Customer service is one of the important building blocks of the hospitality industry and the following section emphasizes the importance of customer service to make you aware of its significance in successful business operations.
Importance of customer service
“Under-promise and over-deliver” should be the mantra for every successful waiter, who should be attentive and passionate about customer needs. If you satisfy a guest’s need, you are building the foundation to establish a relationship based on trust and loyalty.
Always be open to suggestions.
Understand what your guest expects from you. It is essential to understand the
importance of customer service in hospitality to make a positive difference in
the business.
Always remember that if you do
not serve your customers with what they are looking for, you might lose the
opportunity to serve them permanently. Customers should be the center of your
universe and your service should be designed around them.
“Having understood the importance of customer service is now it’s crucial to know about the expectations of the guest to serve them better.”
Expectations of a customer
1. Courteousness
The waiter needs to be courteous and polite to his customer always. Please remember guests are not always the same and a waiter may face guests ranging from polite to irritated he must maintain his cool irrespective of whatever time of the day he interacts with a guest.
2. Willingness to listen
Although it is typically our first instinct to talk first, listening can be of great help to communicate effectively. A guest needs to be given a feeling that he/she is the most important person in the business and one important aspect to fulfill that is to listen to what he/she says or expresses. A waiter needs to develop this as it is important to listen to the customer to serve him/her effectively.
3. Knowledge of hotel services
Sound knowledge of the hotel, its process, and your job will help you serve the guest in a better fashion. E.g. If a guest asks about the time when the buffet starts in the evening, a waiter should be able to answer his/her question or should be able to clarify his doubt after getting the information from the right source.
4. To be treated with respect
A guest is the whole purpose of existence for any hotel and he has to be treated with a fair amount of respect. It is recommended to treat all your guests alike irrespective of their difference concerning age, color, race, creed, and social status.
5. Punctual
Time is very precious in any person’s life and a guest would like you to respect his time. E.g. If a customer asks for a bill after completing a meal then it is the duty of the waiter in coordination with the other billing staff, to serve him/her without any delay.
6. Honesty
Tell the truth, even when it doesn’t seem to be in your best interest to do so Be honest to the customer in any situation. Being honest with the customers and your peers will always help you to gain their confidence. E.g. If a customer orders a dish that you know is not a fresh preparation it is good to inform him/her that the dish is not fresh and leave it to the customer to decide rather than giving a false promise that it is fresh.
7. Say I’m sorry
This is one of the first lessons we learn in life, yet some of us quickly forget it as we get older. The principle is very simple. If you have made a mistake, apologize for it. E.g. if you accidentally spill some water on the table while serving a customer apologize for the mistake.
Exceptional customer service exceeds customer expectations, where the standards and level of service received are what the customer could reasonably define as normal or expected.
To exceed the expectation of a customer it is important
Know your job and the service provided
by the hotel exceptionally well
To provide exceptional service
it is important to know the job and your place of work completely. E.g. If a
customer asks you if he can be served a cup of hot water at 5 am it is very
important that you give enough information to make him comfortable
Treat every customer like a
king
A guest comes back to any hotel
only if he remembers exceptional customer service and every member of the hotel
crew must treat the customer like a king
Exhibit empathy
A customer would like the hotel
staff to understand his point of view and hence it is important to think from
the guest’s standpoint.
Build trust
Loyalty is one important
aspect that will help to build a sense of trust with the customers.
“It Takes years to build a
reputation and moments to destroy”
Go that extra mile
It is always that extra mile
that one is willing to travel that will make the difference between customer
service and exceptional service. The guest will consider their experience to be
unforgettable through your innovative solutions to the customer’s problems
Exceptional customer service
prompts customers to share their experiences with others and makes them come
back to experience it again and again
“It is 6 times costlier to
find a new customer than to retain an existing customer”
