CLARENDON COLLEGE INC.

Odiong, Roxas, Oriental Mindoro

Professional Development

Guest Relations in the Tourism and Hospitality Industry

Definition of Guest Relations

Guest relations in the perspective of the hospitality industry, can be defined as a series of activities
designed to enhance the level of customer or guest satisfaction - an act that results in the realization or
solicitation of a positive experience derived from the acquisition of a product or service, the ultimate
goal is to meet if not to exceed guests' expectations.

Customer Relations is a field of specialization. Many may claim that they are experts in this field but
then again, no one may claim that one knows everything about customer relations. In an ever-changing
nature of customer, based on taste, wants, and needs, one can only be assured of the fact that there is
always something new around the corner. The trick is to know how to keep up.

The Nature of Guest Relations

The predisposition of hospitality professionals and guests are shown in this simple diagram. The guest
simply has needs; the hospitality professional is simply trying to run a business. The trick is, for the
hospitality professional not to over-do, or over-step boundaries that places a limitation in doing guest
services, each side has a somewhat solid perspective on the subject matter.

From the guest's point of view, this is what is owed to them, degrees and variations may exist specially
in each individual's guest's perspective on what is of value to them.
 CLARENDON COLLEGE INC.
Odiong, Roxas, Oriental Mindoro

Professional Development

From the hospitality professionals' point of view, we simply want to turn a profit without losing an arm
or a leg. Their movements are limited by the size of what they value most.

In layman's terms, the grid below simplifies what each side wants and the solution each may or may not
be willing to take.

YOU GUEST

WIN = LOSE

LOSE = WIN

LOSE = LOSE

WIN = WIN

In a YOU WIN, and GUEST LOSE situation, should you end up winning an argument with a guest, you may
have triumphantly shown your point to the guest, who scurries back to a corner defeated. Oh, sure the
guest deserves it, after all, the guest lied and wasn't truthful to you, so you should really stick it to them,
where it hurts.

The mindset of winning and not compromising can be good and yet at the same time could be a pitfall
that makes you actually lose more value than what you have gained. You might have gained financially
in this little skirmish, but you may have really lost. This cannot be counted by a financial medium but can
be quantifiable in terms of media mileage.

Let's make it simple, guests lose, guests get bad experience from their stay (bad being relative only to
the guest's point of view) which in turn the guests tell other people what you made them experience.
 CLARENDON COLLEGE INC.
Odiong, Roxas, Oriental Mindoro

Professional Development

These other people tell other people bad before you know it, it becomes a full-blown pandemic, with
your property on the receiving bad end, of course this may not always ne the outcome but it could be.

There are guests and there are GUESTS, most are fair, but some may be quite unfair, literally.

A staff for instance gets a check for items missing from the mini-bar and the guest disputes and refuses
to pay for its entirety. This is a dilemma. How can you collect from a person who does not want to pay?
Some options come to mind such as, let's insist that the items were there in the mini bar when the
guests checked in and now they are not there anymore when the guest checked out. This is rather very
naive but in case you might have forgotten the guest just disputed the amount stating, in fact that "NO, I
DID NOT TAKE ANYTHING FROM THE MINI- BAR!"

What do you do? Blacklist the guy or better yet, call the police to deal with him. Questions come to mind
such as, is the lodging property willing to write off the charge? If the amount is negligible, then perhaps
it is possible, but what if you are dealing with a very large sum?

If you, the hospitality professional should lose, the question is how much value did you

lose and if you win, the question is how much value did you win? If you appear to have lost, how much
value did you really part within favor of the guest?

Despite the benefits, many companies are still not fully exercising the use of these tools

Despite the benefits, many companies are still not fully exercising the use of these tools and services to
align marketing, sales, and service to best serve the BIGGER PICTURE.

If YOU like to win, you may get the upper hand on the situation by convincing the guest, on the
perception of having the deal, but in most realities, this may not be the case.
 CLARENDON COLLEGE INC.
Odiong, Roxas, Oriental Mindoro

Professional Development

Reality check on this example:

Ever notice why minibar items so darn right expensive, some properties have what they call a ft00%
policy, the goal of which is to overcharge a can of soft drink which costs around PHP 25.00 to PHP 100.00
each. Why?

Let's do the math, guest check's out, minibar charge is PHP tf00.00 for FOUR (0tf) cans of soft drink,
guest disputes the charge stating that they only took TWO (02) cans and not FOUR (0tf). Receptionist
agrees immediately without batting any eyelash to write off PHP 200.00 or TWO (02) cans of soft drink
from the guest's bill.

Now how did that work for the property?

Well, basically a can of your favorite soft drink here only costs PHP 25.00, with the PHP 200.00 payment
received from the guest basically covered the overall cost of FOUR (0tf) cans of soft drink. In effect still
you make a profit of PHP 100.00. The company did not lose anything and as a plus gained the undying
gratitude of a guest getting what they perceived to be a FIFTY (50%) PERCENT discount, at the very least
everyone walks away happy, even if it is only skin deep.

Guest Relation Skills

In the lodging industry, it is safe to say that our guests pay for our salary; therefore, we must also
anticipate their needs and provide for them. Guests expect one or either of the following.

Teamwork
 CLARENDON COLLEGE INC.
Odiong, Roxas, Oriental Mindoro

Professional Development

The problem with teamwork is that people are the hardest to get along with. Each tends to be
competitive with one another, and personal interests are often in the way.

Now, the problem here is getting everyone to work together, any successful organization must learn to
seamlessly interact with each and every component of his organization, from the lowest to the highest,
horizontal, or lateral interactive communication, all with one singular unidirectional goal, which they
must not lose sight of, as every individual may have his or her own idea of doing things, which may
spawn disagreements in a multitude of levels.

TEAMWORK is the strength and backbone of any organization, the seamless interaction, and singular
focus of its team member will be the pathway to success, believe in your people and make your people
believe in themselves.

Job Knowledge and Consistency

This runs on the assumption that more often that people care to admit, some areas or departments on
the lodging properties often on more than one occasion does not know what the other is doing. Simply
placed in a perspective, the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing. Although a simple
"assembly line procedure can readily rectify this problem" by improving methods in communication and
policies which govern process and movements of service.

A person cannot claim to know everything! When posed with a situation that solicits a response which
you have no knowledge of, the answer is just secondary, but the more important question factor is how
does one answer.

Did you give your guest a brick wall or a choice?

Professional Development

Simply saying, "I don't know" or giving a blank stare will not do immaculate things for your property's
image. This might come as a surprise for you, but guests will appreciate honest straight to the point
answers, more so, even if you didn't know the answer to the query, simply reply "I do not have that
information with me right now, but I can get it for you"

Guests do not like brick walls in front of them, DON'T PROVIDE THEM WITH ANOTHER. These walls may
come in the form of an employee who does not have full or complete knowledge of what it is your
organization is selling, thereby creating inconsistencies or discrepancies in product or service turn out,
the customer or guest ends up repeating themselves in relating their concerns, like a squirrel running
around the bush, and practically going nowhere.

Remember, a positive aspect of your personality is that it is always interactive, proactive and
reciprocation.

Customers look to Front Line Personnel for inquiries that require answers, only to get none. The
objective here is not to ensure that as Front-Line Personnel one must know everything, well, if not
everything, at the very least one must know how to acquire information for its implementation. When
one says no, you just put up a brick wall in front of the customer or guest, but if as hospitality
professionals one finds out for the customer on how to make his "request" a reality, then an alternative
is presented, and not a brick wall. This way, it is more focused on the fact that it shows you having the
willingness to do something. The greatest sin in customer service is not focused on the knowledge of
your product only but also the short sightedness in saying "no" or "I don't know" to your customers. You
create frustration in your customers which in turn will make you lose them, for certain. One must be
effective in this field; a good foundation will complement on how and what kind of experience does one
effectively deal with customers or guests.
 CLARENDON COLLEGE INC.
Odiong, Roxas, Oriental Mindoro

Professional Development

In the hospitality industry a wide array of knowledge is needed to keep up with the needs of your
customers. This knowledge base will be a repository of information on everything that may concern
customer service and their needs, easily accessible to both. A singular mind-set and knowledge base will
empower staff members in doing their jobs without losing sight of an organizations common goal. This
may not only be limited but may include the following.

1. Operational Policy and Product Knowledge, these are guidelines and mechanics on how the company
works, usually established through a comprehensive training program. How can Front Line Personnel sell
products and services when they do not even know what it is they are selling?

2. Market Segments, in as much operational policy and product knowledge go to the top of the list,
knowing which product to sell and who to sell to is equally important. One cannot sell something to a
person who does not need it or cannot afford it.

Did you ever had a time when you called up a customer service hotline that does not know anything
about what in the worlds it is that you are talking about? Well, welcome to the club!

ft. Guests expect to have their inquiries answered promptly and expeditiously. In fairness, it does not
mean that you have to be a know-it-all. Plainly speaking, you simply do not know everything, however,
your behavior between your interaction and your guest, can be a factor when it comes to addressing
your guests needs.

fT. Customers like to be in control of things or at least have the perception of control. A company may
establish empowerment to its customers by creating interactive measures that allow the company to
hear out or listen to what the customer needs through feedback centers like an interactive web-based
customer feedback program, wherein you can hear out positive or negative reviews about one's product
and/or services. Through the action you give the customer voice to heard or understood. This works also
as a forum for new ideas, elimination of redundant inquiries that would otherwise create unwanted
bottle necks that occur through manual inquiries. Usually through mediums such as email, telephone,
 CLARENDON COLLEGE INC.
Odiong, Roxas, Oriental Mindoro

Professional Development

voice inquiries, and front of the house inquiries, not to mention customer feedback is a goldmine of
information.

5. Courtesy and empathy are feathers on your personality care, an example to the testament of a
positive, proactive, interactive, and reciprocal personality.

The goal here is to capture the customer's perspective concerning their needs, how does one sell
something? Find out what that customer needs and fill in that need.

This is the most effective by practicing feedback management at the point of interaction. What
customers hate is having to wait for results especially if it is concerning a complaint about lodging
property's product or service.

6. Implementation of a real-time feedback mechanism will allow your company to deliver much
needed action to your customer's concerns. Realization in the completion or addressing over customer
concerns must be focused at the conclusion or every significant interaction, and to hoteliers. This is a
defining moment of truth.

7. What happens if there is no positive ending to this interaction? An escalation workflow mechanism
must be in place to escalate the problem to a person in authority which can address the problem, rather
than disappoint the customer

ff. Empowering employees is geared in improving the customer's experience, as a lodging property is
not summarily selling rooms, food, beverages and other services. These are just by products of what
really is the hospitality industry's main products. We are in the business of selling experiences

9. Everyone wants respect; and believe it or not most of you may demand it but only a few of you ever
compromise in giving it away for free. Courtesy translates to respect. Walk for a few steps in your
guests shoes, to get that feel of things on what may really need.
 CLARENDON COLLEGE INC.
Odiong, Roxas, Oriental Mindoro

Professional Development

10. The approachability of your organization, the ease in which your guests are able to reach you and
reap the benefits which you can provide them is what sets the tone of a positive guest encounter. Make
your communications lines proactive, as this represents as a tether or a lifeline to other respective
departments in your company.

The reality of today's hospitality business is all about your choice or alternatives. Options like their
ability to reach you any time at their own convenience. There is an endless list on methods of
communication, ranging from mobile phones that do voice, SMS, internet data, and email to more
traditional methods like fax or even letters, but these are the least of your concerns in reaching out to
your customers. More on the positive consistency or each time you gain contact with them this
translates to more loyal customers which translates to more business.

LISTEN TO YOUR CUSTOMERS.

Consider this scenario; a customer/guest calls your customer hotline, and he gets a packaged voice
prompt that runs him through a gauntlet of questions with a lot of selections, i.e. press on for English,
press two for Taglish, and eventually, after all that pressing and listening, provided that he did not make
a mistake in which button to push. Listening to your customers is important and give extra attention to
the call they make. Listening to your customers is a good service. Service is a Product; you cannot sell a
product if you can't get it to your customer.

Know How to Handle Complaints

We would like to think that hospitality professionals are like plumbers fixing leaks, and the first rule in
fixing a leak us to find out first where the source of the leak is coming from. According to Michael L.
Kasavana, Ph.D. and Richard M. Brooks, CHA, in their book, Managing Front office Operations, they
 CLARENDON COLLEGE INC.
Odiong, Roxas, Oriental Mindoro

Professional Development

stated that guest complaints can be categorically separated into four points of origin or categories.
Knowing where each (leak) comes from will boost your effectiveness dealing with such issues.

1. Mechanical

2. Attitude

ft. Service

tf. Unusual

Mechanical

Complaints that fall under this category relate to hardware equipment that either breaks down or
malfunctions translating to complaints. These may range from electrical appliances, machinery
plumbing, environmental controls and so on.

Usually, an excellent preventive maintenance program can manage problems originating from
complaints of this nature, however, one should rear its ugly head one may displace or replace the
affected equipment, depending on whether it is attached to anything or if it is transportable or movable
depends entirely on which is more convenient for your guest.

For example:

If the air-condition in a room is failing, you would think of changing the air-conditioning unit if it is
movable (not the case in centralized air-conditioning); however, you must first consider the convenience
and inconvenience such an endeavor will bring to your guest, elements of time, considerations on how
long will it take to replace, when did the breakdown occur (in the middle of the night while the guest is
sleeping?) or will you just simply change the room for the guests?
 CLARENDON COLLEGE INC.
Odiong, Roxas, Oriental Mindoro

Professional Development

Attitude

Among all complaints, attitude is one of the hardest to diffuse as this mainly deals with the person or
staff interacting with your customer or guest, nevertheless, this does not diminish your organizations
liability in the process.

Guests usually take attitudinal complaints personally, especially if they feel slighted or insulted by the
behavior that was shown or directed at them. Even if the case may be an indirect form of contact such
as guest overhearing staff conversations, depending on the topic the staff members are discussing, may
constitute attitudinal complaints. As the case may be, it is a complaint which cannot be replaced but
only compensated.

Service

Service is a product but unlike for example a beverage which does not agree with a guests' taste, it
cannot be returned.

For example:

A guest goes to your lodging property, uses the main door, but unfortunately the doorman forgets to
open the door for him, and needless to say he doesn't even greet the guest. You simply cannot tell the
guest to please go out again, so that the doorman can open the door and greet him properly. That
would certainly be ridiculous.

In this scenario, a failure in service can only be addressed by making up with it by either not repeating
the incident again or making it up to the guest by giving a form of pacifier or compensation. Ironically a
 CLARENDON COLLEGE INC.
Odiong, Roxas, Oriental Mindoro

Professional Development

lodging property more often generates more service-related complaints as its occupancy goes up and
the limits of its current standing manpower are tested to its limitations.

The Unusual Complaint

Guests may complain about a lot of things and some of them may include awkward if not unusual
situations that may completely dumbfound or at the very least may sound new. Unusual complaints are
usually nothing fancy but are mostly characterized by the simple fact that the lodging property simply
cannot do anything about it, let alone control such a situation. You would often receive a complaint
concerning the weather for instance; a guest is upset about the rain. It is not that you have a direct line
to God, that one could ask Him to hold off the downpour until the guest finishes having breakfast al
fresco. As a Front Office Manager, you have had your fair share of complaints concerning aesthetics, of
how a room has been laid out or constructed, one particular guest even complained about the direction
of the bed and television set, that it was bad fungshui that they were placed facing each other,
nonetheless, your guests still expects you to react and solve these problems (needs) expeditiously if not
prudently but the very least that you can do in resolving it is just LISTEN. Believe it or not, some guests
with unusual complaints only need to be heard, their concerns taken seriously and not fall in deaf ears.