2. Objectives
To identify the importance of customer service in the hospitality industry.
To analyze ways to improve customer service in the hospitality industry.
To discuss proper customer service techniques in the restaurant, lodging and travel industries.
To develop verbal and nonverbal communication skills in tourism customer service.

3. Main Menu
Introduction to Tourism Services Tourism Service Techniques

4. Introduction to Tourism Services

5. Tourism Service
Is the process of helping tourists by addressing their wants and needs with respect and dignity in a timely manner
Is one of the most important factors for tourists during their visit to a hospitality operation

6. Tourism Services
Are primarily intangible, but provide tangible elements
airline transportation service is intangible, but there are tangible elements such as aircraft, food and seats
Can also be purely intangible
travel insurance offers entirely intangible services

7. Tourism Services Characteristics:
inseparability – guests need to be present when the service is being performed (ex a dining experience)
heterogeneity – service varies each time (ex a hotel does not provide the exact same service to every customer)
perishability - service cannot be stored (ex a flight ticket will be invalid if not used at the scheduled time)

8. Good Customer Service Benefits the hospitality:
building customer loyalty
expanding potential customer numbers
establishing a good reputation

9. Good Customer Service Continued increasing sales
increase the rating –A five-star hotel is expected to deliver exceptional services

10. Methods of Improving Customer Service
emphasizing services
determining the target guests
understanding guests’ wants and needs
delivering consistent service
recruiting service-minded employees
training service staff
evaluating and modifying service delivery

11. Emphasizing on Service
Involves:
emphasizing the critical importance of service in the hospitality industry
discussing standards of quality service with managers and employees
continuously seeking ways to provide better services

12. Determining the Target Guests
Involves:
understanding what the hospitality operation can offer.
understanding the guests may vary depending on the season or time of day.

13. Understanding Guests’ Wants & Needs
Involves:
conducting a survey and asking questions such as “what would make your visit more enjoyable?”
observing guests’ reactions to the services provided.
asking employees about guests’ feedback.

14. Delivering Consistent Service
Involves:
benchmarking - determining what the hospitality operation does on a specific service and what other properties do to improve service quality
using cross-functional teams – employees from different departments work together to solve operational problems

15. Selecting Service-Minded Employees
Employees who have the potential to deliver thoughtful and consistent service
Employees who are outgoing and friendly tend to be
Employees that are emphasizing problem-solving skills

16. Training Service Staff
Introducing new staff to the businesses mission statement and standard customer service procedures
Supervising new staff to fulfill work tasks and satisfy customers’ requirements
Grant authority to employees to make key decisions within the employees’ areas of responsibility

17. Positive Customer Feedback
Should be praised by the supervisor

18. Negative Customer Feedback
Should be taken into careful consideration by the supervisor and should be addressed
Examples
“The rooms were unclean.”
“The hostess was inattentive.”
“The receptionist sounded as if she/he was in a bad mood.”

19. Positive & Negative Feedback
Continually better employees’ customer service skills
past experiences
stress levels
outlook
attitude
excitement

20. Trained Service Staff
Should be able to adapt to positive and negative feedback
Qualities to have
patience
attentiveness
communication skills
knowledge of company/product
time management skills
work ethic
willingness to learn

21. Tourism Service Techniques

22. Exceptional Services is: smiling maintaining eye contact
acknowledging guests
reflecting a genuine interest in providing quality service
considering each guest to be unique
looking for ways to improve guest service skills

23. Exceptional Services creating a comfortable environment for the guests
being courteous, polite and attentive
satisfying guests’ wants and needs
paying careful attention to determine what guests’ really want and need
inviting guests to return

24. Customer Services In the hospitality industry include:
restaurant services
lodging services
travel and tourism services

25. Restaurant Services Requires the waitstaff to be:
knowledgeable about the food and beverage menus
interested in meeting the needs of the diners
familiar with the restaurant history and chef’s specialty
respectful without being overly polite
friendly without being too involved in the dinner conversation

26. Restaurant Services Involves: greeting the guests presenting the menu
taking the order
serving the food
presenting the check

27. Greeting the Guests Involves:
approaching the table within 30 seconds of the guests’ seating
Be confident, “Good evening, my name is… and I will be taking care of you tonight.”

28. Presenting the Menu Involves:
describing the specials
offering the guest a beverage, Water or tea
Wine is offed by the sommelier, or wine steward, in fine-dining restaurants

29. Taking the Order Involves: providing a brief description of the menu
suggesting food items according to the guest’s taste and specific requirements
thanking the guests and collecting the menus, ladies first, in a clockwise direction, followed by the men, in a clockwise direction

30. Serving the Food Involves:
serving food starting from the right side of the table in most cases
special event, such as a wedding or banquet
the guest of honor should be served first, then female guests, and then male guests. The host or hostess should be served last

31. Presenting the Check Involves:
clearing the plates and allowing guests time to digest before presenting the check
presenting check
pay close attention throughout the meal and see who seems to be leading the meal
when you are not sure who is paying, place the bill in the middle of the table and let guests know they can pay whenever they are ready

32. Payment Options May include the following: credit or debit card check
cash

33. Lodging Services Requires the hotel staff to:
hotel staff should do their best to accommodate guest needs and wants, including providing the best service, food and facilities
many hotels have holiday baskets, cards or other small gifts to make the guest’s stay more pleasant

34. Lodging Services Involves: Front of the house services
housekeeping services
food and beverage services

35. Front Desk Services Involves: 1. Registration
checking guests in, handling money and making reservations
guests will need to provide a form of identification and a credit card at check in

36. Front Desk Services
2. Assigning guests to rooms based on the following:
guest preference
guest needs
noise zoning
3. Providing guests with information for all areas of the hotel, including housekeeping, food and beverage and surrounding communities

37. Front Desk Services
4. Checking guests out in a friendly manner and providing them with updated list of charges

38. Housekeeping Services
Involves:
replacing linens and towels from the room and bathroom
removing trash
cleaning the room and bathroom, including mirrors, windows, furniture and appliances
impressing guests with little details, such as folding the end of the toilet paper and placing chocolates on pillows

39. Food & Beverage Services
Involves:
providing excellent food and environment for guests who are dining in the hotel’s restaurant
offering room service, which allows guests to order meals from their hotel rooms
providing alcohol and beverage services in the restaurant's bar
offering snack and alcohol services beside the swimming pool

40. Travel & Tourism Services
Include:
transportation services
entertainment services
professional meeting services

41. Transportation Services
Involves:
taking guests from one place to another via airplanes, buses, ships, trains and other vehicles
providing guests with information about the trip, including the expected time of arrival at the destination
providing special care for customers with special needs, such as offering special meals and wheelchair service

42. Entertainment Services
Involves:
providing activities for tourists who travel for leisure purposes, such as amusement parks, golf clubs and cruises
offering additional services, such as tourist guides and souvenir shopping services
providing food and beverage services in travel destinations

43. Professional Meeting Services
Involves:
planning, organizing and coordinating professional meetings or conventions
managing and promoting exhibitions, tradeshows and special events
following up after the meetings, exhibitions or special events to evaluate customer satisfaction

44. References
Goeldner, C. R., Ritchie, J. R., & McIntosh, R. W. (2000). Tourism: Principles, practices, philosophies. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons
Cook, R. A., Yale, L. J., & Marqua, J. J. (2006). Tourism: The business of travel. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education 　

45. References

46. Acknowledgement
Production Coordinator Caroline Huang-Loggains Graphic Designer Daniel Johnson Melody Rowell Technical Writer Jessica Odom Brand Manager Megan O’Quinn V.P. of Brand Management Clayton Franklin
Executive Producer
Gordon W. Davis, Ph.D.
CEV Multimedia, Ltd.
© MMXV