1. Hospitality Customer Service
What? Why? Who? and How!
to be Successful

2. Hospitality Success

3. Hospitality Smile
A great Customer Service smile will attract people to approach you and be friendly. An even friendlier smile and body language, means people will feel safe ask to you for help no matter where you are.

4. Agenda What is Successful Customer Service?
Why is Customer Service so Important?
Who is Involved in Customer Service?
How to Offer the Best Customer Service?
Method
Recovery
Teamwork

5. is Successful Hospitality Customer Service ?
What?
is Successful Hospitality Customer Service ?

6. What? Hospitality Success
What is Successful Hospitality Customer Service?
Hospitality is the friendly, generous welcome and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers. (e.g. hotels, restaurants, etc)
Customer Service is EVERY interaction between a customer and an employee:
In-person
Telephone
or Letter
Website
Physical space (e.g: experience when customer walks into the room)
Successful Customer Service is when the customer and the server both have their needs and expectations met

7. Customer Experience Excellence

8. Customer’s have Feelings too

9. What? Legal Requirements
Safety
Hygiene / Health
Alcohol service
Gaming service
Discrimination
Accessibility for Disabilities

10. What? First Impression Clean, Tidy, Visually appealing, Safe
Welcoming, Polite, Attentive, Friendly, Helpful, Willingness to listen, Respectful, Value my time
How long does it take to form a first impression?
Examples
KingBurger Video
Southwest Airlines Video
Fewest customer complaints 18 years in a row
Profitable for 40 years in a row
Top 10 companies to work for in the United States

11. What? Second Impression
Clean, Tidy, Visually appealing, Safe
Welcoming, Polite, Attentive, Friendly, Helpful, Willingness to listen, Respectful, Value my time
Good Communication, Knowledgeable, Responsive, Efficient, Responsible, Reliable, Organized, Trustworthy, Understanding, Good Follow-Up
Examples
Wendy 2:15 -end
Marriott 0:44-7:50

12. What? Loyalty Consistent quality & value for money
Personalities look for:
Green: efficient, knowledgeable, innovative,
Blue : friendly, feel included, part of the family
Gold: consistent, predictable, feel important
Orange: variety, receives positive attention, specials

13. What? Loyalty

14. What? Server’s Needs Respectful people
Clear communication about customer expectations
Clear communication about employer expectations
Positive Feedback

15. What? Reflection 1
Choose a company where you have been a customer several times over the last year or more
E.g. grocery store, bank, restaurant, clothing store, coffee shop, cell phone company…
Answer first 4 questions

16. What? Complaints are Gifts

17. What? Complaints are Gifts

18. What? Complaints are Gifts
How can you find out the complaints from people who don’t complain because they are passive?
Be open and friendly and eager to listen
Ask questions, if they say ‘fine’ or ‘ok’ or you notice they won’t eye contact with you then try:
Please, I’m trying to learn ways to improve my customer service, can you help me?

19. What? Complaints are Gifts

20. What? Complaints are Gifts
Thank you so much for bringing this to my attention.
I appreciate knowing about this and hope you will give me the opportunity to make it ‘right’.
Thank you for telling me and thank you for your patience while we do our best to win your trust back
Unhappy customers may be like this gorilla video

21. What? Your Turn
With a sentence or two, describe a difficult or challenging scenario that you observed or experienced during your Co-op, workplace or school.

22. Managing Conflict
Read note pg 43 in Customer Service Survival Toolkit
Share story pg 9 - ask students to prepare response.
Review the recommended response on pg 11 and brainstorm what lessons there are to be learned.
Active listening with Empathy
Convince them you have listened and understood
Avoid empty apologies, excuses, blaming, getting defensive …
The Customer Survival Kit - What to say to Defuse even the Worst Customer Situations, Richard S. Gallagher, 2013

23. Customer Service Survival Tool Kit
Share story from pages 25 and ask students to prepare a response.
Review the recommended response on pg 26 and brainstorm what lessons there are to be learned.
Active listening with Empathy
Convince them you have listened and understood
Avoid empty apologies, excuses, blaming, getting defensive …

24. What? Measuring Satisfaction
A few ways of Measuring Satisfaction:
Comment Cards
On-the-spot surveys (Did you find what you wanted?)
Surveys (online or paper)
Online Reviews such as TripAdvisor
Mystery shopper
Loyalty Cards

25. Check Online Reviews

26. Tripadvisor sample reviews
Albert at Bay “Always a Great Stay”
Reviewed yesterday
Just returned from a 9 Night Stay. The suites are huge, clean, and the staff are all so friendly. My wife and I always feel safe and comfortable when we stay here. Always nice to see Bernadette and the front desk staff. This suites hotel gives you great value for your money. Thanks again for another great stay,
Westin Ottawa “Exceptional Service”
Reviewed 1 week ago
The vibe in this hotel is very energetic , the staff super friendly . Rooms ( and I am OCD on cleaniness) were clean, bright and beautiful. Before we even showed up the staff was in contact asking what we needed and though the notes were in a preset format their responses to my requests were anything but standard. The service and friendliness of their staff is what made this a 5 star visit.

27. Albert at Bay “Second to none!!!”
I travel very often and probably stay in different hotels 50 to 100 times a year. The Albert at Bay in Ottawa far exceeds anyplace I stay at in all of Ontario. Whether it is the front desk with Bernadette who I often refer to as the face of the Albert at Bay or when I make meeting arrangements with Erin (Catering Manager) or Danika in the Marketing group the service is always enjoyable and top rated. Even to the cleaning staff who refuse to get onto an elevator when a customer is already on it as I believe they do not want to inconvenience any of the guests with the smell of the cleaning carts, this just shows how much they care about your stay at their hotel.
I could go on and on in my review of how great this hotel is but when you are planning on a visit to the Nation's Capitol of Ottawa you need to experience this for yourself to truly appreciate the hospitality that comes from all who look after your every need and are always ready to resolve issues immediately. This is what a 5 star hotel should visit to strive after.

28. What? Measuring Satisfaction
Questions must be action oriented:
How would you Improve our product/service?
How can we improve?
If you could change one thing about our service what would it be? Why?
What was one thing you love about our service? Why?
How does our product compare to competitors?
What are a few words you’d use to describe our product/ service?
In what way is our product weak compared to competitors?
Note: if you only ask how happy they are, you won’t know how to change

29. What? Your Turn & Reflection 2
Question for customer video
For your Chosen company, answer question #5:
What customer satisfactions measurement tools do they use?
Are they effective tools?
What other tools would you recommend?
In your Teams, create some customer satisfaction measurement tools. (hint: who are your customers?)

30. is Successful Customer Service Important?
Why?
is Successful Customer Service Important?

31. Why? Success = Happy Customers & Employees => Future Customers
Why do we want to learn Successful Customer Service?
Success = Happy Customers & Employees
=> Future Customers

32. Why? Perception
Differences in perception between the Service Provider and the Service Receiver

33. How? Gold & Platinum Rules
Golden Rule =
Treat others as you want them to treat you
Platinum Rule =
Treat others as they want to be treated
Why is Platinum so much better for Customer Service?

34. Why? Needs vs Expectations
Need = solve a problem
e.g. Hungry = need food, Tired = need bed
Expectation = value expected for the money
The level of quality and service should match the amount spent
Different expectations
If spending $10 for meal or $50 for meal.
if spending $50 for a hotel room or $300 for room
4 Tips 4 Success
Expectations & Surprises & Stories & Names

35. What? Predicting Expectations
Being able to predict your customer’s needs and expectations will make your work easier, more efficient, more effective and more rewarding
Practice by predicting 2 or 3 questions that will be on the final exam. Imagine HT is your customer. You will not be paid with money, you will be paid with a certificate (if you can prove you have learned how to be a good hospitality employee…)

36. Why? Money

37. Why? Money

38. Why? Your Turn
Look on Tripadvisor.ca to read some reviews of the hotel where you are doing your co-op.
Continue working on your Housekeeping List on the htjobs.pbworks.com
If there are not enough computers, share them by working on your Business Venture project

39. is Part of Successful Hospitality Customer Service ?
Who?
is Part of Successful Hospitality Customer Service ?

40. Who?

41. Who? Who is involved in Customer Service?
whole organization has to be geared to customer service, even the employees who never meet the customer. Everyone should be given the tools and support and power to provide excellent customer service.

42. Who? Internal & External
What is the difference between an Internal Customer & External Customer?
External Customer = a customer who brings money into the company (e.g. a hotel guest)
Internal Customer = a customer who is paid by the same company that you are paid by (e.g. front desk, housekeeper, laundry, custodian, houseman…)

43. Who? Disabilities Disability – Difficulty performing an activity
Accessibility barrier – Any obstacle that make it difficult — sometimes impossible — for people with disabilities to do the things most people take for granted (examples)
Handicap – When an accessibility barrier puts someone with a disability at a disadvantage.

44. Who? Disabilities
The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) became law in 2005
Accessibility standards in 5 areas will gradually become law between 2005 and The first area to become law was Customer Service in Jan 1st 2012.
*Customer Service
Employment
Information and Communication
Transportation
Design of public spaces

45. Who? Disabilities Customer Service Laws for AODA
Step 1 – Create and put policies in place for serving customers with disabilities
Step 2 – Provide training to staff on how to provide accessible service to customers with disabilities
Step 3 – Put policies, practices, and procedures in writing (if more than 20 employees)
Step 4 – Report progress online (for more than 20 employees)

46. Who? Disabilities Online Training Course
Talk to Me Video (Intro & Hospitality)
Online Training Course

47. Who? Disabilities
Review the Resource material for each of the 8 Disability Scenarios:
Deaf, deafened, oral deaf, and hard of hearing
Intellectual or developmental
Learning
Mental health
Speech or language
Physical or mobility
Vision loss
Deafblind
Helen Keller video & Complete Awareness Quiz with a Partner

48. Who? Your Turn
Practice the scenarios with your partner for each type of disability:
Deaf, deafened, oral deaf, and hard of hearing
Intellectual or developmental
Learning
Mental health
Speech or language
Physical or mobility
Vision loss
Deafblind

49. Who? Your Turn
Create and Practice scenarios with your partner for each type of disability in Customer Service
Share concerns and lessons learned

50. Who? Your Turn & Reflection 2
Final AODA Quiz & Certificate
For your chosen company, answer question #6:
What are the accommodations for disabilities and what would you recommend they have.
In your Teams, describe what accommodations you will include in your business venture for disabilities

51. Who? Diversity - Demographics
Demographics are characteristics of a person such as:
Race, gender, height, age, income, culture, disabilities, education level, religion, sexual preference, employment status, where they live…
Example of when demographics were not taken into account (Disney or bus driver smile)

52. Who? Diversity in Workplace
Diversity in the World & Workplace
Cultural Diversity in the workplace
Advantages of Diversity
Larger client base, potential for more customers and more profits, learning and growth for employees, enriched experiences
DisAdvantages of Diversity
Conflicts, misunderstandings, cost for training, costs for variety, complications, informal clusters…

53. Who? Your Turn – Reflection 2
For your chosen company, answer the question #7:
What are the demographics for the internal customers? (age, gender, culture, etc)
What are the demographics for the external customers? (age, gender, culture, etc)

54. Who? Personalities How to service different personality types
Green: efficient, knowledgeable, innovative,
Blue : friendly, feel included, part of the family
Gold: consistent, predictable, feel important
Orange: variety, receives positive attention, specials

55. Who? Your Turn
Practice the scenarios with your partner for each type of personality colour.
Write reflection #8
about something you’ve found helpful for working with different personalities
How can you use your own colours to help you improve your job interviews?

56. Who? Life Stories & Attitude
How to service people with different life stories
Looking deeper
Looking inside (hospital)
How is your Attitude?
Can you leave your personal problems at home and your work problems at work?
My worst day…

57. What? Your Turn – Reflection 3
For your chosen company, reflect on Question #9:
Describe the Personality types of the Internal customers and the External customers
In your Teams, describe the personality types of the Internal and the External customers

58. do we Create Successful Hospitality Customer Service ?
How?
do we Create Successful Hospitality Customer Service ?

59. How? Best Customer Service
How can we offer the Best Customer Service?
Fred’s Customer Service (first 1 minute)
Treat your customers as you would treat a friend
Treat people with Respect whether they deserve it or not
Core Values
Ask people what they want and listen
RitzCarleton & Apple – Three Easy steps
Warm Welcome
Anticipate and Meet their needs & expectations
Fond Farewell & Invitation to Return

60. How? Service Vision/Slogan
The purpose of a Service Vision or Slogan is explain why we exist and what do we offer that is unique? It tells the customer what to expect and reminds the employees what to offer.
Examples:
Ritz-Carleton: We pledge to provide the finest personal service and facilities for our guests who will always enjoy a warm, relaxed, yet refined ambience. The Ritz-Carlton experience enlivens the senses, instills well-being, and fulfills even the unexpressed wishes and needs of our guests.
Subway: Eat Fresh! Our goal is to be ranked the number one Quick Service Restaurant worldwide while maintaining the great-tasting freshness of our products that is our trademark.  
SW airlines: Our vision is to become the world’s most loved, most flown, and most profitable airline. We exist to connect people to what’s important in their lives through friendly, reliable, and low-cost air travel.

61. How? Service Vision/Slogan
MasterCard: There are some things money can't buy. For everything else, there's MasterCard.
BMW: The Ultimate Driving Machine
M&M: Melts in Your Mouth, Not in Your Hands
De Beers: A Diamond is Forever
Meow Mix: Tastes So Good, Cats Ask for It by Name
The New York Times:  All the News That's Fit to Print
State Farm: Like a Good Neighbor, State Farm is There
Fairmont Hotels: Turning moments into cherished memories for our guests
Marriott Hotel: Putting people first, pursuing excellence, embracing change, acting with integrity and serving our world

62. How? Your Turn For your chosen company, answer the question #10
What is the Customer Service Slogan or Vision? Or if you don’t know, make one up that you recommend
In your Teams, what is the the Customer Service Slogan and Vision? Does it explain why you exist and how your work is unique?

63. How? Service Method - HART
Hello my name is _ Welcome to __ How may I help you?
Actively listen
Respond to needs & expectations
Thank the customer

64. How?

65. How? Your Turn Practice the scenarios with your partner using HART
1. You are lost on your way to your hotel room. Carrying a heavy bag and a suitcase, you notice a housekeeper/houseman who is busy at a cart in the hall.
2. You have discovered that there are towels for 3 people but you are a group of 4. None of you can figure out how to work the air conditioning unit in a very hot hotel room. You notice a housekeeper/man coming down the hall towards you.

66. How? Problem Recovery Difference between expectation & actual
Mistakes happen – can you recognize them & recover?
Most customers don’t complain – complaints are gifts
Recovered customers are often more loyal than before
Follow up
With customer to make sure they are happy and
with coworkers, to make sure it doesn’t re-occur
The recovery experiences customers rave about most are those where the customer was at fault but the company responded well anyway.
Bring to your boss and customers solutions & options not problems
I will take care of this for you 2:50

67. How? Recovery Stats
86% of positive word-of-mouth about customer experience is about someone taking ownership of a situation 
What This Means:  Companies need to be proactive in giving their employees the empowerment, tools, skills and mandate to create consistently outstanding customer experiences.
71.5% of positive customer service experiences that people share began as negative experiences. 
What This Means:  Skills for dealing with difficult situations and difficult people are far more important than first realized.  The impact they have on brand perception is dramatic.
82% of negative customer service stories, the employees were perceived as not caring 
What This Means:  Training in Empathy and Active listening is critical
– Source:  The Science of WOW Customer Service, The Belding Group 2015

68. How? Recovery Stats

69. How? Recovery Method - EASE
Empathic listening
Apologize & Acknowledge inconvenience
Solve & Thank
Evaluate (Is customer happy now? How can we avoid this in future? )

70. How? Recovery Method - EASE
Empathic listening
Apologize & Acknowledge inconvenience
Solve & Thank
Evaluate (Is customer happy now? How can we avoid this in future? )
Empathy made simple 3:40
Recovery Costs may pay off in the end

71. How? Your Turn Practice the scenarios with your partner using EASE
Empathic listening
Apologize & Acknowledge inconvenience
Solve & Thank
Evaluate (Is customer happy now? How can we avoid this in future? )
Practice the scenarios with your partner using EASE

73. How? Review Giraffes & Jackals in action Quiz
Interview Videos – Body Language

74. How? Survival Kit Paraphrasing with Empathy to prove that:
You heard them
You understood what they are saying & feeling
You want to help
Guessing emotions from observation and listening
I can see how important this is for you
Validation by letting them know others share their feelings so it’s ok to feel that way
Anyone would be frustrated by this of situation
Identification with their feelings
“That would upset me too”
Adapted from Customer Service Survival Kit pg 30-37

75. How? Survival Kit - Irrational
If the person seems irrational and you suspect mental illness, continue speaking with respect and calm:
Don’t challenge or criticize or point out their irrational statements
Simplify the questions to “What can we do for you right now?” or “How can we help now?
Acknowledge and encourage everything they say that makes sense
Remember you don’t have to agree with the person, just acknowledge them and prove that you are listening and trying to help

76. How? Survival Kit - Trigger Words
Avoid using these trigger phrases:
No, I can’t…
Yes, but…
Sorry, but…
I understand
Don’t Worry
Calm Down
Relax
Never mind (sarcastically)
Who knows
With all due respect…
That’s our policy…
****Remember do not defend yourself first

77. How? Saying No…or Bad News
“We can’t do that” vs “Here is what we can do”
Acknowledge their needs & expectations
Acknowledge their feelings
Choose your words to emphasize the positive
Give them options so they feel in control
If they have been unreasonable, give them an exit with dignity

78. How? Complainers One-time Complainer The Prima Donna
Go for the best recovery possible
The Prima Donna
Go for the easiest recovery possible (pg 121) but do not respond to disre
The Constant Complainer
Resolve the problem, but don’t waste energy, they will be complaining again and no one takes them seriously
The Axe-Grinder
Go for the best recovery possible, as quickly as possible

79. How? Stay Safe If you see someone behaving suspiciously
Let them know you are watching, but keep a safe distance, identify your escape routes, call for backup and be aware of the safety of others in the area
Speak respectfully and ask how you can help
Try to convince them that you want to help them
If necessary, call security or police
Note: Be sure that you know the hotel policy and how to react to danger and stay safe

80. Va

81. How? Your Turn – Reflection 3
15/06/2018
How? Your Turn – Reflection 3
For your chosen company, answer the question #11:
Describe their Recovery process. If you don’t know what it is, describe one from another company.
In your Teams, consider the recovery process. How will you train and empower your employees to recover from problems?

82. How? Working Together Being on a team with difficult people
Since you can’t ‘fix’ other people, what can you change about yourself or your attitude? Then can you address the problem with the other in an assertive way?
Communications quiz – know your weaknesses & challenge yourself to improve a little every day

83. How? Working Together
Can’t solve problems until we know what they are:
Make it easy for shy or busy customers to complain (suggestion box, being open and approachable)
Reward them for complaining ( prize for survey)
Ask simple questions like, “How was everything? or What could we do better next time?”
Ears open: Listen carefully for comments customers make and anticipate their needs. A lobby cleaner of a Marriott hotel overheard two guests talking about the lack of privacy in the lounge where they wanted to hold an impromptu meeting with a few colleagues. The employee called the front desk and arranged for a vacant suite so the guests could hold their meeting without distractions.
Eyes open: Dominos story

84. How? Teamwork Every team needs 3 things to succeed: A Common Goal
A Code of Conduct (rules for behaviour)
Effective leadership (one leader or shared)

85. How? Barriers Barriers to Successful Communication Distractions Stress
Differences in demographics (culture, gender, age…)
Poor timing
Emotions
Attitudes & Disrespect
Passive, Aggressive & Passive-Aggressive
Personality
Prejudices
Differences in knowledge & assumptions & values

86. How? Communication Non-Verbal (body language) Verbal (with words)
Smile, posture, hand gestures, rolling eyes, handshakes, looking down…
Verbal (with words)
Spoken or written words
Vocal (sounds)
Tone of voice (cheerful, threatening, sarcastic), whistling, groaning, laughing…
All of 3 these are an important part of the messages you send.

87. How? Danger vs Power Phrases
Helpful Tips for Words & Body Language (up to 24:00)
Danger vs Power Phrases:
I don’t agree vs I see it differently
Confront vs Discuss
Really vs using proper descriptive words
That’s Ok vs I accept your apology or…
No Problem vs You’re Welcome
I’m sorry if vs I apologize for…
I’m sorry but vs I’m sorry and…

88. How? Danger vs Power Phrases
Why would you do that? vs In the future, when ….
Do you want vs Would you like me to …
Do you need vs I can …., would you like that?
No offense but vs deliver message with kindness or stay silent
I need (needy) vs This ‘thing’ is crucial (or required ) for /by….
We need to talk vs Joe, I need your help or Joe, I’m confused, can you help me understand…
Come see me vs Can you come and talk with me about….
Don’t take this the wrong way but… vs share feelings without criticism
Whatever vs Sounds like this is something you care about, tell me more please.

89. How? Your Turn For your Reflection, answer the question #12:
15/06/2018
How? Your Turn
For your Reflection, answer the question #12:
Have you noticed yourself using any of the Danger or Trigger Phrases ?
If yes, pick one that you want to change when you speak
If no, think of something about the way that you communicate that you want to change.
How will you teach yourself to make this change?

90. How? Your Turn Practice anticipating expectations
Predict 3 questions that will appear on the Final Exam
Put the answer on the back

91. Exam Preparation Review Checklist Handout
Continue work on the List of 16 Housekeeping Tasks on class website
show me your notes of what you have learned

92. Other? Library & Internet search:
job interview (with empathy example) role play (watch first & last and end -dustin & sally)
hospitality css
15 steps to great service
7 essentials to customer service (incl empathy)
presenter body language superpower
Body language job interview ! yes
Body language basics cartoon
5 body language tips to get people to like you

93. References
The Customer Survival Kit - What to say to Defuse even the Worst Customer Situations, Richard S. Gallagher, 2013,
“Quality Customer Service in the Hospitality Industry.” Films Media Group, 2010,
Forbes article on Southwest Airlines
Help Scout 75 Customer ServiceStats
Harvard Business Review
Slogan examples
Dan O’Connor Communication

94. Other Ideas Customer Service Role Plays: Job Interview Success Series
job interview (with empathy example) role play (watch first & last and end -dustin & sally)
Body language job interview ! yes
hospitality css
15 steps to great service
ideas for scenarios – “what to say when…” yes
7 essentials to customer service (incl empathy)
presenter body language superpower
Body language & power phrases (incl You’re Welcome)
Body language basics cartoon
5 body language tips maybe