1. Customer Service
Service is an activity that is done for another person
Customer service in a hospitality business is the total customer experience with that business
This includes: performance of the staff
courtesy of the staff
cleanliness of the property
and way customers are treated during their 1st visit

2. Customer vs. Guest
A customer is someone that purchases products or services from a business
A guest is a customer who purchases products or services from a hospitality business
These words may be used interchangeably!

3. Main Reason…. Customer is the main reason for the hospitality industry
No customers; no business!!!
The industry depends on return customers
Poor service is the #1 reason customers do not return
Service is critical……………………….

4. Who are the customers?
It’s everyone in all shapes, sizes, nationalities, religions, backgrounds, etc.
With the increase in world travel, people are traveling everywhere. In just 1 resort you could have guests from all 50 states, Japan, Europe, Asia, and Africa.
They would all have different languages, customs, expectations and needs
The best way to understand people is to develop empathy---- -ability to put yourself in their shoes and know how they feel

5. Customers’ Needs Hungry? Need a place to eat
Hot? Need a cool drink and place to cool off
Tired? Need a place to rest, sleep
Want to feel welcomed? Return to a familiar place where server recognizes you,
THE QUALITY OF FEELING WELCOME IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE QUALITY OF THE FOOD OR THE HOTEL ROOM

6. Hospitality Businesses satisfy both physical and psychological needs!
Maslow: created a method to describe how needs are met
He ranked them in order to most basic to higher needs
Called a hierarchy; represented in a pyramid
Most basic are at the bottom (physical and safety needs)---these must be filled before the person has the energy to pursue higher needs

7. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

8. Higher Needs These are mostly psychological needs
These include: need to feel accepted
need for self esteem
desire for self-actualization
Self-actualization means expressing your true self through reaching personal goals and helping other people
This is being all that you can be; reaching your full potential!

9. Satisfying Customer Needs
n. Positive feeling customers have about a business that meets their needs
Customer satisfaction is the positive feeling customers have about a business that meets their needs
Quality service is service that meets or exceeds customer expectations
Consistent quality service is providing the same good service each and every time they come into your business

10. Why is quality service important?
Word of Mouth publicity----people talk about their experiences to their family and friends and whether good or bad pass on an opinion about a business

11. Hospitality Employees
Front of house: area of a hospitality business that customers see…..dining room, entrance
Back of house: area of a hospitality business that customers usually do not see: kitchen, laundry
Customer focused employee: one who can anticipate customers needs

12. Critical Moment
A time when the customer’s experience makes a bigger impact on a customer’s satisfaction than at other times
such as: phone calls, building entrance,
The greeter, the wait, the table or hotel room, busser or server, manager, arrival of food, restroom, the bill or check, the goodbye!