Learn some tips for making small talk, from a conversation between a hotel staff member and a guest
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| INTRODUCTION |
| Braden: Hi, everyone. Braden here. |
| Ann: Guest Interaction: Dos and Don’ts. In this lesson you will learn some things you should and shouldn’t do when you’re interacting with guests. |
| Braden: This conversation takes place in the afternoon on the phone. |
| Ann: It’s between a guest and the front desk. |
| Braden:The speakers have a staff-customer relationship, so they will be speaking professionally. |
| Ann: Let’s listen to the conversation. |
| POST CONVERSATION BANTER |
| Ann:Since late last century, there has been a large increase in the number of Americans with special dietary needs. |
| Braden:These special diets are often caused by food allergies such as a peanut or fish allergies, but they can also be by choice in the case of vegetarianism or veganism. |
| Ann:As the typical American diet has degenerated into processed foods and empty calories, the number and variety of digestive disorders has sky-rocketed. |
| Braden:Hotels and restaurants are very aware of this and often have extra menus for foods they provide which are permitted by the more common special diets. |
| Ann:For example, most restaurants in the USA have at least a few “gluten-free” dishes, if not an entire gluten-free menu. |
| Braden:Ok, let’s move on to the vocab. |
| KEY VOCAB AND PHRASES |
| Ann:Let's have a closer look at the usage for some of the words and phrases from this lesson. |
| Braden:the first phrase we're going to look at is “clearly labeled.” |
| Ann:In the dialogue, the phrase “clearly labeled” means that the food has been labeled in a clear way, or in a way that you can easily and clearly see. |
| Braden:The pronunciation here can be difficult. Let’s hear it one time slowly, |
| Ann:“clearly labeled” |
| Braden:and break it down by syllable |
| Ann:“clear-ly la-bel-ed” |
| Braden:The most difficult part can be the “-rly” of “clearly” followed by the “la-” of “labeled.” There are four “Ls” and an “r” mixed in between these two words. |
| Ann:Our tip is that the “bel” of “labeled” is spelled “b-e-l” but is pronounced “bl.” |
| Braden:So “LabEled” is not correct, but “Labled” is correct. |
| Ann:Our second phrase is “special diet.” |
| Braden:The phrase “special diet” refers to a diet that is different from the usual. The term “special diet” is a generic term that can be used for any diet. |
| Ann:That’s right. For example, a guest might have a child on the “autism diet” which is gluten-free, casein-free, and soy-free. But the guest probably doesn’t want to tell you all of those details, so they’ll just say, “special diet.” |
| Braden:Even if the guest tells you the type of diet they are on, you should protect their privacy and not specify the type of diet when speaking to other people, unless it is necessary. The phrase “special diet” is excellent for these situations. |
| Ann:Now let's take a look at the grammar. |
| GRAMMAR POINT |
| Braden:In this lesson, you’ll learn some dos and don'ts when interacting with guests |
| Ann:In the dialog we hear the phrase “Yes sir.” |
| Braden:When interacting with guests at anytime, there are certain things you should always be aware of and remember. These are the things you should always do. |
| Ann:That’s right. First, Always smile. Whether greeting a guest, walking past a guest, or talking to a guest. Smile. |
| Braden:She’s right. No matter what hotel manual, customer service handbook, or general people skill training you see, smiling is the most practical and beneficial thing to do. We’re demonstrating it right now. |
| Ann:(haha) Yes we are. Second, always establish and maintain eye contact. And smile. |
| Braden:If a guest asks for directions to a place within the hotel, always guide them to the desired location if you can. You could just say... |
| Ann:“It’s just over here.” |
| Braden:and then walk with them. |
| Ann:Third, if the guest asks for directions to a place outside of the hotel, direct them to the front desk by saying something like... |
| Braden:“Please check at the front desk, they have maps, guides, and Internet access for your assistance.” |
| Ann:Fourth, whenever possible, address both guests and co-workers by name. For example, “Alex, could you help Mrs. Smith with her bags?” |
| Braden:That’s an important one. |
| Ann:Yes it is. |
| Braden:If you perform a special service for a guest, such as clean their room, or help them with their bags, always follow up with them personally. You could ask, |
| Ann:“How is the room, sir?” or “Was everything put to your satisfaction, ma’am?” |
| Braden:Sixth, when guests are giving you instructions or registering a complaint with you, listen carefully and write down the details if necessary. |
| Ann:Seventh and last of our things to always do is “In tense situations, remain calm.” |
| Braden:That’s very important. |
| Ann:Now let’s take a loot at ‘don’ts’ - the things we should never do. First, never interrupt or insult a guest. This includes things like, “Ma’am, you are completely wrong.” |
| Braden:Yes. Even if the guest is wrong, NEVER say that. Listen to them, and try to resolve the problem. |
| Ann:Second, never argue with a guest. To argue means to angrily contradict or oppose what someone else is saying. This is very rude, and should not be done by any hotelier. |
| Braden:Third, never discriminate against anyone for any reason. You could get fired for it. |
| Ann:That’s true. Fourth, never speak to a guest with an angry, hateful, or hostile tone of voice. |
| Braden:Fifth, never promise to do something you need permission for. Instead, say “Let me check with the manager.” |
| Ann:And then, if the manager says “Yes”, you may perform the service the guest requested. |
| Braden:You could always offer an alternative to the guest for which you don’t need permission. |
| Ann:That’s right. For example, you could say, “I’m sorry, but that will not be possible. However we could try...” and then insert your alternative idea. |
| Braden: Ok, I think that was a useful list of dos and don’ts. |
Outro |
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| Braden:That’s it for this lesson. Thanks for listening, everyone! |
| Ann:And we’ll see you next time! |
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