1. Vinnytsa Tourism Development Project
Customer Service in Hotel Operations

2. Vinnytsa Tourism Development
Agenda
Project Overview
Introductions
Expectations
The Golden Rule
What is Customer Service? Customer Needs? Why is it Important to You?
Foreign Tourist Expectations
5 star rating system
Communication with Customers
Telephone Skills, Complaints, Difficult Customers
Staff Self Evaluations
Front Desk and Cleaning Staff Protocols
Wrap Up
Vinnytsa Tourism Development

3. Vinnytsa Tourism Development
Project Overview
New Vinnytsa tourism website:
2007 tourism calendar: release on
Customer service training: hotel and restaurant staff
Menu and service list translations
Tour guide training: employment opportunities for English-speaking youth, development of day tour packages
Funding by USAID Small Project Assistance Program, United States Embassy
Supported by the Vinnytsa City Administration
Vinnytsa Tourism Development

4. Vinnytsa Tourism Development
Introductions
Sandra Jacobs, M.B.A.
Economic Development Project, United States Peace Corps
Business and NGO Consultant
Sophia Gorobets
Project Manager, Youth Center Forum NGO, Vinnytsia Tourism Development
Participant Introductions
Name
Where do you work?
What type of work?
Vinnytsa Tourism Development

5. Vinnytsa Tourism Development
Expectations
Why are you here?
What do you want to learn today?
What will not be included in the seminar?
What should you know at the end of this class? (Handout)
Brainstorm: In their opinions, What are the expectations of foreign tourists?
Pass out case study. Read aloud. Have them identify service qualities that meet or exceeded tourist expectations.
Compare the first and second flip charts.
In groups, list 5 things that you could do to improve service at your business establishment.
Vinnytsa Tourism Development
Vinnytsa Tourism Development

6. Remember the Golden Rule
Treat others as you want them to treat you.
Vinnytsa Tourism Development

7. What is Customer Service?
Any contact between the customer and the business that causes the customer to feel positive, neutral or negative about the business. Customer service is more than just pleasantly greeting the customer. Customer service is everything you need to satisfy your customers, including the following elements.
Waiting on the customer
Maintaining reasonable inventory levels
Maintaining satisfactory working hours
Effective presentation of merchandise, including store cleanliness and attractiveness
Having the necessary information to help the customer make a good buying decision
Handling customer complaints
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8. A Successful Introduction
As small as a smile
Providing customers needs
Under promise, Over deliver
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9. Vinnytsa Tourism Development
Customer Needs
Welcome
Comfortable
Appreciated
Respected
Timely service
Honest
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10. Why is Customer Service Important to You?
In a free-market economy, the customer has a choice of where to buy a product or service
There are many businesses selling the same or similar products or services at similar prices
A business or shop offering good customer service has a better chance to get the business
Good service attracts new customers
Good service brings repeat business
Foreign tourists like to tip for good customer service in hotels (this includes cleaning staff, front desk, concierge, and restaurant staff)
Vinnytsa Tourism Development

11. Foreign Tourists Expectations
Staff with knowledge of foreign languages
A well trained staff
Reservation-telephone answering procedures
Front desk
Household staff: uniforms and nametags
Knowledge of how to make international phone calls
Hotel and area information in foreign languages
Walking maps, list of restaurants stores and pharmacies, list of local attractions, list of in-house services
Vinnytsa Tourism Development

12. Brainstorming Exercise
What does…
Cleaning a room involve?
Being a receptionist involve?
Waiting table involve?
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13. Customer Service Standards: The 5 Star Rating System
* low budget hotel; inexpensive; may not have maid service or room service
** budget hotel; slightly more expensive; usually has maid service daily
*** middle class hotel; moderately priced; has daily maid service, room service (food and drink preparation and delivery), and may have dry cleaning, Internet access, and a swimming pool
**** first class hotel; expensive (by middle-class standards); has all of the previously mentioned services; has many "luxury" services such as massages or a health spa with intl. standards)
***** luxury hotel; most expensive hotels/resorts in the world; numerous extras to enhance the quality of the client's stay (for example: some have private golf courses and even a small private airport)
Vinnytsa Tourism Development

14. Customer Service Standards: The 5 Star Rating System
Analyze your hotel. Where does it fit in the star system?
If your analysis is not the same as your hotel’s current rating, what changes could you make to improve?
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15. Vinnytsa Tourism Development
Communication
Active listening is a fundamental part of customer service
Let’s try a communication quiz!
Examples in your business?
Open vs. Closed Questions:
Open: What did you like about our hotel?
Closed: Did you enjoy your stay?
Open: What can I do for you?
Closed: Do you need a room at our hotel?
Vinnytsa Tourism Development

16. Vinnytsa Tourism Development
Communication
The power of non verbal communication:
Face to Face – What % is important?
Words
Tone of Voice
Body Language
Phone Conversations – What % is important?
Vinnytsa Tourism Development

17. Basic Telephone Skills
Scheduling outward calls
Appropriate greetings and endings
Gathering information
Listening skills
Suggesting and verifying a course of action
Dealing with difficult callers
Telephone etiquette
Things to avoid when on the phone
Vinnytsa Tourism Development

18. Vinnytsa Tourism Development
Customer Complaints
Why don’t customers complain?
Won’t make a difference, too much bother, embarrassed, afraid, too much time
If 2 people actually complain about something, in most cases 26 people actually have an issue
Only 4% of customers actually complain to management over bad customer service, but this does not mean they are happy
Remember the 10/2 rule:
If a customer has a bad service experience, he or she will tell 10 people. However, he or she will only tell 2 people if they have a good service experience.
Most interesting, if a customer has a bad experience that is corrected and turned into a good experience, they will tell 15 people.
Role Play good and bad handling of customer complaints
Vinnytsa Tourism Development

19. Handling Difficult Customers
The most important thing to remember when dealing with difficult customers is: the customer is “almost” always right.
The manner in which you deal with a difficult customer will reflect how you value your customers. Doing this right is a sign of a well-trained and well-managed business.
5 steps to dealing with difficult customers:
Allow the customer to vent
Empathize with the customer
Problem solve with the customer
Agree to a solution with the customer
Follow up with the customer to ensure resolution
Vinnytsa Tourism Development

20. Staff Self Evaluations
Activity: Draw your perfect staff person
Self Evaluation Tool:
Appearance
Scheduling
Attitude and Professionalism
Job Performance
Vinnytsa Tourism Development

21. Vinnytsa Tourism Development
Let’s Practice!
Front Desk Procedures Case Study
Cleaning Service Procedures Case Study
Vinnytsa Tourism Development

22. Front Desk Clerk Protocols
Appearance upon arrival – clean with odor free clothing
Set up desk so that everything is at your fingertips
Check in and check out procedures – have a good system and follow it!
Phone etiquette: greeting, hotel name, your name, May I help you? – all in a nice manner and tone
Repeat important points back to the customer
Send out confirmations via mail or
Vinnytsa Tourism Development

23. Front Desk Clerk Protocols
Know your community – where to go,
what to eat
Guest greetings
Know how to handle difficult guests
Use open questions (as opposed to closed questions)
What should be done when all is quiet at the front desk?
Determine open communication methods between staff and management and use them
Vinnytsa Tourism Development

24. Maid Service Protocols
Service Cart/Basket:
What is on it? How do you load it?
Trash bin
Dirty linen bin
Cleaning products
Vacuum and Mop
Replacement items: towels, linens, soap, shampoo, lotion, toilet paper, etc.
Proceed to Room
Top-down Cleaning – What is the process?
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25. Vinnytsa Tourism Development
Wrap Up
What are three things you learned as a result of attending this seminar?
What are three things that I will do differently when I get back to my job?
In groups, list 5 things that you could do to improve service at your business establishment.
Vinnytsa Tourism Development
Vinnytsa Tourism Development

26. Business Consulting Opportunity
Through April 2007, Sandra and Eric Jacobs can provide an objective, experiential analysis of your current service levels, including recommendations for improvement and assistance with listing on English-language websites.
Cost will be 100 hrv. donation to Youth Center Forum NGO, plus night in room or cost of meal.
Contact Sophia Gorobets for additional information.
Also available upon request are English phrase classes (fee-based)
Vinnytsa Tourism Development

27. Vinnytsa Tourism Development Project
Thank you for your time and participation today!
We wish you success with future business management!
For additional information on any Vinnytsa Tourism Development project activities, contact Sophia Gorobets at , ,
Vinnytsa Tourism Development
Vinnytsa Tourism Development