Exam 7: Managing Guest Service

Franchise inspectors and rating agencies frequently visit the housekeeper's office knowing that an orderly office means an orderly hotel.

Many hotels prefer "associate"as a softer name for "employee,"because it also references the individual's critical role in accomplishing the hotel's mission.

Angry guests can be mollified if the employee who caused the problem is disciplined or, in serious situations, even discharged in front of the complainer.

Avoiding mistakes rather than correcting them is the essence of total quality management.

Managers should distract complaining guests by handling other business (telephone calls, computer messaging, etc.) while the complainant is talking.

Quality circles are impressive building designs that hotels are using in lobbies to make a startling architectural statement.

Safety can be improved by directing children and the elderly to escalators rather than elevators.

A "Moment-of-Truth"is the term used during the employee interview, when sensitive questions are posed by the interviewer and answered by the job applicant.

A "road warrior"is a frequent, business traveler who sleeps away from home a great deal and battles the challenges of regular travel.

Bedding has become as much a public relations/advertising issue as it is a factor of guest comfort.

Good hotel managers resolve complaints without excessive costs, especially if no harm was done: Apologies are free; give away as many as needed.

Probably the best place to fill a job opening for a bar back (support position for a bartender) is the Worldwide Web.

Total quality management (TQM) originated in the service industries, spearheaded especially by the hotel industry, and has been adopted gradually by heavy industry.

The low response rate of guest-comment cards can be improved by reducing the size of the questionnaire.

"How was everything?"is the right question for management to ask guests if it is trying to uncover problem areas within the hotel.

When guest and employee meet "eyeball to eyeball,"there's an opportunity for service to shine through. That opportunity has been called a:

"Mystery Shopper"is a (an):

The authors define total quality management or customer service management as an attitude that has every employee acting like a concierge and thinking like a manager.

As one would expect, the racial and cultural diversity of the hotel industry's workforce is the same as the cultural and racial diversity of the national population.

A "par"inventory of 5 is recommended for bed linens: one set on the bed; one in the floor closet; one on the maid's cart; one in the linen room and one in the laundry.