Hotel Guests brighten our day in a myriad of ways. They can also darken our day. But that’s another article, for a later date.
Ever since I started working in hotels my appreciation and respect, for everyone who works in the service industry, has more than quadrupled. Working in a hotel, restaurant or any Service Industry can often be a thankless job.
A job where you are expected to make lives easier for people who are sometimes not even the teeniest bit grateful for what you have done. You bend over backwards, trying to do the impossible just to please a guest, and sometimes they do not even acknowledge your efforts.
You greet guests and some of them don’t even bother to look at you. You work hard to help guests have the best stay possible, and yet sometimes all they see are your mistakes.
It’s not always like this, though.
I’ve learned that while some guests have become numb and view service industry workers as some sort of robot, devoid of feelings. There are still many, many guests who understand that hotel workers are human beings, just like everyone else.
They understand that we are people who only want to be seen, heard and appreciated. That the smallest things count, and the tiniest bit of kindness from them can go such a long way.
From my own experience, here are 10 ways that hotel guests brighten our day:
Call staff by their name.
There is just something about hearing someone call you by your name, that makes you feel seen as a person. We love it when people remember our name in our favorite coffee shop or establishment.
It’s no different with the service staff.
In a world where we are most often referred to as Miss/Sir/Kuya/Ate or even “hey” or “psst,” it feels nice when someone acknowledges our identity, by referring to us by our name.
It’s such a simple gesture but can instantly brighten the day of any service provider.
Ask staff about their day, and genuinely listen to the response.
As hoteliers, we are used to asking guests about their day. When we are waiting for the folio to print out. When the computer is taking its time. It has almost become a reflex of some sort. We revert to small talk, which means striking up a conversation with the guest. Mostly about them.
When a guest asks us in return, how our day is going, it’s quite uncommon. And sometimes we are caught off guard. We will usually reply with short, safe and non-descriptive answers.
But when a guest probes further, and then actually seems interested in what we have to say, it makes us feel warm and fuzzy. Like we gained a new friend. That’s certainly one of the best ways that hotel guests brighten our day
Remember things you told them about yourself, or your life.
Whenever we encounter returning guests, we try our best to personalize our service by recalling their past stay, and things about them.
We ask them about the last country they mentioned they were heading to. Their family or their pet, if they mentioned them before.
We even note it down in the system, to make sure we remember it for their next stay.
When the guest does the same, and remembers things from our past conversations, it shows that they don’t just view us as another faceless worker, there to provide for their needs. But as a friend and a familiar face in a foreign place.
Give us food
There’s nothing quite like a guest who brings in boxes of pizza for the team. Or a whole bag of chocolates. Or even a coffee. The smallest gesture from hotel guests brighten our day and bring a smile to our faces.
Especially when it’s a busy day!
Hoteliers often delay their breaktimes until the crowd subsides. So when guests bring food, that they can quickly take a bite out of in the back office, it’s super appreciated.
When it’s food for the entire team, it’s even better. Because you just basically provided a mini-party for them.
The staff will always remember your kindness and will always be sure to take extra care of you during your stays.
Let small things go
One of the kindest things guests can do for a stressed-out, frazzled, exhausted hotelier is to let small issues go. If it’s something that will not dramatically affect the quality of your stay, please try to extend your patience a little bit.
Hoteliers are people too. And sometimes breakdowns or problems happen in the service sequence. We are truly sorry when this happens. And believe us when we say that we would prefer to give you a perfect, seamless experience whenever possible.
So, when we mess up and the guest does not make a big deal out of it, we are relieved and grateful. We will definitely make a mental note to make sure everything else goes smoothly in your stay moving forward.
Smile and greet you back when you greet them
As hoteliers, one of the very first things we learn is to make sure we greet each and every guest we encounter in the hotel.
Sadly, it can feel like some guests think they are above greeting staff back. Some of them don’t even bother to make eye contact at all. This makes us feel like we don’t exist.
However, there are still a lot of guests who take the time to respond with a warm “good morning”. Or a smile back at us. This simple response is enough to make us feel acknowledged and seen.
Give us a small compliment
When you are having a bad day; whether it’s because you are short-staffed, there are long queues, slow computers, irate guests, even the tiniest kind word can do wonders in boosting our mood.
When the continuous influx of complaints is broken by a guest randomly saying something nice about your hair or the way you do your work, it stops the day from completely spiraling downwards.
That one small comment not only brightens our day but reminds us why we do the job we do. Especially on those days when we’re starting to question why we do the job we do.
Of course there’s a fine line when it comes to compliments. If it comes with ulterior motives, like our “Don Romantico” Guest, in 10 Types of Hotel Guests, please keep it, and yourself, to yourself!
Gush about how helpful we are to our boss
People should do their jobs well as a default. But when we do perform exceptional work, everyone wants a little bit of acknowledgement of that.
So, it’s always nice when guests take the time to chat with the Manager and let them know how helpful they have found the hotel employees. Or even if it’s a non-performance related comment. Such as commenting how smart everyone looks in their uniform.
Everyone can use a bit of encouragement now and then. Hearing guest feedback from your Manager is another way that hotel guests brighten our day and confirmation that we are going towards the right direction.
Write a nice review online and specifically mention an employee by name, and how they helped.
This is along similar lines to a guest telling your manager or superior about your stellar performance. Writing a glowing review online gives positive and concrete proof that you were able to do your job well. And that a guest’s stay was made better because of you.
This validation is sometimes the very thing an employee, on the verge of giving up on the industry, needs to restore their love for service and being a hotelier.
Last but not the least…
A guest who tips generously! 😊
This one is a no-brainer. A nice tip is probably the top way hotel guests brightens our day.
Of course, money should not be the main motivation for working hard and working well. A well-trained hotel employee will (or should) always endeavor to serve their guests well.
But when a guest is generous with their tips. Or their interest in us. When they remember our name. When they think to ask how our day went. When they drop by with a snack or treat. When they praise or compliment us to our superiors. These are all ways hotel guests brighten our day.
No little bit of guest consideration or kindness goes unnoticed. And it will definitely go a long way in uplifting the spirits of people who are working extra hard in an industry that is struggling to survive.
Times are tough. But it’s guests who are appreciative, grateful and kind who make working in the hotel industry still so much worth it. Despite all the challenges we face these days.
Everyone is fighting their own battle. With everyone you meet, always, always choose to be kind.
If you enjoyed this article check out my Rating Hotel Guests article too. It’s a funny take on how and what we might rate guests for.
Brought to you by MY RANGGO Hospitality Magazine Philippines
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings