Smiles are universal. Everyone smiles the same way and everyone understands smiling. That s why we train our staff members to greet guests with a smile. It is rarely misinterpreted and usually receives a smile in return. Surprisingly enough, these ideas must be pointed out and consistently re-enforced in training.
Communication is the core of any staff member s interaction with a guest.
Solving problems, processing a sale, or taking an order is all about creating that enjoyable interaction that everyone craves. That s why it s not as much what you say as how you say it. Only approximately 7 to 10 percent of all communication is based on the verbal content, because the attitude says it all. That s why it is so important to reaffirm with our staff members that they have to think of themselves as performers on stage when dealing with any guest. The metaphor of live performance is highly useful, as it contains so many elements that parallel the daily work involved in guest service in our industry.