The customer is always right
11:46 PM
Having worked in the hotel industry for so many years that I care to remember, serving both external and internal customers, I am of the belief that we hotelier, are indeed a different breed of species.
I chose hotel as a carreer becuase I love to interact with people. The irony is that it never crossed my mind to take up a degree in hotel management study. I have always being better in Science subjects and so it was not surprise that I applied to study to become an Enginner. However, on the day of registration, while passing through the section that was registrating computer science, I dropped in to take a look. After seeing all the interesting subjects, I showed the staff my acceptance letter for an Engineering degree. She said she could accept me and so I registered to get a B. Sc degree in Computer Science. Little did I realise that I would later continue to earn a Master degree in Computer Science.
I did eventually join a 5 star resort in the IT department. In fact I enjoyed it so much that I ran the IT department for 6 years. Eventualy, after probably the 10th project, my Resident Manager approached me and offered me a switch of job to be at the Front Office.
From handling a IT team of 4 staff to the Front Office of over 30 was just the beginning of a fruitful and enjoyable "job". I began to realize that meeting people of all walk of lives is so much fun; even if the meeting was to handle a complaint. You see, at the end of the day, solving their problem and fulfilling their expectation make me a winner too.
I believe in customer is always right. But I also believe that we are not always wrong. It is perception, afterall.
A customer can tell me that she has traveled all over the world and never being asked to give money or credit card as a deposit. I have numerous occasions being told by the customer that he should get his room eventhough he arrived at 9am to check in because he has made the reservation a year ago. Never mind that it is during the Easter peak period. Needless to say, a little bit of explanation is expected.
Whether we are in a resort or a city hotel, in a metropolitan city or deep in the jungle, we must remember to service our customer as well as educate them. By being a better service provider, we also made them a better customer.
Once I have an angry customer banging the table and shouted at me which hotel school did I graduated from. I was contemplating to answer him from the University of St. Common. But then he continued to rave on and I just listened attentively. Thereby giving him another lesson on hotelier.
Hotelier is a special breed becuase we don't follow logic, we are not as structured as an Engineer. We can be as flexible and still not being wrong. We are people person but we are also educator. But rocket scientists we are not, it is common sense that carry us through.
I chose hotel as a carreer becuase I love to interact with people. The irony is that it never crossed my mind to take up a degree in hotel management study. I have always being better in Science subjects and so it was not surprise that I applied to study to become an Enginner. However, on the day of registration, while passing through the section that was registrating computer science, I dropped in to take a look. After seeing all the interesting subjects, I showed the staff my acceptance letter for an Engineering degree. She said she could accept me and so I registered to get a B. Sc degree in Computer Science. Little did I realise that I would later continue to earn a Master degree in Computer Science.
I did eventually join a 5 star resort in the IT department. In fact I enjoyed it so much that I ran the IT department for 6 years. Eventualy, after probably the 10th project, my Resident Manager approached me and offered me a switch of job to be at the Front Office.
From handling a IT team of 4 staff to the Front Office of over 30 was just the beginning of a fruitful and enjoyable "job". I began to realize that meeting people of all walk of lives is so much fun; even if the meeting was to handle a complaint. You see, at the end of the day, solving their problem and fulfilling their expectation make me a winner too.
I believe in customer is always right. But I also believe that we are not always wrong. It is perception, afterall.
A customer can tell me that she has traveled all over the world and never being asked to give money or credit card as a deposit. I have numerous occasions being told by the customer that he should get his room eventhough he arrived at 9am to check in because he has made the reservation a year ago. Never mind that it is during the Easter peak period. Needless to say, a little bit of explanation is expected.
Whether we are in a resort or a city hotel, in a metropolitan city or deep in the jungle, we must remember to service our customer as well as educate them. By being a better service provider, we also made them a better customer.
Once I have an angry customer banging the table and shouted at me which hotel school did I graduated from. I was contemplating to answer him from the University of St. Common. But then he continued to rave on and I just listened attentively. Thereby giving him another lesson on hotelier.
Hotelier is a special breed becuase we don't follow logic, we are not as structured as an Engineer. We can be as flexible and still not being wrong. We are people person but we are also educator. But rocket scientists we are not, it is common sense that carry us through.
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