The hotel business is specific. You can learn the ins and outs but hospitality knows no bounds. While you can take all the classes, get accredited, understand the business, and get a great job, if you don’t make the effort to learn the deep cuts of hospitality you won’t be the best employee you can be. While you might think that the following skills are extraneous, if you know how to do them you will be surprised at how much they come in handy on the job. You will make the guests happy and elated to receive your generosity.
Know How to Make Coffee
People are obsessed with coffee. Coffee drinkers love it with a fetishistic reverence. While you might think that brewing a pot is enough, you will make guests happy if you can make other coffee beverages. Every nice hotel should have an espresso machine, where you can make all kinds of different beverages. You should also learn how to make iced coffee. Whether it’s a large batch of cold brew or an iced espresso drink, providing an iced coffee option for your guests will delight them and lead to more business and tips.
Learn About Alcoholic Beverages
Another thing you should learn about is alcoholic beverages. Learning about regional wines and varietals will give you a way to relate to people and please those who are on vacation. Craft beer is another booming industry you should know about. Providing information on local beer and wine is great for anyone visiting your area. Furthermore, knowing how to work the bar will not only help you manage and supervise, it will come in handy when you’re down an employee. If you know how to make a mean cocktail, everyone will love you for it and you’ll have customers coming back.
Talk to People
It is difficult to teach people skills. You can learn how to talk to people from a class, but it’s much easier to just do it. When you talk to people about their lives, their vacation, what they’re doing in the area, and where they are from, you will learn a lot. Gathering information is key. The more you understand your establishment, who comes to it, and why they are there, you will be able to improve your hotel and provide the hospitality that your guests crave when they book at your establishment. If you don’t want to talk to people, the hotel business may not be for you.
Know Activities Nearby
It is your job not to just provide your guests with an amazing stay at your hotel, you should also help them make their trip as enjoyable and easy as possible. You should have a great knowledge of the area. Havewhat is popular in the area.
What activities should your guests not miss? What hot bars and other establishments should they attend? Is the area known for the outdoors? You should have in mind what kind of things the guests should get involved in to create the most relaxing but entertaining stay. Whether the guests are in town for business or pleasure, keeping in mind the different things they should do will show your guests that you care about them and their time spent at your hotel.
Be Ready for Anything
The longer you are in the hospitality industry, the more you will realize that people will make any request you can imagine. Some people may want an office to work in quietly. They may need some form of technology. There may be requests for a fold-out bed. Do you have a laundry service? What about special events? Whatever level your hotel is at, people will come at with specific questions and requests. When you’re ready for anything, you will respond to sometimes ridiculous inquiries with a smile.
You can learn all the ins and outs of hospitality and still miss the central goal—making the guests happy at all costs. Everyone is different. We want different things. If you make the effort to go above and beyond to learn everything there is to learn about the area, activities, amenities, and luxuries, your guests won’t forget your high level of care.
