How would you like to check into a hotel and get offered a deluxe room rather than the standard room you had paid for, the same as when you board a plane to be told that this trip you will be flying in business class rather than economy. It does not happen that often, but when it does you begin to feel special. Daniel Edward Craig in his article Supersize me: Why everyone gets upgraded but you, shares some insights into why you may not! Remember that upgrading his different than a reservationist who tries to upsell a room to the customer.
Archive for April, 2008
Think back to a time when you have felt concerned or had an objection to a suggestion someone else has put to you. How have you expressed this and how were your concerns addressed? In a salesperson’s role there will be times when you will have to offer benefits, address the negative with the positive and overcome objections raised by your clients.
One technique used is called the 3F solution. It uses three words beginning with F: feel, felt, found. eg. I see why you feel this way – I felt that way too – Then I went and found out….
There will however be times when you must simply put another recommendation forward which doesn’t raise the same objections. See how you go at designing your own activity and 3F solution.
Hotels are always striving to offer the best possible service to their customers. Hotels have always been concerned with the decor of their rooms and the linen used on the beds. The latest is ensuring that customers have a good nights sleep by choosing their own pillow. Is this just another hotel craze or will it catch on and become a requirement of hotels? Check out The Benjamin Hotel, which pillow would you choose? At the Cellars-Hohenort, South Africa, not only do they have a pillow menu, but their pamper menu includes a soap menu, bedtime drinks, candles and choice of fizz balls for the bath! Can you find any others?
You may find this article very interesting, not only for Reservation services, but also for some of your other courses that you are taking this semester. The first impression of a hotel is very important. We need to consider the importance of ensuring ‘professional customer service’. I would like you to think of different strategies to ensure ‘professional’ telephone etiquette and customer service during the reservation process. How can we ensure professionalism when talking over the phone?
