There’s no place like home. This is a sentiment that is shared around the world and it speaks to the feelings of comfort and security that people feel when they are are in their own community. When traveling, professionals in the hospitality industry want you to feel as though you are. To them, your happiness is tantamount to the work that they’ve done catering to your needs. Indeed, hospitality professionals lean on a well-rounded skill set to provide for the needs of all sorts of clientele.
1. Communication Skills
Among the most important skills to possess is the ability to communicate. When you are catering to all sorts of clients, who bring all kinds of needs, listening to their concerns is crucial. You want them to know that seemingly all of your energy is going toward the betterment of their stay. This is true, of course, but the key is for them to feel it.
Stefan Soloviev understands that communicating effectively is the foundation upon which success is built. When engaging with clients and also with colleagues, vendors and service people, it is important to remember that you are a representation of your employer.
2. Knowledge Development Skills
Working in the hospitality industry requires being knowledgeable about myriad details involved with temporarily housing people. Besides being familiar with rates, coupons and other aspects of the financial side of the business, you must also be familiar with compliance issues that exist on site. Such issues could concern food service if you have a kitchen in play, or even how much weight the elevator is capable of safely holding. A client could come to the desk asking about the chlorine to water ratio in the pool.
You should also have a working knowledge of the attractions and amenities offered by the local community. People want to know where the best restaurants are and at what point stores stop selling alcohol. It’s not so much about instantly understanding all of the facts and nuances involved in the job, but being instilled with the desire to understand as much as you are able to be a better asset to your employer and to the client.
3. Teamwork & Professionalism
These are such critical skills for any profession. People, whether they are clients or other staff members, can take any number of tones and attitudes in order to demonstrate their needs. As the professional face of the company, it is your job to absorb any and all tones and attitudes and to resolve issues with alacrity.
When working in hospitality, there’s a lot of common sense involved. Development of the above skills will serve you, too, in lots of situations.
