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Service Programmes
The Language of Service
"Service with a smile...and the correct English!"
1 day
Face to face
Online
Blended
Culturally diverse non-native English-speaking frontline staff in the service industry, such as hotel, restaurant, bar, catering and retail
Supervisors and Department Managers in above services
The Language of Service
"Service with a smile...and the correct English!"
The Language of Service & Culture provides a unique guest / customer satisfaction training programme called, “The Language of Service”, that develops language skills which focus on the highest standards of service delivery. Many guest / customer contact employees speak English as a second language, and the impact improved English skills could have on their job performance is significant. Participants learn not only how to greet the guests / customers in a friendly and gracious manner, but also how to use the correct grammar and pronunciation in the process. The emphasis is on developing language and service skills that are polite and formal, yet warm and welcoming. Our motto is “Service with a smile…and the correct English!”.
The programme includes understanding guest / customer expectations which can vary from culture to culture, reading and reacting to body language, improving comprehension with good listening techniques, offering assistance and making requests using polite English, increasing sales by suggesting additional products and services and handling dissatisfaction effectively, including explaining policies. The development of intercultural competencies, which result in successful communication between culturally diverse team members, as well as with the international guests / customers, is also part of the programme.
Learning Outcomes:
- Receive positive feedback from guests / customers regarding improved satisfaction with culturally responsive service provided with polite English
- Experience repeat business due to loyal clientele who appreciate the high service delivery standards
- See an increase in sales after staff learn techniques for suggestive selling in a “non-pushy” manner
- Notice a decrease in costly mistakes due to misunderstandings and miscommunication resulting from cultural differences and language challenges
- Experience improved staff confidence and self-esteem, as well as increased job satisfaction and teamwork
Cultural Workshops for the Hospitality Industry
1 day
Half day
Face to face
Online
Blended
Frontline guest contact hotel staff
General Managers, Department Managers and Supervisors
Cultural Workshops for the Hospitality Industry
The Language of Service & Culture provides “Cultural Workshops for the Hospitality Industry” which focus on how best to welcome and exceed the unique culturally specific service expectations of visitors from around the world. Management and staff learn how to create a positive first impression and to communicate effectively, as they gain important cultural awareness, knowledge and skills for ensuring complete guest satisfaction. Workshops can be designed and tailored for enhanced understanding of the needs of leisure and business travellers from the countries that account for the greatest number of overseas visitors to a property. They can also be arranged when a hotel is preparing for the arrival of multiple guests from a particular country. These groups could be using the hotel’s facilities and services for such reasons as attendance at a sporting event, concert, international conference, work with the local government or at their corporate office. A hotel may wish to provide a developmental programme with a series of workshops which features a different culture each month for guest contact employees.
The bespoke culture specific workshops offer insight into core cultural values, which influence behaviour and perceptions of service delivery excellence. Customs and business etiquette, as well as practical background knowledge about the country, including some basic greetings in the respective language are also included. Hotels may wish to provide some native food and drinks on the restaurant and room service menus and / or culturally appropriate welcome gifts in the guest rooms. These ideas and more can be discussed in a cultural service strategy session with senior management, as part of the training package, if desired.
Learning Outcomes:
- Experience satisfied guests who feel warmly welcomed in a hospitable manner that is culturally sensitive
- Know how to make introductions and culturally acceptable small talk and to be aware of any "cultural taboos", and surprise guests with basic greetings and phrases in their native languages
- Have insight into how culture influences the kind of service desired, and anticipate what some possible guest requests might be, in order to be prepared
- Receive complimentary feedback from international guests who appreciate the personal service provided by confident staff, who have greater cultural understanding
- Enjoy increased business when the word spreads back in the home countries of pleased guests, including on social media, such as WeChat, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter
Mystery Guest / Customer Evaluations
Varies
Face to face
Telephone
Email
Online: website and social media
Organisations providing a service, such as in the hospitality, retail, real estate, financial sectors, etc.
Mystery Guest / Customer Evaluations
The Language of Service & Culture provides “Mystery Guest / Customer Evaluations” that are designed to assess the unique service delivery standards of an organisation and to highlight where improvements can be made to ensure exceptional levels of satisfaction by guests / customers. Additionally, the assessments are often used to recognise and reward outstanding staff performance, by “catching employees doing something right”. In addition to face to face and telephone assessments of service delivery, a company’s social media and website can be tested for user friendliness, ease of navigation, as well as response time to queries. Mystery Guest / Customer Evaluation services can also be utilised to compare pre and post-training service levels. Results of training initiatives can be analysed and measured to reveal effectiveness. Additionally, Mystery Guest / Customer Evaluation services can be employed as a tool to benchmark competitors.
Learning Outcomes:
- Gain greater understanding of the guest / customer experiences an organisation is providing
- Uncover where mistakes are being made and where standards of performance levels are not being met which affect overall guest / customer satisfaction
- Establish training needs which require addressing to ensure greater quality, in face to face or virtual interactions with guests / customers
- Incorporate findings in performance appraisals and use as a motivational tool to improve productivity, as well as to applaud outstanding service delivery
- Save money, time and reputation while enjoying higher revenues by addressing average or below average results and gaining insight into what the competition is offering
