In order to provide best possible service to all of our valuable guests proper maintenance of guest preference is highly essential.
Objective:
To create a memorable experience for our guests through personalized service by anticipating their needs, likes and dislikes through a process of knowing and collecting their preferences.
Process: It is a 2-part process:
- Collection of Guest Preferences
- Execution of the Preferences
1) Collection of Guest Preferences:
- Guest History Manager (GHM) champions and drives this process.
- Staff are to notice and record guests’ preferences on the Guest Preference Pads.
- GHM collects all departments’ Guest Preference Pads and ensure the data are keyed into the system.
- GHM shares month end data to recognize and celebrate efforts by departments and individuals.
- GHM interviews top departments and individuals’ “secrets” in getting the high quality guests’ preferences.
- GHM communicates and shares the “secrets” – best practices.
- GHM shares guests’ feedback on how they felt when we anticipate and recognize their needs.
- Department managers energize and communicate with all staff to strive to be “top quality collectors”.
Methods for Getting Preferences:
Staff are to use both listening and observation skills in noting guests’ preferences. Examples would be:
- Staff through conversing with guest learns that guest is a vegetarian.
- Staff notices that guest is left handed while signing documents.
2) Execution of Preferences
- GHM prints daily Arrival Reports with Remarks, picking up the preferences of guests in Remarks field.
- GHM ensures the guest’s preferences are action upon by working with all departments to accord and action on guests’ preferences.
- Department briefings are used to highlight such preferences and the actions to take.
Classification of Preferences:
Preferences are classified into:
- Local Preferences
- Global Preferences
- Distinctive Preferences
1) Local Preferences:
They are specific only to the particular hotel such as:
- Balcony room in east side
- Local newspapers
- Prefers table 38 in Café Kool
- Likes room to be serviced by Mary only
2) Global Preferences:
These are common items that can be provided across all properties such as:
- Golden Circle Preferences:
- Amenities
- Preferred time of turndown service in hotel
- Preferred pillow type
3) Distinctive Preferences:
These are distinctive information about a guest that pertains to him/her only. Such information can only be gotten through staff:
- Keen observations of guests’ habits
- Through conversations with guests
- And in recording them on our Guest Preference Pads
Examples are:
- Mr John Smith is left-handed
- Mr Gary Lee is allergic to nuts
- Ms Mary Seet likes to drink diet coke
- Ms Caremen Coster prefers room temperature of 26 degree Celsius
- Mr K.T. Tan likes to listen to flute music
Points To Consider When Collecting Guests Preferences:
When you record a guest’s preference, there are 3 points to consider before recording the preference:
- Is the Guest Preference Accurate?
- Is the Guest Preference Attainable?
- Is the Guest Preference Actionable?
