It's an inevitable moment in any customer-contact position; when multiple customers approach a front desk, concierge, or guest services desk simultaneously, leaving one overwhelmed service provider to work-through their needs individually, in order, as they stand impatiently in the queue.
What's worse, rather than flow at a steady pace, customer traffic patterns tend to 'bottle-neck,' and usually do so at the most inopportune times. Put another way, if you want your front desk to suddenly get really busy, just send someone home early and you can be assured that the last five check-ins of the night will all show up simultaneously! It's almost as if guests worldwide were synchronizing their watches to plan their arrival times and co-ordinate their telephone calls!
Regardless of why these bottle-necks occur, it seems inevitable that all frontline service providers will face these circumstances at one time or another. So maybe its time to add the topic of 'Traffic-Flow Management' to the agenda for your hotel's next training meeting.
• Display A Calm Demeanor. The first step in successful customer traffic-flow management is to display positive body langue that exudes a calm and 'in control' attitude, helping those who are waiting gain confidence that their needs will eventually be met when their turn comes. Alternatively, if the service provider looks panicked and out of control, guests will tend to become more impatient and pessimistic.
• Acknowledge and Greet Those Who Join The Queue. Create a positive first impression of those who join the wait by acknowledging their presence. Besides making eye contact, a genuine welcome greeting, such as 'Good morning sir, we'll be with you in just a moment' will go a long way towards securing some good-will. Hopefully the response is 'Don't worry, I'm in no hurry today,' helping set others waiting at ease.
• Conduct 'Customer Triage' To Determine What's Required To Service Their Needs. Just as the medical profession does in an overwhelmed hospital Emergency Room, it is helpful to briefly assess the needs of each guest who is waiting and provide some initial help. For example, you can make sure the guest is waiting in the correct line, get them finding necessary documents (i.e. Drivers License or confirmation), or have them begin completing any registration forms.
• Reduce The Line By Fulfilling Any Simple Requests. After conducting 'Customer Triage,' the line of guests waiting can usually be thinned by fulfilling quick and easy requests such as passing out matches, accepting outgoing mail, or re-issuing a room key, all while a front desk agents wait for other guests to complete registration forms or review folios at check-out.
• Focus On One Guest At A Time. Once you have acknowledged those who have just walked up, 'triaged' the needs of those who have joined the wait, and dismissed any guests with easy requests, be sure to return your full attention to the guest who is in front of you at that moment and be present with them. Before you know it, you'll manage to make it through another busy period and can then catch your breath and re-stock supplies.
• Thank Guests For Their Extra Patience. As you compete each guest interaction, be sure to extend a genuine, authentic, and sincere 'thank you' to guests for their patience, showing your appreciation not only to them but the rest of those who have just joined the wait.
By using simple tactics such as these during those inevitable periods when the flow of guests bottle-necks momentarily, your hotel team can minimize the stress for everyone, including both the guests and themselves.
About the Author
Doug Kennedy has been a fixture on the hotel industry conference and lecture circuit since 1989, having presented over 1,000 hotel/travel industry workshops, conference sessions, or keynotes. He is the former President and Co-Founder of HSA International, which he exited after 15 years to found The Douglas Kennedy Company. His consulting and training clients have represented all segments of the lodging industry from select/limited service to upscale/luxury to specialty/niche.
Besides his monthly column at Hotel & Motel Management, Doug's articles have been reprinted Internationally in 14 publications. He is the author of a number of books, manuals, and multi-media training programs including audio and video scripts, netconferences, and webcasts. Visit www.douglaskennedy.com for more details or e-mail Doug directly at Douglas@douglaskennedy.com.
This article was originally published in Hotel & Motel Management magazine.
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