Some interview question for receptionist position (Part 2)

Today, we will see more interview questions for receptionist position in hotel:

5.    On a scale from one to ten, How Would You Rate an Importance of a Receptionist in a Hotel, if we talk about overall impression of a guest?

I would say 10. Receptionist is the first, and the last, person guests talk to. If she makes a good first impression, it will be easier for the other staff members to carry on it. On the other hand, if she makes a wrong first impression, everyone else will be in trouble.

I would give her ten. I believe that in a good hotel everything has to be perfect. From start to finish. Receptionists, maids, waitresses, everyone has to do the job well, so the guests have no reason to complain and oppositely, they will come back again. I act in my job according to that. Even if I had a bad day in personal life, I would never let it to influence my performance in work.

6.    Can You Work Night Shifts? Would You Mind Working Twelve Hours a Day?

I can definitely work during the night. I do not have children, so there is no reason for me to be at home at night. I am flexible and count with night shift option.

I would not mind working twelve hours a day. In my previous job it was not uncommon that I worked even for fourteen hours a day sometimes. So I am used to do it and am able to stay focused for a long time.

7.    Client calls you. He wants to book twenty rooms for forty people. But we have only ten rooms available. What will you do?

Twenty rooms is a lot and we should not lose the client. On the other hand, we can not cancel the reservations of other guests, because everyone is important and each guest can share both positive and negative feedback on the hotel. Therefor I would probably say to the client that I have to check the availability for him and that I will call him back in ten minutes. I would go to the manager and discuss with him the options we have.

I would strongly apologize and say that we had only ten rooms available. However, I would recommend the following solution: He takes ten remaining rooms in our hotel, and I take care of the reservation of ten other rooms in a hotel nearby (or in a partnering hotel). I am sure I would find one with ten rooms available and book a place for remaining guests there. Doing this, I do for the client something extraordinary. At the same time, we do not lose a business and complete our capacity. Everything would be great. Of course before doing all of this, I would consult my manager to ensure it corresponds with the hotel policies.

8.    If a guest accused you of bad service, what would you do?

First of all, this is unlikely to happen, as I always do my job in a responsible way and try to exceed the expectations of every guest. But if it happened, I would apologize, ask what I did wrong and try to correct my mistake.

I would apologize and try to correct my mistake. If I was unable to do it, I would offer him help of my manager. Anyway, I would stay calm, listen to his needs and complaints. I would always remember the lesson I learned in that situation, in order to be able to approach another guest in a better way next time, if similar problem occurred.
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Some interview questions for receptionist position (Part 1)

Below are some questions help you to prepare for receptionist position interview better:

1. Why do you want to become a receptionist?

I always wanted to work as a receptionist. This was my childhood dream. I really like the hotel environment and I enjoy talking to different people. This makes me happy in my daily life and that is why I prefer to work as a receptionist.

I believe I can do a really good job as a receptionist. Other people enjoy talking to me, I have good understanding for the needs of the others and on the top of that, I speak two foreign languages. I believe I can deliver a great added value to both employers and clients as a receptionist

2. Why do you want to work as a receptionist here?

Your hotel has great guest reviews on all major travelers’ websites. It has a wonderful location and I believe it is one of the best places to stay when you want to enjoy your trip in the city. I would be very proud to work here as a receptionist.

I really like the variety of activities you offer to guests. Swimming for children, thematic evenings for elderly couples and romantic dinners for everyone. What more, the rooms are really nice and spacious and I like all the staff I’ve met here so far. I would be very happy to work here and recommend this place to everyone.

3. This job is repetitive. What would motivate you to do it well everyday?

To be honest, I prefer routine to creativity. Once I learn to do my stuff, I do the job well and have good feeling from doing it. Jobs where you have to learn new things every day are not really a good choice for me. Once I learn to do my tasks, I enjoy doing it and can do it on a high level day after day, without any serious drop in motivation.

Good relationships on the workplace motivate me. If I enjoy time spent with my colleagues, if I feel like a member of a hard-working team, it makes me happy and motivated to work hard all the time. It does not matter if the job is repetitive.

From my point of view, this job is not repetitive. I know that receptionists do the same things again and again, every single day. But there are problems you need to solve and new guests you talk to every day. Many different things happen on a daily basis. From my point of view, this job is fun to do, not a repetitive one. Some tasks may be repeated every day, but it doesn’t make the time in work boring.

4. Can you work with MS Office? What other programs can you use?

I have been working actively with MS Word and Ms Excel for eight years, at school and at work. I can do pretty much everything in Word and can create good charts and presentations in Excel and PowerPoint. On the top of that, I am an experienced user of various scheduling and booking programs, such as Booking Pro and Best Scheduler. I am sure I will quickly learn to work with all the programs you use here.

Besides, you can see some others such as: How fast you can type-write; What your methodology of work is; If you really can work with MS Office and use its functionality; If you are stressed, or oppositely calm and focused, while completing the tasks.

We will see more interview questions for receptionist position in part 2.
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Flexible working hour in hospitality industry, should or not?

The hospitality industry is known for being fast-paced, and staff turnover in this industry is high. Involves long and unsociable hours in hospitality industry can make it difficult for employees to juggle work with other commitments, particularly family. Employee stress and burnout can lead to staff members leaving, or becoming demotivated.

Employees can benefit in a number of different ways. All they need is a suitable environment with the right management policy and flexible working hour is one of great ways should be applied. 

Which are flexible working hours’ advantages?
They can reduce stress, increase standard of living through the ability to combine work and other commitments, reduce childcare costs, improve family relationships, improve morale,…

Many employees who are looking for work or are hoping to switch roles look for flexible working hours as a key benefit of potential employers. Providing flexible work options means that they can meet their commitments, and enjoy a balanced lifestyle, while still continuing to work.

Besides employees’ benefit, there are a large number of advantages for employers. Some of these are: improved staff retention levels, the ability to attract high quality job candidates and employees, a happier more productive workforce, increased employee loyalty, reduced absenteeism, more likelihood of employees returning after maternity leave,…

Offering flexible working hours can be a good way for smaller organizations to stay competitive, and attract and keep higher performing employees. Many hospitality organizations struggle to find and keep good employees, and the cost of recruitment and training can have a significant impact on their bottom lines.

Flexible working hours can help provide an incentive for employees to stay with organizations in the long-term, and reduce overall staff turnover.

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What housecleaners never tell you?

No.1. If you don't have a lot of cash, ask me to come for just one hour. I can do just the bathrooms and the kitchen or only the areas guests will see.

No.2. My best clients are people who work for their money, like teachers, bartenders and cops. Rich people think they're doing you a favor by allowing you to scrub their toilets. Working people understand you are doing them a service by making their lives easier.

No.3. Recommend us to your friends. We may give you $25 to $50 off a cleaning for each referral - if you ask.

No.4. I wish you wouldn't insist on bleach and other harsh cleaners. For almost every situation, there's an eco-friendly option that's just as effective.

No.5. If you leave your personal life out for us to see, we most definitely will talk about you. We may even send pictures to our friends and relatives.

No.6. After I leave, check the base of the toilet and the top of the fridge. If they're clean, you know I'm thorough.

No.7. Pick your clothes up off the floor, get your dishes out of the sink, and clean up your kids' toys. Your house will end up a lot cleaner.

No.8. Many cleaning companies do not run any sort of background check or even check references. I answered an ad, I was on time and presentable, and I was willing to take the job. That is all most companies care about.

No.9. Make sure we're bonded and have liability insurance. Otherwise, you're on the hook if we break something or get hurt on the job.

No.10. Even though I smile and act interested, don't use me as your therapist, gossip buddy or friend. Frankly, most of us have a lot less than you, and we can't fathom why you're complaining. Plus, you slow me down.

No.11. When using a new maid service, leave a few dollars hanging out of a pants pocket or lying on the counter. If we take a dollar or two, you'll know we're probably going to take other things.

No.12. Want to save money on high-priced maid services? Instead of booking a regular appointment, ask to be on our on-call list to fill last-minute slots at a discount. Or see if you can be a "training home" for new cleaners.

No.13. If you use a service instead of an individual, ask for the same people every time. Your cleanings will be more consistent, with fewer strangers in your home.
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Should manager recruit a foreign chef?

Global marketing, world travel, population diversity, and food information available online have whetted diners’ appetites to try international flavors.

It's big concern for hospitality employer. Which chef should be employed? Excellent at Hometown Cuisine or International Cuisine? Should manager recruit a foreign chef?  

It's not easy question to answer, because it is depending on many factors like mission of business, finance, human resources,... However, next to necessary skills of chef, grounded knowledge of various flavors in the world is a factor should be considered for recruitment in hospitality industry.

Let's imagine that the customers would like to try difference tastes or just limited ones day by day.
Absolutely, the clients love the abundance menu with strange flavors.

Below I want to show some greatest  cuisines, not only chef but also manager should pay attention to enrich the menu.

Vietnamese - The Vietnamese food has been impressing with the unique flavor. Most civilized people eat Vietnamese cuisine as their favorite change from traditional diets. The cooking style uses fresh vegetables lightly cooked, small servings of meat, and highly structured methods of food preparation. Steaming preserves nutrients, desserts have light sugar content, and fish dishes feature heavily on the menu. For these reasons, Vietnamese food offers a healthier style of eating.

Italian - Italian meals have developed over thousands of years, and the country uses fabulous cheeses in over 400 varieties, dried meats, 300 kinds of sausages, dozens of pastas, and an astonishing wealth of Mediterranean produce. The tomato that many people think defines Italian cooking has only existed in the cuisine since the discovery of the new world. Italy has always revered local sourcing, and foods available locally influence regional cuisines throughout the country.

Indian - The food of India weaves a complex tapestry of spices and techniques, favoring vegetables over meats. When using meat, Indian chefs cook chicken, goat, lamb and fish. Chefs and diners need to start slowly and gradually become accustomed to the heat in most Indian cooking. Three regional cuisines use different styles of cooking in the South, West and East.

French - France places great emphasis on food and wine, and the entire culture celebrates food. Escoffier created the modern working kitchen, but many classic dishes used every part of food, and chefs created heavy sauces to mask questionable foods in the days before refrigeration. Nouvelle cuisine cuts cooking times and uses only the freshest ingredients. Chefs choose light pan sauces, herbs, fruit juices and vinegars instead of heavy sauces.

Thai – Thai chefs balance the flavors of hot, sour, bitter and sweet. Getting the right balance of flavors makes any cuisine extraordinary. Rice, fish sauce, noodles, lime juice, coconut, peanuts and lemon grass figure prominently in Thai cuisine.

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How to help bartenders in a great performance?

Not like other manpower in hospitality industry, bartenders especially get a great contribution in successful bar. Not only they meet client's tasting need, but also they create the customer's want. Sometimes they are affected by outside and unworthy elements, so they miss their mission. How do you do to keep they in a stability feeling? How to help bartenders in a great performance?

Michael Neff is one of the founder of Ward III in Tribeca and The Rum House in Times Square. His cocktails have been featured in numerous publications, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Penthouse Magazine and, of course, Serious Eats.

Below are 20 rules of Michael Neff that applying in training his bartenders. Do you have any to add?

1. Do everything you can to make your guests happy within the boundaries you have been given.
2. You are on stage and people are watching you. Act accordingly. If you are not comfortable with this, find another job.
3. It's not your party. It's not your booze. It's not your bar.
4. Know what you serve and why. If you work at a beer bar, make sure you know about beer. If you're new and uneducated, pick a few that you can get to know well, and start from there.
5. Sleeping with your customers is a great way to lose money.
6. Learn how to make cocktails. Practice the details.
7. Tips aren't everything. It's a long-term game, so don't sweat the random crappy gratuity from time to time.
8. Cash-handling is king. Neat money shows your customers and owners that you are paying attention to their cash.
9. Insist on proper behavior in your bar, whatever that happens to be. If you let the clientele run your establishment, you will never regain control.
10. Look the part.
11. Learn how to comp and why.
12. Control your environment. Is the A/C too high? Is the music too loud? Your clienteles' comfort is directly proportional to the number of stars they will give you on Yelp when they walk out the door.
13. Know a joke. Get good at banter. People pay for booze, but they tip for your service.
14. Open your mouth. Talk to people. Say hello when they walk up and goodbye when they leave. Chat with your clientele, ask how they're doing, even if it's just passing time. Often, that is exactly what people want from you.
15. Branch out. Make sure you have the skill-sets necessary to deliver what people can reasonably expect in your bar, and work to gain the skills you'll need to succeed at your next job. Because you will have a next job, and it will require more of you.
16. Keep a clean bar. Turn bottles to face forward. Wipe the bar-top. Straighten the stools. If people think you don't care, they won't either.
17. Keep your mouth shut. Don't offer advice. Don't dominate conversations. Keep yourself to yourself.
18. Mise en place. It's a fancy French phrase for how you arrange your tools and ingredients. Set your mise, and do the same thing every time. You can't be fast if you're constantly searching for what you need.
19. Don't touch your face, hair, or any other part of your body. Cough in to the crook of your arm. Sneeze down. Always be seen washing your hands. Don't be disgusting.
20. Behind the bar, you are an illusion, a fantasy, a servant, and an actual person all rolled in to one. Choose wisely which side you choose to present at any given moment.

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How to hire the right receptionist?

Selecting the receptionist is probably one of the most crucial because they create the first impression to the clients. So it is important to choose the right receptionist for your company’s image.
Then this might be just the image you are looking for: business ambassadors (business’s image); personality counts (help customer).
By hiring the right receptionist, you are on your way to having a successful, smooth running company.

How to hire the right receptionist?

No1. Determine Necessary Skills
Think carefully about the type of your business and how your receptionist can best personify the image you wish to project. Screen for those who are truly interested in a receptionist role, as opposed to those who simply want to get a foot in your company's door the easiest way possible. That said, when it comes time to conduct interviews, ask each candidate what they know about your company and listen carefully to how they respond. You want someone who has a solid understanding of the business, which helps them to present a confident and capable first impression to outsiders.

No2. Assess Your Gut Feelings
Be exacting in interviews. Too often employers focus solely on credentials when considering candidates, but conduct is often just as important, especially when it comes to the receptionist role. A nervous, timid manner can be incredibly off-putting to those having their first dealings with a business. If your receptionist embodies such traits, it doesn't matter how highly trained your staff is; you could potentially lose business on the basis of the receptionist alone.
It may seem illogical to form an opinion of a prospective receptionist

Your receptionist is often the first contact customers and partners have with your business, be it over the phone or in person, so it is very important to have the right person handling the job. And to hire the right person, it's necessary to first identify what kind of employee you are looking for.
It may seem illogical to form an opinion of a prospective receptionist based on gut feelings, but if you're turned off by his or her demeanor, consider how your clients will feel. In turn, if you get an extremely positive feeling from interacting with a prospect, take that as a good sign.

Interviewing receptionists isn't the same as hiring for other positions. Receptionists are required to react on the fly, think on their feet, and tackle whatever situation comes their way. Angry caller on the phone? The receptionist will be the first one in your office with the opportunity to talk them down. Have a glut of visitors all clamoring for attention at once? It’s the receptionist's job to ensure that everyone gets where they're going. These scenarios and more are why it's crucial to hire a receptionist with a warm, affable manner.

No3. Allow for an Adjustment Period
While it's helpful to evaluate receptionist candidates based on their abilities, be sure to give your new hire a chance to settle in before deciding how you think they're doing. Obvious as this may seem, every business is governed by its own processes and filled with its own distinctive combination of personalities. Even the best, most adaptable receptionists will need some time to adjust to his or her new situation. Six weeks is usually a reasonable amount of time to assess how a receptionist is faring. You may wish to consider bringing someone in on a temporary basis at first, and then when you feel confident they make a good fit, bring them on permanently.
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How to Build Customer Loyalty

Are you committee do building customer loyalty? You should be. Most companies can increase revenues 50% by increasing customer loyalty by only 5%
That’s great, but how do I do it?
Here are 4 Steps to build customer loyalty:

Step 1: Build Employee Loyalty
It's easy to understand that if you don't take care of your employees, they won’t take care of your customers. To develop your brand, the first is developing your staffs loyalty.

Step 2: Screw Up
Not on purpose mind you, but it’s going to happen 17. You’re not Superman
This is a great opportunity to Make things rights, Earn Trust, Build Loyalty But think beyond money.
Discounts are fine, but a thoughtful gift separates you from everyone else.


Step 3: Build a Tribe
What people really want is the ability to connect to each other, not to companies.
How can you build a tribe
Do you have an app yet? You Should.
Having a smartphone is a status symbol. It’s a great place to build your tribe.
Nearly 70% of app users view brands with apps more favorably

Step 4: Provide excellent customer services
In the end of process, you have to provide an excellent customer services.
It's easy to seen that staffs loyalty is not enough to bring your customers back because they aren't allowed to decide any policy for clients, they just help the manager to bring company's value to the customers in a smooth ways.

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Customer Satisfaction vs Customer Loyalty - What's the difference?

In customer services, you’ll likely hear people talk about “customer satisfaction”, and sometimes you’ll hear about “customer loyalty”. It’s important to recognize that they are two sides of the same coin.

To be clear that:
“Satisfaction” is an attitude — it’s how I feel, and as such it’s distinctly subjective. I have an attitude that I’m satisfied, or I have a perception of myself as being satisfied.

In contrast, “loyalty” describes behavior. I may behave in loyal ways. When I become a regular, repeat customer and I recommend your product to my friends or family members, I’m behaving in a loyal way. If I’m really loyal, I’ll willingly pay a premium in order to purchase a product with your brand on it. That, again, is a loyalty behavior. It’s objective.

Satisfaction without Loyalty

Sometimes you can be really satisfied with something, yet fail to behave in a loyal way.
Take my local bookstore. I love my local bookstore. It’s a smaller, regional chain with a lovely environment and a nice selection, and I like their staff picks for recommended reading.
There are many attributes of the local bookstore that I find to be quite satisfying — but am I loyal?
Not entirely. I also buy a lot of books on Amazon. For me, Amazon is convenient; I like the quick searching, and I enjoy reading the reviews. Too, Amazon offers a lot of one stop shopping options. I’m not that fond of going into stores generally, so I appreciate being able to order some books, some clothes and some games for the kids all in ten minutes.
So in this case, I’m quite satisfied with my local bookstore, but I’m not behaving in a very loyal way.

• See more: How to build customer loyalty 

Loyalty without Satisfaction

Let’s take a real-world example. I happen to like coffee, and I buy a lot of coffee at Starbucks. Therefore, I’m loyal to Starbucks.
However, if Starbucks were to send me a satisfaction survey, focusing on my attitudes, they’d find that I’m not particularly satisfied in two specific areas.
There are two problems here:
The first, I think the price of their iced coffee is entirely too high.
The second, I think the naming of their cup sizes is pretentious and, in fact, I refuse to use it. When I’m at Starbucks, I order a medium.
Clearly, then, when it comes to Starbucks, there’s a difference between my behavior and my attitude.

"Customer Satisfaction" and "Customer Loyalty" are two difference definitions, but always remember that Customer Loyalty going beyond Satisfaction.
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How to become a good listener? (Part 2)

Last some days, I said about some tips to become a good listener? Now we will come to other tips to improve your listen skill.

• See more: How to become a good listener? (Part 1)

5. Wait and Watch for Non-Verbal Communication
Gestures, facial expressions, and eye-movements are all important.
In fact, we don’t just listen with our ears but also with our eyes so to become a good listener, you should watch and pick up the additional information being transmitted via non-verbal communication.

6. Be Patient
Be patient and let the speaker continue in their own time, sometimes it takes time to formulate what to say and how to say it.
Never interrupt or finish a sentence for someone.

7. Listen for Ideas – Not Just Words
To become a good listener, you need to get the whole picture, not just isolated bits and pieces.
One of the most difficult aspects of listening is the ability to link together pieces of information to reveal the ideas of others. With proper concentration, letting go of distractions, and focus this becomes easier.

8. Avoid Personal Prejudice
Everybody has a different way of speaking, some people are more nervous or shy than others, some have regional accents or make excessive arm movements, some people like to pace whilst talking - others like to sit still.
Try to be impartial.  Don't become irritated and don't let the person’s habits or mannerisms distract you from what they are really saying.
Focus on what is being said and try to ignore styles of delivery.

9. Listen to the Tone
A good speaker will use both volume and tone to their advantage to keep an audience attentive; everybody will use pitch, tone and volume of voice in certain situations – let these help you to understand the emphasis of what is being said.

The most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen. Just listen. Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our attention...
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How to become a good listener? (Part 1)

It's difficult to become an effective speaker but to become good listener is not easy. A good listener will listen not only to what is being said, but also to what is left unsaid or only partially said.

Effective listening involves observing body language and noticing inconsistencies between verbal and non-verbal messages. For example, if someone tells you that they are happy with their life but through gritted teeth or with tears filling their eyes, you should consider that the verbal and non-verbal messages are in conflict, they maybe don't mean what they say.

Let's see some tips help you become a good listener.

• See more: How to become a good listener? (Part 2)

1. Stop Talking
When somebody else is talking listen to what they are saying, do not interrupt, talk over them or finish their sentences for them.  Until they has finished talking you may need to clarify to ensure you have received their message accurately.

2. Just Listening

Feel Relax.  

Focus on the speaker.  

Put other things out of mind.  

The human mind is easily distracted by other thoughts – what’s for lunch, what time do I need to leave to catch my train, is it going to rain – try to put other thoughts out of mind and concentrate on the messages that are being communicated.

3. Put the Speaker at Ease
Remember their needs and concerns.
Help the speaker to feel free to speak.
Nod or use other gestures or words to encourage them to continue.
Maintain eye contact but don’t stare – show you are listening and understanding what is being said.

4. Empathise
Put yourself in speaker's position.
Try to understand the other person’s point of view.
Look at issues from their perspective.
Let go of preconceived ideas.
By having an open mind we can more fully empathise with the speaker.
If the speaker says something that you disagree with then wait and construct an argument to counter what is said but keep an open mind to the views and opinions of others.

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How to use humor on the job? (Part 2)

Last days, we knew some tips to use humor on job. Now we will learn more techniques to get success at work.
6. Observe the rule of threes
Have you ever noticed how many jokes involve a minister, a priest, and a rabbi? Or a member of ethnic groups 1, 2, and 3? An old saying tells us that "A cord of three strands is not easily broken." Triangular structures are among the strongest ones possible. The number three represents symmetry and completeness. Therefore, when developing your humor, try to involve three elements. For example, when I give presentations on communications lessons we can learn from the Titanic disaster, I don't simply say "I use as an example the Titanic because my daughters say I'm a loser." I say, instead:

I use as an example the Titanic for three reasons: It's something everyone knows, I enjoy studying and discussing it, and My daughters say I'm a loser.

7. Say what people are thinking (but won't say themselves)
Dilbert creator, Scott Adams, once remarked that this idea provides many of his cartoon subjects. When you verbalize what everyone else is thinking, you in effect "take the hit" for them, allowing them the privilege of laughing. In my previous example, where I was preceding Commander Waddle, it's quite possible the audience was more familiar with him than with me. When I made my joke, I was saying to them, in effect, "I know what you're thinking, and it's okay."

8. Delay the punchline until the end
The impact of humor is greatest when you can delay the punchline as long as possible. For example, instead of telling an audience they have to write clearly enough "so that even a judge can understand it," tell them that they have to write clearly enough "so that it can be understood, even by a judge."

9. Poke fun at a boss or other authority figure
As long as you don't go overboard, making fun of the boss is usually a safe approach. In fact, doing so pays a backhanded compliment to the boss, by recognizing that he or she has sufficient prominence to merit such attention. I recommend, as above, avoiding joking about race or religion or physical characteristics of the boss. The safest topics are probably intelligence and business acumen (or lack thereof).

10. Don't tip your hand
An important reason business humor works is the absence of expectations. People are expecting a business presentation, not a monologue from Jay Leno. Any appropriate humor you can generate usually will succeed. Therefore, if you're about to use humor, never tell the audience, "I'm going to tell you a joke now" or "Here's a joke that makes my point." Just start into the joke as if you're giving your regular presentation.

Also, use local details whenever possible. If you're in Washington, don't say "I was walking down the street." Say instead, "I was walking west on K St., approaching Washington Circle, by The George Washington University Hospital." Don't say, "I exited the subway." Say instead, "I exited the Metro at Judiciary Square." These details add to the credibility of the story, increasing the element of surprise and hence the impact of the joke.

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How to use humor on the job? (Part 1)

Do you want to distinguish yourself in the workplace and be able to function more effectively there? Consider using humor. Whether you use it during a presentation, on the telephone, or in personal interactions, humor can break the ice and set the tone for your audience. Below are a few tips on effectively using humor at work. For more information, I recommend the book A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Boardroom, by Michael Iapoce.

1. Make fun of yourself
So with all the potential minefields out there, what CAN be a good source of humor? If you're comfortable and secure enough, I suggest making fun of yourself. Doing so can lower barriers between you and your audience by demonstrating that you're just another person. More subtly, it can show that you're sure and secure about yourself.

I once was one of two keynote speakers and was preceding Scott Waddle, the former commander of the submarine U.S.S. Greeneville. In 2001, the Greeneville struck and sank a Japanese fishing boat, killing nine people. I began my talk by asking the audience, "Who's eager to hear Commander Waddle?" As I expected, everyone in the room raised their hands. "That means, "I continued, "that you can't wait for me to finish."

2. Defuse embarrassment and tension
My father once gave a presentation in which he referenced Worcester Polytechnic Institute, pronouncing the first word correctly as "Woo-ster." His manager's manager, upon hearing that word, interrupted, saying to my father that the correct pronunciation was actually "Woo-ches-ter." Though this "correction " was actually incorrect, my father did not say so. Instead, he responded, "Sorry, Murray, please forgive me. English is only my fifth language."

As you might expect, the room erupted in laughter. In looking back on that incident, my father always said his response was superior to correcting his boss's boss in public and that it defused the embarrassment and tension of the situation.

3. Cope with unpleasant situations
I once needed to make a telephone call but had forgotten my cell phone. With my daughter in tow, I entered the lobby of an apartment building that I knew had a pay phone. An elderly member of our church had lived there before she passed on, and our family would visit her from time to time. I picked up the telephone, and as I started to dial, I saw a security guard approach me. I waved to him, smiled, and said, "It's okay." At that point, the guard glared at me, said, "No, it's not okay," and ordered us to leave.

4. Be aware of potential misinterpretation
When you make a humorous remark, particularly a joking insult, remember that it could be taken seriously. This possibility increases when the joke is made via e-mail, where body language and facial expressions do not accompany the words. If you really have the urge to use humor in e-mail, make sure to include emoticons, such as the smiley face, or LOL acronyms.

Believe it or not, when my father finished his presentation, people came up to him and asked him if he knew five languages. If some people can misread humor even in a face-to-face encounter, imagine how much worse it could be with e-mail, voicemail, or the telephone.

Instead of being upset by that incident (although I did write a letter to the CEO of the management company for that apartment), my daughter and I turned it into a joke. I would make a mock apology to her, saying, for example, "Rayna, they didn't have chocolate ice cream, so I bought vanilla. I hope that's okay." Rayna would feign anger, shake her head and say, "No, it's NOT okay."
Are you at the help desk? Do you sometimes have abusive callers? Do those callers have certain pet phrases they use? Maybe you could incorporate the phrases into your daily language (out of their hearing, of course). Or you could start an over/under pool on how long it takes for them to become upset.

5. Avoid inappropriate humor
The greatest danger in using humor is basing it on an inappropriate subject. Stay away from subjects related to race, religion, or sexual topics. Otherwise, you risk not only offending your audience (and hence compromising your credibility) but also being subject to disciplinary action.
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Which good books for hospitality managers?

#1. Service Operations Management (4th Edition)
Robert Johnston, Graham Clark, Michael Shulver
Apr 2012, Paperback, 488 pages

Description:
This international market-leading book, aimed at both students and practising managers, provides a comprehensive and balanced introduction to service operations management. Building on the basic principles of operations management, the authors examine the operations decisions that managers face in controlling their resources and delivering services to their customers.

#2. Hospitality Management and Organisational Behaviour (5th Edition)
Laurie J. Mullins, Penny Dossor
Jun 2013, Paperback, 512 pages

Description:
An essential text for HND and first year Hospitality Management degree students which examines the relevance and applications of general management theory and principles to hospitality organisations. Using contemporary material and case studies the book indicates ways in which performance may be improved through better use of human resources. Rigorous academic theory is related to hospitality practice, based on the author's great knowledge of the hospitality industry. The text takes a vocational basis and the illustration of the theory with real-life examples of hospitality management in action provides a solid and stimulating introduction to the subject.
Written by two experts in the Hospitality field, Laurie Mullins and Penny Dosser, this book combines an accessible reading style with current and relevant case studies on a variety of hospitality companies from across the globe.

#3. Hospitality Management: An Introduction (2nd Edition)
Tim Knowles
Feb 1998, Paperback, 328 pages

Description:
This comprehensive text serves as a basic reader for students on introductory hospitality management programmes or non-specialist but related degrees such as tourism and business studies, both at undergraduate and postgraduate level. It provides students with a solid grounding in the industry, covering all sectors of the hospitality industry, both commercial and non commercial, and sets it within the context of the tourism industry. Hospitality Management: An Introduction second edition breaks away from tradition by looking at the wider industry, such as the brewing industry, theme parks and the timeshare industry.

#4. Corporate Strategy for Hospitality
Tim Knowles
Dec 1995, Paperback, 368 pages

Description:
Written for the both the student and manager, this book provides a fresh insight into the theory and practice of strategy formulation and implementation within the hospitality industry. It has a unique, single-author approach and incorporates up-to-date, industry case studies, drawn from international sources. Each chapter begins with a clear statement of objectives for the reader, and concludes with a summary and extensive list of further reading.

#5. Vocational A-level: Hospitality & Catering
Mary Aslett, Richard Gower
Oct 2000, Paperback, 272 pages

Description: 
Vocational A-level Hospitality and Catering provides a comprehensive, dedicated approach to the new Vocational A-level in Hospitality and Catering. Exactly matching the structure of the new specifications, this book is designed to facilitate success. The book supports students and lecturers through the six mandatory units of the Vocational A-level, covering all the background information needed. References to key skills attainment are contained at the end of each unit and information from major employers in the Hospitality and Catering industries make the learning process enjoyable and relevant. The book has an accessible, student-friendly style with clear diagrams and explanations. Activities, revision questions and real examples from industry support and encourage individual learning.

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Advantages of Laughter

Advantages of laughter

#1. Laughter is the Best Medicine. 
It’s a cliché because it’s true. A good laugh reduces blood pressure, increases our heart rate, massages our internal organs and reduces serum cortical (a hormone released in response to stress). People who have a positive, healthy sense of humor may, according to some researchers, get sick less often and recover more quickly from illnesses. So if you want to live a healthier life, or if you want to have healthy employees and reduce absenteeism rates, then you can’t be serious!

Laughter is the best medicine

#2. Laughter is a Powerful Stress Buster. 
Many psychologists tell us that humor is the complete opposite of stress. Humor reduces tension in a stressful situation, provides a realistic perspective when you most need it, gives you control over your emotions and helps you rise above a crisis. Humor is a thinking response in an emotional situation, helping you connect your mind with your heart. So if you want to manage stress better, you just can’t be serious!

Laughter is a powerful stress buster

#3. Laughter Can Improve the Bottom Line. 
If humor helps us achieve all the goals listed so far, then it only makes sense that ultimately it will improve our overall effectiveness and productivity in the workplace. This isn’t, as hockey commentator Don Cherry would say, “rocket surgery.” We do best what we enjoy doing. In fact, there are countless examples of businesses that, by focusing on their employees’ laugh lines, have significantly improved their bottom lines. So if you want to be more successful and productive, then really, you can’t be serious!

Laughter can improve the bottom line

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How to communicate effectively?

Do not say the first thing that comes into your head but instead take a moment and pay close attention to what you say and how you say it.
Focus on the meaning of what you want to communicate.
Aim to increase understanding by considering how your message might be received by the other person.  By communicating clearly, you can help avoid misunderstandings and potential conflict with others.  By speaking eloquently you will come across as more intelligent and mature.
Be aware of the messages you are sending via non-verbal channels: make eye contact and avoid defensive body language.  Present information in a way that its meaning can be clearly understood. Pay particular attention to differences in culture, past experiences, attitudes and abilities before conveying your message.  Avoid jargon and over-complicated language; explain things as simply as possible. Request clarification if unclear about a message.  Always avoid racist and sexist terms or any language that may cause offence.

How to communicate effectively

1. Use Humour
Laughing releases endorphins that can help relieve stress and anxiety; most people like to laugh and will feel drawn to somebody who can make them laugh. Don’t be afraid to be funny or clever, but do ensure your humour is appropriate to the situation.  Use your sense of humour to break the ice, to lower barriers and gain the affection of others.  By using appropriate humour you will be perceived as more charismatic.

Use humour

2. Treat People Equally
Always aim to communicate on an equal basis and avoid patronising people.  Do not talk about others behind their backs and try not to develop favourites: by treating people as your equal and also equal to each other you will build trust and respect.  Check that people understand what you have said to avoid confusion and negative feelings.  Encourage open and honest feedback from the receiver to ensure your message is understood and to avoid the receiver instead feeding back what they think you want to hear.  If confidentiality is an issue, make sure its boundaries are known and ensure its maintenance.

Treat people equally

3. Attempt to Resolve Conflict
Learn to troubleshoot and resolve problems and conflicts as they arise.  Learn how to be an effective mediator and negotiator. Use your listening skills to hear and understand both sides of any argument - encourage and facilitate people to talk to each other. Try not to be biased or judgemental but instead ease the way for conflict resolution.

Attempt to resolve conflict

4. Maintain a Positive Attitude and Smile
Few people want to be around someone who is frequently miserable.  Do your best to be friendly, upbeat and positive with other people. Maintain a positive, cheerful attitude to life: when things do not go to plan, stay optimistic and learn from your mistakes. If you smile often and stay cheerful, people are more likely to respond positively to you.

Maintain a positive attitude and smile

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Hospitality Industry Trends in 2015 (part 2)

Last time, we talked about 4 hospitality industry trends in 2015. Now we will discuss more factors affect success of  hospitality business in 2015.

• See more: Hospitality Industry Trends in 2015 (Part 1)

5. The sharing economy

It's not in hospitality industry, any industry to be success, the firm have to share economy. No one can be top of the world just alone.

6. Political uncertainty

Absolutely, no one want to relax in a political uncertainty country. They certainly want to enjoy their holiday in a beautiful place, it's worth for their money.

7. Real time marketing 

Real time marketing and providing content on an ongoing basis will dominate the industry. Although it would be unwise to discount the impact of traditional marketing, real time marketing must take place on a regular basis and incorporate guest-generated content, especially via social media. This must be a crucial component of the marketing mix.

8. Health and wellness trends 

Health and wellness trends will continue to drive customer decisions. Healthy food options are one of the easiest ways to cater to this trend.
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