Goodbye En Nazri.....

Last glass of wine(sparkling juice actually) and wish you all the best!!!!...from all of us.....School of Hospitality STCPI.

Thank you for everythings.......

Excellent foodservice......

Boys and Girls.....

are you ready to serve....

and to work long hours to during this period........

to learn this as fast as you can with a hundreds of names........and of course you can.....

Always remember this formula, SWAT and you will excel in foodservice industry...

1) Sound of product knowledge

2) Well develop inter personal skills

3) A range of technical skills

4) To be able work as a team

and with SERVICE AT HEART............

The story of chef hats.......

Attention to all culinary student!!!!!!!!!!

you will complete your SKM soon, so which hats is belong to you....think!

New TPK Student (Culinary Arts)

L-040-1 (TPK Feb Intake)

Comment cards – why they are not much better than nothing – here, please take the sleeves off my vest!

Ah, Comment Cards – the mainstay of Customer Feedback for Hospitality and Retail! My favorite is the Card you are to mail, if you have a stamp. Or, those cards you leave with the Server, check-out counter or the Front Desk, which mention the performance of that particular Server or Associate. I wonder where they go, if the commentary is negative. Yup, I sure would pass along to Management a less than perfect commentary. Let's not forget those comments which state a pressing problem - poor service, condition of the bathrooms, meal preparation and the like. Fortunately, we see those at some point in time, usually way after the fact, so the unsatisfactory Experience is etched in our Guest's memory, although we might send a letter (a lost opportunity, too little, too late). Comment Cards are not much better than nothing, just like the sleeves off your vest - Lip Service for many (of course, we care what our Guest says; just don't make it too loud, too frequent or too honest. I am trying to run a business here). Do not become obsolete in your prime. You certainly can do better.

Start with the premise of Feedback. This is the mechanism to report upon our performance - what we did well and what we need to improve upon. We want to keep our survey questions short (due to the respondent's attention span), simple (not tax the cranium) and relevant to our operation (so we have some benchmarks). Most importantly, we want to match our chosen Feedback mechanism to our audience, in order to elicit the greatest response.

Here comes a major disconnect, just like the businesses which felt they did not need a web site. Your audience is connected and wired, and e-mail and texting are their every day communication vehicles. Think about it. In your operations, you have moved to the 'paperless', using electronics for your Financials, your Daily Reports, and your Payrolls. Take the next step - get your message on the right mediums.

Gathering "Feedback" requires a blend. Every day, you take an inventory of your business, walking the property, speaking with staff and guests, reviewing status reports. But, probably, you are too close to the business (the old trees and forest analogy).

Mystery or Secret Shops are a good means to get a snapshot in time of your operation or particular aspects of your business. These are unannounced, incognito evaluations of your SOP's (what you want your Customer or Guest to experience). You now have this "thumb nail sketch". If the Shops are done frequently enough, you start to see trends, training opportunities, Standards which need some tweaking, etc. Plus, it keeps your staff on their toes and wearing name tags, if required.

For a more comprehensive evaluation of your business, you might consider the services of a Hospitality Assessment or Quality Assurance company. These Professionals provide an in-depth review of your entire operation, considering Industry Norms and Standards for product, service and condition of the facilities. Their reports provide a map for continuous improvement.
Ultimately, the bottom line is what your Customers and Guest think. You can ask them directly, if you have the time, and they are prepared to respond honestly. You can await their Comment Cards. You can scan all those internet portals for unsolicited reviews of your business, respond where you can, but, ultimately, "suck it up", as your Consumer has spoken to that vast global audience of critics and potential business.

Or, you can proactively solicit Feedback which is immediate, actionable, and credible through technological solutions. And, here are two key words: immediate and actionable. What we learn months or even a week after the fact has absolutely no credibility; hence, you want to know about their Experience right away and share it with your Management (their Performance report). Immediacy means you can take action right away and address an issue, and, perhaps, save or enhance the Experience. Technology can prompt Feedback on-line, through POS, and other means. To survive and prosper, this is where you need to be. Raise your game!

It is time to move to the next plateau, the next frontier, and use "Guest Feedback" technology for the following reasons:

Comment Cards simply do not provide a meaningful response about the Guest Experience, because not everyone participates (usually only the disgruntled and the gruntled) and you have a critical time gap. Comment Cards are superficial;

Technology reaches a broader, more representative and diverse audience, quickly, because the majority of your Guests are technology savvy in some fashion. The responses are timely, and they validate your relationship with the Guest and allow you to better manage the experience;

With a request for an e-mail address at registration or point-of-sale, you begin to build a significant data base, which serves as a super marketing opportunity for your business, from Guest preferences to special announcements and deals;

Just because the Guest may be satisfied with one visit does not mean they will rebook or revisit. But, now you have another opportunity - to build loyalty. It is easier to retain an existing Guest than recruit a new one.

There is no better time to better manage the experience, frame the expectations, create real value, which you can then market! Get with the program(s)!

About the author
Mr. Hendrie is a keen observer of trends and results in the realm of Travel and Hospitality. He believes that Remarkable Hospitality is the portal to the Memorable Experience. Seek solutions at: www.hospitalityperformance.com

Airlines Directory/Airlines Related sub-directories

Aer Lingus
Aero Mexico
Aeroflot
Aerolineas Argentina
Air Calin
Air Canada
Air China
Air Fiji
Air France
Air India
Air Macau
Air Mandalay
Air Nauru
Air New Zealand
Air Niugini
Air Pacific
Alitalia
All Nippon Airways
Aloha Air
America West Airlines
American Airlines
Ansett Australia
Ansett New Zealand
Asiana Airlines
Austrian Airlines
Avianca
British Airways
British Midland
Canadian Airlines
Cathay Pacific
China Airlines
China Southern Airlines
Continental
Czech Airlines
Delta
Dragon Air
El Al Israel Airlines
Emirates
EVA Air
Finnair
Gulf Air
Hawaiian Airlines
Iberia
Indian Airways
Japan Airlines
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
Korean Air
Lan Chile
Lauda Air
Lufthansa
Malaysian Airlines
Mandarin Arilines
Northwest Airlines
Olympic
Pakistan International Airlines
Philippine Airlines
Polish Airlines LOT
Polynesian Airlines
Qantas
Royal Brunei Airlines
SAirGroup
SAS
Silk Air
Singapore Airlines
South African Airways
Sri Lankan Airlines
SWISS
TAP - Air Portugal
Thai Airways
Turkish Airlines
TWA
United Airlines
Varig
Vietnam Airlines
Virgin Atlantic

She gets too hungry, for dinner at eight…. How to Elevate the Dining Experience

Just picture this. You are at a music festival, seated, awaiting the top performer. He enters, the lights dim, spots begin to cross the stage, the band strikes up. Soon, you are tapping your feet, perhaps drumming your fingers, beginning to sway, mouthing the words, bopping your head. The song moves into the finale. Crescendo!

You are on your feet, moving with others, arms raised, and face aglow. Multi-colored lights explode, smoke bellows, everyone screams, applauding madly. You are on cloud nine, sated and euphoric - almost better than sex. The performer delivered, and you just had a memorable experience via live theatre.

Why can't we experience this when we pick up our dry cleaning, visit the dentist, check-out at the grocery store or buy shoes, the dreamer asks? We certainly should expect something special every time we dine out; this is live theatre, after all. We have made a choice based upon time, cuisine, price and appetite. We know we should be able to "have it our way" (sic). But, what often awaits us is less than satisfactory. Perhaps, the entrée reflects what we ordered and is at least tepid. Perhaps, we had the obligatory, "Hi, guys" and then no attention. Maybe, the ambiance was somewhat comfortable, the A/C adjusted, the lights not severely dimmed, so we could read the menu, and the background music muted rather than blaring.

If we all convened and identified various levels of an Experience, from the poor to the sublime, we would find that we too frequently settle for the mediocre. We all share the blame. If the Consumer expects the very least, the owner/restaurateur only turning the tables and counting the covers, the chef just banging out uninspired food and the server ill prepared, trained and motivated - the product, service and facility will never advance, and the Experience becomes further devalued.

Let's go back to that list of levels, which really does mix service, product and facility, along with our senses, quite nicely. You do need a balance. We know that Paris Hilton will not be our Hostess, that Mick Jagger will not be serenading us, or that Johnny Depp or Ashley Judd will be our server or that Wolfgang Puck is back behind the line. We can fantasize, though!

We diners want to be treated specially, and our expectations are simply not monumental, merely justifiable and reasonable.

It all starts with what the restaurant has told us our experience should be. We read it on-line, or in the newspaper, above and underground. Maybe, we rely on those unreliable reviews of experts and patrons. Our initial look, though, is the first impression, which is lasting, and, for some establishments, approach and entry is worrisome. However, now in the foyer we begin to sample the "flavors" - how we are greeted, the sounds and smells, the escort to the table and presentation of menus. That is if we do not see daunting, "Seat yourselves", free-for-all invitation.

More "flavor" is gathered with the condition of our banquette, table, china, chairs, area around our seating, the walls and the ceilings. We do have time to observe, environmentally, ergonomically and hygienically. We all remember well that pad of butter on the high school cafeteria ceiling. What is more noticeable is a frayed carpet, stained, ripped or littered with debris; perhaps a scuffed, cracked or nicked chair. Don't even go searching for gum (even in the finest of places). The utensils and glasses should be sparkling, the china clean and not chipped and any condiments full and not encrusted with contents.

The real opportunity to make the diner feel special lies with the wait staff, Management and the Culinarians - the performers. This is where a rapport is established, where any and all opportunity exists to give me attention and respect, where memories are forged and expectations met, and, sometimes, exceeded. This is where the players engage the audience, even seduce them.

A smile and welcome go a mile; knowledge of the menu and recommendations are appreciated; thoughtful, unobtrusive conversation a plus; proper service of the food dishes - presentation and removal - critical; filling our glasses with water, replenishing the butter/rolls; several "swings through" to ensure that we have everything we need; the Manager or Maitre d' visiting to check on our meals and enjoyment. The roles in the kitchen are just as critical. The meal needs to be prepared to order in a timely fashion with creative presentation. It is the human contact, the interaction, the care and concern for a product well prepared and the intimacy of nourishment.

The proper departure rounds out the Experience. The clearing of the dinner/dessert plates, the check presentation, and the long walk out of the restaurant give all employees the chance to show their appreciation for my business. The keen smiles, the thank you's and please returns should be obligatory.

So, now we have established a plateau of good service. What does it take to move the Experience to the remarkable and memorable? It is in the detail, the response and the unexpected. It could be as simple as holding a door open or assisting someone with their coat. It might be achieving that special order request. It could be spontaneous or even how a critical situation was handled. It is that extra step, the intuitive gesture, a long forgotten courtesy.

Each and every instance is registered with your Guest. A restaurant is not a Broadway Review, but you do have the live stage and capacity to inspire. And, good news travels quickly, particularly the Raves.

About the authorThe author former "long hair", believes that Remarkable Hospitality is the portal to the Guest Experience and offers solutions through www.hospitalityperformance.com or email: jrhendrie@aol.com

Really? yes!!!!!! they really needs you........

Good Night Guest.....Good Night Service?

It's late, it's dark and it's time for bed. Guests who arrive past dinner time are usually not in the best of moods. They have traveled far, have left the comfort of their homes and may have had some challenges which caused them to be later than they had planned. Welcome to the night shift.

Will guests be greeted by those who have been extra prepared for these less than cheery guests or will guests be greeted by those employees who are not in the best moods themselves? What kind of thought goes into the scheduling and placement of the night team, their attitudes and dispositions? Since they are the third shift, are they also the third team in service delivery, considering that most of the rest of the world is asleep? Are they the least service oriented employees since one would think they deal with the least number of guests? Are they the last ones in line for training, if any training at all? Do they have more distractions and have to handle more jobs to handle since there is less staff on duty? Do they take a more casual attitude toward their role in the guest experience since they have so many other responsibilities to handle?

Cranky and combative might not be the normal reactions guests expect during their evening stay but one guest encountered these exact emotions at a recent stay at a major brand hotel. Having arrived late, she was given one of the last rooms on a lower floor. During the wee hours of the morning, the clanging and banging started. When she called the front desk, the night auditor denied the noise existed and told her nothing was taking place. She protested and said something had definitely awakened her and that she was definitely not imagining it. He remained less than charming in his dialogue and expressed no empathy or concern for a guest who needed exactly that.

One hour later the noise started again and the groggy guest called the front desk once more. This time, a different person answered, told her that she was over the kitchen where some construction was taking place and responded that he would make sure the noise stopped immediately. Twenty minutes later, the noise stopped. When the noise began an hour later for the third time, she called the front desk and got the original night auditor on the line. He told her that there "certainly was no one working in the middle of the night" (even though the last person said there was) and that there was no noise. Luckily the noise then stopped. Unluckily, the alarm to get up went off. Service seemed to have checked out right after this guest checked in...what a nightmare.

Though the morning shift apologized profusely , offered to move her room and presented her with a meal voucher, a good meal is not a substitute for a good night's sleep.

Why did the third shift, the night shift, handle this so poorly with this guest? Why was the first or morning shift equipped to handle the guest much better and why was the third or night shift not? What skills should the night auditor and his team have had to have turned this bad situation into a good one? Service recovery can be one of the most impactful guest loyalty strategies and this particular night crew had at least three opportunities to score a home run with an unhappy guest. Instead, they scored three outs and made the unhappy guest, unhappier. There was no empathy, efficiency or excellence in any of the three phone calls. Was the night shift neglected or even sleeping on the job when training on guest service took place? Or, did the training not take place at all? Just because employees are assigned the late night shift does not excuse them from their role in the guest experience. They need to be prepared for all things that go bump in the night...and know how to make them right.

My family had an interesting experience at a major brand hotel. We have stopped at this particular hotel at least four times as a late night stop during long drives between Florida and Georgia. We are repeat guests and all our information is in the system. The same night manager is always on duty when we arrive. Each time we arrive after 11pm and each time it takes this same clerk almost 30 minutes to check us in. He has a hard time accessing our information, confirming our rate, processing the papers and efficiently assigning us a room. Each time we think he will recognize us and whisk us immediately into bedded bliss so we get the rest we need for our long drive the next day. Instead, our repeat business is rewarded with more aggravation and less sleep than we had hoped by the time we get to our room.

During our last visit, we confirmed that it would indeed be our last visit even though it is a convenient hotel. During all of our previous visits, breakfast was included in the rate. Due to low occupancy, this time the hotel clerk was told to charge us. While he was explaining this, other guests were calling on the phone to ask why they were suddenly being charged for breakfast. The employee seemed confused and opened a drawer filled with the free breakfast coupons but explained that he could not use them now. Guests who had been expecting the included breakfast based on all their previous visits and as appreciation for the repeat business were now being penalized as part of the hotel's cost saving measures. A lot of confusion and ill will were generated to save a few dollars. In the long run, saving the repeat guests would have been a more profitable strategy. It seemed like this hotel chose to put their least trained employee on the desk for late night visitors, change the rules on him and in turn the guests, give him no authority to handle repeat guests with extra care, and poorly equip him with procedures that encumbered any smooth check-ins whatsoever. In this instance, management set a poor example and provided little or no management assistance or guidance to the late night crew. Guests arriving at this time also got the impression that when you are late, you are less important and do not deserve the same efforts, benefits and expediency as those arriving by daylight.

What happens when the sun sets, the shifts change and the service settles down? Why would hotel managers consider having those less trained or less focused on service during the last shift just because there are seemingly less guest interactions during that time? Consider that the biggest guest challenges and most intense guest exposure may take place during that time. Grumpy, tired and impatient guests may need extra reassurance, empathy and problem solving when unexpected problems, delays or mishaps take place. Employees don't have the option to ‘send them to the bar or restaurant' while the problem is worked out! Service recovery needs to be immediate and employees should be empowered and oriented to do whatever it takes to get guests back to bed, feeling value for even the few hours they may be there.

And, just because employees are on the night shift, does not mean they should not be included in employee events, recognition and communications. Show them they are appreciated and not forgotten. Acknowledge the more challenging and less social roles they may have. Barry Frommer, General Manager of the Pelican Grand Beach Resort in Ft Lauderdale surprised his night shift with a thank you breakfast when their shift was over. This was a small gesture with a huge impact. He showed his team that they mattered and that their roles were significant and meaningful to the hotel's hospitality. His recognition of them inspired them to more strongly recognize their role with guests.

To ensure late night service excellence is real and not just a dream, consider the following:

Make sure each employee working throughout the night understands the many touchpoints and points of contact they may have with guests. They are still part of the guest experience and they do have opportunities to make midnight memorable or late lousy. Whether on the front line, maintenance, and housekeeping or in the back office, all employees will have opportunities to interact with guests at some point. Make sure they are prepared.

Train managers and employees to ensure that empathy, efficiency and excellence are part of any night time encounter, no matter how brief or how intense.

Review problems that come up during the night shift and develop responsive service solutions that can be put in place. Ask all night shift staff for their observations and ideas on how to make service a top priority, even when the lights go out.

Recognize the extra duties and different social dynamics of those on the night team and ensure they feel part of the whole team. Reward good performance and show them they are appreciated.

If using term "Night Auditor" or some other operations title for the one in charge during the late shift, consider renaming that position to a more guest friendly and approachable term. Perhaps "Evening Manager", "Manager on Duty" or "Manager at your service" would convey authority, commitment and professionalism to guests, even late at night. Guests will be more responsive just hearing that the hotel placed a proactive and concerned individual at the helm that is accessible and ready to address guest concerns. Don't let guests perceive they are getting the bottom of the bunch just because they arrived late.

Sensitize all employees working during the night to any maintenance, interruptions or inconveniences that may impact guest slumber and comfort. Equip them and empower them with options and service solutions.

Recognize that the hospitality business is a 24 hour business and that no one hour is less important than the next when it comes to comprehensive guest experiences and the exceptional service that will make a difference.

Perhaps singing group, The Commodores sum it up best in their 1985 hit, "Nightshift"............

"Gonna be some sweet soundsComing down on the nightshiftI bet you're singing proudOh I bet you'll pull a crowdGonna be a long night.It's gonna be all right.

On the nightshiftOh you found another homeI know you're not aloneOn the nightshift"

reprinted with permission of www.hotelexecutive.com and Roberta Nedry, President, Hospitality Excellence, Inc. "