Top 5 corporate hospitality tips from experts: 2021 advice

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Added on by 3 min read

luxury hotel lobby

Have you ever experienced a true five-star corporate hospitality welcome?

If you have, then you know the difference it can make in your entire experience with that company. The science behind superior customer service through hospitality is strong:

Businesses with five-star hospitality management are onto something: it’s more profitable to make the customer feel like royalty.  It's possible to deliver that to your own visitors, too.

Corporate hospitality has come a long way from the days of giving away VIP boxes at sporting events and pricey cigars. The best hospitality has come to involve each part of the customer experience.

At Proxyclick we're constantly looking for ways to improve corporate the visitor management system, so we asked two respected 5 star hotel specialists to give us some advice:

corporate-hospitality-expert-egidio-marcatoEgidio Marcato, Head of the Alumni Association of the prestigious Hotel Management school in Glion, Switzerland

 

 

corporate-hospitality-expert-judith-schroeder

Judith Schroeder, former Receptionist of the Year

 

They shared with us the following hotel customer service tips to help you deliver 5 star hospitality to your customers:

1. Put yourself in the customer’s shoes

An example:

You get a client coming in after a long flight. They're tired. They need some rest, and certainly don't want to hear that their room isn't ready. 

One must be a bit of a psychologist...putting oneself immediately in the client’s shoes." Our job is about finding the right words for each and every customer, and satisfying needs before any inconveniences are ever expressed— Egidio Marcato

2. Humans first, raise your head from that screen (and smile)

An example:

Your workload is heavier than usual and there is some reporting you need to submit on a tight deadline. But there's someone at your desk needing your assistance.

The human touch is everything. I find it so disappointing when people are welcomed by a receptionist who has their eyes fixed on the screen at their desk (and not on the client). Smile. Ask them how they're doing. Make them feel at home. Egidio Marcato

3. The client is king (or at least they should think they are)

An example:

You're exhausted. Maybe you're going through a personal crisis. Or it's just been a horrible day.

We've all been there. But a huge part of being in the service industry, is being the hero that someone needs. 

Make your clients feel like royalty. Offer them an ear and make their needs your priority. Treat them the way you'd like to be treated.

 

4. Good communication and team spirit are key 

Judith Schroeder, a Glion graduate, has no doubt about what it takes to provide a great reception. She emphasizes that having a good team, with good communication, is what makes the difference.

All customers need to feel special: when a client comes in, if it’s not their first visit, the team will have gathered all the relevant information on them so that the individual receptionist will be able to call him by their name and – for example – spare them the long and boring financial checks. They won’t need to give their card upfront. All of their details will be already stored since the first visit.

5. Situations might be challenging but 'No' is never the answer

Receptionists have seen it all. Good ones learn how to turn unfavorable twists and turns into opportunities to offer an extraordinary service to their customers.

Faithful to its mission, Glion school in Switzerland prepares hospitality-driven professionals. The university is very proud of their alumnis’ participation in the Bucherer Trophy (Swiss contest for the best receptionist of the year). 

The international competition is called David Campbell Trophy, it bears the name of the late (and mythical) Head of Reception at the Ritz in Paris and is open to winners of the national best receptionist awards.Judith Schroeder Glion top receptionists

Judith Schroeder with her trophy (Photo credit: Alumni Association Glion - AAG)

 

The most brilliant receptionists participating in the competition have to succeed in multiple exams.

The most entertaining one is probably the role play.

“I write most of the scenarios and act in some of them,” confesses Mr. Marcato, “but they are always inspired by real life situations I have witnessed.”

We asked him which of them was most memorable.

“Oh, it was in Davos, I will never forget it. It reminded me of a Vaudeville sort of play. I was a Mr. Smith and I had booked two connected rooms under my name. The receptionist assumed the second room was for my boyfriend but in the end it turns out it was for my dog. At the same time, a Mrs. Smith calls in, asking if her room is ready. So it’s the three of us: me, the Mrs. Smith, and the dog."

In a situation like this one, "no" is never the answer to any question.

One has to "buy some time" and find a way to please the visitor. 

There is always a way.— Egidio Marcato  

In conclusion

Guest management is for companies what bread is for restaurants: a detail that makes all the difference between an average establishment and a star one.

Corporations can learn a lot from the hotel business and  the best ways to provide excellent hospitality to visitors. How well they put those teachings into practice will be key to their company’s future success. 

 

Need help delivering five-star hospitality? To learn more about Proxyclick and how our latest features can help drive a superior customer experience, book a demo with one of our experts below. 

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