Leyte Normal University
College of Management and Entrepreneurship
Tacloban City, Leyte
Fundamentals in Food Service Operation
Name: CINCO, JOHN MICHAEL Date: 05\08\20 Score: __
1. ORDER TAKING PROCEDURES
Pick up the telephone within 3 rings or 15 seconds whichever is less.
Greet the guest with appropriate greeting using the guest name and giving your
name “Good Morning Mr. Brown, this is Tono from Room Service. How may I help you?”
Politely ask the guest about preferences.
Use upselling techniques by suggesting soups, starters, drinks or desserts.
Wherever appropriate mention the approximate time for delivery.
Repeat the order back to the guest.
Thank the guest for ordering through in room dining and big farewell “Thank you for
calling room service, have a nice day.”
Clearly write out the order in the KOT mentioning the names of the items, time of
ordering, room number, name of the guest, portions, Etc.
Complete the KOT and hand over the supervisor for execution.
2. SETTING UP OF TRAY / TROLLEY
Ensure the tray corners/ trolley base is free of grease, grime, and dirt.
Place cruet sets, bud vase and Bon Appetite card for all meal orders.
Check the tray mat / trolley cloth to be stain free and in good repair.
The second copy of the KOT is placed on the tray / trolley.
A final check may be made to match the order and in good repair.
Pick the order from the respective kitchens on the tray or trolley directly.
Carry the correct accompaniments / condiments ( pickle, pappad for Indian orders and Rolls
and butter for continental orders ).
As a final step, show the tray to the supervisor, on the way to the elevator, who will check
again for correctness.
Pick up the bill in the order folder and check correctness.
3. How to Handle Guest Complaints
1. Accept responsibility
Within reason, you need to acknowledge every complaint as genuine.
After all, the function of your property is to provide the guest with a satisfactory stay – and if
they’re complaining, then something has gone wrong.
Being dismissive of a complaint – even a small one – is the worst thing you can do and it will
often exacerbate the situation.
You do not have to admit culpability, but apologizing to the guest in a sincere manner is a good
first step to initiating a positive conversation.
2. Diffuse any tension
Some guests can be volatile, unpredictable, and emotionally charged. Do your best to remain
calm and pacify them.
Listen carefully, make eye contact, use their name, and take notes about their problem.
All of this will convey that you are taking their concerns seriously – hopefully convincing them
to work with you to find a solution.
It is also a good idea to separate the affected guest from others in the hotel, and restrict the
responsibility of resolving the issue to as few staff as possible so there are no
miscommunications or further problems.
3. It’s an unforeseen process, not a conflict
Too often both parties treat this kind of interaction like a battle they need to win, which is the
most unhealthy approach to take.
It’s important that you don’t get defensive, and you must not place any direct blame on the guest
or insult them. Treat the situation like any other task at the hotel, following a process to a
successful conclusion.
You and the guest need to be listening to each other. Clarify any trace of uncertainty you have
with them and make sure they’re on the same page as you.
4. Understand what the guest wants
Don’t be afraid to delve deeper into the issue.
Once the guest is more relaxed, ask them some questions to gain a better understanding of how
you can help them. They might be complaining about slow internet, but only because they are
having trouble Skyping a loved one back home.
Knowing the exact nature of their grievance will give you more options, allowing you to placate
them faster and to a more satisfying degree.
5. Try to settle on a mutual outcome
Although it’s true that ‘the customer is always right’, you don’t want your hotel to suffer with
every complaint that raises its head.
Guests will likely go for the jugular to get the best result for themselves, but you cannot simply
bow to every request. If a guest demands a refund but you have a ‘no refunds’ policy then you
cannot give it to them.
Rather, there are many non-financial solutions you can offer, depending on the type of
complaint.
If it’s something that can’t be immediately fixed you might offer some form of compensation,
like:
An upgrade;
Extras at no additional cost;
Free use of certain amenities; or,
An extended check-out time.
6. Make it snappy
Ideally, you want to extinguish a fire as quickly as it starts. The quicker you deal with something,
the less likely it is that the guest will leave a negative online review afterwards.
Most of the time, guests will be appreciative of honest acknowledgement and quick action. You
want the complaint to be the furthest thing from their mind once their trip is at an end.
7. Follow-up
Once you have successfully reached a positive result for both the guest and your hotel you need
to follow-up.
Once the dust has settled, ask them if they’re happy with the way the complaint was dealt with, if
there’s anything else you can help them with, and any other feedback.
You can also do this after their stay via phone or email. Following-up is important if you want to
encourage return business and discourage negative online reviews.
In a world that is increasingly dominated by online reviews, ensuring your guest leaves your
B&B or small hotel satisfied has to be your top concern.
