Providing Effective Customer Service 1

DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM TRAINING ON HOMESTAY SERVICES AND FOOD HANDLING
VALUES FORMATION &

SERVICE EXCELLENCE
IN HOMESTAY OPERATIONS
presented by: Dr. Freddie A. Quinito

How can you achieve service

excellence as a homestay operator?
Identify and Report Changes in Customer Satisfaction

among Homestay Guests
COMMON SERVICE PROBLEMS
1. Inadequate homestay products or socio-cultural

experiences provided to guests
2. Difficulties in contacting homestay staff
3. Lack of information about the cleaning and

housekeeping services offered by the homestay
operator
4. Unclear communication of host expectations
5. Handling of complaints
MAINTAINING EXCELLENT SOCIO-

CULTURAL INTERACTION:
HOMESTAY HOST AND GUEST ENCOUNTER
This Unit comprises three Elements:

 Element 1: Meet and greet homestay guests
 Element 2: Respond to homestay guests’
questions or requests
 Element 3: Participate in a short, informal
conversation with homestay guests
Start Conversations with Guests

 Nothing is more off-putting than a
homestay staff who seems bored or
unfriendly.
 While it is understandable that one may
have personal concerns and be thinking
about things outside family life, it is
important to behave in a professional
manner to greet guests.
SOMETHING TO REFLECT ON:
Make eye contact, smile and treat
the guest as you would a person
ENTERING YOUR OWN HOME.
Welcome guests
appropriately
Dyadic Roleplay Exercise and

Plenary Demonstration on Standard
greeting
 Smile.
 Look interested and friendly.
 Greet guests according to time of day.
 Give appropriate physical greeting.
 Welcome guests.
 Offer assistance.
 (Wish the guest a nice stay.)
Plenary
GUESSING GAME:
 Smiling is the easiest part of a
greeting , but the act is often
overlooked or forgotten .
 For most guests, a smile is an
indication of a caring _ and
friendly staff member.
 A genuine smile can be the

difference in providing your
customers a pleasant stay.
 Forgetting to smile can lead to
feelings of discomfort and
hostility .
Welcome guests appropriately

 When guests arrive at
your homestay, they
want to know that they
are welcome.
 As a homestay
operator, it is
important to express
this to them in the
introductory greeting.
Why is there a need for you to

sharpen your English skills when
serving as a homestay operator?
Introducing yourself and others

Each homestay host or
hostess should introduce
himself or herself when
helping guests so that
they feel some personal
connection and are able
to identify the people
caring for them.
Introducing yourself and others
In most Western cultures,

it is appropriate to shake
someone’s hand when
you introduce yourself.
Other cultures often hug,
kiss or bow.

It is your responsibility to offer assistance to
guests when they arrive.
Examples:
 Can I help you, Sir/Madam?
 May I assist you with anything?
 Do you need help with anything,
Sir/Madam?
 May I offer my assistance?

Know when to give appropriate physical greeting:
 Handshake
 Kiss
 Hug
 Bow
Regional Inter-governmental Organization
10 members
4.5 million sq.km.
570 million
people
Cambodia
Sampeah (in Khmer: សំពះ) is the
Cambodian way to greet and has five
different levels to show the respect to
another person.
Level 1 – chest (friends of same age) Level
2 – mouth (guests/high ranking) Level 3 –
nose (grand/parents, teachers) Level 4 – eye
brow (king or monks) Level 5 – forehead
(God, sacred statues)
Malaysia
 Nod or give a slight bow.
 Many Malaysians greet each other

with a light handshake, and may place
their right hand over their heart after
greeting you. Watch what happens and
follow their lead.
 Be aware that some Muslims prefer

not to shake hands with members of
the opposite sex, so it's always safer to
let them initiate the greeting.
Thailand
 Thais greet each other by doing
the “wai”.
 The wai is a gesture made by
placing your hands together in
front of your face and bowing a
little bit.
 It looks like praying in a western
church.
 It is also a way to thank someone or
apologize.
Japan
 In the Japanese bow, the bower
expresses appreciation and
respect to the person being
bowed to by bending at the
waist.
 This is a gesture widely used in
tandem with greetings like
"ohayo gozaimasu" (good
morning) and "konnichi wa"
(hello, good afternoon) as well as
words of gratitude or apology.
Ask Questions Effectively

Questioning and listening to guests is the best way to find out what
needs to improve about your homestay service. It is your job to make
guests feel comfortable about sharing their opinions.
Here are some tips for asking better questions:
 Start with something simple.
 Define exactly what it is you want to know.
 Ask warmly, politely and professionally.
 Never ask a question in an aggressive manner.
 Never ask a question that you yourself are not willing to
answer.
Represent your homestay professionally

Open-ended questions are those that solicit additional information from the enquirer.
By definition, they are broad and require more than one or two word responses.
Examples:
 How are you today, sir/madam?
 Why did your companions change
the itinerary?
 How was your stay, madam?
 What are the areas you want us
to improve on?
Represent your homestay professionally

Closed questions are ones that can be answered finitely by either “yes” or “no.”
Closed-ended questions can include presuming, probing, or leading questions.
Examples:
 May/Can I help you, sir/madam?
 Can I get you something, sir/madam?
 Could you clarify that, sir/madam?
 Are you enjoying yourself in our hotel?
Guests’ Needs, Wishes and Expectations

 Common problems in relation to
homestay services revolve around
the concepts of guests’ needs,
wishes, and expectations.
 Homestay service centers around
your ability to either MEET or
EXCEED your guests’ needs,
wishes, and expectations.
Homestay Guests’ Needs

Needs
These underlie wishes and expectations
and are the things homestay guests are
unable to do without.
They may be in a foreign place and
simply cannot do without:
 A secured destination
 A feeling of being in a safe
environment

Generic homestay guest needs
While all the homestay guests have
their own individual needs, there are
a number of generic or common
needs that tourist service providers
must address when giving quality
and excellence in customer service.

Generic guest needs
 Value for the money they
are spending for traveling
 Expectations met or
exceeded
 To feel respected
 To feel welcomed
 To be given a friendly
service

Generic customer needs
 To be dealt with in a prompt
and courteous manner
 To receive assistance when
necessary
 To be in a comfortable vehicle or
tourist destination
 To feel recognized as a tourist
 To be heard and understood when
they ask for help

Specific target market needs
Ask yourself what these specific target customers have:
 Business travellers
 Leisure travellers
 Women tourists
 PWDs / PWDAs
 Families and children
 Backpack travellers
 The elderly

The BIG questions
are:
 What can you do to
serve them well?
protect them?
 How can you “walk
an extra mile” to
serve them?
BUSINESS TRAVELERS

The BIG questions
are:
serve them well?
protect them?
an extra mile” to
serve them?
LEISURE TRAVELERS

The BIG questions
are:
serve them well?
protect them?
an extra mile” to
serve them?
WOMEN TOURISTS

The BIG questions
are:
serve them well?
protect them?
an extra mile” to
serve them?
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

The BIG questions
are:
serve them well?
protect them?
an extra mile” to
serve them?
FAMILIES AND CHILDREN

The BIG questions
are:
serve them well?
protect them?
an extra mile” to
serve them?
BACKPACK TRAVELERS

The BIG questions
are:
serve them well?
protect them?
an extra mile” to
serve them?
THE ELDERLY
Know the Strategies of Making the Tourist’s Stay

an Excellent Experience
Training Activity:
 List down your
specific strategies
of making the
service journey an
excellent one.
 Be ready to share
with the group.
Treating our Fellow Filipinos as Homestay Guests

Filipino tourists are called DOMESTIC
TOURISTS. Since they are also considered
tourists, you should try to do the following:
1. Listen to your fellow Filipinos. Just
like foreign tourists, they can make or
break the image of our country.
2. Nurture the Filipino tourists’
experience. Nurturing their experience
not only makes them feel like an
important tourist asset, but it can also
create a bond between the service
providers and our guests.
Treating our Fellow Filipinos as Homestay Guests

3. Engage the Filipino tourists. Take the
time to learn who the Filipino tourists are and
what appeals to them in terms of safety and
security.
4. Empathize with them. Just as you are
understanding of foreign tourists’ needs, take
a moment to recognize the Filipino tourists’
needs.
5. Cultivate the Filipino tourists. Treating
the Filipino tourists like the other tourists
abroad will encourage them to perpetuate good
customer service and boost retention to help
our country.
Love the Filipino tourists like the

foreign ones. Treat them equally.
Homestay guest expectations
Customers have perceived

expectations of what level of
service they expect when visiting
a venue:
 Where do expectations come
from?
Homestay guest expectations

Origins of customer expectations
 The homestay’s image or reputation in
the market
 Past visits of homestay guests
 Advertisements and promotional
messages
 Competing homestays
 Tourism standards
 Comments from family, friends and
colleagues
 Price charged for the offering
Homestay Guest Complaints

 Complaints arise when guests’ needs,
wishes or expectations are not met.
 Complaints are a common part of any
homestay service provider.
 It is unrealistic to think that guests
will be happy in their every day
experience in your homestay due to
cultural differences.

Regardless of how well a homestay operates, problems will occur.
When problems occur, complaints are the common outcome that needs
to be addressed. The question is…
 Who is normally
the cause of
problems?
Regardless of the complaint, do you

think that it must be:
 Identified?
 Addressed in a timely manner?
 Resolved hopefully to the
satisfaction of both the homestay
operator and guest?

Keys to handling complaints
Three keys to respond to
homestay guest complaints
are to be:
 Positive
 Sensitive
 Polite
Responding to Homestay Guest Complaints

HEART METHOD
 Hear them out.
 Empathize with them.
 Apologize.
 Respond accordingly.
 Thank them.
Training Activity
(Individual)
Think back and reflect on a past situation
when you addressed a homestay guest’s
complaint. Answer the following:
 What was the situation about?
 How did you address it?
 If you were to go back in time, would
you have done it differently?
Be ready to share your experience in
plenary.
Training Activity
(Group Presentation)
 Using the HEART method, role
play a situation of a guest
complaining about a service.
 Give each member a role to play.
 Provide solutions by integrating the
HEART method.
 Set the scenario and process the
situation after the role play.
 Be ready for feedbacking.

Which of the following types of
complaints have you had in your
establishment?
 Rude homestay staff and management
 Difficult or demanding guests
 Lack of service, or poor, service
 Expectations not being met
 Dissatisfaction with the homestay
 Services are poor

Types of complaints
 Unhygienic conditions
 Low comfort levels
 Rowdy and unacceptable behavior displayed
by the service provider and other guests
 A mistake with the homestay charges,
reservation, or booking
 Special requests not being adhered to

Types of complaints
 Limited or no homestay rooms
available
 Requirement to guarantee a
reservation
 Inflexibility in methods of payment
 Hidden charges
 Ejection from the premises

Warning signs of a complaint
Usually, before someone makes a
complaint, they give outward signs of
their dissatisfaction:
 What are possible warning signs that
a customer is about to complain?
 Can all complaints be predicted?

Some signs of dissatisfaction
include negative changes in:
 Body language
 Voice
 Actions

Common actions a guest may make when about to
complain includes:
 Look angry or aggressive
 Appear flustered or frustrated
 Display contorted facial expressions
 Glance around as if seeking assistance
 Physically touch another guest or colleague
 Become too loud
 Become argumentative

Deal with complaints sensitively, courteously and discreetly
When handling all compliant situations it is important to deal with
them in a manner that is:
 Friendly
 Efficient
 Respectful
 Courteous
 Thorough

Being
sensitive
Being sensitive when dealing with a customer
complaint asks you to:
 Take all complaints seriously
 Take time to assess the environment
 Factor in relevant issues
 Approach each situation appropriately
 Make requests and suggestions to people

Being courteous
Being courteous means being polite:
 Use people’s name, where known
 Say ‘please’ when asking them to do
something
 Say ‘thank you’ if they comply with a request
 Demonstrate respect for them
 Use open gestures

Being discreet
Being discreet when dealing with
complaints asks you to:
 Talk quietly to the person
 Remove the person to another area, if
possible
 Take whatever action is appropriate to
deal with the situation without drawing
unnecessary attention to it
Greet the Homestay Guest

Parts to Remember when
Handling Complaints
 Greet them.
 Identify yourself.
 Identify who the guest is.
 Thank them for bringing the
complaint to their attention.
Greet the Homestay Guest

Handling complaints
 Offer assistance in trying to find a
suitable solution to their complaint
 Take the person to a suitable location
 Depending on the situation, you may
wish to offer them a refreshment
Use of Effective Communication

Once we have greeted the homestay
guest, one of the most important
aspects of handling guest complaints
effectively is through the use of
effective communication:
 What ways do we communicate
with each other?
Communication skills
Communication involves
sending and receiving
messages:
 Verbally
 Non-verbally
Verbal
Communication Skills
 Listening
 Questioning
 Speaking

Non-Verbal
Communication Skills
 Facial expressions
 Eye contact
 Gestures
 Posture

Interpersonal skills
The following skills are important for
effective workplace communication:
 Face the person you are talking with
 Maintain eye contact if possible
 Address the person by their name
 Establish a rapport
The Use of Verbal Communication

Listening
At this time the most important thing to do is to listen so
you can:
 Identify the main points of the complaint
 Separate the actual aspects of the
complaint from the emotion
 Identify a possible suggested solution
 The homestay guest must be given the time to say
their piece!

Questioning
Asking questions also enables you to:
 Acquire more accurate information
 Identify what the other person wants in order to
solve the complaint
 Demonstrate you are actively and genuinely
interested in resolving the complaint
 Clarify ambiguities
 Better understand contexts

Types of questions
Closed questions:
 Asking closed questions clarifies or
confirms information
 Simple ‘Yes” or “No” answer
Open questions:
 Asking open questions is often used to
gain more information

Questioning techniques
Useful techniques when questioning
people to obtain information about a
complaint or to determine a possible
solution are to:
 Rephrase or repeat questions
 Paraphrase the responses they
have given you
The Use of Nonverbal Communication

Observing the guest’s body language
When we listen and question, we are
also:
 Watching to identify non-verbal
communication
 Analyzing what the guest is saying
 Interpreting the words and the body
language
Speak During Complaints Resolution

Stay calm and positive
A positive and cooperative manner can help
to:
 Smooth over a potentially problematic
situation
 Demonstrate your willingness to resolve the
issue
 Create an initial friendly atmosphere
 Maintain positive guest relations
Speak During Complaints Resolution

Apologise for problem and inconvenience
One of the first things that we communicate in
our response is to acknowledge that a complaint
exists:
 Thank the guest for bringing the complaint to
them
 Acknowledge that a problem has occurred
 Acknowledge the inconvenience
 Apologise for it
Maintaining a Welcoming Environment

If the purpose is to create and maintain a
welcoming environment when serving,
how exactly can we achieve this?
 Be attentive and smile.
 Establish eye contact.
 Ask how you can help.
 Acknowledge the guests as soon as they appear, even if you’re busy.
 Give the customer your full attention.

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DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM TRAINING ON HOMESTAY SERVICES AND FOOD HANDLING

VALUES FORMATION &

presented by: Dr. Freddie A. Quinito

How can you achieve service

Identify and Report Changes in Customer Satisfaction

1. Inadequate homestay products or socio-cultural

2. Difficulties in contacting homestay staff

3. Lack of information about the cleaning and

4. Unclear communication of host expectations

MAINTAINING EXCELLENT SOCIO-

This Unit comprises three Elements:

Start Conversations with Guests

Dyadic Roleplay Exercise and

 A genuine smile can be the

Welcome guests appropriately

Why is there a need for you to

Introducing yourself and others

Introducing yourself and others

In most Western cultures,

Welcome guests appropriately

Welcome guests appropriately

Regional Inter-governmental Organization

 Many Malaysians greet each other

 Be aware that some Muslims prefer

Ask Questions Effectively

Represent your homestay professionally

 How are you today, sir/madam?

 Why did your companions change

 How was your stay, madam?

 What are the areas you want us

Represent your homestay professionally

Guests’ Needs, Wishes and Expectations

Homestay Guests’ Needs

Homestay Guests’ Needs

Homestay Guests’ Needs

Homestay Guests’ Needs

Homestay Guests’ Needs

Homestay Guests’ Needs

Homestay Guests’ Needs

Homestay Guests’ Needs

Homestay Guests’ Needs

Homestay Guests’ Needs

Homestay Guests’ Needs

Homestay Guests’ Needs

Know the Strategies of Making the Tourist’s Stay

Treating our Fellow Filipinos as Homestay Guests

Treating our Fellow Filipinos as Homestay Guests

Love the Filipino tourists like the

Homestay guest expectations

Customers have perceived

Homestay guest expectations

Homestay Guest Complaints

Homestay Guest Complaints

Homestay Guest Complaints

Regardless of the complaint, do you

Homestay Guest Complaints

Responding to Homestay Guest Complaints

Homestay Guest Complaints

Homestay Guest Complaints

Homestay Guest Complaints

Homestay Guest Complaints

Homestay Guest Complaints