Here is what you should know about hospitality if you’re getting into the service sector. We’ve covered some information and tips that you can utilize while embarking on this route.
What is hospitality?
Before you delve further into the article, it’s vital to know the definition of hospitality. The hospitality definitions have multiple meanings on various websites. So, how to define hospitality in a sentence? In simple terms, it’s a kind gesture and service towards guests, clients, strangers or visitors. And this kind of treatment is mainly involved in the service sector, such as:
- Travel and tourism
- Hotel industry
- Food and beverages
- Entertainment and recreation
These sectors thrive on effective customer care services. Besides,the core theme of this sector revolves around providing effective customer care to guests, tourists, clients, etc.
Regardless, it’s important to show hospitality even in our regular course of life. It cost no harm to be kind and warm towards a stranger or any individual. The hospitality synonym, according to the thesaurus, is warmth. In addition, it is also similar to cordial, friendly and accommodating.
The core sectors in the hospitality industry
The hospitality sector is growing at a fast phase. It is one of the biggest job generators in the world. So, what is hospitality services? It is broadly classified into four sectors:
- Travel and tourism
The travel and tourism sector relies on the service it gives to its clients, guest or visitors. And it includes services such as travel agents, car rental companies, bus tours and sightseeing.
Globally, the tourism market is growing. It had a slump phase during COVID-19. However, now that normalcy is getting back gradually, the industry is sure to thrive. This sector requires effective communication and reliance to provide excellent service to their guest or visitors. And communication is vital because one can expect visitors or clients from different countries.
- Hotel industry
The hotel industry also thrives on the services it offers to their guest and visitors. And if you’re planning to get into this sector, hospitality is the primary factor you should delve into. The hotel hospitality market is growing at a fast rate. And globally, the market annual revenue generation falls over at around $500 billion.
Hospitality plays a crucial role in the hotel industry. One bad customer review might ward off the possible ten guests that you might get. So, it’s vital to offer the best service if you’re planning to get into this sector.
For example, you plan for a trip and look for hotels to book. And what would you do first? Naturally, you would check for reviews online. And you’d see negative reviews made by customers towards a specific hotel. Eventually, you would book the one with good feedback.
- Food and beverages
Among the hospitality sector, Food and beverages (F&B) rely heavily on customer care and services. It is also the largest sector within the hospitality industry. It goes beyond providing drinks or food. Along with the meal, an individual should present to customers with a warm smile and kindness.
F&B includes restaurants, pubs, coffee shops and night clubs etc. A good service is crucial in this sector. In addition, it’s also vital to have good communication. It will help to develop a good relationship between you and the customer or guests.
Communication is one of the crucial factors in the hospitality sector. Hence, it’s essential to get yourself acquainted with hospitality work before embarking on this route.
- Entertainment and recreation
Entertainment and recreation are other sectors that work closely with the service sector. It includes museums, cultural events, music concerts, sporting events, art and performance.
Hospitality service plays an essential role in this sector. From amateur to professional, many take part in entertainment and recreational activities. And service is vital to provide guidance, especially in amusement parks, sports and music concerts.
Why is hospitality important?
Now that you know the definition of hospitality and its services, it’s crucial to understand its importance. The core aspect of hospitality is providing service in the best possible way. Since these sectors thrive on customer care and service, hospitality plays a primary role.
Whether you’re running a restaurant or trying to get into F&B, hospitality is essential. It will help if you have customers’ good reviews or feedbacks to run your business efficiently. And it’s vital to have good customer retention as well. If your service is good, the guest or customer will come back to your café or hotel.
Furthermore, the age of digital media is both good and bad for the hospitality sector. One bad review on a well-known site can tarnish the whole image of the restaurant or a bar. But if your service is excellent and gets a good review, it will be like hitting the jackpot. In addition, through positive word of mouth, you will get new customers too.
Building a good brand reputation is vital in any sector. Likewise, your service should be synonym with good reviews. It will be of great help to get some knowledge about hospitality management. Here are some of the schools for this course:
- Cornell university school of hotel administration, USA.
- Les Roches International School of hotel management (Switzerland, China and Spain).
- Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne, Switzerland.
- University of Central Florida Rosen College of Hospitality Management, USA.
- Hotelschool The Hague, Netherland.
You can get a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management online from the University of Florida or Alabama. Furthermore, you can also get a hospitality management course online. Some institutes offer this course online, such as the eCornell suite. Along with another course, you can pursue this as a side course online.
Hospitality management definition in a simple term is the study of various service industries such as:
- Event management
- Food & Beverages,
- Travel and accommodation.
Getting knowledge about this course helps you to get an idea about how to deal within the industry. And it also helps to work on business ethics and discipline yourself. In this sector, these factors are vital to maintaining a good relationship with the guest or visitors.
Basic principles of hospitality that you should know
When it comes to hospitality, there are some basic principles that you should adhere to. It will help to carry the service effectively without any hiccups. Undeniably, mistakes are bound to happen. However, with preventive measures, it is avoidable.
Here are some of the principles that you can apply:
- The first impression is the last
It’s the natural tendency of humans to judge. And in the service industry, judgments are bound to happen. Bad feedback or a review can tarnish the image of a hotel or a café. Hence, it’s crucial to offer quality service to the customers or guests. It will allow a good impression on the visitors’ end and will revisit your business establishment. The first impression lasts longer, and if it’s not good, your guest or customer will have a prejudice against your café or hotel.
- Be cordial, warm and friendly.
If you’re in the hospitality industry, being warm, courteous and friendly is a necessity. These are the USP (Unique Selling Point) in the service sector. Greeting the visitors and saying goodbye will make them happy and set a good tone for your hotel.
- Be knowledgeable
Before you go for a job interview, you do proper research about the specific company you’re applying for. It is to help you get an idea about the company and be answerable to the recruiter. Likewise, in the hospitality sector, it’s essential to know what you’re providing. If you’re running a hotel or a park, you should instill your team with proper knowledge about it.
There are times when a guest or a customer might want to know about a specific product or food. And if you didn’t know about it, then it would create a negative impression. Hence, it’s always necessary to be prepared than to be sorry.
- Efficient service
Along with a good personality, it’s crucial to have efficient service. At the peak time, it would not be easy to attend to every guest. You wouldn’t want your guest to express their bad hospitality experience online. However, if you organize and execute it well, then it will run smoothly. Hence, efficiency is a vital factor in the service sector.
- Flexibility
Flexibility is also another vital aspect of the hospitality industry. There would be times when a customer would opt for a different course instead of following the regular course meal. So, you need to be able to bend the rule and provide what the customer prefers. It’s not easy at times; however, you need to deal with calm and patience. And if your café or restaurant has good flexibility, it would be a bonus.
- Consistency
Consistency is crucial in every aspect of life or work. Being consistent helps you work with ease and offer excellent service. And in the hospitality industry, it’s vital to stay consistent with your work.
One of the vital factors to have a good business cycle is consistency. A customer or guest comes back to your establishment because they like the food or the service you’ve offered. And you wouldn’t want to miss the chance of losing your valuable customer. Hence, be consistent with your work and offer the best service.
- Effective communication skill
One of the crucial factors in the service sector is to have excellent communication skills. When it comes to the service sector, you’re bound to interact with guests or visitors from different countries or backgrounds. Hence, it’s necessary to have a team that has excellent communication skills. It will allow you to understand customers’ needs and preferences and solve the issue without any hassle. Good communication also avoids misunderstandings between the host and guest.
What is hospitality experience?
As we’ve talked about hospitality experience in the article, it’s crucial to understand its aspect.
So, how to one define hospitality experience? In a narrow term, it’s an amalgamation of multiple aspects put into one. Broadly, it revolves around various factors such as food, ambiance, timing and customer care etc. All these factors are taken into consideration that leads to either a good or bad experience.
Therefore, in the service sector, you need to meet the customers’ expectations and needs. If you’re taking this route, you should be meticulous in your work. Furthermore, it would help if you have an effective team that has a good personality.
To have a good hospitality experience for your guest, you need to look into the tiniest detail. From being punctual to cleanliness, you shouldn’t miss out on any aspect. Some of the factors that you need to consider for your guest to have a good experience are:
- You should set a proper tone for your place or venue. Many people do proper online research before visiting an establishment.
- Another critical factor is to provide excellent service without any hiccups in the process.
- Effective management of customers.
Furthermore, you will communicate with people from different backgrounds, colors, or races in the service sector. In addition, some customers might be rude or not understanding.
As with the recent incident, an angry customer threw a warm soup at the manager’s face. Here the manager tried to deal with the customer calmly, but the customer was not paying heed. And cases like this are bound to happen. But you need to understand the situation and deal with calm, just like the manager.
Conclusion
The hospitality industry is an adventurous sector. If you’re willing to go beyond your comfort zone, then this would be a good call for you. Before you embark on this route, ask yourself what does hospitality means to you. Because along with the perks, you will face multiple challenges. However, once you understand all the pros and cons, then you’re good to go. What you do should come within, especially in this sector.
Furthermore, it would be better to take a course in hospitality management to understand this field better. It will help you have a clear perspective and apply your knowledge to it.
