FIVE TRICKS TO BE MORE HOSPITABLE!

WHAT EXACTLY IS HOSPITALITY? According to Wikipedia, hospitality is the relationship between guest and host or hostess. It is about treating the guest with respect and fulfilling his or her needs. In short: hospitality ensures that your guest feels as welcome as possible.

AND WHY IS HOSPITALITY SO IMPORTANT?
No guest likes to feel unwelcome. If you are ignored by the staff, or a member of staff is uninterested or blunt, as a guest you quickly feel unwelcome. And of course, when you go out for dinner or to a terrace, you want to have a nice evening.

If you work in hospitality, you will understand that the staff of a restaurant sometimes have busy days and really don’t mean it if you feel uncomfortable. But as a guest (and especially one who has never had a hospitality job), this is a lot harder to judge.

Here are five tips and tricks to make sure your guests have a great time at all costs.

THE 7 SECOND CHALLENGE
First impressions are important when a guest enters a venue. Especially the first seven seconds – that’s when the guest gets their first impression of the atmosphere. So start right away with your sweetest smile!

BE AWAY
Friendliness is the basis of hospitality. Of course, it can be difficult to be genuinely friendly at busy times. It can then seem as if there is no time for hospitality – even though it is precisely at these moments that it is important! Once you have the goodwill factor, guests are more likely to forgive you if you make a mistake.

EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT
If you work in hospitality, knowledge of people is indispensable. You score a lot of points by sensing who is waiting for a chat and what they want to talk about. Some people like to chat with you, while others want to be helped quickly. Above all, remember that everyone is different!

EYES: THE WINDOW TO THE SOUL
Of course it is polite to make eye contact with someone. But you can also gain a lot of information from the eyes of another person. When a guest is feeling a negative emotion, their pupils shrink – when they are feeling a positive emotion, they dilate. So it’s a good idea to look at your guests!

THAT LITTLE EXTRA
It is always appreciated when you go the extra mile to be hospitable. For example, you can write a personal message on the receipt, or keep the door open when guests leave. 

A HOSPITABLE BUSINESS IS A HAPPY BUSINESS
Being hospitable is very important for hospitality businesses these days. Different branches are increasingly merging, and hardly any restaurant is unique in the dishes it offers. To attract customers, it is therefore crucial to make them feel at ease. The owner of the business has to put his trust in his employees – they have to practice customer service. For you, as a hospitality worker, being hospitable is not difficult at all. The satisfaction when your guest goes home with a smile is enough.