Principles of Hospitality and Tourism

The setting

A guest arrives at the HARBOURVIEW INN for a confirmed check-in and the room is not ready. Housekeeping needs more time, the guest has been travelling since early morning, and the lobby has nowhere comfortable to wait.

Your role

You are to assume the role of a front desk associate at the HARBOURVIEW INN.

Your task

The guest (judge) wants you to resolve this. Demonstrate the customer service mindset the moment calls for, explain how a complaint of this kind should be handled, explain how service orientation is reinforced through what you say next, and explain the nature of positive customer relations and what this arrival is doing to it.

Performance indicators

• Demonstrate a customer service mindset.
• Handle customer/client complaints.
• Reinforce service orientation through communication.
• Explain the nature of positive customer relations.

The judge will ask

1. 1.What are you actually offering me for the next hour?
2. 2.How do I know this will not happen again tomorrow?

The setting

The owner of CEDARBROOK LODGE has been asked to speak at a town meeting where several residents intend to argue that visitors cost the town more than they bring. The owner has never had to make the case out loud.

Your role

You are to assume the role of a marketing assistant at CEDARBROOK LODGE.

Your task

The owner (judge) wants you to help them make the case. Explain the role of business in society as it applies to a lodge in a small town, describe the types of business activity that visitors support, explain the principles of supply and demand as they work in a town with one short season, and determine the economic utilities the lodge creates.

Performance indicators

• Explain the role of business in society.
• Describe types of business activities.
• Explain the principles of supply and demand.
• Determine economic utilities created by business activities.

The judge will ask

1. 1.What is the strongest argument the other side has?
2. 2.What would you say to a resident who simply does not want visitors?

The setting

The STONEGATE HOTEL deliberately takes more bookings than it has rooms, because on most nights somebody does not arrive. Tonight everybody arrived, and several guests with confirmed reservations have nowhere to sleep.

Your role

You are to assume the role of a front desk associate at the STONEGATE HOTEL.

Your task

The duty manager (judge) wants you to explain how tonight is handled. Explain how to handle guests who are understandably difficult in this situation, explain how the complaints should be handled, explain how the hotel's booking policy should be interpreted to the guests affected, and demonstrate the customer service mindset the desk needs to get through the evening.

Performance indicators

• Handle difficult customers.
• Handle customer/client complaints.
• Interpret business policies to customers/clients.
• Demonstrate a customer service mindset.

The judge will ask

1. 1.How do you choose which guests get moved?
2. 2.What do you offer them, and who pays for it?

The setting

A guest at THE MILLHOUSE recorded a serious food allergy when booking. The note appeared on the reservation and never reached the kitchen. Nobody was harmed, and the process that failed has not changed.

Your role

You are to assume the role of an operations assistant at THE MILLHOUSE.

Your task

The restaurant manager (judge) wants you to explain what changes. Explain the nature of operations as they run between the booking system and the kitchen, explain the procedures for handling an incident when one does occur, explain how guest inquiries about allergies should be responded to, and explain how the complaint should be handled with the guest tonight.

Performance indicators

• Explain the nature of operations.
• Explain procedures for handling accidents.
• Respond to customer inquiries.
• Handle customer/client complaints.

The judge will ask

1. 1.Where exactly did the information stop, and how would you fix it?
2. 2.What do you say to the guest this evening?