COURTESY STANDARD

Course Outline
1. Recognizing guest
2. Offering service
3. Responding to guest requests
4. Guest who needs help
5. Giving direction
6. Referring Guest when you do not know

7. When you do not understand /

8. When the guest says Excuse me?

9. Confirming a request
10. Checking
11. Thanking the guest
12. Fare welling the guest

Magic words which open all doors

Please
Thank you
Excuse me
Pardon me

Recognizing Guest
Recognize guest immediately with eye contact,
smile and greeting if a guest enters your area.

Hi and Hello are too informal

Good morning
Good afternoon
Good evening
Sir / Madam / Miss,
how may I help you ?

If you know the guest name, use it !

A guest name is music to his/her ears

Mister Issenberg
Miss Ho
Misses Leung
my name is John, I am glad to be of

Offering service
Say it with a smile to show that
you are friendly and attentive to guests needs.
!
May I help you, Sir/Madam?
/ / / ?
May I be of assistance, Sir/Madam?
/ / /
Would you like to have ?
...?
May I offer you...?
...?

Responding to guest request

Do not keep the guest waiting !

If you do not know the answer, check with your superior or

someone in charge.

OK and of course are too informal, and rude in 5 star hotels

OK

Yes, certainly Sir/Madam (Mr. Shiu / Miss Ho / Mrs. Wang)

() / / /
Yes, Sir/Madam.
All right, Sir/Madam. () ///
Immediately, Sir/Madam. /

Guest who needs help

You should offer help BEFORE the guest asks.
!
This shows attentiveness towards the guest.

May I help you?

Let me help you with your ... , Sir/Madam.

/ ...
Let me get you a ... please Sir/Madam.
/...
Would you like to sit here, Sir/Madam?
/
May I assist in any way?

Giving directions
Show the way with your hand, NOT finger.

If applicable, personally accompany the guest or show the location of

the item by saying let me show you the way or please follow me.

Go straight ahead, please.

Please turn left/ right at the first corner.
Please go up the escalator.
Please go down to the lobby.
Sorry, Im not sure. If you wait a moment, Ill be glad to find out for you.

The ...(item) is at the top/bottom of the (item).

/
The ... (service) is on ...th floor. ...

Referring guest when you do not know

Offer help by referring guest to the department.

NEVER ask guests to contact or find out by themselves

GO EXTRA MILE FOR THE GUEST !

I am sorry, Sir/Madam. The ... Department/ counter is
responsible for .... I shall contact the ... Department to check
...
/

The people in our ... Department can answer that question

for you, Sir/Madam. May I ask them to contact you?
/

When you do not understand /

Do not be afraid to say you do not understand !
!
Call your superior if necessary, do NOT let the guest repeat for the third time

Better let your superior help the guest than making mistakes to upset the guest.

Never say What ?! when you do not understand.

Sorry, could you please speak more SLOWLY / LOUDLY, Sir/Madam?

//
I am sorry, I do not understand. Ill get my superior for you, Sir/Madam.
/
I am sorry, I do not understand. Could you please show me?

I am sorry, could you please repeat that?

When the guest says Excuse me ?

Reply: Im sorry
and turn to listen to the guest request

I am sorry.

Confirming a request
To avoid any misunderstanding or mistakes, repeat the guest
request or even write down first and then repeat.

This is to ensure that right service be offered at the first place.

May I repeat that, Mr./Miss/Mrs. Sir/Miss/Madam ?

//

Checking
Check with concerned department and come back to the guest with the answer
or let the guest know you have informed the concerned department to help him

Never say things you are not sure of by assuming.

Let me check for you, Sir/Madam.

() ///
Certainly Sir/Madam, I will check for you.
() ///
Please wait a moment, Sir/Madam. I will try to find out for you.
/
I will check and come back to you as soon as possible.

Sorry to have kept you waiting, I have checked (I have

informed department)....
...

Thanking the guest

Be sincere when thanking the guests and smile !
If possible, use positive body language as well, such as a
small bow or nodding

Thank you very much, Sir/Madam.

/
Its my pleasure!

You are most welcome.

Glad to be of service.

Fare welling the guest

DO USE GUEST NAME if you know, to make it a personal
service and take the chance to build a relationship again.

Goodbye, Sir/Madam (Mr./Ms./Mrs.)

Thank you for coming! We hope to see you again soon.

Thank you for staying with us. Have a pleasant journey.

I hope you have enjoyed your stay with us.

Have a pleasant flight / trip.

We hope to see you again very soon.

COURTESY STANDARD

- II -

Course Outline
1. Asking guest to do something
2. Guest offers something out of politeness
3. Polite denial
4. Short delays (less than 5 minutes)
5. Long delays (more than 5 minutes)
6. Apologizing for an inconvenience
7. Accepting complaints/ criticism
8. When the guest asks if they may take something

9. When the guest apologizes by saying sorry

10. Breaking (away from) a conversation ()

11. Suggestive selling

Asking guest to do something

Be utmost humble and courteous when doing this.

Excuse me, Sir/Madam, could you please ( sign/ wait etc.) here?
/,
Could I have (request), Sir/Madam?
/
May I ask you to (request), Sir/Madam?
/
Would you like to...?
...?
Excuse me, Sir/Madam, could you please follow me.
/,
Would you please print/ spell your full name for me, Sir/Madam?
/,
Please mind the stairs!

Guest offers something out of politeness

No, thank you. You are very kind.

Its very kind of you but no, thank you.

You are very kind, but I cannot accept.

Polite denial

I am afraid not. Sorry, Sir/Madam.

/
No, I am sorry.

Im afraid not, unfortunately.

Not really.

No, Sir/Madam. It is not.

Short delays (less than 5 minutes)

Always acknowledge the guest even if you have to keep him waiting.

It is important that the guest does not feel he has been ignored.

Just a moment / one moment, please, Sir/Madam.

/
This may take a few minutes, Sir/Madam.
/
Ill be with you in a moment, Sir/Madam.
/
Sorry to keep you waiting, Sir/Madam.
/
Im sorry about the delay.

My apologies for the delay.

Long delays (more than 5 minutes)

Be SINCERE and show the guest you are concerned of the delay.

Ask for the guests approval so that they feel looked after.

Im sorry, Sir/Madam. This may take about ... minutes. Is that all right?
/ ...
Im sorry for the delay, Sir/Madam. It will just be a few minutes longer.
Will that be all right?
/
Im terribly sorry for the inconvenience, Sir/Madam, but this may take a
few minutes longer.
/

Apologizing for an inconvenience

Sorry, Im not sure. If you wait a moment, Ill be glad to find out for you.
Im very sorry, Sir/Madam.
Thank you for your co-operation/patience/ understanding.
///
Im terribly sorry, we are not permitted to do this.

Im terribly sorry. There could have been some mistake.

I do apologize.

Im sorry, Sir/Madam. Ill look into the matter at once.

/
Im afraid its against company policy to do this.

Accepting complaints/ criticism

Listen attentively to guests complaints and take notes if necessary to
show your sincerity.

Never say things like Its not my fault/ I did not handle it/ its not my department.

Do NOT argue

Thank you for telling us, Sir/Madam. I assure you we shall do our best to
ensure it will not happen again. Please accept our apology.
/

Please accept our apologies. I shall let the person in charge know.

Im sorry for what happened. It must be very annoying.

Im sorry to hear that. You must be very annoyed.

When the guest asks if he may take something

If you are not sure if they are permitted, check with

your superior or manager.

Guest often like to take menus, leaflets articles, etc.

Certainly, Sir/Madam, let me help you.

Go ahead please, youre welcome.

Yes, sure, allow me.

When the guest apologizes by saying sorry

Thats all right.

It doesnt matter.

Its nothing serious.

Please do not worry about it, Sir/Madam.

/
But in case some valuable properties of the hotel is damaged, you should say:
I am sorry of what happened. But I am afraid I have to report this to my
manager. Hope you understand that.

Breaking (away from) a conversation

()
Excusing yourself shows courtesy.

Courtesy is the nature of service!

Excuse me, Sir/Madam, but Im being called.

/
Excuse me for interrupting.

May I take up a few moments of your time?

May I speak to you for a moment, Sir/Madam.

/
Will there be anything else, Sir/Madam?
/
Im sorry Im being called away. Have a pleasant day, Sir/Madam.
/

Suggestive selling
May I show you our (item/service), Sir/Madam?
/

Have you tried our ... ?

May I suggest you ... ?

/

Would you like more ... ?

... ?

Knowing is not enough,

we must practice !
Thank you and
Have a nice day!

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