Personal Grooming Tips for Hoteliers

 

It is essential that all hoteliers follow the standards for grooming and appearance of their hotel in order to maintain a professional looking and presentable appearance in front of the guests. Here are some must follow tips to ensure personal grooming.

Personal Grooming Tips

1. Check your uniform each day to see if it is damaged, crashed or stained.
2. Keep shoes polish and in good shape. There should not be any hole or runs in socks.
3. Fingernails must be filed short. No bitten and spotlessly clean at all times. Lady hoteliers may wear clean or pearl nail polish with no chips.
4. Female hoteliers should wear basic cosmetics in front of the house areas including lipstick and eyeliner.
5. Hair must be clean and neat at all times. Female associates with hair longer than collar length must tie up in a bun safely secured. Male hoteliers must keep their hair above collar length at all times.

6. Shave daily. This is compulsory. No excuse will be accepted.
7. All hoteliers may wear a watch and a wedding ring only. Ladies may also wear a small nose stud, simple stud earring.
8. Try to maintain personal hygiene all the time. Breath & body odor must be kept fresh at all times.
9. Wear proper uniform and make sure it fits you. Bend your tie properly.
10. Don’t uses jell deeply. Don’t use it unless you need and if you use, then use slightly.

Some more personal grooming tips for female servers:

• Never use heavy make-up. Use light make-up.
• No exclusive or eye appealing jewellry is allowed.
• Proper hair band should be used to cover head.
• Don’t use high hill. This could be dangerous. Use flat shoes.

Personal Hygiene Guideline for Food Worker

 

For each and every hotelier hygiene and sanitation is such an issue which has to be handled carefully. Especially if you work in food preparation department then you need to be more careful than anyone else. Because of your carelessness guest may be affected by different food borne diseases. So, to avoid such situation, first step you should take is to ensure your personal hygiene. Your physical fitness does not ensure that you are physically OK. Even if you are not sick, you may have bacteria in different parts of your body which has high chance to be grown in food and make guest sick.

Personal Hygiene Tips for Food Workers:

1. If you are sick do not work. First consult with your doctor. As your main job is to prepare food so your physical fitness ensures safe, hygienic food. If you are ill then there is a high chance that food born hazards can grow from you.
2. To ensure personal hygiene daily bath is must. You may have busy working schedule all the time but it is your duty to manage some free time to take a shower which will not only keep your body clean but also refresh your body and mind.
3. Maintain a habit of washing your hands as much as possible. Wash your hand after eating or drinking or touching anything or going to toilet or smoking or doing anything which can help to grow bacteria in your hands.
4. Generally food workers have 2 sets of uniform and aprons. So never wear same dress more than a single day.
5. Hair fall in food is a worse scene for any star hotel. So always cover your head. Keep your hair neat and clean. Always wear hat or hood or hairnet.
6. Shave daily. It is must for every hotelier.
7. Cover Coughs and sneezes properly and then wash your hands.
8. Some food workers have very bad habit of sitting on the worktables or using knife for cutting nails etc. Such bad habits should be avoided.
9. Never let your finger to grow. Always cut your fingernails clean and short. Female worker should avoid using nail polish.
10. Although in most of the hotels, smoking is prohibited while working, but even if you are allowed, never smoke on your working time. Also you should not chew gum or enjoy music on your working time.
11. If you work with knife and cutting blades then there is a high chance of cutting and blooding. Try to be safe as much as possible but if by accident you are blooding then use clean bandage on that parts of your body and take immediate treatment. Never overlook your minor injuries.

Personalized Service Training for Waiters

Today I will discuss another  Training on personalized service which is very should be helpful for F & B Service Staffs specially for Waiters in hotel & Restaurant. Personalized Service in Food & Beverage service focuses on the interactions between the customer and the food & beverage service staff.

Why Personalized Service is Required in Restaurants:

In Hotel or restaurants, Guest must be treated as KING/QUEEN. We are here to give comfort and happiness to the guest along with food. This helps the venue to get repeat business and this causes the revenue of the restaurant to increase. If guest will be satisfied by service, then he will advertise the venue to his/her friends or relatives without any costs to the venue.

How we can give Personalised service to guest:

• Always wish the guest in proper way.
• Talk with the guest.
• Suggest the guest the correct combination of food & beverage.
• Maintain proper languages and body action.
• Always have smiling face.
• Solve any problem of the guest on the spot.

Things You Must Remember:

• Don’t talk to other staffs without first excusing themselves from the customer.
• Don’t interrupt interactions between customers and staff, but should wait until there is a suitable moment to catch the attention of the guest.
• Don’t serve the customer whilst carrying on a conversation between themselves.
• Don’t talk across rooms either to each other or to customers.

Always follow these simple rules, while giving personalized service:

• Showing customers to their table – Always walk with them at their pace.
• Seating customers- Ladies first descending in the age unless the host is a lady.
• Handling menus to customers- Offer the menu and wait for the customer to take it.
• Opening and placing napkins- Open carefully, do not shake it like duster, place it on the customer’s lap after saying excuse me to the guest.
• When offering water or any extra food items like bread rolls, always say “Excuse me Sir/ Madam, would you like another bread roll?”
• Talking to customers- only when standing next to them.
• Serving and clearing- always say “Excuse me” before serving or clearing and “Thank you” after you have finished with each customer.
• Explaining food and beverage items- use terms the customer understands (i.e. no technical terms); use terms, which make the sound attractive; do not use abbreviation.

Pre-Service Checklist of F & B Outlet

Pre-Service Checklist of F & B Outlet

     Before allowing guest to come and enjoy your service for your betterment you should check everything. This is called as pre-service checking. A good manager or experienced waiter gives much attention and value to check before starting servicing. This reduces possibilities of causing mistakes, rising complaints by guests and ensure smooth service standard with full professionalism. Here are some strategies you should focus:

1: Check the side station:

• Make sure you have all the necessary cutleries and silverwares in the side station.
• Replace any unnecessary items and bring required items if needed.
• Check silverwares with great attention. Check whether it is free of spots,  clean, glazing  and workable or not
• Make sure the drawers of the side station are ok.

2: Check the glassware on the table:

• Look at cracked, spotted and chipped glass. If found replace immediately.
• Make sure all the glasses are shining.
• Be sure you set correct glassware on the table for appropriate service.

3: Check napkins on the table:

• Make sure correct napkin folding has been done by the waiters.
• Don’t make such napkin folding which does not match with your theme of the restaurant and occasion. For example fancy folding styles should not be used in formal meetings but can be used in happy occasions like kid’s birthday.
• Refold napkins that are not folded properly.
• Replace torn, dirty napkins.

4: Check Salt Peeper shakers:

• Experience hoteliers always refill the salt shaker with some pieces of uncooked rice. This is because uncooked rice can quickly absorb moist on the shaker and thus it helps easy dropping of the salt from the shaker.
• One of the most frequent complaint arise by the guest is for improper shakers. So before service ensure it is clean and free of spots, cracks etc.
• Always wash shakers according to the cleaning schedule. Don’t use water if you use wooden shakers.

5: Check the table cloth:

• Make sure you use appropriate size, color and standard table cloth.
• Make sure it hangs consistently on all sides.
• Replace dirty cloths. Always maintain cleaning schedule.
• Check cloths for holes, stains, spots.

6: Check table & chair:

• Shaky chair and table are the cause of making gusts feels disturbed. Before placing any chair or table for guest sit on the chair and check the table to be ensured that all are ok. If anyone shakes immediately replace it or call the engineering department.
• Sometimes seats of the chairs become dirty for guest. Be sure it is clean.
• Be sure there is no dust on any table or chair. Must clean all of those properly and most importantly regularly.
• Place each chair in such a way that edge of the chair remain even with the edge of the table.
• Keep proper sitting arrangement for kids and disable guests.

7: Check the sitting arrangement:

• Make sure all tables are set on same style.
• Make sure all chair and table are on equal height, color and standard
• Make sure there is proper gap between each table and chair with another one so that guests and service stuffs can easily move.
• Try to Make best use of your allocated area.

8: Mis-en-place:

• Polish cutlery using silver polish.
• Make sure there are sufficient amount of plate and other items to handle emergency situation.
• Ensure there is enough bread and butter, coffee powder.

9: Mis-en-scene:

• Make sure there is good number of stocked plates and other items to be used in emergency.
• Check your AC. Often guest complaint about it.
• Switch on all lights to check for fused bulbs.
• Sort menu cards properly.
• Ensure all promotional materials are available.
• Remove all wilted flowers and replace them with fresh ones.

10: Check daily specials:

• Always consult with your chef first to know what is today’s special. Captain or head waiter should brief his subordinates properly.
• If you are not sure about ingredients or style of cooking of the special item then try to learn from the chef. Often guest ask questions about it.

Proper Uniform of a Waiter

 

Generally, uniform is such a garment product which indicates profession of a professional. For what there are almost universal uniform a doctor, or a police or a pilot wears. Like other profession in service industry, a waiter should wear perfect uniform suitable with his job.

If you are a waiter then you should have 2 sets of uniform. Generally in restaurant a waiter wear white shirt, black pant, black shoe, black shocks and a tie. It may differ from restaurant to restaurant. Whatever the uniform is it should be clean and fit well. An unfit uniform will looks very unprofessional. So, if you are recruited for the first time then must ensure that the uniform provided by the establishment must fit with your body. Shirt should not be so much attached with the body and pant should not so long. Make changes if it does not fit properly. For a female waiter, the skirt she wears should be in proper size. Neither very big nor very small size skirt is best suitable for restaurant. If the skirt is too small then often she will feel problem to bend.

In service industry, shoes play a significant role, often which is neglected. As you have to move frequently so it should be rubber soles with low heels. Every time you should police your shoes with shiner before start working and if possible between work. A policed shoe give good impression. As you have to stand for a longer period of time so your shoe need to be comfortable to feet on. So, it is advisable to try to wear as much comfortable shoe you can be, whatever the price is.

As a server you should not wear any ornaments or jewelry which does not match with the environment of the working area. A wedding ring, or simple jewelry and watch are generally acceptable in all restaurants and hotels.

Real Life Courtesy Training for Waiters

           

Dear Colleges, this is a Training. is about Courtesy. It is the hallmark of a good waiter to be courteous on all occasions not only towards guests but also towards his colleagues and other people working in the same unit .Courtesy should be inherent in his nature and a sign of his desire to please those with whom he comes into contact. His manner should not be just a part of the “technique” of the restaurant. The advantages and necessity of being courteous should be emphasized as it not only smoothens operations but also ensures better ties.

Courtesy Training for Waiters:

1. After a waiter has served breakfast and a guest is leaving, he should say “ Thank you, have a pleasant day” It should be said with utmost sincerity.
2. When approaching a guest use the word ‘assist’, e.g. “May I assist you “ or “ May I be of assistance”.
3. When guests are leaving after lunch or dinner or even if they have just stopped in for a cup of coffee or a drink, say “Thank you. I hope every thing was all right. Do come again, or “ It’s been a pleasure serving you. Please come again soon.”
4. Always present the check without delay. Keep it at the side station when the guests are nearing the end of their meal.
5. While taking an order the waiter should approach the guest from the left and place the menu in front of him and inquire, “ May I have your order, Sir/Madam ?” Wait patiently facing the guest until after any necessary advice asked has been given, and the order is complete. Give the guest enough time to decide what he wants and do not rush him.
6. Guests should never get the feeling that they are being hustled. It is really proper to let them finish their drink before asking for their food order. In the evening this holds true. At noon a lot of people are on a tight schedule so the lunch- time menu should be presented as soon as the guest is seated. Before taking the food order the waiter should ask whether they would like a should take the food order and serve it as soon as it is ready. If the answer is “yes”, the drink is placed on the table the waiter should ask, “Would you like to order now or shall I come back later?” If the answer is “later” the waiter the guest is finishing his drink. If the guest orders right away, the food should be brought as soon as it is ready to serve, even if the guest has not finished his drink. Drink “May we bring you a drink before lunch?” If the answer is “No” he should take the food order and serve it as soon as it is ready. If the answer is “yes”, the drink is placed on the table the waiter should ask, “Would you like to order now or shall I come back later?” If the answer is “later” the waiter the guest is finishing his drink. If the guest orders right away, the food should be brought as soon as it is ready to serve, even if the guest has not finished his drink.
7. If a guest says his food or drink isn’t right, the waiter should not tell him so, even if he is sure that the guest is wrong. The waiter should tell him “I am sorry. Please let me bring you another or may I bring you another or may I bring you something else?” The waiter should take the order back to the kitchen and tell the chief to replace it. If he has any trouble, he should tell the manager.
8. In case there are restaurants having bar counters or bars in the immediate neighborhood of the restaurant, guests who cannot be seated in the restaurant should be asked if they wish to wait in the bar until a table is available. If possible the supervisor should accompany the guest to the other facility to make sure that they will be taken care of properly.
9. In case a waiter is busy and cannot attend to a guest at once, he should inform him that he will attend to him immediately or in a moment.
10. If the waiter knows the guest’s name it is advisable to address him by his name as this shown that the guest is getting personalized service.
11. A guest may become impatient if he cannot catch the waiter’s eye. The waiter should never ignore guests or just pass them by, because they are not on his station. He should stop and acknowledge the call, by saying politely, “I will send your station waiter, sir “.
12. When two tables are occupied approximately at the same time, the waiter must take the order of the first party, first.
13. Each guest entering the restaurant must be received at the door by the hostess or the supervisor in a cordial and pleasant manner and be conducted to a seat. Chair should be held for the convenience of all lady guests, and gentlemen if possible.
14. Guests must be asked prior to seating whether the table, which they have been allotted, is agreeable to them.

Remember while Referring Problems to Superior

 

 

 

Dear Team, today, in this Training I want to draw your attention to a very important topic. Today we will learn some key points which we must remember while referring any problem to our superior. As a hotelier you should ensure these basic points while taking any problem to your boss:

1. Make sure that you inform him all facts and information that the guest has confirmed.
2. You should Know exactly what the guest expect from you.
3. Give your superior an account of your conversation with the guest.  Do not exaggerate to make yourself look efficient.  Stick to the facts. Do not hide anything.
4. Tell your superior about any promises you have made to the guest. This is very important. Even do remember this point when another colleague comes to take your place in his own shift.
5. Know at this point if your superior is going to handle the situation or if you will keep on working on the problem itself.

Dear Hoteliers, Do remember, it is not always in your best interest nor the guest’s to “pass the buck” to a person of higher authority.  You should try to solve the problem on your own.  If your guest insists or dissatisfied, then seek further assistance.