5 lessons business can learn from the hospitality industryPosted by Nicole CoyneOn April 21, 2022

My first tertiary qualification was achieved at the Cape Technikon Hotel School in Cape Town. I spent three years learning about how to run hotels and restaurant operations. I loved my time there, and 25 years later even though I am completely out of the “game” I still consider myself a restaurateur by heart – it’s in the blood. Interestingly, I still use many of the lessons I learnt in those classrooms in my own business today.

I’d like to share some of them with you.

The minute a guest came through the doors, they were greeted! No excuses or deviations from the rule. This applied to all within the hotel or restaurant – even the GM. No one was above greeting. If you were busy with another guest at the time, then a non-verbal acknowledgement, a nod of the head, or eye contact and a smile was acceptable.

The idea is to make people feel comfortable and appreciated. I am sure you have experienced it before, that awkward feeling of walking into a new environment and no one takes a second look at you. No one acknowledges you. After a while you start feeling either helpless, annoyed, frustrated or even angry. Just because someone hasn’t taken 2 seconds to acknowledge your presence. You either endure the awkwardness or you walk away, never to return again.

In brick and mortar businesses we can apply this rule very easily. Simply apply the rule when a customer walks in. And it also applies when your clients or customers email or call you. Obviously you are not able to reply to emails or calls immediately, so to prevent the customer waiting, have a rule in place – for example, reply to emails and calls within 24 hours. Remember that feeling you got when you were ignored in that new environment? Your clients are feeling that when you don’t acknowledge their emails or calls. They too will walk away never to return.

We were taught to mis-en-place by Chef until we were blue in the faces. We grumbled initially, but it saved our bacon on many occasions. It kept us focused on what was essential, streamlined our service times and made tidy-up so much quicker. How can this principle be applied in business?

They say that follow-up is the weakest management principle out of the four – Planning, organising, leading and follow-up.

If a guest or diner had a query or issue we would endeavour to assist them immediately. However once everything was rectified we would go back and double check. Showing concern or interest is what we call “going the extra mile”. Just assuming that everything is “okay” because they didn’t raise the issue again is not good enough. Touching base with your customers when they are not expecting it, to check in with them is greatly appreciated and most importantly remembered!

Do they ever! If we were not buffed and polished in our chef attire at the beginning of a shift, we were given the hairy eyeball and would be first on the list for bin duty at the end of the shift. Probably a bit dramatic, but it taught me that how you present yourself to others can make a huge difference in how they see you. Not just in your outer appearance, but if you can actually do the job! People will instantly align how you look with how competent you are.

On another note – the more presentable you are the more confident you feel. This confidence will then reflect in your behaviour. How presentable are you when you interact with clients?

World war 3 could be erupting behind the swing doors, but the image created in the front-of-house was always one of being cool, calm and collected. If you are having a bad hair day or you’ve just had a bad experience with another client or team member – you don’t need to share that with your next client. They don’t really want to know. Being professional is knowing what to share and what to keep to yourself. Focusing on your individual customers’ needs and being ethical in how you communicate and behave, is what separates the amateurs from the professionals.

Do you want the image of you complaining and moaning about other clients or staff members to be the thing that they remember about you?

These lessons are not rocket science and are pretty simple to implement. But incredibly effective. Try them.