Smiling Improves Guest Experience – Tell Your Hotel Employees to Smile

Improving Hotel Guest Satisfaction May Be As Simple As A Smile

According to the survey, 33 percent of guests claimed they were received with a grin just “occasionally,” while 61 percent said they were greeted with a smile “all the time.” That 33 percent’s satisfaction score was 110 points lower (on a 1,000-point scale) than those who were “always” welcomed with a smile. So a smile and service at the front desk are one of the key variables that move a visitor from a medium to a high degree of contentment.

Excellent customer service is never a mere coincidence. A healthy and joyful service culture is critical to the success of any firm, and how can we achieve this? A genuine smile is perceived as a window into a person’s demeanor by others. A customer’s first impression of the quality of the service they are about to receive is based on the presence or absence of a smile. Nonverbal communication is critical in providing exceptional visitor experiences. When paired with proper customer service training, the untapped power of smiling delivers an incredible one-two punch in developing and delivering an exceptional service culture within firms.

Is it that simple? And, if that’s the case, how can we persuade team members to smile “always?” Here are a few suggestions:

• Request that they do so. Set the tone from the very first day.
• You must lead with a grin as a leader. Smiles can easily spread and bring positivity among employees.
• Reiterate the positive attitude. Comment on the positive energy that your team’s smiles provide to the hotel.
• Rectify the negative. If a team member is strolling around with a frown on their face, remind them of their role in establishing a welcoming workplace.
• Maintain a lighthearted and joyful culture. After all, your staff deserves to be happy.
• Finally, a smile is free. Even if you have no other reason to smile, keep in mind that in today’s commercialized world, a smiling face is one of the few things that is pure and free.