The title of this short article might sound a bit fundamental, but we have all learned the value of the basics.   Little things do make a difference... actually, they can be the difference in achieving success or not.

In hotels and many hospitality businesses, we were taught by almost everyone that the best way to make a positive impression in phone communication was a courteous, friendly voice answering the call promptly (within three rings).  With the changes in technology the past ten years, a growing number of hotels have embraced the automatic answering device.  When one listens to these machines, you realize you can push one number for sales, another for accounting, another for the restaurant, another for guest information and so on.  Now from my professional and personal perspective, I recognize that these might have certain efficiencies built into them and they do work – at times.  I know from my experiences in communicating with the phone company, the cable company, banks and many other “service” organizations that too many of these automatic responses are unclear and that one has to repeat the request several times.  I know my level of frustration when I find myself wanting to raise my voice to the machine, which of course has no value to anyone.

Hospitality is based on high touch and personal interaction.  I encourage anyone reading this to consider some of the following ideas relating to telephone communications in hotels and hospitality businesses: