Dear TrueGuest,

We are striving to become a TrueGuest Hotel but are struggling to get our team to introduce themselves to guests.  In what situations should we require our team to introduce themselves?  

Great question, thanks!  This is one area where hotels often have a difficult time teaching their employees to become comfortable with introductions.  Here are the situations that we like to see employees provide an introduction:

1. When the guest first arrives at the hotel, the very first employee the guest sees should welcome the guest and introduce themselves.  In most cases, the first employee a guest encounters is the doorman or valet attendant who greets them at the car.  It is very critical for that employee to come over, open the door, and greet the guest with a welcoming smile.  Then it is easy to work an introduction into the conversation.  You can simply say ‘welcome to our resort, my name is John and I will help get you settled into the hotel’.  This introduction is important because John is going to need to obtain the guest’s name to pass along to the GSA.
2. During any interaction that will last longer than a minute or two or where follow-up may be required.  For instance, if you are a Concierge, you should introduce yourself and obtain the guest’s name immediately since you will most likely be working on a task that requires follow-up.  Bellman who helps upon arrival should always give a good introduction since they will be spending quite a bit of time telling the guest about the hotel amenities on the way to the room.  Restaurant servers and bartenders should also give an introduction during the start of their service.
3. Any employee who enters an occupied guest room should provide an introduction.  Remember, an occupied guest room is a very personal space and the guest needs to feel comfortable with you.  If you are delivering a room service meal, providing turn-down service, fixing a broken toilet, or setting up a crib, you should introduce yourself first.  It is very easy to say ‘good evening, I am John from room service, may I please bring in your dinner?’
4. Every operator who answers or places an in-house phone call should introduce themselves.  Never answer the phone with only ‘Guest Services’.  The guest needs to know who they are speaking to.  Also, never place a call to a guest room without immediately introducing yourself.

When is an introduction not required:

1. During front desk interactions or host/hostess interactions.  When you are checking a guest in or out, an introduction is not required.  Also, a host or hostess does not need to provide an introduction for every guest they greet in the restaurant.
2. When you are not the primary employee providing service.  For instance, a restaurant server should introduce themselves, but a server assistant or busser should not.

Remember, when in doubt, introduce yourself.  A good introduction goes a long way toward providing a personalized guest experience.