When visiting a hotel, usually you will get very good service from the hotel staff. In this case, hospitality is the principle they apply.
Ever heard the term hospitality before? At first glance it sounds like a hospital, but it’s not. Let’s understand more about what hospitality is, its duties, and types of businesses in the following article.
What is Hospitality?
The definition of hospitality is a friendly attitude or close relationship that develops between a host and a guest. This value is demonstrated by offering services or hosting tourists, clients, or even foreign visitors who come to visit.
The scope of hospitality is not limited to hotels, but also other businesses that sell services to attract customers. Examples include culinary businesses, travel and tourism, events , banks, minimarkets, and so on. This sector is available almost everywhere with many different jobs.
Hospitality is the key to a smooth running business, namely through effective interaction between management and clients or customers. A hospitality business will struggle to survive if there is no real hospitality and attention to make clients feel satisfied.
Hospitality Business Objectives
In business, the goal of hospitality is to give the best impression and service to guests so that guests feel satisfied. Not only that, hospitality will also make a region or country have a distinctive character, so that it attracts many tourists to visit. As a result, the economic activities of the region are growing.
Hospitality Assignment
It is important to understand that hospitality tasks vary depending on the industry in which they operate. For example, hospitality jobs in the hotel sector will be different from those in the tourism sector. Here is the explanation.
1. In the Hospitality Industry
Receptionist
When guests visit a hotel, the receptionist is the first person they meet. Their job is to serve customers who want to make reservations, check room availability, and confirm reservations.
When giving the room key to the guest, the receptionist must also handle the guest’s check-in . In addition, the receptionist must also respond in a friendly manner to any questions asked by the visitor.
Porter
At check-in and check-out , every hotel has a porter who is tasked with carrying your luggage. When a visitor comes to make a hotel reservation, the porter should greet them immediately.
The porter is also responsible for ensuring that the room booked by the guest is in good condition and without any problems.
Concierge or Concierge
A concierge is an officer who greets every visitor by opening the door and giving a warm welcome. A concierge must be able to work both formally and informally.
If a guest asks for help from the concierge, they should try to help. For example, acting as a temporary babysitter when a guest needs help or arranging restaurant reservations for guests.
2. In the Tourism Sector
Tour Guide
Tour guides are responsible for accompanying tourists, both domestic and international. Tour guides must be able to explain about the places visited while accompanying tourists.
Therefore, tour guides need to have extensive knowledge of culture and tourist sites. Smiling service will also be an added value for tour guides .
Tourism Consultant
A consultant in the tourism industry is responsible for offering services, handling complaints, and providing advice in the field of tourism.
Food and Beverage (FnB)
FnB is a business that also involves hospitality because this business is tasked with preparing food or drinks that will be served to guests according to relevant quality standards.
A person working in the FnB industry must also be able to facilitate customers who want to provide input or comments on the food that has been served.
Types of Hospitality Business
It is important to note that there are four main categories in the hospitality industry . These four types are as follows.
1. Accommodation
One type of hospitality business is identical to lodging. This business provides temporary accommodation for a certain period of time, for example one night or one week.
The term lodging in this context does not refer to hotels alone, but includes hostels, campsites, and other accommodations that offer visitors a place to stay overnight.
The target clients for accommodation are usually business travelers, vacation travelers, long-term travelers, backpackers , and other types of travelers.
The completeness of the facilities and the cleanliness of the location are some of the important things that must be considered so that the client feels satisfied. A lodging must adhere to absolute cleanliness standards.
Jobs that have an important role in the accommodation category are housekeeping , room attendant , and receptionist .
2. Tour and Travel
Next, the type of hospitality business is tour and travel . This business is known as a service provider related to travel between countries, between islands, or between cities with transportation modes such as buses, taxis, airplanes, ships, trains, and so on.
This industry is tasked with providing facilities for those who wish to travel, whether for vacation, business trips, or others.
Tour and travel usually have to pick up the ball, aka visit potential clients to convey the services they offer. They also do promotions through social media, advertisements, pamphlets, or billboards in easily visible locations.
A job that has an important role in the tour and travel category is tour guide .
3. FnB
The next category in the hospitality business is the food and beverage industry or FnB. This industry will continue to exist because food and beverages are basic human needs.
Then it is estimated that 50% of the food served in hotels also comes from the FnB business. In general, this industry offers the best service for customer satisfaction, starting from ensuring the quality of food and beverage ingredients, taste, to cleanliness.
4. Entertainment
Cinemas, recreation parks, children’s playgrounds, and other entertainment facilities are examples of hospitality businesses in the entertainment sector.
To increase customer happiness, some ways that can be done are by offering souvenirs to customers who become members , expanding building facilities, or improving customer service.
Well, that’s the explanation about hospitality business starting from the definition to its types. In conclusion, hospitality is an important thing that companies must pay attention to in order to provide satisfaction to customers or clients.