Hotel management is a commercial and academic area that focuses on the operational elements of a hotel and a wide variety of related issues. Accounting, administration, finance, information systems, human resource management, public relations, strategy, marketing, revenue management, sales, change management, leadership, cuisine, and other related fields are among them. A hotel management company, in general, assists owners in bringing in the proper professional hotel management skills and acquiring the right people to operate the hotel business efficiently while enhancing financial performance. As a result, they guarantee that every area is appropriately managed and organized. It can apply to any establishment, including (independent) hotels, resorts, hostels, and motels.
1. Could You Tell Me About Your Former Job, Its Size, And Your Role?
I previously worked as the assistant manager at a coastal hotel. From April to September, we are fully booked with a capacity of 400 people. My primary responsibilities included managing the front desk employees, handling visitor queries, and organizing corporate events. I also filled in as acting manager when the hotel manager was absent.
2. Have You Ever Had To Appease A Disgruntled Guest? How Did You Handle The Situation?
I grasp the thinking and preferences of dissatisfied consumers. They are merely paying money to be served and obeyed while also receiving perfect services in connection to their stay in the hotel business. If I encounter such clients, I always employ active listening skills to understand their difficulties. Following this, I am always in a position to propose an agreeable conclusion. If a consumer is still dissatisfied, I shall escalate the situation to my immediate boss.
When I was a front desk employee on the night shift, a customer came downstairs and demanded a refund since they had been dissatisfied with their room service. They didn’t want anything else on the menu, but our policy said we couldn’t provide refunds once a meal was eaten. I explained our policy to keep the visitor pleased and provided a complimentary dinner at our hotel restaurant the next day.
3. What Would You Do If You Witnessed A Hotel Staff Member Misbehaving Toward A Guest?
If I observed an employee misbehaving toward a visitor, I would contact them discreetly to inform them that their behavior was unacceptable. If they did not improve their conduct after my initial interaction with them, I would notify my boss so that proper action could be taken. As a concierge, I am devoted to delivering outstanding customer service to all of our customers and want to ensure that everyone has a safe and enjoyable work environment.
4. How Do You Decide What Would Be Interesting Or Appealing To Guests While Preparing Activities Or Events?
I constantly attempt to learn about my customers’ hobbies so that I can propose exciting activities to do while they stay at the hotel. For example, when a family with two young children stayed at our hotel, I asked them what their favorite movies were and then looked up some local sites that might be interesting for kids to visit based on those movies. All of those places were a big hit with the family.
5. We Wish To Enhance Our Customer Service Ratings. What Suggestions Do You Have On How We Could Do This?
Communication is the foundation of good customer service. You may better meet visitors’ demands by properly explaining things and listening to what they have to say. I recognize that to give excellent customer service,I must be attentive and patient. Attentiveness implies that I can anticipate a guest’s demands and support them to the best of my ability. Patience requires that I be able to guide people through difficult situations, even if they are tiresome.
I also believe that having extra people accessible during peak hours might help us enhance our customer service rankings. It would help us better serve customers that require assistance. Another suggestion is to provide discounts on specific days of the week. On Mondays, for example, we may provide a discount on spa treatments. It would encourage guests to return to the hotel.
6. How Would You Handle A Situation Where One Of Your Cooks Continually Prepares Substandard Dishes?
It has happened to me before at my prior employment. When I realized one of my cooks wasn’t churning out as many beautiful meals as expected, I inquired if everything was well. They informed me they were stressed out at work, so I decided to give them a few days off to unwind. When they returned, I worked with them to improve their culinary skills and offered them extra tasks to relieve some of their burdens.
7. Will You Ever Break A Regulation Or A Policy To Please A Customer?
An organization’s rules and policies are always customer-friendly and are written with customer happiness in mind. As a result, I don’t believe I’ll be in such a predicament. Even in the worst-case situation, I will never violate any corporate rule. I would utilize my persuasion and persuasion talents to completely delight a consumer.
8. How Would You Handle A Customer Who Complains About A Lack Of Cleanliness?
In the hotel sector, cleanliness is very important. Several such complaints occurred during my previous term. First and foremost, in my opinion, I would use my patience and soft skills to attempt to calm down the consumer. Then I’d ask them to stay in the guest room for the next 20 to 30 minutes. Following this, I would immediately contact the cleaning crew and ask them to thoroughly clean the room. If I have any doubts about the honesty of the housekeeping crew, I will personally monitor the cleaning procedure.
9. Which Ingredients Do You Like To Use The Most In Your Role As A Head Chef?
I enjoy adding fresh herbs because I believe they bring a lot of flavor to any meal. They’re also simple to make because they don’t require lengthy cooking times, which is useful when we need to prepare meals quickly. Seafood is another item that I adore working on. Seafood is not only nutritious and delicious, but it is also adaptable enough that I can utilize it in a number of dishes.
10. What Qualities Make You An Effective Hotel Receptionist?
I would be a fantastic fit for this position due to my customer service skills. I am ready to serve people and am very accommodating. In my former hotel employment, for example, I was frequently complimented on how helpful I was. When guests came, they commented on how kind I was and how I made them feel at ease.
Another attribute that qualifies me for this position is my problem-solving abilities. I am adept at analyzing many solutions and determining which one will produce the best results. In my previous employment, for example, a guest called the front desk in the early morning and requested new linens. Her youngster had spilled his juice all over them, and they needed a new look. We were out of linens because our laundry person hadn’t arrived for the day. To solve this problem, I determined which room was empty and stole the bedding from there.
11. How Would You Deal With A Group Of Chefs That Are Reluctant To Change?
I used to work at a restaurant where we had to move from fresh to frozen veggies. Because they loved dealing with fresh food, the cooks were against the change. I explained why we needed to utilize frozen vegetables rather than fresh ones. Then I demonstrated how to cook frozen veggies so that they could still produce great dinners. My crew ultimately became accustomed to the new method after I explained the benefits of the move and demonstrated how to operate with frozen veggies.
12. Describe A Time When You Had To Work With A Difficult Person.
I was assigned to assist the housekeepers in folding towels one time. My coworker became irritated and refused to assist. This meant that the housekeepers and I were swamped with work. I knew I had to take action to modify my coworker’s mindset. I politely requested that this employee speak alone in the hallway.
I explained to her that, while folding towels isn’t part of our job description, it may be helpful. I helped her see things from a different perspective by emphasizing that the housekeepers go above and beyond to make our jobs simpler. After a few minutes, my coworker apologized for her reaction. She worked harder than everybody else to fold more towels. She grew more motivated to assist others after that.
13. What Are The Most Significant Characteristics Of A Successful Reservationist?
Good communication skills, patience, and problem-solving capabilities, in my opinion, are some of the most vital attributes of a successful reservationist. As a reservationist, I frequently deal with angry or perplexed customers. Strong communication skills enable me to explain policies and empathize with clients. Patience is also vital since it helps me to thoroughly listen to clients’ concerns and solve their difficulties. Finally, my problem-solving abilities enable me to fix issues promptly, allowing customers to enjoy their experiences.
14. What Knowledge Do You Have Of Reservation Software?
Throughout my time as a reservationist, I’ve utilized a number of reservation software. Each system, in my opinion, has distinct features that make it effective in specific scenarios. For example, one system may be better suited to handling large groups, but another may be better suited to managing several locations. In my previous role, we launched a new reservation system that improved our operations and made reservations easier to handle.
15. How Do You Go About Generating Menus For The Restaurant?
I begin by studying seasonal fruits and proteins to see which are accessible at various periods of the year. I also keep an eye out for new food preparation and presentation trends to see if there are any techniques or ingredients I can include in our recipes. Afterward, I meet with the head chef to explain my ideas and obtain input on what they believe will work best. We then work together to finalize the menu.
16. Give An Example Of A Moment When You Had To Deal With A Large Number Of Calls.
In my former position as a reservationist, I frequently dealt with calls from consumers searching for last-minute reservations. We had over 100 calls in an hour one night, which was more than our daily volume. I used a call queue system to assist me in managing these calls by allowing me to see all incoming calls and prioritize them. I also delegated some calls to my employees while I handled others.
17. What Cost-Cutting Initiatives Did You Put In Place At Your Previous Job?
We discovered that high water and electricity bills were an issue at the previous hotel where I worked. Our maids had noted several times that a bathroom faucet was left on, so we installed hand-sensing faucets that automatically switch off after use. We also determined that hallway lighting was to blame for our high energy expenses, so we put motion-detecting lights on each floor. These two initiatives alone saved us close to $5,000 per month, which we were able to invest in guest amenities.
18. Do You Understand The Various Types Of Accounting Software Used In The Hotel Industry?
Accounting tools such as QuickBooks Online, Freshbooks, and Wave Accounting are all familiar to me. I prefer QuickBooks because it is simple to use and provides me with all the information I need to execute my daily responsibilities. In my prior work, I was required to study Wave Accounting, which was more complicated than QuickBooks but provided great insight into the hotel’s financial operations.
19. Have You Ever Made Your Own Cocktail? If So, Could You Please Tell Us About It?
I’ve never had the opportunity to make my own drink, but I’m constantly searching for new ways to spice things up at work. I would begin by asking my employees what components they prefer in their drinks. Then I’d browse through our liquor cabinet to locate other liquors that might work well together. After that, I’d try different combinations until I discovered one that tasted nice.
20. How Would You Go About Conveying Complex Financial Data To Hotel Management And Staff?
I’d start by describing what each piece of data signifies and how it relates to the others. I’ve found that providing analogies or examples helps individuals grasp complicated subjects easily. For instance, if I were working on budgeting with management, I might compare our costs to household spending. If I was dealing with payroll personnel, I may have leveraged my previous expertise as a server to assist them in understanding how tips are calculated.
21. Did You Ever Have An Encounter As A Porter That Put Your Ethics To The Test? Could You Please Describe Your Experience For Us?
I helped a guest couple move their stuff from their room to the waiting cab while working at the Jameson Hotel in Birmingham. They forgot a jewelry case in their room closet in their haste. They called from the airport, and the hotel manager dispatched me to meet them there. The couple gave me a generous gratuity for the job, but collecting money is against hotel regulations, so I declined.
22. With A Limited Budget, Which Would You Prioritize: Repairing The Hotel’s Heating And Air Conditioning System Or Improving The Hotel’s Phone System?
Although communication is critical, I would postpone improving the hotel’s phone system if the heating and air conditioning system required maintenance. Guest comfort is always my primary focus, so I would make sure that all of the rooms, the lobby, and the recreational facilities were at the appropriate temperatures for their needs.
23. If You Were Late For A Shift, What Would You Do?
I’ve never been late for class or work. I recognize that my absence would cause problems for my coworkers, so I always arrive thirty minutes before my shift begins, accounting for the potential of a traffic jam or other unexpected occurrence that may cause a little delay. If something unusual happened and I was going to be late, I would tell the shift manager and apologize to my coworkers when I arrived.
24. What Inspired You To Become A Barista?
I’ve enjoyed drinking coffee since I was a child. Every weekend, my parents would take me to our neighborhood coffee shop, where I learned how to create various coffee drinks. Following high school, I participated in a vocational program at my local community college, where I studied everything there was to know about producing specialty coffees. This experience convinced me that I wanted to work as a barista, so I enrolled in their barista certification program.
25. How Do You Feel About Employing High-Quality Substances In Coffee Drinks?
I believe that using high-quality ingredients is critical to producing a pleasurable consumer experience. In my specialty coffees, I always utilize fresh milk and seasonal fruits or vegetables. At my previous job, for example, we had a promotion where clients could get a free cup of coffee if they brought in some homegrown food. We used those components to make a cold brew, which became one of our most popular specialties.
26. What Do You Think Is The Most Difficult Aspect Of Being A Barista?
The most difficult aspect of becoming a barista is dealing with customers who are dissatisfied with their coffee or espresso beverages. I always listen carefully to any issues they may have and do my best to address them. In one case, a client was dissatisfied with her latte because there wasn’t enough froth on top. We ran out of milk for our foamer, so I offered her a discount on her next drink. She eventually ordered another latte and appeared pleased with it.
27. If You Were Unable To Resolve A Guest’s Query, What Would You Do?
If I couldn’t find a solution to a guest’s query, I’d try to contact my supervisor or anyone who could be more familiar with the scenario. If they were unavailable, I would conduct web research to see if there were any similar scenarios from which I might learn. Finally, if all else fails, I would gently inform the guest that I cannot provide an instant response but will respond as soon as feasible.
28. Are You A Detail-Oriented Person?
I pay close attention to details. I am organized, which allows me to keep track of my tasks. My previous employment required me to manage many calls at once. I once took a call from a customer who asked if we had any tables available. I checked our system and discovered that we still had one table available. It was, however, on the second story. When the customer requested to sit there, I double-checked the seating chart to make sure it was all right. They were overjoyed at the news.
29. What Strategy Do You Use When Setting Goals?
Goal-setting, in my opinion, is crucial since it enables me to direct my efforts toward corporate objectives. My favorite method is to examine the firm’s priorities and how they connect to my role. Then, using the SMART objectives method, I construct well-defined, actionable targets. That way, I have clear, quantifiable, and compelling goals.” However, I go above and beyond by breaking down larger goals into micro-goals. That way, I can see every step between myself and the goal, forming a roadmap that will lead me to success.
30. Tell Me About A Time When You Had To Make A Difficult Decision.
When I worked as a manager at ABC restaurant, employees might initially switch shifts with one another without alerting management. While it was handy for team members, management was incapable of accurately forecasting an employee’s hours, resulting in unnecessary overtime with time. Furthermore, if someone fails to show up for a shift, there may be a dispute about who was to blame for the absence.
It was thus necessary for me to decide to forbid shift changes that weren’t communicated to management in advance of the scheduled time. While it wasn’t a popular option, it did help to streamline timekeeping and scheduling while also ensuring no-shows were entered in the appropriate employee’s files.
Conclusion
You should be able to clearly articulate your reasons for applying for the position and your qualifications before the interview. You should be prepared to explain why you’re interested in the job and why you are the ideal candidate.
Researching the organization for which you are applying is a vital step in preparing for an interview. It will not only help you create the context for your interview interactions, but it will also help you prepare intelligent questions for your interviewers.