Advise Guest on Use of Items

Occasionally, you will need to help guests use delivered or already in their room items.

This happens when the guest has no prior experience with the equipment.

It is important to remember that in these situations, guests would most likely feel embarrassed about having to seek assistance in operating an equipment. Again, do not embarrass the guest or make them feel stupid while assisting them.

Keys to Providing Advice

As a rule of thumb, provide advice only if you can operate the equipment yourself.

It is a requirement for most establishments that their staff knows how to operate every piece of equipment within the guest room or those they can loan to guests.

Some important aspects of providing advice:

• Explain the functions and operations of all aspects of the equipment that the guest wants to know about – including what all the switches, knobs, buttons, and dials do. You may not need to explain everything about the item, just what the guest wants to know.

• Ensure that operational safety and health procedures are also followed by guests

• Use simple words – avoid using technical terms

• Test the understanding of the guest by asking them simple questions about how to use the item.

Instructional sheets in different languages

Guests may not be familiar with the equipment in the room because:

• The maker or model is not the same they use at home

• The equipment of the hotel may be more technologically advanced

• Equipment may be controlled by a master in-room control panel

• Markings on the equipment is a different language

Regardless of the reason why the guest is not familiar with using the equipment, it is important that housekeeping staff are able to clearly communicate to the guest the instructions in a way that they understand.

One method used by establishments is through the use of instructions sheets in different languages or use symbols that clearly show what to do in a particular equipment.