10 Senior Housing Hospitality Lessons Learned While Working on a Cruise Ship
Before entering senior housing and services, I spent the better part of my 20's working as a purser and ultimately Chief Purser for Carnival Cruise Lines onboard luxury liners sailing the Caribbean seas. Among lessons gathered during those years many can be utilized in any hospitality business but even more so in our profession, where we work to empower and honor people.
1. Smile: Smiling translates well in every language. Many of the passengers and crew spoke languages that I did not, but even during frustrating bi-lingual attempts at a discussion, smiles helped smooth the waters.
2. Listen: People just want to be really listened to. When I first worked at the Purser's Desk (where everyone comes to complain), I would listen to the complaints and ask what they'd like me to do about the situation. It was amazing how many folks were satisfied by just having someone listen to them.
3. Show Appreciation: Each cruise we set sail with about 24 bottles of champagne for the pursers to send to passengers that were either upset or had some sort of mishap on the cruise. I personally tried this champagne. It was not the most expensive, but that little peace offering turned many unhappy guests into very happy, satisfied passengers..and that was even after the champagne wore off!
4. Greet People: Stop to acknowledge people as they pass by in hallways or where you are working. It only takes a second and makes that person feel special! No job is so demanding that you cannot stop to say hello.
5. Provide Choices: Choice is vital to happiness. When guests were given a choice they felt in control and even if they did not love the choices they usually were happy with the decision because they made it. Occasionally when weather was rough we'd have to miss a planned port of call so we'd give passengers a choice of whether to have a day at sea or substitute another port. We knew the majority would always want the substitute port but by giving them a choice they rarely complained about missing the planned port.
6. Be Aware of Expectations: People who are expecting something and do not get it, often get frustrated even before they truly understand the situation. Many times people approached the desk angry that their cabin had been changed, yet 99% of the time these people had received a complimentary upgrade to a nicer cabin.
7. Communicate Your Message Frequently: Communicate many different ways to make sure the message comes across. On a cruise ship the same information was broadcast on the P.A. System, daily activity newspaper, on the televisions, and in the dining rooms. Quantity helps convey quality.
8. Find a Way to Say Yes: .even when you are saying no. Even if your answer to a request has to be a no, there has to be some part of the request that can be a yes. "Mrs. Smith we can not take you to your daughters house 30 miles away but we would be happy to research shuttles and taxis and negotiate the best rate possible for that trip and arrange it for you."
9. Make the Little Things Mean A Lot: I cannot tell you how many people LOVED the way their cabin stewards would take the bath towels in their cabins and roll them up into various animal shapes using the passenger's sunglasses for eyes and leave them on the beds at turn down. It took just a minute more time but made each guest feel special, except for the guest that swore her cabin steward was doing voodoo on her but that's a different story!
10. Food Always Has to be Good: Food is the one thing that has to be right! Passengers will forgive most mistakes but if the food is bad they are unlikely to give you another shot with their vacation (or retirement) money.
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