Concierge and Guest Services Flashcards

What is 'service recovery' in the hospitality industry?

Answer: The process of resolving a guest complaint and restoring their satisfaction after a service failure

Service recovery refers to the actions a hotel takes to address a service failure and restore an unhappy guest's satisfaction. Effective service recovery can actually increase guest loyalty beyond pre-failure levels — known as the 'service recovery paradox.'

What is upselling in the context of hotel front desk operations?

Answer: Encouraging guests at check-in to upgrade to a higher room category for an additional fee

Upselling at the front desk involves offering guests an upgraded room category — such as a suite, higher floor, or room with a better view — for a modest additional charge at check-in. It enhances the guest experience while generating incremental revenue for the hotel.

What does the 'Americans with Disabilities Act' (ADA) require of hotels in the United States?

Answer: Hotels must provide accessible rooms and facilities for guests with disabilities

The ADA requires U.S. hotels to provide accessible accommodations and facilities for guests with disabilities, including accessible guest rooms, accessible entrances, roll-in showers, TTY devices, and accessible public spaces. The required number of accessible rooms scales with total room count.

What is the purpose of a hotel's 'loyalty program'?

Answer: To reward and retain frequent guests while encouraging direct bookings

Hotel loyalty programs (such as Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy, and World of Hyatt) reward repeat guests with points, free nights, room upgrades, and exclusive benefits. They increase guest retention, encourage direct bookings (bypassing OTA commissions), and provide valuable guest data.

What is a 'property management system' (PMS) in hotel operations?

Answer: Software that manages reservations, guest profiles, room assignments, billing, and front desk operations

A hotel property management system (PMS) is the central operational software platform that manages reservations, check-ins, check-outs, room assignments, guest profiles, billing folios, housekeeping status, and interfaces with other hotel systems like POS, channel managers, and spa software.

What is a 'guest satisfaction score' (GSS) and why is it important?

Answer: A metric measuring how satisfied guests are with their overall hotel experience

Guest satisfaction scores measure guests' overall perception of their hotel experience, typically collected through post-stay surveys. GSS results influence hotel rankings on review platforms, management bonuses, franchise compliance, and strategy decisions to improve service areas.