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    Greeting and seating example

    Let's look at an example of a typical task in the tourism industry, greeting and seating customers in a pub, restaurant or hotel. 
     

    How to achieve your standard

    How you will know it's been done correctly

    Acknowledge and greet guests, as soon as they arrive, with a smile

    • Guests are greeted with a smile, good eye contact and an interested facial expression.

    • Guests are addressed by their names (if known).

    Offer to take coats

    • Coats are treated with care and stored safely and securely.

    Lead guests to the table and ensure they are happy with table allocated
    • Guests are checked that the table chosen is suitable.

    Seat guests, present menus and drinks list

    • Chairs are withdrawn to allow guest to sit easily.

    • Clean menus are opened and presented to each guest and inform of any specials or off dishes.

    • Clean wine list is presented to the host and offer of assistance is made with selecting wine, if required.

    • Any wines unavailable are explained.

    Offer to take a drink/water order

    • Pre-dining drinks order is offered.

    • Water is offered and served to guests.

    Allow guests sufficient time to study menu

    • Knowledge of the menu and wine list is displayed.

    • Assistance is offered, recommendations are made, if required.

    • Service personnel are attentive, but not obtrusive whilst guests are selecting.

    Adopt a smiling, confident and attentive approach when dealing with customers

    • Service personnel establish empathy with customers and are responsive to their needs.

    Take the food order in a courteous, friendly and professional manner

    • Service personnel are alert to sales opportunities and adopt a positive approach to selling.

    • The food order is taken correctly and written legibly.

    • Cooking instructions are requested and recorded, where applicable.

    • Order is re-checked for accuracy with customer (if appropriate).

    Take the beverage order correctly

    • Knowledgeable of the composition of the beverage and wine list is displayed and recommendations are made, as appropriate.

    Distribute dockets to the appropriate departments, i.e. kitchen, bar, cashier

    • Duplicates are retained in order pad, for reference and control purposes.

    Use the electronic order system where applicable

    • All appropriate service personnel are competent in using the electronic system.

    Ensure that all items are charged to the guest’s account

    • Items are charged correctly to the guest’s account and appropriate back up is available.


    Work in progress

    Establishing operational standards and making them part of the way work is carried out will take time. Rather than wait until complete and perfect standards are developed, develop your operational standards progressively.

    Publish standards in areas of greater importance or impact first, i.e. those critical for operational success. Initial standards may be incomplete in some aspects. As you gain experience, you can improve these standards and extend the range of services they cover.
     

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