No Excuses Allowed

In Mrs. Soeesby's Senior English class it was simply called "The List." In letters large enough to see from anywhere in the classroom, it started above the door to the class and went all the way round the room. Each item was numbered. By the time she retired (between our second and third child's journey through Senior English), the list approached 100 items.

The list was excuses she had heard over the years for student's not turning in their work on time.

Ever the efficient teacher, she simply required the student to write the number on a blank piece of paper and turn it in.

At Le Bernardin, one of New York's premier four-star restaurants, co-founder Maguy Le Coze and maitre d' Ben Chekroun give new service staff a list, too - 129 details, aka "Monumentally Magnificent Trivialities" to keep in mind at all times.

Here are a few samples:

• Acknowledging guests with eye contact and smile within 30 seconds; First Impressions count!
• Not thanking guests as they leave; Last Impression!
• Not opening the front door for guests
• Being too familiar or excessively chatty
• No sense of humor
• Lack of eye contact
• Not having total focus when talking to guests
• Not really listening when spoken to
• Appearing stressed or out of control
• Not establishing rapport with the guests
• Inability to answer basic questions
• Poor personal sanitation practices
• Standing around doing nothing
• Pointing
• Walking past dropped items/trash on floor
• Excuses for anything-anytime

It's a constant battle to keep everything consistent and up to the established standards.

Do you have a list for your Guest Services team?

You should...