Be the hotel manager that turns guests into returning customers

We’ve all had experiences with hotel managers, both good and bad, but which qualities in a hotel manager make us want to go back to that hotel?

The hospitality industry is a fast-paced one; guests come and go, and offering the best service is paramount for individuals in respected establishments. Customers are more demanding than ever and expect top-notch service from hotel staff. The following qualities of a hotel manager are crucial for ensuring guests enjoy their stay.

One of the key qualities of any hotel manager is having a knack for communicating with different kinds of people. Hotel guests demand the highest level of service, and in order to deliver it, hotel managers should know how to nurture and keep relationships with various personalities. They need to be patient, tactful as well as pleasant. They should be able to leave a positive, lasting impression to guests, their employees as well as the hotel partners in order to keep everyone motivated and happy.

Hotel managers face full schedules. This means that they should be able to complete their tasks in a timely manner to ensure the hotel's smooth running. Multi-tasking is part of having organizational skills, so a manager should be able to handle phone calls while giving orders to employees, all while looking at the hotel’s books to ensure the financials are in order.

In the hospitality field, anything can happen. Since the service industry deals with people on a one-on-one basis, a hotel manager should be able to come up with solutions to problems on the whim and without fail. This requires some creative thinking in cases where the hotel manual doesn’t have information on how to tackle an unusual problem. Ideally, he or she should not be afraid to bend the rules if the occasion needs it in order to keep guests happy.

A good hotel manager should be eloquent and have a working knowledge of several languages, given the international nature of hotel guests. They should also know how to properly communicate with hotel guests through email and social media. Effective communication skills are essential to ensure the satisfaction of hotel guests and effective management of hotel staff.

The manager should have a working knowledge of what goes on in their environment. Because of this, the manager should be aware of the different foods on the hotel menu, the current packages available to guests, excursions and services that the hotel offers, and an overall knowledge of local events relevant to hotel guests.

Being a successful hotel manager comes down to meeting the needs of its guests. The right blend of attitude, customer service skills and close attention to the satisfaction of its guests will make for a successful hotel manager.