Question

a.) List and thoroughly describe the steps required to be a good active listener as presented at the beginning and end of the video on Improving communication skills.

b.) Next describe why it is vitally important for hospitality managers to use active listening skills when serving the customers.

Answer 1

Answer a

There are several steps discussed in the video which can help in becoming a good active listener. Some of these steps are as following:

• Be attentive and pay complete attention to what is being said.
• Maintain eye-contact and give non-verbal cues which shows speaker that you are interested.
• Do not interrupt in middle. If you have any question, queries, or doubt, then keep it for end.
• Do not talk and focus completely on speaker.
• Approach every thing said with a goal to seek and learn something new
• Understand and drill down to details
• Summarize and ask pertinent question to check your understanding
• Be involved and listen with all your senses
• Encourage speaker by providing positive feedback

Answer b

Processing active listening skills is very important for people working in hospitality industry. It is really important for hospitality managers to have advance active listening skills in order to grow and excel in their career. This may not seem very obvious in the beginning, but once we analyze processes involved in hospitality industry, it makes perfect sense. The philosophy behind the hospitality industry is based on kindness towards the strangers, and the core value of hospitality management lies in building good rapport and memorable relationship with customers. Process aspects and relationships are of utmost importance in hospitality business. Any one serving in hospitality industry understand that it takes considerable amount of attention and active listening skills to serve people in manner that they appreciate.

To be a good hospitality manager it is necessary to identify and understand needs of customers as well as staff. When we look at this closely, it all comes down to becoming a good active listener. Active listeners pay complete attention do what is being said, and assimilate all the information without any preconceived notions. There able to to separate important information from the whole conversation, and use that important piece of information to provide excellent service to their customers. In other words, active listening skills is both a customer service tool and motivational skill, that is extremely important for hospitality managers.