Module 2: Customer care

Customer contact Knowledge requirements 

2.1 Write down the personal characteristics and social skills staff need to perform successful customer care.

Staff need to be polite towards guests and colleagues.  To be vigilant and friendly will also help the companies image and the impression that the customer has of the establishment. Be helpful and listen to any complaints and compliments. Make the guest\customer feel welcome and comfortable.

2.2.1 Give examples of an urgent situation regarding customers requiring attention.

•  Guest arrives at 10 o'clock at night, they need to receive the key immediately and they will then do the payments the next day.

• Burst geyser needs to be fixed immediately as it is inconvenient and it could cause damage to the building.

2.2.2 Give examples of a non-urgent situation regarding customer requests.

•  Broken glass that needs to be replaced when two people are living in a unit that caters for four people.
• A request for a baby cot needed for their next reservation in a few months time.

2.3 List procedures for reporting incidents.

An incident could be minor or major. Either way it needs to be reported in detail so it can be kept on record and measures can be taken to prevent it in the future. Depending on your establishments policies and procedures, you must fill in an incident report to be kept as history and record. Your supervisor will handle the situation if it is out of  your authority level.


2.4 What is customer confidentiality and why is it important?

This is personal information that we must not give out to anyone no matter what. It is important because the information is personal and the guest could be stalked. You don't know if the person asking has good or bad intentions. Details consist of name and surname, cellphone number, unit currently staying in and the persons personal address.

Accomodation module 1: Health and safety

Health and safety knowledge requirements:

1.1 Identify security hazards within the workplace.

The hazards could consist of the following but is not limited to:

• Suspicious items
• Obstructed emergency exits
• Missing keys
• Bomb threats

1.2 What methods can be used to prevent accidents and hazards?

Equipment must be used correctly for the specific purpose that it has been made for. Staff must be observant to prevent hazards and accidents. By doing this hazards will be kept to a minimum. Security cameras can also help to keep an eye on the whole establishment and then a s soon as something wrong happens it can be put to hold or it can be controlled before the situation becomes out of hand.

1.3 What is the purpose of protective clothing?

To protect your body from hazardous objects and fumes. This prevents the hazard from hurting you physically or making you ill. It also makes the group of colleagues look like a unit and enables them to identify each other also for customers to identify the staff members.

1.4 What faults will make equipment unsafe to use?

• Electrical faults: plugs, wires, sockets that are loose, bare sockets and faulty sockets.
• Damaged equipment: This can cause the machine to not work or backfire which could lead to hurting yourself.
• Maintenance: When a piece of equipment has not been maintained regularly or correctly it can cause the item to be worn and not work properly. You could injure yourself because of a malfunction.

1.5 State the procedures for reporting lost and found property.

Items or money that has been found must be handed in to housekeeping manager or supervisor. Found items should be placed in a plastic bag for protection and labeled with the following: 

• Date found
• location that it was found
• Name of person that found it
• Description of the item as it has been found

Lost items should be reported at housekeeping and at reception with the following details:

• Date that the item has been lost
• Location that it has been lost
• Description of the item 
• Name of owner and the contact details to that person

We do not keep any lost items for more than 6months, if this occurs the finder gets the item.

1.6 Outline the personal characteristics required of staff to deal with ongoing security.

Staff must be observant so they can see something before it gets out of hand. Staff must be vigilant so they help where they can and they know what needs to happen and where. Staff must also be attentive to detail so all jobs are done completely and correctly. By having these characteristics you can see a security problem early enough to report it before it becomes a potentially dangerous situation.

1.7 List the procedure for dealing with emergencies.

1. Minor: Stay calm and assist to better the situation. You must report all situations to keep record and to prevent it from happening again.
2. Major: Stay calm and raise the alarm. Follow any and all of your supervisors instructions.( this part of our establishment does not have an alarm but we gather at the nearest assembly point and we do roll call to check if every one is present)

  

     

Sondela share block week 1

Dear readers

So on to a new journey I started this week with SSB, this is sondela share block also known as housekeeping services. This is only a 3week skills course in accommodation and then I move on to my next skills course. 

We started off the first day by getting to know the area and daily procedures. I went with Monica our training manager to the replacement storeroom to see how they replace things in the chalets and houses. These are things like refuge bags, toilet paper, glasses, coffee and tea etc. So the ladies come to the store room every morning and get what they will be needing to finish off the units. All of the items going out will be written up upon a list under the specific team or name and then they will sign for it. This prevents any theft and we can keep it as record for any stock that needs to be bought.

We also helped in the laundry room. We did folding of towels and ironing of linen with these big iron rollers. We were surrounded by washing machines as big as two fridges put together! They get a lot of washing done at one time and that place really heats up fast, that is why they leave open air vents and they take breaks often so they don't hyperventilate. It was fun learning and seeing how it is done behind the scenes but the linen gets so hot it burns your hands when trying to work with it! Monica went through Module 1: Health and safety with us and we then went home.

Day two went a bit faster because we knew where to go and what needed to be done. I helped Lukkie in the replacement storeroom and then we took photos for our health and safety task Altina and I also did filing into the different files. Each unit has its own file and so all the invoices to that specific unit needs to go into its file to build up history and to keep record. We also helped Lukkie with the chemicals. This is done in a different store room as chemicals need to be kept in a dry, cool, secure area. We dressed in the correct safety equipment such as: mask, apron, gloves and closed shoes. We only shorted goggles. So we took the clean empty containers and refilled them with the chemicals. If the container dripped we provided a catching bucket so we don't slip on the fluids.

Day three and things are going good. We did the replacements for the morning and issued the chemicals needed by certain housekeepers. They provide a clean, empty container and we then give them the refilled container. We must make sure they don't take more than they need and that they don't take twice for own use. We then received class from Monica on module 1: Health and safety and we got the chance to do our project on the module. We took the pictures of safety hazards around our workplace and we then explained what is wrong, how to fix it and how to prevent it from happening again.

Last day of the week as I have this weekend off. We did the store room again and then we helped Monica run some errins. We drove around dropping off a fridge at Moselesele, taking linen to the stables and giving off a lost and found package at the main gate. We came back to offload some stock and put it away in the correct storing places. We also washed the bosses car because it was something to do and fun to get wet in this heat!

Reception week 8 and 9

Dear readers.

I am almost at the end of my journey as receptionist and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. It really has been one of my favorite courses this year because of the information, the practical part and the wonderful people I have worked with. I have learn't so much in terms of customer care, how to stay calm and be patient when things are not as they should be. I should actually thank them for holding it up with my mistakes and 1001 questions!

Module 1: Security practices.
The outside safe is the only one I have worked with and so I have only fetched the ATM and floats in the mornings and in the evenings I have gone and put it away. The other reason I would unlock the safe is to distribute paper to our printer or to another department. Every single sheet of paper needs to be written up by means of amount, date, department and signature. This ensures that the amount of paper used is limited in terms of who has access to the safe and it ensures that we can follow up on who uses how much paper. The keys to this safe is kept safely in the supervisors office. I also drop the cash up block in the other outside safe, this safe does not have an available key because it carries the companies money. The debiter comes once a week to count and check the balance
Module 2: Customer care.
 Before the guest arrives there are a few things that need to be done. This includes the printing of the registration card before hand as it then makes the check in time much shorter. The keys to the guests rooms need to be prepared and we need to make sure that the unit is ready for the next arrival. When the guest arrives we let them fill in the registration card whilst we check them in on the system. We retrieve the key and settle any outstanding amounts of money. They pay a deposit and we then give over the key whilst explaining how to get to the unit. We also inform the guest on the different activities we provide for their entertainment and give them the emergency number for any inquiries. We book their activities for them and they do the payment with us. We need to ring this up on the system and make sure that it is paid.

Module 3: Personal presentation.
This is one of the most important aspects of the job because we work with guests everyday. We need to be presentable and hygienic at all times so we contribute positively to the companies over all image. Men facial hair needs to be shaven and clean, woman's hair needs to be tidy and clean. Clothing needs to be clean and ironed so you look neat and part of the union that makes up the company. Make-up can be worn but not too much and jewelry must be simple and little amount only finishing off the look.

Module 4: Safe practices
We get to deal with safes everyday when we fetch the floats and the ATM in the mornings and we put them away safely every night in the outside safe. We also drop the cash up every afternoon, to be sure the money is safe we send two people to go drop so you have a witness when you drop the money in the safe.

Module 6: General reception procedures
Updating of registration cards on the system is part of the routine on an arrival day, mostly Fridays and Mondays. We check the details on the system and update or change guest details according to the completed registration card. We also book activities such as horse riding, quad bikes, wildlife center tours and much more everyday.

Module 8: Advance reservations
The first day was like recapping the other time I have already spent there. It was good to see that I remembered most that they have already taught me but now I could discuss it in detail. They taught me what detail is needed from the guest when speaking to them on the phone or via e-mail. I did a few practice runs with details Daleen wrote down for me and I only forgot one small detail here and there. I made the booking, filled in all the necessary details and made the confirmation letter via e-mail. I did not do a real phone call but guests did come to the office personally to make a booking and I was the lucky one nominated to make the reservation for them! It went very well and Daleen was happy with my progress. I was there over spring day and so we also had a bit of fun by wearing one funny shoe!

The files used to file important checklists.