2 Student logbook – Hospitality and tourism

Table of contents

1 TASKS DURING YOUR WORK PLACEMENT PERIOD..........................................................................3

2 ATTENDANCE REPORT.................................................................................................................... 4
3 WBL TRAINING CHECKLISTS............................................................................................................ 6
4 DESCRIPTION OF YOUR WORK BASED LEARNING PLACEMENT........................................................7
4.1 FIND AND STICK HERE A BUSINESS CARD, ADVERTISEMENT, OR BROCHURE OF YOUR WORK PLACEMENT...............7
4.2 DESCRIBE YOUR WORK TRAINING PLACEMENT. WHAT IS YOUR FIRST IMPRESSION?.........................................10
4.3 DRAW AN ORGANIZATION CHART OF YOUR TRAINING WORK PLACEMENT......................................................11
4.4 GIVE A DESCRIPTION OF YOUR TRAINING WORK PLACEMENT......................................................................12
5 WRITING A DAY REPORT............................................................................................................... 13
5.1 DAY REPORT......................................................................................................................................14
6 WHAT SHOULD BE PRACTICED DURING YOUR WORK BASED TRAINING PERIOD?...........................15
6.1 WHAT IS CUSTOMER SERVICE?.............................................................................................................15
6.2 DIFFERENT TYPES OF CUSTOMERS..........................................................................................................16
6.3 WHAT IS CUSTOMER CARE?..................................................................................................................18
6.4 PERSONAL PRESENTATION.....................................................................................................................19
6.5 COMMUNICATING WITH CUSTOMERS.....................................................................................................20
7 HANDLING COMPLAINTS.............................................................................................................. 23
8 COMMUNICATION THROUGH TELEPHONE....................................................................................27
9 CUSTOMER WITH SPECIFIC NEEDS................................................................................................ 29
10 SELF EVALUATION DURING THE WBL PERIOD................................................................................30
11 Dossier – examples of work...................................................................................................................33

1 TASKS DURING YOUR WORK PLACEMENT PERIOD

 Student logbook – Hospitality and tourism 3

During your work placement you will be working on certain tasks (please see possible activities during your
training period)

The tasks within your Work Placement -book should be carried out in agreement with your work
placement training mentor. You can not do everything at the same time and you cannot solve all the
problems at the same time.
Depending on the work situation at your workplace you must see how much time there is left for the tasks
in your work placement Log-book.
It is important that you make notes after every working day reflecting on the jobs and tasks you have
observed and undertaken. If you have any problems, questions or issues please do not hesitate to discuss
these with your training mentor. You can always contact your training coun sellor by Telephone.

Activities

It is important to ensure that your training Agreement is signed by your Employer or work placement
mentor on the first day of your training period.

It is important that at the beginning of each working day you consult with your training mentor who will
advise you of the tasks you will be undertaking. During your placement you may move around different
sections. It is important that you agree with your mentor the time period you will be working in each
section.

You should consider and identify what tasks within your training log book you can complete.

You should complete your self evaluation document at regular times during your workplacement.

You should ask your training mentor to complete the evaluation documents.
 4 Student logbook – Hospitality and tourism

2 ATTENDANCE REPORT

Workplace Mentor Period

The student must complete the report every day and get it signed by his or her mentor or a nominee
at the end of each work period.

Fill in number of hours per day

Week Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Attend. Absence Mentor
Total total signature

Signature of mentor Date

 Student logbook – Hospitality and tourism 5

Workplace Mentor Period

The student must complete the report every day and get it signed by his or her mentor or a nominee at
the end of each work period.

Fill in number of hours per day

Week Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Attend. Absence Mentor
Total total signature

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

Signature of mentor Date

3 WBL TRAINING CHECKLISTS

 6 Student logbook – Hospitality and tourism

Checklist for travel agencies and tourist officers - Indicate the characteristics that apply to the
business where you are in training.

 Booking system – Amadeus – Another Airline booking system

 Software for contractors – contract forms
 Software for suppliers – contract forms
 Form for different allotments and booking system
 Telephone system – telephone services
 Uniforms/rules (if uniform is required)
 Contracts/travel agency/workplace
 Marketing system or software
 Staff area – coffee room and sitting area
 Client’s reception – table chairs etc.
 Furniture’s for staff and clients
 Management
 Company strategy
Checklist for hotel - Indicate the characteristics that apply to the hotel where you are in training.
 Booking system – rooms – sightseeing etc.
 Allotments
 Telephone system
 Key system
 Safety system and evacuation procedure in case of fire etc.
 Safety box/First Aid
 Uniforms / rules
 Contracts / travel agency
 Laundry service
 Marketing
 Shifts /work duty plan
 Management
 Company strategy
 Student logbook – Hospitality and tourism 7

4 DESCRIPTION OF YOUR WORK BASED LEARNING PLACEMENT

4.1 FIND AND STICK HERE A BUSINESS CARD, ADVERTISEMENT, OR

BROCHURE OF YOUR WORK PLACEMENT.
 8 Student logbook – Hospitality and tourism

Hotel and Restaurant businesses are every where and are very different in terms of their size, the services
they provide and the types of customers they serve. Try and compare your work placement to other types
of Catering/Hospitality Hotels and Restaurants.

1. Indicate the characteristics that apply to the business where you are in training.
Try to get as much information from promotional material, business leaflets and perhaps the companies
web site.

Type Decoration

 With staff  Modern

 One-man business  Traditional
 Trading partnership  Rural
 Family business  ...
 Chain
 …

Position Accessibility

 Rural  Public transport

 Town centre  by foot
 Centre city  Car
 …  …

Clients

 Young  Old
 Cost-conscious  Not cost-conscious
 Regular customers  changing clients
 Business people  …
 Families with children
…

Closing days Opening hours

 …  …
 …  …
 Student logbook – Hospitality and tourism 9

2. What duties must be undertaken at the beginning of the day?

....................................................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................................................

3. What duties must be undertaken at the end of the day?

....................................................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................................................
10 Student logbook – Hospitality and tourism

4.2 DESCRIBE YOUR WORK TRAINING PLACEMENT. WHAT IS YOUR

FIRST IMPRESSION?
 Student logbook – Hospitality and tourism 11

4.3 DRAW AN ORGANIZATION CHART OF YOUR TRAINING WORK

PLACEMENT.

Make a note the names of the key staff and their roles and func tions within the organization.
 12 Student logbook – Hospitality and tourism

4.4 GIVE A DESCRIPTION OF YOUR TRAINING WORK PLACEMENT

(How many clients do you serve? How is your work or ganised? Who is working with you? Who is
your supervisor?)

5 WRITING A DAY REPORT

 Student logbook – Hospitality and tourism 13

Every day of your training period will be different.

Describe or outline a minimum of three events within your report that were special for you. Examples
could include the following (your first day, a busy day, a visit from a College representative, or perhaps a
new task or job you undertook.

How should you write your report? Some tips.

 Note first the date of the event which you will describe.
 Give a title to the event, activity …
 What was your day schedule / programme / work planning?
 Did the day go the way it was planned?
 What did you never carry out before?
 How have you solved any problems that arose?
 What help did you receive from your training period mentor or your colleague?
 What should you never forget?

 Write in short sentences

 Consult a dictionary.
 Ask a colleague, training period mentor…to read over your report
 Add some documentation (folders photograph).

Please Use the Template on the next page to write your Daily Report
 14 Student logbook – Hospitality and tourism

5.1 DAY REPORT

Name of the school:

Name of the company:
Name of the student-trainee:
Education:
Name of the training period mentor:
Name of the training period counsellor:
School year:
Module:
Date: Activity:

Report/description:

Date: Training period counsellor:

Date: Training period speculator:

6 WHAT SHOULD BE PRACTICED DURING YOUR WORK BASED

TRAINING PERIOD?
 Student logbook – Hospitality and tourism 15

6.1 WHAT IS CUSTOMER SERVICE?

All hospitality organizations need to make sure that their customers are happy with the service they
receive. Therefore during your Work based placement you will learn about:

 The different needs of customers and how these needs should be met.

 The correct way in communicating with customers.

 The importance of personal presentation when dealing with customers

 Why it is important to keep customer records.

Customers are the most important people in any business. Customer service includes all contact with the
customer – in person, by post, on the telephone, or via e-mail.

All businesses must recognises that looking after existing customers and meeting their needs and
expectations through excellent customer service will lead to repeat purchases and business.

You will need to understand that there are many different situations in which customer service is provided,
for example:

 Providing information.

 Giving advice.

 Receiving and passing on messages.

 Keeping records and taking information.

 Providing assistance.

 Dealing with problems.

 Dealing with dissatisfied customers.

 Offering extra services.

 16 Student logbook – Hospitality and tourism

6.2 DIFFERENT TYPES OF CUSTOMERS

Hospitality facilities and services are used by a wide variety of people, including those with specific needs,
such as disabled visitors and people with young children. All of these customers require a high level of
customer service.

To provide excellent customer service, you will need to identify and meet the differing needs of a wide
variety of customers, including:

 Individuals.

 Groups.

 People of different ages.

 People from different cultures.

 Non-English speakers.

 Business men and women.

 People with specific needs, e.g. sight and hearing impaired people, wheelchair access,
facilities for young children.

EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL CUSTOMERS

Customer service includes providing service to both external customers and internal customers.

External customers are an organisation's consumers or visitors. They often pay for products or services and
expect to be treated well. External customers are the most important part of a hospitality business;
without customers, there would be no business! They must be given the highest standards of service so
that they come back again and tell their friends about the excellent they received!

Internal customers are the people you work with, for example other employees of your organisation
working in another department. It might seem strange at first to think of your colleagues as customers, but
you have the same responsibility to each other as you do to your external customers.
 Student logbook – Hospitality and tourism 17

Student Activity

During your Work based placement make a list of individuals and organizations that you would recognise
as either an external or an internal customer.

External Customers Internal Customers

Benefits of Providing Excellent Customer Service:

Excellent customer service brings a number of benefits for organisations, such as:

 increased sales
 satisfied customers

 more customers through repeat business and recommendations

 a better public image

 an edge over the competition

It is also very important that all members of staff give a high level of service to each other. Benefits to the
staff and the organisation include:

 a more pleasant place to work

 a happier and more efficient workforce

 improved job satisfaction

 improved chances of promotion within the organization

 18 Student logbook – Hospitality and tourism

6.3 WHAT IS CUSTOMER CARE?

Customer care is about being able to put yourself in the customer’s shoes and to say that you’d be happy
to be treated in the same way – to the same standards.

The reasons why an organisation will lose customers….

4% of customers die or move to a new area.

4% of customers float from one organization to another.

7% of customers change to act on a recommendation.

8% of customers are chronic complainers.

9% of customers change to buy cheaper elsewhere.

68% of customers stop dealing with organisations because STAFF are indifferent or show little interest.

All hospitality facilities need to make sure their customers are happy with the service they receive because
customers are the most important part of any successful organisation. Customer service includes all
contact with the customer, either face-to-face, for example, when selling the organisation's products or
services or indirect contact, for example, when dealing with letters of complaint. The nature of the
provision of customer service will vary between the various components of the hospitality industry.

Good customer service means putting the needs of the customer first and this should be the main aim of
all staff. Good customer service requires you, as a member of staff, to put yourself in the position of your
customers. You should be aware of how you would like to be treated if you were a customer and deal with
your customers accordingly.

You should understand that Hospitality organisations recognise the importance of good customer service
to the successful selling of their products. Many organisations aim to exceed customer expectations in
order to ensure that customers enjoy themselves, and return in the future.
 Student logbook – Hospitality and tourism 19

6.4 PERSONAL PRESENTATION

First impressions count in any business, particularly in the hospitality sector where dealing with people is
such an important part of the work.

First impressions are formed within seven seconds, and you only get one chance to make that first
impression!
Understanding the way that you present yourself to a customer can relate to all or a combination of any of
following factors:

 Dress.
 Personal hygiene.
 Personality.
 Attitude.
 Behavior.

Depending on whether you deal with customers face-to-face, over the telephone or in writing, some or all
of these points may be important.

Personal Customer Care, points to consider:

 Ensure that your appearance is clean, tidy and appropriate to the business.
 Make a habit of ensuring that you greet the customer as soon as they enter the establishment.
 If you are busy indicate to the client that you know that they are there, and give a smile and make
eye contact.
 Be polite to customers at all times. Bad moods and personal stress should be left behind, and you
should never react badly to a customer or let them ‘get to you’.
 Take a lot of time to find out about the products or services of your work place. This knowledge
will be the key to interacting with customers in an informed, competent and relaxed way.
 Be positive, as dealing with customers is not always straight forward, however if you develop the
right skills it can be very rewarding.
 Remember that your colleagues are ‘internal customers’ and therefore you should be courteous
and supportive of them at all times.

Once you have created a good first impression, it is important that the service which follows is of an
equally high standard, especially when dealing with regular customers.

Providing good customer service means going beyond basic manners and politeness. There is no point in
being polite without having warmth and sincerity in the way you deal with people. A friendly appearance,
style and tone is the sign of a true professional in the Hospitality industry, and moreover in any chosen
career.
 20 Student logbook – Hospitality and tourism

6.5 COMMUNICATING WITH CUSTOMERS

Most people working in the Hospitality Industry will at some time have contact with customers. This may
be face to face, over the telephone or in writing. All customers will expect to receive a very high standard
of communication.

When communicating with customers you will need to use appropriate:

 language
 pitch and tone of voice
 pauses and silences
 body language

You will also need to be able to:

 Work accurately.
 Listen and respond to customers.
 Ask appropriate questions.

In all instances being able to communicate effectively with both internal and external customer provides
the vital ingredient to the overall experience that they get when visiting any organisation. Thus, with
reference to adopting the correct approach, being positive towards others is a key element in handling any
customer service situation. In the list below is an outline why this can be so important:

Staying Positive

Why is a positive style of communication helpful?

 It helps keep everyone calm, including you.

 Taking control of your actions gives you time to think, observe and stay objective.
 It helps prevent the situation from becoming worse, which would only give the customer
something else to complain about.
 It helps counteract aggression – it’s difficult to shout at someone who is calm and controlled.


Student Activity

The guest in your place of work has just asked for the bill. Before presenting the bill always
check that what the customer has ordered is indicated correctly on the bill. Make sure this
procedure is done properly to avoid confusion for you and for the customer

1. Outline below the way in which food and beverages are ordered by a table. Indicate how this is
recorded and how the bill is formulated.
......................................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................................
 Student logbook – Hospitality and tourism 21

2. How is the bill calculated?

 Manually
 Electronically
 Combination; Manually and electronically
 Other Method

3. What in your opinion are the advantages of the system being used?

.......................................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................................................

4. What in your opinion are the disadvantages of the system being used?

.......................................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................................................

5. Please identify who prepares the bills in your work place?

.......................................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................................................

6. Ask your training period mentor what you should do if a mistake is made with guest a Bill?

.......................................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................................................

7. How is the bill brought to the guest and by whom?

.......................................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................................................

8. How can payments be made by customers?

State the different methods.
 22 Student logbook – Hospitality and tourism

Do certain payment methods have financial consequences for the Business? What methods can you
carry out?

Payment methods Financial Consequences for the Business You?

 Student logbook – Hospitality and tourism 23

7 HANDLING COMPLAINTS

You will need to understand that it is important to listen to customers and to keep calm. You will need to
know when to refer a customer to a more senior member of staff if you are not able to deal with an
enquiry or complaint.

Most of the time, dealing with customers is a rewarding and interesting experience. From time to time,
however, you may have to deal with customer complaints. These could be in writing, over the telephone or
face-to-face. It is important that you know how to deal with these situations and when and who to ask for
help. When dealing with complaints you should always:

 Listen carefully to the customer.

 Apologies in general terms for any inconvenience caused.

 Let the customer know that the matter will be fully investigated and, if possible, put right.

 Try to see the problem from the customer's point of view.

 Keep calm and not argue with the customer.

 Find a solution to the problem, ask them what they want and give it to the customer if possible. If
it is not possible explain why not.

 Agree the solution with the customer, and do not join in with the customer’s complaint which will
only compound the problem. i.e. ‘I know what you mean I keep tripping over that wire myself and
the manager still has not done anything about it’.

 Be honest and do not make promises you can’t keep.

Student Activity

Dealing with a customer’s complaint.

When working in the industry you will come into contact with customers on a regular basis. Explain in the
space provided below how you would deal with the different situations, below, that has arisen.
 24 Student logbook – Hospitality and tourism

Questions 1 to 3 relate to the Hotel Sector and questions 4 to 6 relate to the Travel Agency sector.

1. A customer has approached you at reception and informs you that the toilets do not have any toilet
paper and there is rubbish on the floor.

What would be your reaction, and how would you deal with the situation?

2. A customer has booked a non-smoking room prior to arriving at the hotel. When checking in at
reception he finds that there has been a mistake in the booking, and only smoking rooms are available. He
becomes increasingly aggressive to-wards you.

How would you communicate with the customer? What do you do to resolve the situation?

3. Your supplier of fresh produce Jones & Sons have been efficient and helpful suppliers to your
organisation and you have always had a good relationship with this company. However, over the last two
weeks, the quality of the produce has been below standard. You have heard from a second party that Mr.
Jones is going through a rough time with personal problems, but you need to sort out this issue as
ultimately it will affect your business, and the chef is complaining about the quality of the produce.

How will you deal with this problem?

4. A customer walks into your travel agency. She has participated in a guided bus tour and is very
unsatisfied because the guide didn’t speak or understand English so the customer could not understand
 Student logbook – Hospitality and tourism 25

what was being said. He wants his complaint dealt with immediately and also wishes for a full refund. How
would you resolve the problem so he will be happy again?

5. One of your customer calls you after being two weeks in a Hotel in Mallorca. He is calling because he is
very unsatisfied. He fells that everything went wrong. There was no air condition or refrigeration in the
room. The service was very bad and the food was unacceptable. The beach in the resort was unsafe and
unclean. This Customer has threatened to sue the agency where you are working and sell the story to the
newspapers.

How do you react?

6. A couple come to your office after they had been on a day tour. They complain about the
weather. How do you react?
 26 Student logbook – Hospitality and tourism

Notation:

- How do you act/behave in front of a customer?

- How should you perform in front of people?

- How does the customer want to be treated?

- How do you generally communicate with people?

- What is your opinion of how you handled the above situations?

- What can you do to satisfy your customer?

Keystones to gain happy customers:

It is important to go through the 12 keystones to gain happy customers. It is a long way to go, but if you
follow this advice and keep it in mind it definitely helps you to satisfy your customers.

1. Eye contact. Try to get eye-contact with your costumer as soon as he/she enters.

2. Greet. Say hello to your customer as soon as you can. That shows that he/she is important.

3. Distance. You may not be to close or to far away from the customer.

4. Touch. Try to handshake if possible.

5. Voice. Use your voice effectively, with sincerity and interest.

6. Interruption. If you allow interruption, your customer thinks he/she is not important.

7. Thanks. That is the last words your customer should hear you say.

8. Using names. If it is possible then you should use the customer’s name.

9. Treat everyone alike. You never know who will be your next customer.

10. Listen. Show your customer that you have been listening.

11. Attitude and appearance. The environment should always be well groomed and the employee
well dressed.

12. Timing. Nothing is as powerful as when the customer’s feels that his matter will be followed up
immediately.
 Student logbook – Hospitality and tourism 27

8 COMMUNICATION THROUGH TELEPHONE

Sometimes your only communication with your customer is through the telephone. Try to make it as
comfortably as you can. The key to successful telephony is simply to remember that your customer
can´t see you. Your function is to use your voice as effectively as you can.

Telephone answering:
- The customer should always get an answer after 4 ringing tones. If it is not possible then an
answering machine should take over.

- Greet in a civil manner and say the companies name and good morning/good afternoon, good day
etc.

- Get enough information from the customer so you can divert the conversation to the right agent
or person if you can´t solve the issue your self.

- Take note of messages systematically. Make a note of who took the message and at what time.
Who called? What was the call relating to? What was the caller’s telephone number?

- Politeness and cheerful attitude is very important.

- Regards/Greetings. Use appropriate greetings.

- Try to create pleasant noise environment. Avoid prattle, shouting or another noise in the
background.

- Use answering machines after closing. The presentation on the answering machine should be
clear, polite and avoid all noise in the background.

Student Activity

1. Answering the telephone may be one of the tasks you are required to do in your training work
placement. Check with your supervisor how you are supposed to answer a phone.
Make a note of what you think you must say when you have to talk to someone on the telephone.
.......................................................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................

2. After answering the phone how do you make sure that the call is transferred to the correct person?
Ask in advance how you do this, and make a note of the procedure.

(Make a note of how you would handle the situations below)

.......................................................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................
 28 Student logbook – Hospitality and tourism

A guest is asked to come to the telephone.

.......................................................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................

The Manager is asked to come to the telephone.

.......................................................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................

In a situation where a customer telephones to make an enquiry and you are unable to provide the correct
information, explain what should you do?.........................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................
 Student logbook – Hospitality and tourism 29

9 CUSTOMER WITH SPECIFIC NEEDS

When dealing with customers who have specific needs it is important to interact with them as you would
with any other customer.

The specific needs for each individual may vary, thus a sensitive and understanding approach is essential.

Does not let the fear of saying the wrong thing discourage you from talking to customers with specific
needs and providing a first class standard of service to them. If you are not sure how to interact with a
customer with specific needs, you can always ask them or your supervisor.

Student Activity

1. Use the space below to identify the type of customers that would have specific needs.

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

2. Thinking about your Work based placement. What facilities did your organization provide for customers
with specific needs?
 30 Student logbook – Hospitality and tourism

10 SELF EVALUATION DURING THE WBL PERIOD

1. Describe below what your Work based placement experience s like?

2. What have I learnt during this period?

3. How well did you understand the work procedures?

4. What have you learnt about yourself and about work based learning?

5. What were your expectations before work based placement and how did it go?
 Student logbook – Hospitality and tourism 31

6. Did you feel comfortable and happy at your work placement?

7. How did the employees treat you?

8. Are you able to influence your own work schedules?

9. Are you able to participate and influence the work contents in your job? Please outline areas where you
can contribute?

10. What are the benefits of working at this work place?

 32 Student logbook – Hospitality and tourism

11. If you have had a problem, how was it solved?

12. Describe how you felt after your work based learning?
 Student logbook – Hospitality and tourism 33

11 DOSSIER – EXAMPLES OF WORK

Please enclosed below examples of work that you have undertaken during your work placement training.
The examples you enclose will illustrate the learning that has taken place during your placement. You may
enclose photocopies of transactions you have completed or enclose pictures or video evidence.