Definition of Hospitality
The dictionary definition says: The friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors or strangers.
Hospitality is not simply the pouring of the perfect drink, the serving of a delicious meal, or even the planning of a great conference. True hospitality is the way you make people feel.
Anyone can paste a smile on their face and go through the motions, but a true hospitality professional does this without trying, it’s an innate desire to make people feel good. It’s not always perfect, but if you can walk away from any experience feeling comfortable and understood; then the goal has been achieved.
For me, it’s always been about GUEST service, not Customer service. There is a distinction. Do you have dinner customers at your home? Or dinner guests? The difference is in how one feels after the interaction, not how well the table was set.
Working in this field is not for the feint of heart. It is demanding, it can be physically challenging and it can be emotionally charged – There is no greater feeling at the end of the day that you have somehow, someway made an impression on someone’s day.
For me, working in hospitality is not simply having a job, it is a way of being.
Written by Heather Jackson, Office Manager at Vantage Venues
