Order taking tips in Room Service / In Room Dining

Time to Train: 45 Minutes

Greet Callers Warmly:

The telephone must be answered within the three (3) first rings.

Identify your department and introduce yourself by name.

Announce: “Namaskar In Room Dining, may I assist you

Use good telephone etiquette.

Ask the guest for their Room number:

Even if your digital telephone system displays the guest’s name and room number, confirm that you are
talking to the registered guest.

Write down the order clearly in the order book and note the time of call and the room number.

Check the billing instructions of the guest:

Do a room enquiry on the POS ( Point of Sale) machine and check the billing instructions entered for this
guest by the front office team.

If the guest is on Cash Only list, then politely explain that the guest will have to pay for order when it is
delivered.

If the guest is not on cash list then take the order without discussing the method of payment.

Use Suggestive selling:

Always update your knowledge of the hotel’s activities & promotions, both current and upcoming

Study the menu thoroughly : you must learn and remember the contents by heart

Double-check with the kitchen what the daily specials are.

Check which accompaniments are available and appropriate.

If the guest seems hesitant or needs suggestions, try to find out what type of food she/he likes, e.g., poultry or
seafood

If the guest announces only main dishes, try to suggest a starter and ask: “May I suggest our special avocado
cocktail as your starter, Madam/Sir?” and/or “Would you care for any wine to go with your meal?”

Suggest the most popular and profitable dishes, according to the /menu Engineering Report.

Take Orders:

Pay attention to orders, and know the menu thoroughly.

Ask questions to find out the guest’s choice or preferences for service, such as how he or she would like an
item cooked or prepared ( eg: medium rare, “on the rocks etc)

Ask the guest for his or her choice of salad dressings and for any special requests such as fat-free preparation.
Etc.

Write down all information’s clearly. Highlight special requests.

Ask how many guests will be eating and note down the number on the guest check. As this will help the waiter
to set the tray/ cart with the appropriate numbers of cutleries and crockeries.

Time control system:

A time control system takes place as soon as the telephone order has been taken.

Approximate delivery time is given to the guest according to this time evaluation system established by the
Outlet Manager and the Executive Chef.

A timer is set for the given amount of time. If the order has not been sent up by this time, a call must be placed
to the guest to apologies and re-evaluate the delivery time. Similar follow-ups must be systematically
performed.

Reconfirm the order:

Politely read the order back to guests and repeat all details.

Tell guests the approximately how much time it will take to deliver the order.

Thanks the guest and only disconnect the line after the guest had hanged up the phone on the other side.

Answering Telephone in Hotel & Restaurant: DOs & DON'Ts

Telephone always plays a significant role in hospitality industry. People from all round the world call for
making booking or asking information or transferring message to the guest or for various other purposes. If
you are a hotelier then you may have to answer telephone calls.

This happens mostly with front desk staffs. Today we will learn some most effective telephone answering tips.
These are some basic techniques you should apply while answering any call in hotel or restaurant.

DOs:

 Answer the telephone promptly within 3 rings.

 Make the caller know your work area, your name and offer appropriate greeting. If it is an inbound
call then just mention your department and if it is outbound call then mention name of the hotel with
your identity.
  Always have pen and paper on hand, specially front desk personnel should always be ready to keep
records.
 Listen carefully. Pay close attention to details being expressed by the caller.
 Make the caller feel that they have your undivided attention. Make an occasional acknowledgment of
what he/she says. Mention the name of the caller, once established.
 If you have to ask the caller to hold on, explain why. Wait for the caller’s agreement before actually
putting him/her on hold.
 If you have to transfer the call, explain why and make sure that the caller is properly introduced to the
next party. If the purpose of the call has been said already, repeat the same to the next party.
 If you say you will call back, do so as soon as possible. Give him some sorts of idea that how long he
or she need to wait.
 Sometimes you may not understand whether the caller is a man or lady. To be on the safe side
politely ask his or her name or you can say "how should i address you"?
 Repeat back any details and follow up in writing (if necessary).
 Close conversation politely. Always say “thank you for calling.”
 Let’s caller hang up first.
 Try to satisfy your guest with proper information. If you don't know detail then
transfer the call to the right person. Never give wrong information.

DON'Ts:

 Let the telephone ring more than 3 times.

 Answer the phone with merely “hello” or “yes”.
 Ask the caller to hold on while you scramble for pen and paper.
 Rely on your memory instead of writing what the caller says. Asking the caller to repeat the
details is annoying and does not leave a good impression.
 Say “hold on” and leave the caller wondering if he/she is still being attended
 Say “I’ll transfer your call” without saying to whom and why.
 Say you will call back when you have no intention to.
 Say you cannot help and not offer to connect the caller to someone who can.
 Say “he hasn’t come in yet”, “she hasn’t come back from lunch yet” or “he is in the toilet”.
 People do not want to know the reason and are given the wrong impression by such answers.
 Hang up without trying to close the conversation.
 Hang up without thanking the caller for calling.
 Put your least intelligent, least coherent or “panicky” staff in charge of the phone.
 Keep talking to another person while answering phone.
 Eating something while answering phone.

Good & Bad Practices:

Bad Practices Good Practices

Just start a conversation with only “Hello” or
“Department Name” or “Hotel’s Name”
Avoid taking responsibility in the way like “I am not
working in HR department”.
Requesting to hold down as because you don’t find
you pen or pad
Being silent while talking for a long time.
Start with greeting and then follow the procedure we
discussed at the beginning.
If you are not the person whom caller need then
transfer to the appropriate person.
You should always keep your Pen, pad or pencil.
Must make some noises like “Hmm”, “Ok”, “Yes”, “I

Use plain language
Taking wrong or incomplete message
Don’t take follow up
Give personal information about guest
Understand” etc.
Use some Magic words like “Certainly”, “You are
right”, “I do understand”, “Thank you” etc
Pay deep attention while talking message and then
repeat and be sure you have taken proper message.
While transferring any call or message be careful to
take follow ups.
You can’t share guest information or room number to
any unknown person. You should only transfer a call
or take message on behalf of him