Importance of Cultural Intelligence for Hotel Personnel

This article discusses the importance of cultural intelligence for hotel personnel in managing guest experience and providing effective customer service. It explores the cultural differences, behavior, and customs in international countries like Australia and UK. The article also provides a table of do's and don'ts for Marriott hotel staff.

INTERNATIONAL
HOTEL
MANAGEMENT

Table of Contents
INTROUDUCTION........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
Guest Service for two International Countries.......................................................................2
Critically evaluate why Cultural Intelligence is essential for Hotel Personnel......................4
Table for Do's and Don'ts for Marriott hotel staff..................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTROUDUCTION
Hospitality management include overseeing the administrative work for the hotel and
resort. In terms of this, the objective of hospitality manager is to make sure that hotel should
welcome warm and make their guest feel more comfortable. Furthermore, in this lodging
manager need to make sure that guests on the vacation for business travel and must have pleasant
experience at the hotel and other kinds of accommodations services (Frawley, Goh and Law,
2019). In order to carry forward this report, Marriott international hotel is considered which is an
American multinational diversified hotel company which leads to manage its franchises for the
broad portfolio of hotels and also concerned with lodging facilities. Along with this, the report is
going to cover that how hotel staff help in managing guest experience for international visitor
and also focus on guest service for two international countries like Australia and UK and also
identify the cultural differences, customs and behaviour. Lastly, critically evaluate the cultural
intelligence which is important for hotel personnel.
MAIN BODY
Hotel Staff to assist in managing the guest experience for the International Visitor
In Hospitality industry such as Hotels, their staff's work is evaluate through services
which they delivered as per their best efficiency that generates the customer satisfaction.
Services are propounded in premium hotels like Marriott they specifically trained their
workforce in better way of service guidance to which guest could satisfy and their needs and
wants gets fulfilled beyond their expectation and gain the customer trust and loyalty.
The major roles of hotel staffs in premises are given below:
 In hotels, there are many ways of staffs roles which is essential to be determine for
engage the services as per proper compliance oriented. For example, Marriott Hotel
having different job roles in department wise on which each workforce perform their duty
as per guidelines of specific department such as Housekeeping, Food production, F&B
Services, Administration, Finance, Front office, Back office etc. Staffs having an objective to provide the services to the customer in given time duration
to not making suffers to their visitors. As Hotel Marriott is well famous for its advance
and excellence service quality.
To manage and improve the International guest or visitor by staffs in the Marriott Hotel.
1

 Well prepared in advance for provide better experience: To having a proper planing for
welcoming or greeting to their important guests before they arrive in the hotel premises,
it would create the positive impact towards the guest perception (Schuckert and et. al.,
2019). In Marriott, they have highly considered about to provide them a best hospitality
services to their international and VIP guests before they come in which Front Office
staffs plays an important job role as they have to monitored and manage their visitors for
deliver excellence form salutation to increase the better experience of international
visitors.
 Fulfil all the needs before guest could ask for: This is the major concerned which is
highly considered by the Hotel staffs to facilitates the basic requirements for available
before the guest check-in the room for examples Pour mineral water, towel , soap, better
infrastructure design in room, comfortable bedsheets etc. As in perspective of Marriott
hotel their management team enhance the basic requirement by Housekeeping
department staffs where they actively concerned about their guest needs (Bourke, Izadi
and Olya, 2020). They make sure about the things as it available in advance in a proper
manner before the guest could request it. This kind of well advance service makes
particular guest expectation fulfil and improves the mobility of staffs services.
 Enhance the guest feedback: To having motive for better improvement in employee
service and other aspect the guest feedback plays an important role. As it makes aware
about the lacking part of service which needs to improve for their further aspect and it
would be beneficial to their service purpose (4 simple ways to improve guest services in
your hotel, 2020). In Marriott Hotel, they having the guest feedback service through
online and offline as per the guest convenience in which individual guest share overall
positive and negative feedbacks about the services which deliver by the Hotel staffs in
terms of food quality, housekeeping service etc, through which the internal management
tries to improve it and respond to the guest with assurance that next time their services
won't disappointment them.
Guest Service for two International Countries
Effective guest service become the biggest challenge for the hotel industry and also
become the prominent objective regarding the suitable service expectations. In terms of this, it is
2

also understood that effective guest service is fulfilled by understanding the significant needs and
requirements of customers. In terms of this, two international countries are undertaken to
effectively identifying the cultural differences, behaviour and customs.
In terms of Australia
Culture: Australian culture is western which derive from Britain and also influences by
the unique geography of Australia. Along with this, Australian people want quality customer
service that offer them effective and valuable customer experience (People and Culture of
Australia, 2020). In terms of this, Marriott leads to offer effective and valuable customer service
by considering the cultural factor which is useful in identifying the preferences and requirements
of customers. With the exposure of culture, Marriott leads to retain their customers for the longer
period of time. Along with this, it also influences the success of tourism in terms of satisfying the
customer experiences and also helps in enhancing customer expectations in terms of achieving
business profitability (Zhang and et. al., 2019). By considering the culture factor, it is identified
that it is significantly represented by the staff members and front office which prominently leads
to give better exposure to the growth and barrier free running of hotel in business environment
which is useful in representing the cultural factor.
Behaviour: The citizens of Australia want better and polite behaviour and for this, the
staff member of hotel need to behave more polite and soft while communicating with them as it
leads to give better exposure and also helps in retaining them for longer period of time. In
relation with Marriott hotel, the staff members need to politely behave with their customers as it
helps in retaining them for longer period of time and useful in their survival and also helps in
attracting other people. In terms of significant factor, it is important in order to increase the
overall business of tourism industry and also helps in increasing more and more customers
(Vives, Jacob and Payeras, 2018). For offering effective customer services and guest experience
it is important for the staff members to behave in effective manner which is useful in developing
healthy relations and useful increasing the customer base for Marriott.
Custom: It depicts the tradition of Australia which represent the western culture and also
does not have much restrictions like other customs. In relation with this, it leads to represent the
ethics and formal dressing sense which is useful in showing the centralised and formal structure
in the hotel. In relation with Marriott hotel, they leads to provide proper training and
development to their employees which is useful in developing maintaining formal structure
3

within the hotel and also follow proper rules and regulations of ethical norms and other valuable
policies.
In terms of United Kingdom
Culture: The culture of UK is quite friendly and also follow Britain culture which is
western and leads to impact people towards travelling in more positive manner. In terms of this,
it leads to influence the effective running and functioning of hotel. In terms of Marriott hotel,
they need to explore the culture of UK in terms of attracting maximum number of customers and
offer suitable services which is useful in managing and influencing customers for the leisure
activities. In terms of this, it is helpful in representing the culture and values of UK that helps in
attracting guests from other countries and areas as well (Dogru and et. al., 2020). Furthermore,
the culture of UK is not much restrictive and due to this, people feel free to travel and explore
various places. In terms of Marriott hotel they leads to offer various services to their customers
in order to offer them effective satisfaction and helps in retaining them (BRITISH CULTURE &
SOCIETY, 2019).
Behaviour: This component depicts the behaviour of staff members towards their
customers which influences the running and functioning of hotel in business environment. In
terms of Marriott hotel, their staff members tries to develop healthy relationship with their guests
and also try to examine their needs and preferences with their effective skills and behaviour (Li
and Ryan, 2020). Along with this, effective behaviour is important which is useful in identifying
the requirements of customers and it is also important for the staff members in order to behave in
effective and friendly manner that helps in attracting customers and offering proper satisfaction
to them.
Custom: It leads to represent the culture, values and beliefs of UK which depicts that
Marriott follow friendly relations and tends to develop good terms with their guests which is
useful in effective development and leads to attract maximum number of people. In relation with
Marriott hotel, they does also leads to follow proper code of conduct which leads to attract
maximum number of people and also useful in effective running and offer suitable satisfaction to
customers which is useful in retaining them for the future purpose (Henschel, Gruner and Von
Freyberg, 2018).
4

Critically evaluate why Cultural Intelligence is essential for Hotel Personnel
Cultural intelligence refers to the multidimensional factors that leads to encompasses the
capability of individual for the effective functioning in cultural diverse setting. Along with this, it
leads to represent the ability in terms of grasping and prominently solve significant problems. It
also leads to represent the multiple cultural settings as its aim is to analyse the cultural
intelligence by offering and conducting proper programmes and sessions (HOW TO LEVERAGE
CULTURAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY, 2020). Moreover, cultural
intelligence is important for the staff members as it is useful in making them efficient in order to
perform their job role with full efficiency and also conduct various programmes for them (Talón-
Ballestero and et. al., 2018). In relation with Marriott hotel is is important to have cultural
intelligence as it is useful in making all the functions more effective and tends to make warm
welcome of guests and other visitors which is useful in attracting them for longer period of time.
Furthermore, effective culture, values, beliefs, behaviour of staff members and custom leads to
attract various people in terms of increasing the market presence of hotel in across world.
Along with this, it is important to conduct proper training and development programme
top their staff members which is useful in changing their personality and behaviour and leads to
develop professionalism among them which is useful in giving better exposure to hotel and staff
members (Chen, 2019). Furthermore, it is also identified that the behaviour factor of employees
and front office leads to give first impression of hotel and in terms of this, it is effective for
Marriott hotel to train their employees for having effective and polite nature while
communicating with guest which is useful in offering better guest experience and satisfaction.
Table for Do's and Don'ts for Marriott hotel staff
Do's Don'ts
1. Use equipments effectively and
properly.
2. Pay proper attention to the specific unit
and area.
3. Be nice and polite with guests.
4. Always know what is in the Menu
while taking order.
 Never be on phone call while attending
guests.
 Never leave empty glasses hanging.
 Never forget small details about guests.
 Never sit on the customer's table.
 Don't argue with guest and overshare
personal details.
5

5. Always prioritise guest properly.
CONCLUSION
By considering the above discussion, it is analysed that effective management is hotel is
required which is useful in managing various task and functions on time in prominent way.
Along with this, it is also identified that different countries has their own cultural, values and
beliefs that influences the behaviour of customers and also helps in managing guest experience at
the international level. Moreover, the cultural intelligence is evaluated for the consideration of
hotel personnel which is important in order to run effective business that helps in achieving
significant growth and success. Along with this, it is also identified that better and effective guest
service and customer satisfaction is important in terms of effective and prominent running an
organisation.
6

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Bourke, J. G., Izadi, J. and Olya, H. G., 2020. Failure of play on asset disposals and share
buybacks: application of game theory in the international hotel market. Tourism
Management. 77. p.103984.
Chen, T., 2019, August. Innovation of Higher Education in Hotel Management Based on
International Perspective. In 5th International Conference on Arts, Design and
Contemporary Education (ICADCE 2019). Atlantis Press.
Dogru, T. and et. al., 2020. The effects of Airbnb on hotel performance: Evidence from cities
beyond the United States. Tourism Management. 79. p.104090.
Frawley, T., Goh, E. and Law, R., 2019. Quality assurance at hotel management tertiary
institutions in Australia: An insight into factors behind domestic and international
student satisfaction. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Education. 31(1). pp.1-9.
Henschel, U. K., Gruner, A. and Von Freyberg, B., 2018. Hotelmanagement. Walter de Gruyter
GmbH & Co KG.
Li, F. S. and Ryan, C., 2020. Western guest experiences of a Pyongyang international hotel,
North Korea: Satisfaction under conditions of constrained choice. Tourism
Management. 76. p.103947.
Schuckert, M. and et. al., 2019. How do domestic and international high-end hotel brands receive
and manage customer feedback?. International Journal of Hospitality Management. 77.
pp.528-537.
Talón-Ballestero, P. and et. al., 2018. Using big data from Customer Relationship Management
information systems to determine the client profile in the hotel sector. Tourism
Management. 68. pp.187-197.
Vives, A., Jacob, M. and Payeras, M., 2018. Revenue management and price optimization
techniques in the hotel sector: A critical literature review. Tourism Economics. 24(6).
pp.720-752.
Zhang, Z. and et. al., 2019. The effect of management response similarity on online hotel
booking. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management.
Online
4 simple ways to improve guest services in your hotel. 2020. [Online] Available through
<https://www.siteminder.com/r/trends-advice/hotel-management/ways-improve-guest-
services-hotel/>./
BRITISH CULTURE & SOCIETY. 2019. [Online] Available through <https://www.commisceo-
global.com/resources/country-guides/uk-guide>./
HOW TO LEVERAGE CULTURAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY. 2020.
[Online] Available through <https://cudoo.com/blog/how-to-leverage-cultural-
intelligence-in-the-hospitality-industry/>./
People and Culture of Australia. 2020. [Online] Available through
<https://www.internationalstudent.com/study_australia/living_in_australia/people-
culture/>./
7