Learn more phrases to direct guests to a destination
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| INTRODUCTION |
| Braden:Hi, everyone. Braden here. |
| Ann: Ann Here. Directing Guests to a Destination |
| Braden:In this lesson, you’ll learn more phrases to direct guests to a destination. |
| Ann:The conversation takes place in the hallway of the hotel. |
| Braden:It’s between a Guest and a maid. |
| Ann:The speakers have a staff-customer relationship, so they will be speaking professionally. Let’s listen to the conversation. |
| POST CONVERSATION BANTER |
| Braden:An important key to being a master of small talk is to keep things light. Smalltalk is, by definition, a conversation that is easy or simple. |
| Ann:This means that the individuals involved are both positive as well as fun. As we learned in our last lesson, you need to be the one to act, in order to be successful at making small talk. |
| Braden:So, if you’re upbeat, have an easy smile, and are ready to laugh (politely), your guests will enjoy talking to you. In the end, the purpose of small talk is to pass the time, while we wait for other things to happen. |
| Ann:For example, after the guest has checked in but not been shown to their room, is an excellent time for small talk with the guest. |
| Braden:Remember, always be happy, positive, and helpful, and the guest will enjoy your presence and maybe even give you a tip. |
| Ann:Okay, now onto the vocab. |
| KEY VOCAB AND PHRASES |
| Ann:Let's have a closer look at the usage for some of the words and phrases from this lesson. |
| Braden:The first phrase is “fitness Center”. It’s used to describe a place that has exercise equipment. |
| Ann:That’s right. Many hotel guests enjoy exercising while they’re on their trip. Fitness centers are also commonly referred to as “gyms” which is short for gymnasium. |
| Braden:“Fitness center” has a special pronunciation. The “-ess” at the end of “fitness” blends with the beginning of “center” to make one single sound in English. |
| Ann:So instead of, “Fitness”[pause] “center”, the natural pronunciation would be, “Fitness center” |
| Braden:Next we have the phrase “take your first right”, which means that you should turn right at the first opportunity you have. |
| Ann:The use of the verb “take” in this sense is important. Usually, “take” means “to remove something from a particular place.” |
| Braden:However, in this sense, “take” means “to use as a route to your destination.” |
| Ann:Okay, now onto the grammar. |
| GRAMMAR POINT |
| Ann:In this lesson, you’ll learn how to direct a guest to a destination |
| Braden:In the dialog we heard, “When you get off the elevator, turn left and then take your first right.” |
| Ann:Before we get into this, it’s important to remember that if a guest asks you where something is, it’s usually better to walk with the guest to that location, instead of trying to give them directions. |
| Braden:That’s right. Hotels, in general, can be difficult to navigate because “everything looks the same.” In these situations, one phrase you could use is... |
| Ann:“Yes ma’am, I can help you with that. This way, please.” |
| Braden:Alternatively, you could say, |
| Ann:“It’s just over here, ma’am.” Or “Please, let me show you the way.” or even, “Certainly, ma’am. Follow me please.” |
| Braden:And then walk with them to the desired destination. |
| Ann:But what if you can’t show them the way? |
| Braden:Good question. Occasionally, you will be unable to accompany the guest. This is particularly common for housekeeping staff, because they are often not allowed to leave their cleaning trolley in the hallway unattended. They are also often not allowed to leave a room that they are currently cleaning. |
| Ann:This could also happen with bellhops, who are showing guests to their room. Sometimes, a different guest could stop the bellhop and ask for directions, while he is taking a new guest to their room the first time. |
| Braden:That’s right. In these situations, there are several things you can do. First, if the location is nearby or within sight, you can often simply point and say, |
| Ann:“It’s just over there.” But remember that to point with your finger is rude in many cultures. You can instead extend your arm, with the palm up in the direction of the destination that the guest wants. |
| Braden:Good tip. Second, if the location is out of sight but also still nearby, you could say, |
| Ann:“It’s just around the corner.” You could also just reassure the guest by saying, “The easiest way to get there is...” |
| Braden:...And then give them the basic instructions on how to arrive at the destination they are asking about. For example, in the dialogue the guest asked about the fitness center. Let’s imagine you were unable to accompany the guest to the fitness center. You could say something like this... |
| Ann:“The easiest way to get there is to go down this hallway, take your first right, and then follow that hallway until you get to the drinking fountain. The fitness center is located across the hallway.” |
Outro |
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| Braden:That’s it for this lesson. Thanks for listening, everyone! |
| Ann:And we’ll see you next time. |
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