Ethical Standards

Ethical Standards

Personal Appearance:
Your appearance has a big effect on your property’s image. One
reason you were chosen to work at this property is that we know you will
represent it well. You can show guests you care about yourself and the
property by keeping a clean, professional appearance.
Cleanliness comes from:
 Bathing or showering every day before work.
 Using deodorant/antiperspirant every day before work.
 Brushing your teeth every day before work.
 Shampooing your hair often.
It also comes from washing your hands thoroughly:
 Before going on duty.
 After sneezing or coughing, touching something soiled, taking a break,
smoking a cigarette, or going to the bathroom.
A professional appearance comes from:
 Wearing your hair short, or tying it back so it is off your shoulders.
 Being clean-shaved and following the property’s guidelines for facial
hair.
 Keeping your fingernails clean and short, not wearing nail polish, and
using hand lotion to keep hands soft and presentable.
 Applying makeup in a natural and conservative manner.
 Using little or no cologne or perfume.
 Wearing little or no jewelry.
 Wearing a clean, ironed uniform, a name tag, and clean, polished
shoes.
Ask your manager or trainer for more information about your
property’s dress code and appearance standards.

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 Ethical Standards

Ethics

Your duties can sometimes put you in tricky situations. You will
develop close relationships with guests. You’ll handle all sorts of
requests, credit card numbers, meeting schedules, and other personal
information.
To provide guests with the best service your lodging property has
to offer, you will often be told much about guests’ personal and business
affairs. Guests will count on you to keep all information confidential.
Don’t ever gossip about guests’ business, or use anything you know about
guests in any way except to help them. Be discreet about what guests do
while at your property.
Some guests expect you to be able to do anything for them.
Remember that a good front Office employee will only do those things
that are legal and kind.
Be careful to avoid ethical traps, such as:
 Supplying information about escort services
 Helping a guest pull off a practical joke
 Placing bets through a bookie
 Discriminating against guests based on gender, age, race, religion, or
disability
 Asking for special gifts or considerations from establishments that you
recommend
 Going out to dinner or for drinks with guests
 Your property counts on you to do your job in a highly ethical manner.

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 Ethical Standards

Telephone Courtesy
We try to make every caller feel important by being friendly,
polite, and professional on the phone. Use the following phone techniques
to leave a good impression with each caller.
 Smile when you talk. A smile helps you sound more relaxed and
pleasant.
 Speak clearly into the receiver. Avoid slang, technical terms, or
hospitality words that callers may not understand.
 Use proper grammar and diction. Avoid “yep,” “uh-huh,” and “OK.”
Instead, use “yes,” “certainly,” or “absolutely.”
 Answer the phone within three rings. A phone that rings more than
three times gives a caller the impression that you don’t want to take
the call.
 Always tell the caller your name, the property’s name, and your
department. Your property may have a specific way for you to answer
the phone. Ask your supervisor or trainer for a copy of your
department’s phone-answering script.
 Give the caller a friendly greeting, such as “Good morning” or “Good
evening,” and ask how you may help him or her.
 Give the caller your complete attention. Pretend he or she is standing
right in front of you.
 Talk only to the person on the phone, not to anyone else around you.
 If the call is for a manager, ask the caller if you may put him or her on
hold. Then get the manager immediately, or take a message if
necessary.
 If the caller is looking for a guest, ask a co-worker to help you locate
the guest. If you can’t find the guest within one or two minutes, take a
message.

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 Ethical Standards

 If a work-related call is for an employee, ask the caller if you may put
him or her on hold. Then get the employee.
 If a personal call is for an employee, follow your property’s policy.
 To take a message, write down the caller’s name, the time and date of
the call, the message, and your name as the message-taker in case
there are any questions.
Make sure the message is delivered
You will often be very busy when the phone rings. To make callers
feel welcome, catch your breath before picking up the phone. If you
sound stressed or hurried, the caller will also feel rushed.
Sometimes, to take care of a request, you will need to put callers on
hold. Providing good guest service means always asking callers if it is all
right to put them on hold. If a caller gives you permission, take care of
the request quickly. Thank the caller for waiting when you return to the
line.
Always end each phone call with a sincere “Thank you for calling.”
Offer to be of assistance in the future, and let the caller hang up first. The
end of your call is your last chance to leave a good impression with a
potential guest.

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 Ethical Standards

Elevator Courtesy
As a front office employee, you may need to ride in elevators with
guests. For instance, you may be escorting a guest to a guestroom. Riding
an elevator can often be socially uncomfortable. Guests may not be sure
who should get off first, whether to make conversation, or who should
push the buttons.
You can help guests be more comfortable by being confident and
knowing what to do.
o Riding the elevator with guests gives you a chance to
provide superior service.
o Always be the first one in the elevator and the last one out.
This lets you hold the door open for all the guests each way.
o If you see guests approaching the elevator-even if they are
moving slowly-hold the elevator for them.
o Make “small talk” and eye contact on the elevator. Not only
will it get rid of the uncomfortable silence, but you’ll have a
chance to sell the services of the property.

Your friendliness will make a good impression on guests.

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 Ethical Standards

Working as a Team-Player with Co-Workers and other

Departments
One secret of the property’s success is that everyone works
together -as a team- to give guests great service. You are part of a service
delivery system. You must give guests and co-workers great service for
the system to work.
To be an excellent team player, you can:
 Help your co-workers and guests whenever possible
 Ask co-workers for help when you need it so guest service doesn’t
suffer and everyone can concentrate on guests’ needs
 Say “hello” to co-workers and guests when you see them, and use
their names if you know them
 Say “please” and “thank you” to guests and co-workers
 Share supplies
 Take pride in your work
 Always clean up after yourself
 Solve a guest’s problem yourself when possible, and never blame a
co-worker for the problem
 To be excellent team players, you and your department can:
 Give positive feedback to the reservations department when
reservation information is detailed
 Introduce guests to bell attendants. Return bell attendant equipment to
the proper place after using it
 Tell engineering staff members about needed repairs, and fill out a
maintenance request form, if necessary
 Help the concierge by responding to special requests. Update the
concierge with information about guest services
 Learn the hours of operation and the location of restaurants, lounges,
health clubs, and other areas at your property so you can help guests
enjoy everything the property has to offer
 Correctly transfer to the sales department inquiries about booking
function rooms.

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