There are two main aspects to great hospitality: Words and Actions.
A smile, great eye contact, and a posture of helpfulness will get an encounter moving in the right direction. But then your words come into play. How you say it is extremely important.
“First of all,” as Lee Cockerell says in his book, The Customer Rules, “our words should be upbeat and positive! Examples include “Definitely,” “Absolutely,” “Certainly” and words like these, which are all better than “I think,” “Maybe,” or “I hope.””
Here are four phrases you can tweak as you are serving in hospitality ministry:
“How can I help you?”
is better than “What can I do for you?”
“Let me show you.”
is more hospitable than, “It’s over there.”
“It’s my pleasure!”
seems more servant-like than, “Sure” or “No problem.”
“Let me ask someone who knows more than I do…”
Sounds much better than “I have no idea” or “I couldn’t tell you.”
Words are important as we seek to offer hospitality to guests and create great moments. Positive, polite and respectful words, spoken sincerely and authentically, can truly provide confidence and trust with your guests.
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Other Posts:
How Hospitality Should Change The Church
Six Mantras for Ushers and Greeters
This free resource includes the ten point checklist, a link to the free infographic, and related posts and resources. You will immediately access the resource and a link will be emailed to you.
Thanks for your ministry!