To understand the value of service in the hospitality industry and overall, one has to define what service is. Simply put, “service” is a particular interaction in which one person completes a task or provides an item for another person. However, at the same time, behind this exchange hides a deeper meaning that involves a conversation and an experience for the service receiver. For example, in the hospitality industry, clients seek many services, from dining to sports and relaxation. Nevertheless, they expect to go through a positive experience in each of these instances and feel comfortable, rested, and entertained (Kenyon et al., 2020). Good service is directly tied to these emotional responses and leads to great levels of satisfaction (Ariffin et al., 2018). Therefore, a service lies not only in a simple completion of tasks but in the creation of a positive experience and a long-lasting impression.
People choose to become a part of the hospitality field for many reasons, but the main uniting factor is the desire and a capacity to provide such positive experiences to others. It is a complex business as people’s preferences change with time, and workers have to continuously learn about guests’ new needs (Tuomi et al., 2021). At the same time, this field can also be rewarding, as by bringing joy to others, one may also fill fulfilled. Therefore, service is an act of emotional exchange that has the potential to foster satisfaction for all participants. For employees, it may be a sense of pride over one’s work and a source of creative inspiration for predicting people’s needs and wants (Michelli, 2008). Overall, workers should approach the idea of service by understanding its potential emotional impact on themselves and other people. Here, service means an experience that creates memories and builds connections.
References
Ariffin, A. A. M., Maghzi, A., Soon, J. L. M., & Alam, S. S. (2018). Exploring the influence of hospitality on guest satisfaction in luxury hotel services. E-review of Tourism Research, 15(1), 1-20.
Kenyon, A., Robinson, P., & Musgrave, J. (Eds.). (2020). Managing hospitality experiences. CABI.
Michelli, J. A. (2008). The new gold standard: 5 leadership principles for creating a legendary customer experience courtesy of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. McGraw-Hill Professional Publishing.
Tuomi, A., Tussyadiah, I. P., & Hanna, P. (2021). Spicing up hospitality service encounters: the case of Pepper™. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. Web.