Your walk-a-bout service checklist
Okay, it’s that time of year again, time to put on the tennies (or fancy running shoes, your choice), get out of the office and hit the floor. You’re on the prowl, looking, observing, seeing for yourself, first-hand, how your guests are being treated. It’s time for the first-of-the-year service walk-a-bout. Following are five items you should have on your walk-a-bout checklist:
1. Line, lines, lines
At the cage, at the players club, at the hotel check-in (out), at the buffet, etc., etc., etc. Lines everywhere. How are yours? Are they long? Slow? Intolerable? Or do they move pretty quickly? What about critical times (like the club before a promotion, or the hotel at check-in time)? Are your lines under control and if not, what can you do to alleviate them or provide your guests with a distraction that will make waiting more tolerable (like a line comic/magician, free fruit or bottled water, etc.).
2. Hello, hello
Are your staff routinely keeping their heads up while they go about their business and looking for opportunities to simply smile & greet guests as they walk by? What about your counter people, like at the club, or on the tables in the pit? Are they staring at the ceiling, memorizing the floor tiles, or greeting everyone who walks by? Ditto for the Valet staff and Security.
3. Cleanliness is next
First, check the bathrooms, as you know how critical they are. Then, check the hallways, the floors, etc. Then, get real critical and look in out of the way corners, nooks and crannies. Is your staff still fanatical about cleanliness, or are they getting sloppy? What about signage? Are there a bunch of handwritten signs pasted up with tape around the property? How professional does everything look?
4. Where’s the Pied Piper when you need him
How about leadership? Are the managers and supervisors on the floor, helping out, especially during crunch time? How about the directors? Are they persona non grata, or present and visible? Do you see a significant and memorable leadership presence throughout the property, or are they all hiding in their office? Their presence is especially important during critical times.
5. A complaint is a gift
While you’re out and about, make sure to empty the Comment Card bins and take advantage of whatever feedback your guests are giving you. Also, talk to some frontline employees about the same. What are the guests saying? Are they happy? Peeved at something in particular? Hey, while you’re at it, talk to some guests as well. Ask them how it’s going. The old Five-in/Five-out standard dictates you must engage at least five employees and five guests on your walk-a-bouts before you can truly say you have … “checked it out!”
There you have it, five things you can check during your walk-a-bouts, or inspection tours, that will make you a more engaged, effective and powerful service leader in your organization. And if you only manage one particular area or department or function, then fine, just walk-a-bout that area and make sure it reflects your standards and desires. If not, then get to work and change it.
