Where is the bacon?

Have you had an irate guest accuse you of losing their valuables in your safe-keeping? Has your staff been accused of having “sticky fingers”? Did you waive the charges to appease the angry guest?.

1. Encourage your guests to hand over their valuables such as extra cash, passports and others for safekeeping. Whilst it may seem like a lot of work, prevention is better than cure and losing your profit!
2. Record and both sign off on everything that has been handed over during checking in or at any other time as the guest may wish to access their valuables. Two copies must be produced, one for the client and the other with the business.
3. Cash must be counted by both guest and staff and amount agreed upon. Similarly any other valuables or documents.
4. In the event the money/effects being returned to the guest  is not the same, then the responsibility lies the owner/operator.

5.      Should guests wish to hold on to large sums of money, owners should forewarn guests that the security of such items is not guaranteed and that they need to ensure safekeeping to avoid any losses.

For more information, contact nynette.sass@gmail.com for commonsensical assistance!!!

Tourism and First Impressions!!!

As an individual who has been, and continues to be involved with the Tourism Industry, Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson encouraged me to make use of the experience and put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard and come up with some common-sensical advice for inclusion in the new Apia Financial Review monthly magazine. AFR is a new venture by my beautiful, witty and dynamic friends and a couple at that, Mr Paul Anderson and Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson.

Herewith is the first of what will be a series of many. I hope the knowledge shared will be of use as they are geared towards the many SMEs and our small operators who struggle along thinking that things are beyond their means. It pays to Keep It Simple!!

Pick up your copy in Apia or contact AFR on apiafr@gmail.com for one!!!

First Impressions!

Too busy fussing over things that don’t matter to your guests? Ensure that first impression is a lasting one and an experience not to be easily forgotten!

1. The experience starts the moment you greet your guests! Ensure you are clean, tidy and presentable! A dirty torn t-shirt and lavalava aint going to cut it!

2. Have a genuine welcoming smile and greet your guest with a hearty Talofa!! Try not to start off with “it is 10 tala for the fale” or something similar! It is a good way to annoy your potential guest sending them else-where.

3. Demonstrate that you care about your guest’s welfare first and foremost. That will give them a good feeling that they will be safe with you!

4. Ensure those toilets and showers are clean at all times! Cleaning once a day is not enough especially if you have several in house. Please clean underneath the toilet seats , inside the bowls and in the room itself.

5. The saying is, if the toilet is clean and the coffee is good then everything else about the place is excellent!

Word of mouth is free, so use it by impressing your guests!