Phrases that can be objectionable in the hospitality business
In recent years I have become increasingly fascinated with the language used by business people.
In my youth, listening skills did not come natural for me. I soon realised that the fault was mine. Instead of being an active listener and focusing on what the other person was saying, I was more intent on thinking what to say next, and in the process I lost the ‘drift’.
No sooner I realised this, I began to sharpen my ability to be a good, active listener. Consciously, shifting to listening and to comprehend rather than to respond proved extremely invaluable - particularly during the later days of my career in hospitality. As a former GM during a morning briefing remarked, “What good is it, if everyone talks but no one listens?”
Of late, there are some words that are being freely used - especially in the world of hospitality, which I’m beginning to think our guests and customers may find objectionable. For example, when I say “Thank you for being so helpful”, I expect a response such as “Your welcome” or “It’s being a pleasure”. Instead, what one is likely to hear nowadays is “No worries”.
Technically ‘”no worries” is by no way a proper substitute for responding to a “thank you”. If I’m not worried, I don’t need anyone telling me not to worry. And when someone does that... how should I take that? The other day, being told ‘not to worry’ after saying ‘thank you’, made me ask this follow-up question – “Should I be worried?” It left the recipient de-railed and confused not knowing how to decipher my question. And that did not worry me at all. In fact it felt good.
To me, the ‘no worries’ response, which, as someone described as a careless joining of negative words ‘no’ and ‘worries’, should have no place in the vocabulary of hospitality. While there is good meaning behind the phrase, it implies otherwise, meaning; the ‘thank you’ uttered by the customer was more an apology for bothering or putting the service agent into some inconvenience by having to attend to the customer’s needs. A mumbled “uh-huh” is perhaps tolerable despite its too casual response.
Another oft-maligned expression is "no problem." This phrase however is less objectionable when uttered in certain situations where there is a possibility that it would have been a problem. For instance, if we were to ask the server, after being seated in the restaurant, “Can we change to sitting at that table over there besides the window?” a “no problem” reply is explicitly clear. Because had that table been reserved for another party of diners, yes, it then can then pose a problem.
Mike Wittenstein a designer by profession is of the view: “Even when ‘no problem’ is delivered cheerily and authentically, it still carries baggage with it: Saying ‘no problem’ in response to a customer request implies that the customer--or what they're asking for--is a problem. Some also interpret ‘no problem’ this way: ‘Hey, I was busy doing something but don't worry, even though you're interrupting me, I'll take care of you.”
Surprise, surprise, surprise: Diana Oreck, who heads the Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center, which trains leaders from many industries in the legendary Ritz-Carlton service practices and philosophy, tells it candidly, “My viewpoint today is this: I do not like ‘no problem.’ However, I think we have lost this one. The phrase appears to be so prevalent in day-to-day language - I’ve grown to accept it.
I guess, to bring closure, Bob Marley, had he been alive today, might have added, “No, Problem Mon.’ Just know when to say it.”
Shafeek Wahab – Editor, Hospitality Sri Lanka, Consultant, Trainer, Ex-Hotelier
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