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Operating Standard No. 41 · Guest Relations

The Name Standard

Five steps for using a guest’s name the way they want it said. Two or three times in a conversation feels personal; ten times sounds like a script.

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Who
Everyone who speaks to guests, briefed by guest relations
When
Every conversation, at every touchpoint, from arrival to departure
You need
Name, title and pronunciation in the PMS; the in-house list
Measured by
  • Name used at greeting and at farewell
  • Title and pronunciation noted in the PMS
  • No name with a room number said in public

5 steps

  1. 01

    Learn it

    Before the guest arrives, check how the name is spelled, which title they use (Dr, Sheikh, Mrs, Ms) and how it is said. If unsure, ask once at the first meeting and write the sound of it in the PMS.

    Say this

    “Mrs Nguyen: say ‘Win’. Prefers Mrs, not Ms. Husband is Dr Tran, not Mr Nguyen.”

    Common mistake Guessing the pronunciation and saying it wrong for five days. The guest stops correcting you after the second time.

  2. 02

    Use it twice

    Use the name in the first sentence of each new conversation and once more as you close it. In between, use it only when it adds warmth. Two or three times in one conversation is enough.

    Say this

    “Good morning, Mr Al-Harbi.” … “Enjoy your day, Mr Al-Harbi.”

    Common mistake Saying the name in every sentence because an audit counts it. It sounds trained, and the guest hears that.

  3. 03

    Use the right form

    Use title and surname until the guest invites first names, and then only the person invited. Where the family name comes first, or a title goes with a first name, follow what the guest writes and says.

    Say this

    “Thank you, Dr Mensah. I’ll make sure the restaurant has your name as Dr Mensah too.”

    Common mistake One waiter is told “call me Tom” and the whole team starts. The guest offered it to one person, not the building.

  4. 04

    Protect it in public

    In the lobby, lifts, restaurant and pool, never say a name and room number together and never call a name across a room. Ask the guest to write the room number; say the name quietly, face to face.

    Say this

    “Could you write your room number here for me, please? Thank you, Mrs Laurent.”

    Common mistake Calling “Mr Schneider, room 214” across the breakfast room. Now everyone at the buffet knows where he sleeps.

  5. 05

    Pass it on

    When you hand a guest to a colleague, say the guest’s name first so they can use it at once. Each department reads the in-house list, with titles and pronunciation, at the start of every shift.

    Say this

    “Ahmed, this is Mrs Nguyen. She’d like a table on the terrace at eight tonight.”

    Common mistake Walking the guest to the restaurant and saying nothing. The host asks “Your name, please?” and the welcome starts again.

The desk card

When to Use the Name, and When Not

Using the name too often is as much a mistake as never using it. Seven moments of the stay, each with a clear rule the whole team can follow.

The momentUse the name?How
Greeting at the door or deskYes, once.Title and surname, straight after hello.
Mid-conversationOnly when it adds warmth.Two or three times in total, no more.
Lobby, lift or pool, near othersQuietly, or not at all.Face to face, never with the room number.
Charging to the roomAsk, do not announce.The guest writes or signs the room number.
On the phoneYes, at the start.Confirm the name before you use it.
Handover to a colleagueYes, first.Name and title before the request.
FarewellYes, once.The name and an invitation to come back.

Brief one row a day at every department’s briefing for a week, starting with reception and the restaurant. The guest relations manager listens to five guest conversations a week and checks them against the table.

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