Social & Corporate Etiquette and its importance in the Hospitality Industry

In today’s Global Village, Guests belonging to different nationalities travel and stay in Hotels and use the services of the Hospitality Industry. It’s imperative that the Hospitality Service Providers should be aware of the internationally accepted social and corporate etiquette.

In Webster’s New World Dictionary, the word etiquette is defined as follows: "The forms, manners, and ceremonies established by convention as acceptable or required in society, or in a profession." Therefore the manners established as acceptable for a society are referred to as ‘Social Etiquette’.

 It is essential and important for every individual employee to behave in a socially acceptable way. Etiquette refers to good manners and behavior demonstrated while dealing with people. An individual should be aware of his or her behavior in the work place. A work place demands highly Professional Behavior. The individual should respect his workplace and maintain accepted decorum. Corporate Etiquette refers to behaving sensibly and appropriately at the workplace to create an everlasting impression.

The formula for Good Etiquette can be written as  Manners + confidence + Style= Impressive impact

The social and corporate has gained its importance   because within the first 3 seconds of an encounter, you are evaluated….. even if it is just a glance.

And here is where you make an indelible impression on others.

You may have hardly said a word, but you will still be appraised.

How to create positive first impressions ( Watch out for my next blog)

Importance of English Language in the Hospitality Industry.

Over the years, I have witnessed  that  many hospitality  students secure good placements and few find difficult to get good jobs. The reasons could be plenty. However, one of the important reason is their English communication skills.

Communication Skills can be verbal or written .In Hospitality Industry Context; it is the English speaking and writing skills. The industry demands for these skills as they are extremely important for Guest & work place interaction. Guests or customers are of different nationalities and English Language has become an common medium for communication. Learning these skills are as important as the technical skills. Efforts should be taken by Hospitality students to enhance English Language .These pointers could help the Hospitality students.

1.Identify and accept that the problem  to speak and write  good English exist.

2.Once accepted, set a target. The target can be 12 months to 18 months to enhance  your skills.

3.Always speak English with your peers.

4.If you still find it difficult to cope, join good English speaking courses. These could be online or offline courses.

5.Watch good  English Movies and English Programmes on Television .

6.Focus to learn neural English without any accent.

7.Read Good English Novels, Newspapers, Magazines and so on. Go beyond text books.

8. Practice to speak and write Good English without grammatical errors.

9.Find a good teacher or mentor who can guide you.

10.Be focused ,determined and work hard.

Being a Chef

As I interview new set of students for the Hotel Management course at our Institute, I always ask them the reason to choose Hotel Management. Most students tell me that they love cooking and would like to become a Chef. But the reality is only few choose careers in Culinary after they complete the 3 year Hotel Management course. Most of them are inspired through the television cookery shows and celebrity chefs. However, during the 6 months internship in a star hotel, as they go through their kitchen training, most realize that their core strength is not cooking and look for other options in the Hotel or in the service Industry.

Working in kitchen is not an easy task. Its plenty of hard and physical work. Domestic cooking for 2 to 4 pax is different than cooking for large numbers. One should have the real inclination and passion towards food and cooking. Its highly technical and skill based. Cooking cannot be learnt overnight or going through recipe books. It involves constant practice.  Only such passionate individuals can be a successful Chef. So next time if you decide on becoming a Chef based on a television show, think again!!!!!

Learning through Travel

I remember a proverb in Kannada which states  Desha Suttu Kosha Odu which means Travel the places and Read the books .Education is all about knowing.  Just reading the books and acquiring the knowledge is incomplete. It is said that The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.  I have learnt a lot through travelling.

Travelling can be local, regional ,national or international .Visiting new places ,interacting with people ,experiencing cultures and traditions, understanding the socio, economic and business dynamics enhances ones knowledge and brings  changes in attitudes and perspectives. Travelling opens up the mind. It widens ones horizon and builds confidence. Travelling teaches life skills .These life skills are essential in today’s world. Most institutions organize study tours and field visits.  My suggestion to the students is to participate in these activities.

At Apeejay Institute of Hospitality, Navi Mumbai, we have integrated travel component into the curriculum. The students are taken to Fish Markets, Vegetable Markets, Vine Yards, Cheese Farms, Emu Farms, Food & Beverage related industries and many more. The institute also organizes international tour to the students. Gaining International Exposure takes a long way in their careers. Never underestimate the value of travelling. So next time when you have an opportunity, just pack , get set and go…………………