“People will forget what you said, what you did, but people
will never forget how you made them feel”.
Co-quoting the lines of Maya Angelou, today this article is
all about the long-lost secret ingredient of happiness that is somewhere lost
and yet not experienced by the people of our own land. Genuineness followed by
the warmest smile, befitted with the purest charisma, reflecting welcoming
gestures and the innermost satisfactory feeling is what that composes this
secret ingredient. Presence of this ingredient stands out to be the natural
seasoning to garnish a flourishing tourism industry across the world. Yes, I am
talking about the concept of a holistic hospitality culture that needs to be
re-polished, and re-furnished in the state of Assam and in some parts of North
East, that calls for an overall renovation to
make it stand at par with rest of the States of India and one among the
world.
Today in this era, of a competitive economy, Assam
contributes to only 5.5 % gross domestic product (GDP) in the tourism industry.
Nevertheless, in the wake of the anti-CAA(Citizenship Amendment Bill) protests in Assam, the state has
already lost to a tune of 1000 cr. INR in this sector. So before coming to the
crux of bridging the big fat holes in this sector, I would like to specially
emphasize on harnessing the hospitality culture that forms the base for any
booming tourism sector. Although tourism in Assam and rest of North East is
acclaimed for its sea of ethnic diversity in food, culture, and variation with
language and climate diversity, the region is yet seemed to lag in maintaining
the uniqueness through a realistic hospitality approach. This article is penned
down with certain thoughts with special reference giving to the city of
Guwahati, being the hub of the North Eastern region of India and the upcoming
future gateway of the South East Asian countries in sync with the Centre's Act
East Policy. Thanks to the Department of Tourism, Government of Assam, for
outlaying the number of multi layered projects with joint ventures with the
Government of India that is witnessed notably enough on their website and on
paper. Today, the city is a host of 3 to 4 five-star hotels, mega malls, a few
giant resorts, and very soon to get along the luxury cruises on River
Brahmaputra and other such mega investments to be on the roll by the Government
of Assam.
But despite, such infrastructural
development, I would like to pose with a thought that is the city being the
largest in the North East Region ready for grooming itself up in line with this
commercialized world? Have you experienced the utmost hospitality culture with
its sheer professionalism when it comes to our people in delivering customer
services to its customers? I wonder? Say,
from the small retail shopkeepers to the staffs of any mega mall or the
luxurious hotels somewhere the state of exuberance being the customer is missed
and at times fumes to sour retreat.
I guess you can recall well, how in the XYZ
mall while going for a random shopping you weren’t greeted properly, or found
the staffs sticky enough stealing away your comfort space? I bet you confronted
at times those familiar grumpy faces of the staffs when you had to literally push
them to come out with other good options? Can you relate how long you had to
wait that day while placing your order or at times settling your bill, when you
visited for the first time with your family or alone or with your favorite
person to the restaurant you heard to be rated good enough to visit? Or have
you experienced the frosty smile of the staffs of a well-known dental clinic or
ignorant gestures by the staffs as you walked up to any random store stalled at
the heart of the city?
And the list goes
on and sadly I suppose, we as customers have faced it all. I am pointing out to
all these nuances having realized most of our service sectors are daunted with
such poor, unenthusiastic, inconsistent and blunt hospitality skills and absence
of true professionalism in their work. Co-quoting an age-old Chinese proverb ‘A
man without a smiling face must not open a shop’. This is very true that stands
out to be the most important factor in honing the hospitality skills and
nurture its culture. A warm hospitality is cherished by all and making it
flawless and uniform is the need of the hour that would not only represent a
glorious face to the Guwahati city but would also add a positive flavor of
abundance to the ailing tourism industry of the State.
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| A picture in a mall where Japanese staffs enthusiastically awaits at the door with their bowing culture to welcome their customers : Japan |
Before , narrating out with do’s and don’ts ,in this context,
I would first like to jot down my first-hand experience in the Land of the Rising
Sun, Japan, the country known for its superior customer service that adds to
the global standard across the world. Japan usually known to us for its
culture, traditions and as a land of punctuality also stands out to be as the world’s
best customer service provider with its most genuine hospitality, profound etiquette and pleasing aura.
Known by the Japanese
word “Omotenashi” meaning ‘Japanese hospitality culture’ where Omote means
public face and Nashi means nothing that together defines service that comes
from the bottom of the heart served with empathy and honesty. To their long
greetings with the warmest smile ever uttering Irasshaimase (meaning–
Welcome/greeting to a customer entering any shop),no matter wherever you travel
in this country as a customer you feel to be most important person in the place
you visit. Embarked with the cleanest
surroundings, the country stands out with all perfection in its spotless remarkable spirit of professionalism and
scrupulous punctuality right from the taxi drivers, train conductors, bus
drivers, restaurant staffs, electricians or no matter any person in profession
is always seen equipped with their clean neatly pressed uniforms always ready
at your door for your service. In any
shop you enter, you do not feel pushy rather you can take your own time and
space enjoying the most relaxed hours admiring the displayed products, whether
you purchase or not. The staffs aren't to stare you till the last moment and
would rather leave you with your time to decide as per your choice. Another
strikingly attractive hospitality is witnessed with their much appreciating
bows followed by the Japanese phrase ‘Arigatou Gozaimashita’ gestured with a
pleasing smile meaning ‘thankyou’. This conveys as a token of gratitude for
visiting their store.
Hence, Japan adores their concept of hospitality with all
mindfulness where customers need not express their desires verbally as
everything is served with their sincerest efforts and empathy. Due to such
heart winning welcoming vibes even a non -Japanese feels the same pride of
honor visiting their land as guest or as a customer to their shops. Today, I
may not able to give this experience through this example as the real
experience can be felt only when one can experience himself/herself in this
beautiful land.
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| A customer served with a pleasant and warmest smile by the staff in a Cafe : Japan |
Relating to this spell bound experience in this land, through
my column I would just like you to retrospect
on the same line of thought where inculcating these excerpt could help us set
an exemplary example among us to bring the tourism industry of Assam and the
North East on track . Outlining some probable suggestive measures that we can
bring in to restructure this fragile hospitality culture of our land.
· Genuine willingness to please the customer- We have a host of skill development
schemes and tourism policies where although hospitality is regarded as the
prime concept but is not yet fully cultivated. Today, importance is given on the
development of soft skills for the employees either during their training or
while undergoing their respective courses. But less of it is witnessed when it
comes to their performance on the field. So what keeps missing? The uniformity
and righteousness attitude to serve with harmony and honesty. Despite the rigorous
on-job training or off-job training services, unless the genuine instinct of
hospitality is not born within , no matter it is the most elite mall or a small
privately owned boutique you are serving for, the connection with your customer
will never be built. As such, genuine willingness of customer pleasing should
be reflected naturally from within with a positive aura.
· Taking the pride in your job- Co-quoting Tom Ford, ‘dressing well is a form of good
manners’. An employee with a neatly dressed uniform during the service in a
hospitality sector is always appreciated with an adored personality. The
uniform should be worn with pride that gives the feeling to serve with the
mandate of dignity of labour. In the Japanese Art of hospitality any service without
a proper neat attire is considered as a failure in its service towards its
customer. Our hospitality sector should consider the minute detailing of its
employees by keeping a check and regular counter-checks towards their customer
servicing attributes. Hence, taking pride on one’s job is the true nature of
being into this sector to serve its customer with harmony, politeness and
humbleness.
·
Availability of immediate feedback criteria in any shop- No matter it is a small shop or a big
famous mall, there should be a mandatory feedback criteria option then and
there in front at the Human Resource desks of the respective places. This is
usually not adopted by all shops and can be seen only in a few big malls. An
immediate feedback should be availed and shall be amended timely in knowing the
customers’ perception and expectation.
· Smile just not to forget the smile- A smile is the ultimate anecdote to all solutions and
the only medicine to win a customers’ heart. Once you step into this
hospitality sector no matter you are in whatever profession, serving with a
smile always pleases the person in front of you and makes him feel welcoming.
So, maintaining a warmest smile towards your customers should make them feel
relaxed and comfortable to visit your store often with self-willingness.
it Today, it is indeed worth a treat
to our eyes that the Government on one hand is investing crores of public money
flooding the city landscapes with tall buildings and giant malls. But are we,
the people of Assam and rest of North East ready for the current atmosphere of
commercialization, to be the main hot spot for the rest of the world especially
being the gateway to the South-East Asian nations? To stand at par with the
South Asian market, can we not plant the same thought of sincerity, grace and
respect in our work culture reshaping the shabby hospitality outlook of our
society and inculcating the Japanese art of hospitality into our work
atmosphere. Today, we are fighting for retaining our culture, but is language
only a factor to retain one’s culture? Can we not preserve our culture by
polishing our etiquette’s and use them in our everyday life? Is it therefore possible to create a holistic
hospitality environment in the city that would eventually invade the region,
the place that still lacks uniform hospitality etiquette towards its customers
or any person who visits as a tourist? Therefore, tourism being the face and
key factor as a major investment prospect in the state of Assam, and the rest
of North eastern states of India it is high time for the tourism authority and
all the citizens of the Northeastern region to take a holistic approach to
retain its culture, glory and pride. Caressing such hospitality attitude can be
one of the crucial steps to preserve the uniqueness of this region of what can define us indispensably from rest of the states of India. Let us seriously
think about it and work on it thereby summing up with the ageless Sanskrit
saying “Atithi Devo Bhava”(Guests are God).
