Sy protégé graces Sagada DOT gab on int’l hospitality

By Francis B. Degay

SAGADA, Mountain Province – The Dept. of Tourism is now upping the ante in bringing more tourists to the country by going rural.

In this tourist town, some 114 participants attended a 2-day training on “international hospitality competencies and modern guest approaches and service techniques on Jan. 24-25 at the Sagada Homestay.

Francisco Dela Cruz, an acclaimed resource speaker and consultant who was trained by his mentor, the late Henry Sy, owner of the nationwide SM department stores, imparted his knowledge during lectures.

He has also enormous experiences as one of the executives in one of the largest hotels in the Middle East for 17 years.

The seminar was attended by inn keepers, tour guides, drivers and entrepreneurs, including staff of the municipal tourism offices of Sagada, Barlig, Sadanga, Besao, Tadian, Bauko and Bontoc and  Provincial Tourism Office of the Mountain Province.

Three participants from Banaue, Ifugao and 1 from Kalinga attended the seminar.    

Sagada Mayor James Pooten, Jr. welcomed participants. He thanked the Department of Tourism-Cordillera Administrative Region for financing and bringing said activity in this famous tourist destination. 

Francisco Dela Cruz, who was the lecturer called himself a “story teller,” not a renowned speaker. 

He cited the importance of making a customer happy.

As a result of this, he said, the guest is expected to purchase more goods, foods and drinks, stay more, bring other customers and   return.

He said that the quality of greetings is very important. Any word or words must be said with correct diction, body language and must emanate from the heart. 

Individuals who deal with various types of customers especially those who are difficult to transact must maintain kindness, calmness and generosity.

In housekeeping, there must be sustained cleaning, arranging of furniture and fixture, appropriate lighting and the area must possess a space that a guest can have a 360 view of the room and the goods displayed, the speaker narrated.

Dela Cruz related the importance of close relationship and regular feedback mechanism between the frontliners and back staff. Feedbacking, according to the story teller, is very necessary as this guides them in their daily tasks, especially in coming up with proper decision making.

Frontliners represent those who directly entertain the guests, while the back staff are those who are at the administration and corporate offices.

In most instances, it is recommended that the staff of the back office must have also hands-on experiences in some of the front line activities. This will give the middle or higher management better understanding of what is happening in the industry.   

Another very important concern is the consideration of delegating authority. Policies are not written on “stones”. In cases of emergencies such as matters related to “life and death,” the lower management or middle management must decide immediately.