Cornell Study Explains Why Listening Is Undervalued, but Critical in Service Excellence

Taking note of this noise, a survey conducted by Cornell professor Judi Brownell makes clear that hospitality managers believe effective listening is critical to service excellence and to a hotel's success. Brownell outlines the critical connection between effective listening and service excellence in a new report from Cornell's Center for Hospitality Research. The hotel management report, 'Fostering Service Excellence through Listening: What Hospitality Managers Need to Know,' is available at no charge from the center at http://www.hotelschool.cornell.edu/research/chr/pubs/reports/2009.html.

'Managers in the survey did not think that members of their organization listen all that well,' said Brownell. 'While listening training would improve employees' skills, our survey identified two challenges. First, most people overestimate their ability to listen effectively and, second, the managers in this survey were unsure exactly how to go about developing the listening skills of their service staff. Fortunately, listening competence can be significantly improved by implementing the strategies in this report.'

Brownell is able to offer specific guidelines for improving skills at each point in the listening process due to her analysis and creation of a framework for effective listening. As presented in the Cornell report, the HURIER model outlines six steps of effective listening: Hearing, Understanding, Remembering, Interpreting, Evaluating, and Responding to messages. In addition to strategies related to this practical model, the report summarizes the best listening competency practices offered by the managers in the survey.

Thanks to the support of the Center for Hospitality Research partners listed below, all publications posted on the center's website are available free of charge, at www.chr.cornell.edu.

Center partners and sponsors: AIG Global Real Estate Investment, American Airlines Admirals Club, Davis & Gilbert LLP, Deloitte & Touche USA LLP, Denihan Hospitality Group, Expedia, Inc., Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Fox Rothschild LLP, FX Real Estate and Entertainment, Inc., General Growth Properties, Inc., HVS, InterContinental Hotels Group, job.travel, JohnsonDiversey, Inc., Jumeirah Group, LRP Publications, Marriott International, Inc., Marsh's Hospitality Practice, Mobil Travel Guide, Inc., Nestlé, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Proskauer Rose LLP, Smith Travel Research, Southern Wine and Spirits of America, Inc., SynXis (a Sabre Holdings Corporation), Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, Thayer Lodging Group, TIG Global, Travelport, WATG, and WhiteSand Consulting

Center friends: 4Hoteliers.com • American Tescor, LLC • Argyle Executive Forum • Caribbean Hotel and Restaurant Buyers Guide • Cody Kramer Imports • Cruise Industry News • DK Shifflet & Associates • ehotelier.com • EyeforTravel • Fireman's Fund Insurance Company • Gerencia de Hoteles & Restaurantes • Global Hospitality Resources • Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) • hospitalityInside.com • hospitalitynet.org • Hospitality Technology Magazine • Hotel Asia Pacific • Hotel China • HotelExecutive.com • Hotel Interactive • Hotel Resource • International CHRIE • International Hotel and Restaurant Association • International Hotel Conference • International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC) • iPerceptions • Lodging Hospitality • Lodging Magazine • Milestone Internet Marketing • MindFolio • Parasol • PhoCusWright, Inc. • PKF Hospitality Research • The Resort Trades • RealShare Hotel Investment & Finance Summit • Resort+Recreation Magazine • RestaurantEdge.com • Shibata Publishing Co. • Synovate • The Lodging Conference • TravelCLICK • UniFocus • WageWatch, Inc. • WIWIH.COM

Reader Comments:

Be the first to leave a comment for this article