Unit 10. Vip Treatment:

Task 2. Read and act out the dialogue

The needs of the business traveller

I = Interviewer, C = Carlos Lozano

I. What do business travellers look for most in a travel company?

C. Mainly it's speed and efficiency, no fuss, not to have to worry about the arrangements.

They want to be able to say 'we want this', and we do it. Ordinary tourists, maybe they want to spend time talking about the different possibilities: it's a part of the fun for them, but not business travellers.

They want to be to book last minute, and 24 hours a day and to make changes at the last minute - and things like express check-in and use of a business lounge at airports. They also want the personal touch.

We allocate an account manager to each of our clients and they have all the client history at their fingertips, things like preferences on window or aisle seats, type of hotel room, meal options.

We like to know our clients.

I. Yes, that must be important.

C. Yes, and it means we can arrange everything for them - flights, transfers, hotel, car hire, meeting rooms.

I. So it is a kind of package.

C. Not really a package, more of a menu - this is what we can offer - which services do you want us to arrange for you?

I. As for as hotel requirements go, what do business travellers tend to look for?

C. Assuming the basics of comfort, cleanliness, fast internet access, and so on, the number one is location - centre of town, near to the airport, both of those if possible.

I. Business travel has an image of luxury high costs, high expense accounts, and so on. Is that true?

C. Certainly not. Businesses these days are looking for value for money. Of course, compared to regular tourists, they still tend to use higher quality accommodation and upgraded travel, particularly when entertaining important clients. For us it's a bit of balancing act-providing excellent quality and service, but not charging too much. But we find ways to go die extra mile.

I. 'Go the extra mile'? What do you mean by that?

C. Giving a little bit extra that will make them appreciate us and justify why they should use us rather than book direct over the Internet. For example, I've already mentioned the personal touch, but we also offer support services such as info packs on the place they're going to simple fact sheets with practicalities of time difference, climate, transport services, visa and health requirements, and so on. Also, we produce a mini 'Culture Guide', covering basics of social etiquette and doing business with different cultures. It's proved very popular.

I. That's very interesting. Thanks for talking to us, Carlos.

C. You're welcome.

Task 3. Which of these are more important for business travellers than for non-business tourists and travellers?

1) time to choose from different travel options

2) possibility to make reservations at short notice

3) access to reservations 24 hours a day

4) express check-in at airports

5) packaged travel arrangements - flight, transfer, accommodation, meals.

6) fast internet connections in hotels

7) hotel in a quiet relaxing location

8) support information on local area and culture

Task 4. Answer the questions :

1 What is the role of the account manager?

2 How does Carlos's company‘go the extra mile'?

Task 5. Match the words and word combinations from the left to the words combinations in the right

Task 6. Fill in the blanks with the words and words combinations from ex. 5.

1. Some business men also want the _________.

2. We also offer __________ such as info packs on the place they're transport services, visa and health requirements.

с) Business travellers look for speed and __________, no fuss to have to worry about the __________.

4. As for as hotel __________ go, what do business travellers tend to look for?

5. Business travel has an image of luxury high costs, high _______accounts.

6. They want to be to book last minute, and things like ________and use of a business _______ at airports.

7. Travel agencies ________ an account manager to each of our clients.

8. They have all the client history at their fingertips, things like ________ on window or aisle seats, room type, meal ________.

9. Business people, compared to ______tourists, tend to use higher quality accommodation and _______ travel.

Task 7. Translate into English.

1. Обслуживание важной персоны начинается сразу в аэропорте.

2. Водитель погрузит ваш багаж и быстро увезет вас в гостиницу.

3. Бизнес-туристы предпочитают скорость и эффективность, не беспокоиться о различного рода приготовлениях.

4. Мы выделяем менеджера к каждому из наших клиентов.

5. Деловые люди хотят комфорта, чистоты, быстрого доступа в интернет, и так далее.

6. Требованием номер один является расположение - в центре города, рядом с аэропортом.

7. Деловые поездки считаются дорогими за счет больших расходов.

8. Они сейчас ищут соотношение цена / качество.

9. Они хотят размещения по высшему разряду и соответствующего развлечения.

Task 8. Read the information below and present it as a dialogue between a client and a manager.

Concierge service provides a continuous sense of well-being and enjoyment throughout the journey; offers include exclusive Business class services such as VIP travel assistance, limousine service, hotel or restaurant reservation and many others.

Concierge service is there to make sure you have the most enjoyable experiences and worry free travel, including, for example, a quick and discreet escort to and from the aircraft to save time or personal treatment while enjoying a stress-free priority boarding.

Why not treat yourself to a little VIP treatment and enjoy the luxury of the Business Lounge while you await your flight?

Task 9. Read and translate the text.

VIP TREATMENT:

Perhaps the greatest test of hotel security arrives with a visiting VIP – an official, celebrity, or prominent business person.

Sometimes hotels pass this test. Sometimes they do not.

Take the case of a major motion picture actress who stayed at a New York City hotel while attending a movie opening. The actress's stay went off without a hitch. In conjunction with her security staff, hotel security controlled the fans who gathered outside the hotel. Both hotel security and hotel staff monitored the lobby to ensure that no overly enthusiastic fans gained improper access, when the actress seemed inclined to meet and talk to admirers.

Hotel security officers provided courteous escorts when she moved around the hotel, coordinating their efforts with the actress's own security people.

The visit ended; the actress left; and several days later, an embarrassing story about a medical problem suffered by the actress appeared in a national tabloid.

The leak came from the hotel. The actress had left a doctor's prescription on the bedside table in the room. A housekeeper found the prescription and sold it to a gossip reporter. It was an unacceptable failure of security for a hotel.

A hotel security staff must imagine many difficult-to-predict scenarios when determining risk management procedures. As a result, hotel security procedures affect virtually every member of a hotel operating staff, from desk clerks and bell hops, to housekeepers, and food service workers.

Desk clerks, for example, must learn to issue room keys and room access cards quickly and politely, but never to an unauthorized person.

Housekeepers must know what to do when approached by an individual claiming to have locked himself or herself out of a room.

All must learn to recognize and report suspicious activities that may pose security threats. At the same time, no one must ever compromise the quality of hospitality provided by the hotel.

Training staff in these procedures represents a never-ending task for hotel security managers.

Task 10. Say whether the following statements are TRUE or FALSE.

1. The greatest test of hotel security arrives with a visiting VIP.

2. All hotels pass this test.

3. A famous actress stayed at a hotel.

4. Hotel security controlled the fans.

5. Hotel staff didn’t monitor the lobby.

6. A lot of enthusiastic fans gained improper access.

7. Hotel security officers provided courteous escorts coordinating their efforts with the actress's own security people.

8. Several days later, an embarrassing story about a medical problem suffered by the actress appeared in a national tabloid.

9. The leak came from the hotel.

10. A concierge found the prescription and sold it to a gossip reporter.

11. There is no need for a hotel security staff to imagine many difficult-to-predict scenarios.

12. Housekeepers, for example, must learn to issue room keys and room access cards quickly and politely

13. Desk clerks must know what to do when approached by an individual claiming to have locked himself or herself out of a room.

14. All the staff must learn to recognize and report suspicious activities that may pose security threats

Useful vocabulary:

official - официальное лицо

celebrity - знаменитость

prominent - выдающийся

major - главный

motion picture actress - актриса кино

to attend - присутствовать

without a hitch - без сучка и задоринки.

conjunction - связь, сочетание

fans - фанаты

to monitor - контролировать

lobby - фойе, холл

to ensure - обеспечивать, гарантировать

overly - слишком

to gained improper access - получить несанкционированный доступ

to incline - наклонять, склонять, настроить

admirer - поклонник

courteous - вежливый

embarrassing story - неловкая история

leak - утечка

a doctor's prescription - рецепт врача

gossip - сплетни

an unacceptable failure - недопустимая оплошность

difficult-to-predict scenarios - трудно предсказуемые ситуации

to determine – определять

to claim - требовать, претендовать

threat - угроза

Task 10. Assessment task: Complete the project: