COTHM students participated in an interactive professional training session focused on Customer Service, Problem Solving and Emotional Intelligence, highlighting some of the most essential skills required for success in the hospitality industry.
The session focused on the importance of delivering exceptional customer service and understanding guest expectations at every stage of the customer journey. Students explored how professional communication, attentive service, and positive interactions can create memorable “moments of truth” that influence overall guest satisfaction.
A key feature of the training was the interactive “Angry Guest Roulette” activity, where students were presented with challenging customer scenarios and given the opportunity to practice handling complaints in realistic workplace situations. The activity encouraged students to think quickly, communicate professionally, and identify appropriate solutions while maintaining a positive attitude.
Students were introduced to a structured complaint-handling approach based on Listen, Empathize, Apologize, Resolve and Notify. This framework helped learners understand how hospitality professionals can respond to difficult situations systematically while protecting guest relationships and maintaining service standards.
The training also placed strong emphasis on emotional intelligence, enabling students to understand the importance of recognizing and managing their own emotions while responding appropriately to the emotions of guests and colleagues.
Through practical discussions and interactive exercises, students explored strategies for remaining calm and professional during stressful workplace situations. They learned that effective hospitality service requires more than technical knowledge, as patience, empathy, self-control, communication, and problem-solving are equally important.
The session provided students with an opportunity to connect classroom learning with realistic hospitality challenges. By practicing difficult guest interactions, learners gained greater confidence in managing complaints, resolving problems, and maintaining professionalism under pressure.
Such industry-focused training reflects COTHM’s emphasis on developing well-rounded hospitality professionals equipped with both technical and interpersonal skills. Customer service, emotional intelligence, and problem-solving remain essential competencies across hotels, restaurants, resorts, airlines, and other service-sector organizations.
The session concluded with students gaining practical insights into how professional service and emotional intelligence can turn challenging guest experiences into opportunities to demonstrate excellence.
COTHM continues to prepare the next generation of hospitality professionals through practical learning, professional skills development, and industry-oriented training.
