TMPE LESSON 4

• Enthusiasm - The most important characteristic of successful guides is the keen interest for the subject matter and the travelers. This enthusiasm will enable the guide to withstand mentally and physically exhausting experiences. Enthusiasm is usually accompanied by friendliness and generosity
• An outgoing and approachable nature - Since guides are in the business of meeting, welcoming and working for strangers, it is important that they be friendly, open in many types of situations and encourage others to do the same. 
• Self-confidence - Developing self-confidence in a career requires self- esteem combined with experience. Self-confidence enables guides to carry on their duties effectively, to put people at ease, and to help create enjoyable experiences. 
• A proactive nature - One of the signs of a leader is the belief to initiate change and the willingness to assume responsibility for initiating change. This belief is usually accompanied by a high sense of optimism.
• Sensitivity - The term sensitivity includes a wide range of human understanding. In addition to liking people, successful guides are compassionate, respectful, tactful, and observant. They are sensitive to the needs of tourists.
• Flexibility - This includes the ability to be adaptable and patient. Flexibility and patience are essential in the travel business where even the best planned itinerary may go wrong. 
• Authenticity - This characteristic means genuineness and honesty. Most tourists trust guides who are honest and sincere.
• A pleasant, professional appearance - First impressions are often lasting and are frequently based on one's physical appearance.
• Sense of humor - A good sense of humor can bring people closer together, put them at ease and help make travel enjoyable instead of stressful and unpleasant. Since most people like to laugh, they usually appreciate guides who have a sense of humor. 
• Knowledge - A well-rounded body of knowledge about different topics is very important. Since subject areas differ in every region, it is essential that guides investigate the local educational program of each region.
• Good communication skills - The most knowledgeable and sensitive person will not succeed as a guide without the ability to communicate well. Good communication skills include articulation, eye contact, gestures and a clear pleasant speaking voice.
• Organization - Time management and organization skills are very important skills. Among the tasks that a guide must perform every day are sticking to a schedule despite delays, meeting appointments, interacting with guests. Behind every tour is plenty of paperwork such as instructions, maps, appointment and confirmation letters, passenger information and bookkeeping tasks. 
• Decisiveness -  A guide must be able to make quick decisions. These decisions may be unpopular or costly. Frequently, a tour emergency may require quick, difficult decisions that involve spending the company's money or changing an itinerary. 
• Good health - Guiding is strenuous. It entails a good deal of walking, long and irregular hours, different diets and eating schedules; the stress of always being in the spotlight requires plenty of energy and flexibility.
• Personal integrity - A strong sense of ethics is essential to success. Guides have a moral responsibility to themselves, their employers, colleagues, travelers and even to their regions. 
• Charisma - Charisma is defined as "a personal magic of leadership arousing popular loyalty or enthusiasm." Charisma is the combination of the many traits that a guide should possess.  
• Moments of Truth - The success or failure in guiding as in any service industry depends on what is now commonly referred to as "___ ," a term coined by Jan Carlzon, president of Scandinavian Airlines (SAS)
• Enumerate the seven sins of services. - Treating customers with apathy, brushing customers off, being cold to customers, treating customers with condescension, working like a robot, getting hung up on the rule book, giving customers the run-around
• Treating customers with apathy — Travelers will forgive many shortcomings in a guide except apathy. Guides who are suffering from apathy or lack of enthusiasm should permanently look for other work. 
• Brushing customers off — A guide who gives the impression that he or she would rather be elsewhere turns away customers quickly.
• Being cold to customers — The failure of guides to be sincere and friendly and the lack of desire to share oneself with people express coldness toward the customer. 
• Treating customers with condescension - The attitude of treating customers as being on a lower level is a common complaint of visitors.
• Working like a robot - Over the years, guiding has attracted many robots. Many guides adapted the "I can do this with my eyes closed" attitude.
• Getting hung up on the rule book — Several service industry leaders propose that guides should refrain from saying "Sorry, our policy is …" if they are not convinced that deviating from the rule book is detrimental to any-one. Although many itineraries serve many purposes for both guide and traveler, they are seldom followed to the letter. 
• Giving customers "the run-around" - In cases where a task falls outside the guide's responsibility or expertise, his or her handling of the situation can make the difference between a visitor getting assistance or feeling as if he is getting the run-around.
• Students - As many sites and cities around the world provide ideal learning environments for children of all ages, the number of student trips is increasing

  considerably. Several schools incorporate a tour into their curricula and require that a guide be resourceful.
• Senior Citizens - Senior citizens are the favorite age group of guides. The perception of senior citizens as grumpy, and demanding is largely unjustified.  
• Working with “Difficult” People - Guides, like others who work with people, meet tourists who complain, those who are late, or those who dominate others. However, the incidence of difficult behavior is not very frequent. Poor behavior handled with compassion and reason can be converted to model behavior.
• Establishing Rapport and Cohesiveness -  Be prepared. A guide should have a mastery of his subject. Travelers will respect a guide who knows his subject very well. Adopt an attitude of friendliness and take responsibility for creating and maintaining harmony. Let visitors know that their enjoyment is of primary concern. Respect others and be a careful, concerned listener.
• Working Under Difficult Circumstances - The most difficult circumstances are those involving safety such as medical emergencies and motor coach breakdowns. However, most of the problems involve personalities.  
• Dealing with Habitually Late Passengers - are a common problem of tour guides: Late coming shows lack of courtesy, and when the schedules of several people are affected, there is an urgent need for guides to establish firm policies on punctuality.
• Dealing with Difficult Questions -

  In general, the more experienced a guide is, the more likely she is to welcome questions, especially challenging ones. The new tour guides often fear questions or are caught off guard by them.
• there are questions that are difficult for guides. These include:

  Questions for which a guide does not have an answer, Questions whose answers are controversial, Questions that are too personal.
• Enumerate the 16 Qualities of an ideal tour guide.

  Enthusiasm, an outgoing and approachable nature, self confidence, a proactive nature, sensitivity, flexibility, authenticity, a pleasant professional appearance, sense of humor, knowledge, good communication skills, organization, decisiveness, good health, personal integrity, charisma.
• developing global society, guides are required to conduct tours for people from other cultures. The following are the guidelines that may help those in the service industry develop a multi-cultural perspective:

  1. Learn about the people and culture of the world. Through the media, literature, school, and meeting neighbors and visitors from different countries, one can learn much about the values, habits, and preferences of others.

  Cross-Cultural Understanding