Attending to foreigners for a fulfilling visit to Japan! How to realize smooth attendance

The writer, a former hotelier who has attended to many foreign guests, will explain in detail, so you don’t have to worry.

Let’s use it as a reference when attending foreigners and make them like Japan!

What is a satisfactory attendant for foreign visitors to Japan?

In order to satisfy foreigners who come to Japan, it is necessary to give sufficient consideration to the people who will be attending to them and their guides. How can we satisfy them?

First of all, attending refers to “taking care of and entertaining”. Typical examples include transportation to and from airports and party venues, and accompanying guests to restaurants.
In taking care of and entertaining foreign visitors to Japan, it is important to understand their needs and have a heart-to-heart conversation with them in order to satisfy them.

By thinking and sensing what they want, we can satisfy our customers.

For example, if the destination is close but you have a lot of luggage, you may want to arrange a cab instead of a train.
Also, if they look hot, handing them water or offering them a fan will make them feel like an attendant who is showing hospitality.

By watching their behavior and inferring what they are doing, you will be able to attend to them more satisfactorily.

He responded in an interview about the importance of being perceptive and acting accordingly. Please also refer to this article.

Why Smooth Attendance Increases Satisfaction with Your Visit to Japan

If the attendance can be smooth, satisfaction with the visit to Japan will increase dramatically.

From here, we will focus on smooth attendance and explain why it increases satisfaction.

Resolving Language Issues

The most important role of the person attending is to resolve language problems. If there is no interpreter available, it is a good idea to help resolve language problems by conveying Japanese to the person in question or summarizing the words you wish to convey.

Language problems can be a source of stress when going abroad. It will be frustrating to not be able to communicate easily.

Solving the language problem will make the visit to Japan more fulfilling.

Resolving questions

Attendees should also focus on helping foreigners with their questions.

When they first arrive in Japan, foreigners have many questions. For example, they may wonder about how to pray at shrines or the meaning of monetary offerings.

Incidentally, offering money is an act of making an offering as gratitude to the gods who watch over us on a daily basis.

By keeping this knowledge in mind, you will be able to answer the questions smoothly and foreigners will be able to visit the temple with satisfaction. If you don’t understand something, you will also need to be flexible and look it up on your smartphone right away.

Resolving foreigners’ questions is important to increase their satisfaction with their visit.

Deep understanding of Japanese culture

If you experience Japanese culture during your stay, you will have a deeper understanding of Japanese culture if your attendants are knowledgeable about it.

For example, when experiencing kabuki, Noh theater, flower arrangement, or tea ceremony, foreigners ask, “Why do they do these things?” Many people think, “Why do they do this?

Why is it called Kabuki?
What is the meaning of Noh masks?

Even basic things that Japanese people would go through are often strange to foreigners experiencing them for the first time.

Being able to answer these questions easily will enable you to fulfill your role as an attendant and lead to greater satisfaction. Researching the content of the experience in advance will help ensure smooth attendance.

Skills required for foreign attendants

What are some of the skills needed to attend to foreigners?

Specifically, English conversation and basic communication skills are all that is required. We will discuss the two in detail here.

English conversation

It is a good idea for foreign attendants to have a basic understanding of English conversation. English conversation is not difficult; it is sufficient to be able to greet and explain things, and it is not necessary to understand difficult grammar.

It does not matter if you can have a daily conversation with the attending foreigner. For example, when asked if it will be sunny today, you can say, “It will rain from the evening. It will rain from the evening.

A simple conversational level of English is sufficient for attending.

What skills does a guide need? Please also refer to this article.

communication skills

Communication skills are another skill needed to attend to foreigners. As with English conversation, advanced skills are not necessary.

Japanese people are said to be high context, and tend to seek understanding not through words, but through changes in facial expressions, tone of voice, and body movements.

However, foreigners have a culture of communicating in a low-context manner, or using words, which is the exact opposite of the Japanese culture.

For low-context foreigners, it is a good idea to develop verbal communication skills.

Please refer to this article for more information on these differences and how manners differ from the rest of the world.

How to Attend to Foreigners by Scene

What are the specific situations in which you will be attending to foreigners? To make a foreigner’s visit to Japan comfortable and smooth, it is important to imagine the situation and prepare for it ahead of time.

This section describes specific ways to attend to each situation.

Airport pickup

Transportation to and from the airport, where the foreigner first lands, is one of the major roles of the person attending.

Drive to the airport and drop them off at their destination.

If you ask in advance how many people and how much luggage you will need, you can imagine if you will be able to get through the car.

It is also important not to be late for the meeting by asking for the flight number and calculating the arrival time backwards.

When you arrive, let them know by e-mail that you will be waiting for them in the arrival lobby. They will be able to confirm that you are waiting for them at the immigration checkpoint, etc., so you can meet them smoothly.

You may be nervous at first, but don’t worry, you will open up as we talk. Don’t worry, we will drive you safely to your destination.

Support for domestic tourism

When a foreigner asks to visit Japan, it is the role of the person attending to assist him or her.

For example, if they say they want to go to Senso-ji Temple, arrange for a car or give them directions on how to get there by train. Also, if you tell them even one of the highlights of the temple, it will be a step further into sightseeing.

As an example, tell them about the culture of bathing in smoke at the Sensoji temple and other temples and shrines. If you tell them that there is a legend that if you bathe in the smoke from a jokoro (evergreen incense burner), your body will improve, you will be able to experience and enjoy one of the interesting cultures.

Supporting this kind of sightseeing and introducing the sights is one of the ways to be an attendant.

MICE Support

One of the reasons why foreigners visit Japan is to attend MICE events, a term coined by combining the initial letters of Meeting, Incentive Travel, Convention, and Exhibition/Event. The term “convention” is a combination of the initial letters of Meeting, Incentive Travel, Convention and Exhibition/Event.

For example, if you are attending an international conference or event, you will need transportation to and from the venue. Let them know not only how to get there, but also how long it will take to get there.

In the case of a conference or study tour, an explanation of its purpose and transportation is also required.

The role of the attendants in ensuring that these events proceed without delay is extremely important, and advance preparations must be made without fail.

Preparation and overall understanding

Attendees must also be prepared in advance and know the big picture.

First, let’s get the big picture, the big picture.

Purpose
Number of days of stay
Place of stay
Meetings to attend
Experience
Free time
We will keep track of these to give you an overall picture of your stay.

Then, the attendants should think about and arrange what they need to do for each appointment, and proceed with the preparations. The main things that need to be prepared are

Arrangement of cab
Knowledge of tourist attractions
Assessing traffic conditions
Check the weather forecast

For example, if you are attending a meeting in Tokyo at 9:00, arrange a cab at 8:00. In this way, you can work backward from your schedule and write down what you need to do.

Depending on the person, meals may be delivered to the hotel or time may be set aside for shopping.

By preparing without omission, you will be able to attend to your guests smoothly and make them satisfied with their visit to Japan.

Summary

This article has explained how to attend to foreigners and their role in satisfying their visit to Japan.

If you have the spirit of hospitality that Japanese people value, foreigners will be satisfied with your visit. Just communicate with them, treat them without hesitation, and be prepared.

If you feel that coordinating and customizing your tour is too tedious and time-consuming, please contact Motenas Japan.

We offer a comprehensive range of tour planning and cultural experiences to meet your needs. Please feel free to contact us from here.