Thanks or Thank You
August 31, 2010 12:58 PM Subscribe
I work the front desk at my parent's hotel and we are having a dispute regarding the language and wording of a sign that we have recently put up. Is there a better way to word the following sign: "Busy Helping Another Guest, Back in a Minute. Thanks." ?
I personally find the wording for this sign to be somewhat casual and informal. I think that there is a better way to word this, but my manager insists that the sign is perfectly acceptable. While I recognize that this hotel is in a small town and that the size of our hotel does not compare to larger 5 Star resorts [We have a 70 room property, no pool, no exercise room, a simple and clean hotel/inn.] I feel that this sign is too casual and should be worded more carefully.
Should the language of the sign be formalized in a way? Looking for your help word-smiths.
I personally find the wording for this sign to be somewhat casual and informal. I think that there is a better way to word this, but my manager insists that the sign is perfectly acceptable. While I recognize that this hotel is in a small town and that the size of our hotel does not compare to larger 5 Star resorts [We have a 70 room property, no pool, no exercise room, a simple and clean hotel/inn.] I feel that this sign is too casual and should be worded more carefully.
Should the language of the sign be formalized in a way? Looking for your help word-smiths.
This is not a sentence, because there is no noun doing the verb.
posted by pickypicky at 1:01 PM on August 31, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by pickypicky at 1:01 PM on August 31, 2010 [3 favorites]
Any customer who would be annoyed at this sign is going to be annoyed at something during a stay, whether it's that the air conditioner does not instantly cool the room, or the fact that this person cannot sleep with the curtains closed but does not wish to wake up when the sun comes up and just what are you going to do about it, hm?
Is it informal? Yep. Is it badly so? No.
posted by Etrigan at 1:03 PM on August 31, 2010 [2 favorites]
Is it informal? Yep. Is it badly so? No.
posted by Etrigan at 1:03 PM on August 31, 2010 [2 favorites]
I'd second roomthreeseventeen; that sounds perfect. I'd drop the excessive capitalisation, though; it's not really necessary.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 1:03 PM on August 31, 2010
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 1:03 PM on August 31, 2010
Just drop the "Busy" and I think the rest stands much better.
"Helping another guest, back in a minute. Thanks."
posted by hermitosis at 1:05 PM on August 31, 2010 [2 favorites]
"Helping another guest, back in a minute. Thanks."
posted by hermitosis at 1:05 PM on August 31, 2010 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Welcome! We are assisting another guest and will be with you as soon as possible.
posted by *s at 1:06 PM on August 31, 2010 [37 favorites]
posted by *s at 1:06 PM on August 31, 2010 [37 favorites]
I agree with you, that is a little too informal for my tastes. "Please be patient" is vaguely insulting too. I like the version of *s best. Would I really be annoyed by any of the other signs? No. But I think it's worth it to strive for the best hotel possible and send the right message. Details count.
posted by grouse at 1:07 PM on August 31, 2010 [5 favorites]
posted by grouse at 1:07 PM on August 31, 2010 [5 favorites]
I agree that "please be patient" sounds insulting.
posted by vincele at 1:09 PM on August 31, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by vincele at 1:09 PM on August 31, 2010 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: We dislike that we have to use a sign in the first place but this hotel is not so large that it requires two front desk clerks 24/7. And occasionally there are moments when we are called away to attend to a guest in a room or check on something throughout the hotel. So the sign is at least a way of letting the guest know that we are open and operating.
posted by Fizz at 1:10 PM on August 31, 2010
posted by Fizz at 1:10 PM on August 31, 2010
Beginning with the word "busy" is a little offputting. *s's suggestion sounds lovely to me.
posted by Miko at 1:14 PM on August 31, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by Miko at 1:14 PM on August 31, 2010 [2 favorites]
I like *s's version too, but might consider shortening "as soon as possible" to just "soon." Brevity is good in signage.
posted by dlugoczaj at 1:25 PM on August 31, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by dlugoczaj at 1:25 PM on August 31, 2010 [3 favorites]
Don't know how many foreigners you get at your hotel, but the current sign might be confusing to an non-English speaker. Using *s suggestion is grammatically correct and fits the bill perfectly.
I'm partial to the "as soon as possible" over "soon" as the former makes it sound more accommodating, that you're making more of an effort to get back to where you need to be.
posted by NoraCharles at 1:31 PM on August 31, 2010
I'm partial to the "as soon as possible" over "soon" as the former makes it sound more accommodating, that you're making more of an effort to get back to where you need to be.
posted by NoraCharles at 1:31 PM on August 31, 2010
If nobody is manning the desk when I want to check in the wording of a sign is not going to soften the blow.
posted by fire&wings at 1:42 PM on August 31, 2010
posted by fire&wings at 1:42 PM on August 31, 2010
Response by poster: If nobody is manning the desk when I want to check in the wording of a sign is not going to soften the blow.
It might not soften the blow but at least you'll know what's going on as opposed to an empty desk.
posted by Fizz at 1:49 PM on August 31, 2010 [2 favorites]
It might not soften the blow but at least you'll know what's going on as opposed to an empty desk.
posted by Fizz at 1:49 PM on August 31, 2010 [2 favorites]
Telling people to be patient is presumptuous. Something as simple as "Back in a minute" is fine. (I like *s's suggestion except that if it's someone already checked in trying to get help of check out, they might find the word "Welcome" a little strange. )
posted by BibiRose at 2:14 PM on August 31, 2010
posted by BibiRose at 2:14 PM on August 31, 2010
The important information is that you'll be back as soon as possible.
If I walk up to the desk and there's no one there, all I care about is that there will be someone there soon. I don't care where they are.
If I walk up and see the "Helping another guest, be back soon!" and a couple minutes later the clerk walks in from a smoke break, I'm annoyed by the white lie. You weren't off helping someone, you were smoking. [this has happened a few times with similar wording].
I'd just go with something like "Back in a minute" with no unneeded capitalization.
posted by chazlarson at 2:22 PM on August 31, 2010
If I walk up to the desk and there's no one there, all I care about is that there will be someone there soon. I don't care where they are.
If I walk up and see the "Helping another guest, be back soon!" and a couple minutes later the clerk walks in from a smoke break, I'm annoyed by the white lie. You weren't off helping someone, you were smoking. [this has happened a few times with similar wording].
I'd just go with something like "Back in a minute" with no unneeded capitalization.
posted by chazlarson at 2:22 PM on August 31, 2010
Should the language of the sign be formalized in a way?
I think this depends on the kind of customers you have. I like businesses that aren't too formal, so long as the employees are friendly and helpful. I recently stayed at a couple hotels here in Boston and preferred the shabbier one without bellhops or strict staff dress codes. But they also didn't nickel-and-dime me on Internet access and breakfast like the more professional place did (and even though the wi-fi didn't quite reach all the rooms, they were upfront about it).
So it may be that the sort of folks who'd frequent a small-town, family-owned hotel will see the wording of the sign as refreshingly straightforward, if they think about it all. But obviously I don't know your customers.
posted by serathen at 2:35 PM on August 31, 2010 [2 favorites]
I think this depends on the kind of customers you have. I like businesses that aren't too formal, so long as the employees are friendly and helpful. I recently stayed at a couple hotels here in Boston and preferred the shabbier one without bellhops or strict staff dress codes. But they also didn't nickel-and-dime me on Internet access and breakfast like the more professional place did (and even though the wi-fi didn't quite reach all the rooms, they were upfront about it).
So it may be that the sort of folks who'd frequent a small-town, family-owned hotel will see the wording of the sign as refreshingly straightforward, if they think about it all. But obviously I don't know your customers.
posted by serathen at 2:35 PM on August 31, 2010 [2 favorites]
So it may be that the sort of folks who'd frequent a small-town, family-owned hotel will see the wording of the sign as refreshingly straightforward...
I would tend to agree with this. I don't think aiming for formality is always desirable. In the case of a small hotel, people are often seeking a less stilted experience. Using slightly colder, "more careful" language (as the OP states), may not be the best idea in this case.
posted by thegreatfleecircus at 2:40 PM on August 31, 2010
I would tend to agree with this. I don't think aiming for formality is always desirable. In the case of a small hotel, people are often seeking a less stilted experience. Using slightly colder, "more careful" language (as the OP states), may not be the best idea in this case.
posted by thegreatfleecircus at 2:40 PM on August 31, 2010
This is not a sentence, because there is no noun doing the verb.
"Help!" is a sentence, and there's no noun there either. Why? It's implied automatically in the imperative. A subject is likewise implied in the sign; it's clear that the "subject" is the person who left the sign out. Probably half of all human conversation omits some "required" part of speech, and that's the problem with the sign. It's a little too conversational / folksy for some. I think the original wording of the sign is a little too informal for a service the person waiting will pay good money to enjoy (the comfort and service of a good hotel). It's not a bait shop or even a rural bed and breakfast, so yes, the sign should be a little more formal.
posted by Dee Xtrovert at 3:50 PM on August 31, 2010
"Help!" is a sentence, and there's no noun there either. Why? It's implied automatically in the imperative. A subject is likewise implied in the sign; it's clear that the "subject" is the person who left the sign out. Probably half of all human conversation omits some "required" part of speech, and that's the problem with the sign. It's a little too conversational / folksy for some. I think the original wording of the sign is a little too informal for a service the person waiting will pay good money to enjoy (the comfort and service of a good hotel). It's not a bait shop or even a rural bed and breakfast, so yes, the sign should be a little more formal.
posted by Dee Xtrovert at 3:50 PM on August 31, 2010
I don't like the wording that you're helping another guest, because that sort of implies that this other guest is more important than the one reading the sign. Can you simply put something like, "We will be back to assist you as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience. - The Management"?
posted by Addlepated at 3:56 PM on August 31, 2010
posted by Addlepated at 3:56 PM on August 31, 2010
I would add to *s's: "Help yourself to coffee while you wait"
posted by megatherium at 5:05 PM on August 31, 2010
posted by megatherium at 5:05 PM on August 31, 2010
One thing people find off-putting about your current sign, but are perhaps unable to put their finger on, is that it's essentially worded in the passive tense. You've probably heard from some Grammar Nazi "never use passive tense; always active!" This is what it means.
Active tense: I took your pen.
Passive tense: Your pen was taken.
Don't you just want to smack the passive tense right in its smug, weaselly mouth? Exactly.
This is part of why *s' version is so much better. It says "we are."
It's also better because it starts off with a happy greeting. Welcome! Instead of "Busy," which sounds a little surly and passive-aggressive.
posted by ErikaB at 5:06 PM on August 31, 2010 [2 favorites]
Active tense: I took your pen.
Passive tense: Your pen was taken.
Don't you just want to smack the passive tense right in its smug, weaselly mouth? Exactly.
This is part of why *s' version is so much better. It says "we are."
It's also better because it starts off with a happy greeting. Welcome! Instead of "Busy," which sounds a little surly and passive-aggressive.
posted by ErikaB at 5:06 PM on August 31, 2010 [2 favorites]
if it's someone already checked in trying to get help of check out, they might find the word "Welcome" a little strange.
In that case, it means welcome to the desk, not the hotel.
posted by grouse at 5:45 PM on August 31, 2010
In that case, it means welcome to the desk, not the hotel.
posted by grouse at 5:45 PM on August 31, 2010
Best answer: The wording we have at the Hampton front desk says, "We have stepped away from the desk to assist a guest and will return shortly. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. Thank you for your patience." I've never had any complaints about the sign, and working 2nd shift and the weekends, I use it frequently when I have to step away from the desk for any extended period of time.
posted by ThaBombShelterSmith at 7:20 PM on August 31, 2010
posted by ThaBombShelterSmith at 7:20 PM on August 31, 2010
One thing people find off-putting about your current sign, but are perhaps unable to put their finger on, is that it's essentially worded in the passive tense.
Except that it's not. The passive voice (not tense) version of the OP's original suggestion would be something like "Another guest is being helped". The agent of the action (the subject) is being omitted, though, which I agree with Dee Xtrovert makes it sound a bit too informal than necessary.
posted by Bukvoed at 4:46 PM on September 1, 2010
Except that it's not. The passive voice (not tense) version of the OP's original suggestion would be something like "Another guest is being helped". The agent of the action (the subject) is being omitted, though, which I agree with Dee Xtrovert makes it sound a bit too informal than necessary.
posted by Bukvoed at 4:46 PM on September 1, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 1:00 PM on August 31, 2010 [11 favorites]