THUONGMAI UNIVERSITY
ENGLISH FACULTY
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GRADUATION PAPER

A STUDY ON THE DIFFICULTIES FACED BY THE FRONT
OFFICE STAFF AT SUPER HOTEL HANOI OLD QUARTER IN
COMMUNICATING IN ENGLISH AND SOME
RECOMMENDED SOLUTIONS
Supervisor: Mrs. Tran Thi Bich Lan
Student: Duong Thu Nga
Class: K50N2
Student’s number: 14D170105

Hanoi - 2018

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HÀ NỘI - 2016
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
My research has been completed with the support of a great number of
people.
First and foremost, I would like to express my deepest gratitude and
appreciation to my supervisor at Thuongmai University, Mrs. Tran Thi Bich Lan
(Head of Department) for her acceptance to be my supervisor, and for providing me
with insightful and valuable comments throughout my research. She has always
been there whenever I needed her help and support.
My sincere thanks also go to all those who contributed, directly or indirectly,
to this research. Particularly, I am thankful to the Front Office Staff of Super Hotel

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with guests in English
Chart 2: question 3’s answer
Chart 3: question 5’s aswer
Chart 4: Problems of Japanese speaking in English
Chart 5:the most difficult communicating tool
Table 1: question 1’s answer
Table 2:Different between Br.E and Am.E
Table 3:The biggest barrier prevents you from a successful

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25
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communication with them
Table 4: Problems of Japanese speaking in English

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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
Abbreviation
Br.E
Am.E

Meaning

2.7. Barriers to effective communication.................................................................15
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH FINDINGS..............................................................18
3.1. Communication environment...........................................................................18
3.2. Survey............................................................................................................... 18
CHAPTER 4: RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS........................32

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4.1. Get acquainted with the many intonations of multipal English speakers around
the world.................................................................................................................. 32
4.2 Recognizing the special things of Japanese when they speaking English.........32
4.3 Improving the technical terms related to hospitality..........................................32
4.4 Improving your pronunciation..........................................................................32
4.5 Using body language if necessary.....................................................................33
CONCLUSION......................................................................................................34
REFERENCE

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CHAPTER 1
OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY
1.1. Rationale
There is an undeniable fact that today communication skill and especially
communication in English plays a very important role in the development of human
society. Over the millions of years of evolution, there are a myriad of forms of
communication: from simple images, characters, howls of human ancestors, to this
day, the human language of communication really boom under a myriad of different
forms, different languages. It is estimated that there are around 5000 languages in

English, who do you think will be the potential employee? I believe you have your
own answer. Being a hotel receptionist means you have to face countless difficult
situations when dealing with problems. there is a lot of experience in the profession
but English communication with guests is not always convenient, especially in
hotels where the majority of customers are not native English speakers.
In this research I want to address two issues. The first is the role of English
communication in life and general areas. The second is a research study on
difficulties in English communication of the receptionists at the Hanoi Old Quarter
Hotel in Japanese’s Super Hotel Japan chain. It analyzes the difficulties and
develops research solutions to address the difficulties encountered and to help
facilitate communication.
During my work here I found many difficulties that receptionists encounter
when communicating in English with customers who are mostly non-English
speaking people from such countries as France, Italy, India, Japan and especially the
majority of Japanese guests. That is why I decided to choose the subject of my
study as "A study on the difficulties faced by the Front Office Staff at the Hanoi Old
Quarter Hotel in communicating in English and some recommended solutions"
1.2. Previous studies
Studies on communication
Communication is considered as a natural process. In daily life, communication
brings people together. In business, well communication is a key leading to success.
In a global environment, communication is a very useful tool to develop diplomatic
relations among countries.


• In “Origins of Human Communication” of Michael Tomasello, this is also
mentioned: ” Human communication is grounded in fundamentally cooperative,
even shared, intentions. In this original and provocative account of the evolutionary
origins of human communication, Michael Tomasello connects the fundamentally
cooperative structure of human communication (initially discovered by Paul Grice)

Hanoi Old Quarter.
• Interviewing and conducting the survey questionaires to the Front Office
Staff at Super Hotel Hanoi Old Quarter with a view to finding out their attitudes
toward the matter and the difficulities they met when communicating in English
with customers.
• Conducting the survey questionaires for customers who are not native
speakers with a view to finding out their opinions about some barriers when
communicating in English with the Front Office Staff.
1.7. Organization of the study
A table of contents with page numbers in which they are presented will help
readers have a clear overview of the research proposal. It also helps the readers find
the part they need more easily and quickly.The study is divided into four chapters:
• Chapter 1: The overview of the study including rationale, previous studies, aims of
the study, research subjects, scope, research methodology, and the organization of
the study.
• Chapter 2: All the theories related to the study are presented. This chapter provides
the readers with the overview of communicating knowldedge and English
communication.
• Chapter 3: This presents the results of the survey questionaires for the Front Office
Staff and customers when they communicate in English with each other. More
specifically, this chapter is consisted of analysis of the findings obtained from the
survey questionaires and evaluation from Front Office Staff and customers.
• Chapter 4: The last chapter focuses on the recommnended solutions for the Front
Office Staff to improve their English communication.


CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1. What is communication.?
According to Oxford Dictionaries, communication is the imparting or

Our communication starts at a very young age. As a baby we use signs to
communicate. As we grow, we start talking and learning things. This is how we
learn to communicate and work on our skills to make a strong impression on other
people. There is no denial to the fact that communication is a very necessary skill
and you need it in every walk of life.
If your communication is not good, you may have to face a lot of problems
and come across several hurdles in your career as well. Effective communication is
the essence of life and its need increases day by day. Both written and verbal
communication has to be powerful so that you can move ahead in life. You need to
understand the importance of communication and its impact on life.
Why is communication necessary?
Communication is not only essential but also enables you to get the trust of
the people and at the same time bring better opportunities to you. The benefits of
communication are as follows:
Helps to build relationships – No matter whether you are studying or
working, communication can help you to build a relationship with other people. If
you are studying you communicate with your classmates and teachers to make a
relationship with them. Similarly in offices and organizations, you build
relationships with the staff, your boss and other people around. The main motive of
communication is to create a friendly environment and share your thoughts and
feeling with one another. This is possible only through communication and that is
why it is essential.
Improve the working environment – There is a number of issues which can
be solved through the right and effective communication. Managers and high
authorities in the office communicate with one another to put an end to the
problems and ensure the smooth running of the company. Even planning requires
communication both written as well as verbal. It is necessary to be good in them so
as to fill in the communication gap.
Foster strong team– Communication helps to create a strong team
environment in the office and other places. Any work which needs to be done in a

used:
Under this category, there are:
• Verbal Communication
• Nonverbal Communication


2.3.1.1. Verbal Communication
Verbal communication refers to the

form of communication in which

message is transmitted verbally; communication is done by word of mouth and a
piece of writing.
Verbal communication is further divided into:
• Oral Communication
• Written Communication
2.3.1.1.1. Oral Communication
In oral communication, spoken words are used. It includes face-to-face,
speech, telephone, video, radio, television, voice over the internet conversations.
In oral communication, communication is influenced by pitch, volume, speed and
clarity of speaking.
Advantages of oral communication are:
It brings quick feedback.
In a face-to-face conversation, by reading facial expression and body
language one can guess whether he/she should trust what’s being said or not.
Disadvantage of oral communication
In a face-to-face discussion, user is unable to deeply think about what he is
delivering, so this can be counted as a
2.3.1.1.2. Written Communication
In written communication, written signs or symbols are used to

received. Often, nonverbal signals reflect the situation more accurately than verbal
messages. Sometimes nonverbal response contradicts verbal
communication and hence affects the effectiveness of messages.
Nonverbal communication has the following three elements:
Appearance
Speaker: clothing, hairstyle, neatness, use of cosmetics
Surroundings: room size, lighting, decorations, furnishings
Body Language
facial expressions, gestures, postures
Sounds
Voice Tone, Volume, Speech rate


Types of Communication Based on Purpose and Style
2.3.2 Types of communication based on style and purpose
Based on style and purpose, there are two main categories of communication
and they both bear their own characteristics. Communication types based on
style and purpose are:
• Formal Communication
• Informal Communication
2.3.2.1. Formal Communication
In formal communication, certain rules, conventions and principles are
followed while communicating a message. Formal communication occurs in
formal and official style. Usually professional settings, corporate meetings,
conferences undergo in formal patterns.
In formal communication, use of slang and foul language is avoided and
correct pronunciation is required. Authority lines are needed to be followed in
formal communication.
2.3.2.2. Informal Communication
Informal communication is done using channels that are in contrast with



communication in more detail than others, but even the most complex model still
doesn’t recreate what we experience in even a moment of a communication
encounter. Models still serve a valuable purpose for students of communication
because they allow us to see specific concepts and steps within the process of
communication, define communication, and apply communication concepts. When
you become aware of how communication functions, you can think more
deliberately through your communication encounters, which can help you better
prepare for future communication and learn from your previous communication.
The three models of communication we will discuss are the transmission,
interaction, and transaction models.
Although these models of communication differ, they contain some common
elements. The first two models we will discuss, the transmission model and the
interaction model, include the following parts: participants, messages, encoding,
decoding, and channels. In communication models, the participants are the senders
and/or receivers of messages in a communication encounter. The message is the
verbal or nonverbal content being conveyed from sender to receiver. For example,
when you say “Hello!” to your friend, you are sending a message of greeting that
will be received by your friend.
Although models of communication provide a useful blueprint to see how the
communication process works, they are not complex enough to capture what
communication is like as it is experienced.
The internal cognitive process that allows participants to send, receive, and
understand messages is the encoding and decoding process. Encoding is the process
of turning thoughts into communication. As we will learn later, the level of
conscious thought that goes into encoding messages varies. Decoding is the process
of turning communication into thoughts. For example, you may realize you’re
hungry and encode the following message to send to your roommate: “I’m hungry.
Do you want to get pizza tonight?” As your roommate receives the message, he

2.5. Importance of English communication skills
English has become a world-wide language, with numerous countries
adopting it as an official language. As of 2010, 359 million people spoke English as
their first language. English is probably the third largest language by number of


native speakers. However, when combining native and non-native speakers it is
probably the most commonly spoken language in the world.
English is spoken by communities on every continent and on oceanic islands
in all the major oceans. English is the dominant international language in science,
business, aviation, entertainment, and diplomacy, and also on the Internet. In most
fields of work your ability to speak English can help you advance your career;
helping you get the job you want and earn more money. No matter what your area
of expertise, skill in English will contribute substantially to your success. Speaking
and understanding English will allow a person to communicate with each other,
besides this it offers you more chances of doing professional jobs not in your own
country but around the world.
Increase your chances to get hired by Learning Spoken English.
Generally, people who learn good English can simply obtain best and reputed
jobs in Tour and travel, international business and other transactions. This makes
our future bright. Yet outside of professional environment people also like to talk
with each other in English individually as it reflects our traits. There are a variety of
ways to learn English. Schools and books dedicated to the language are common
throughout the world. English classes and textbooks will help you learn vocabulary
and basic grammar principles, but their use is limited. If you want to become truly
proficient at speaking and understanding English, you have to practice with native
English-speakers. Unfortunately, such opportunities can be hard to find. Not
everyone has the chance to study abroad in the US, UK, or other English-speaking
nations.
Many people see the ability to communicate and talk with others as one of

the

native

tongue.

Learning English language takes time and dedication. Speaking effective English is
possible if you are determined.
2.6. Importance of English communication skills in hospitality career
Although the hospitality industry includes many different careers and there
are various opportunities for progression and promotion, these are often out of reach
unless a person is a proficient and confident user of the English language. Being
able to effectively communicate using English is important no matter where in the
world you live, work or travel. Certainly, being able to successfully communicate in
English is imperative when working in every country.
With the trend of the world today, English has become a global language and
is widely used in all spheres of life. So in the field of hospitality, what role does
English play?
Knowing English not only helps receptionists in hotels handle the work
better but also opens the door to career advancement. If you still have concerns
about the importance of English to receptionists, let me help you. (văn fong
informal ko fu hợp)
Receptionists are often in direct contact with customers so they are
considered important factors affecting the brand image of the hotel. Leading to the
trend of development of the service - tourism industry, the hotel of our country
increasingly welcomes more international customers. Therefore, it is not only
professional skills, but the reception is also good at foreign languages, especially
English to serve customers. These are some main reasons:



The skills of Active Listening, Clarification and Reflection may help but the
skilled communicator also needs to be aware of the barriers to effective
communication and how to avoid or overcome them.
There are many barriers to communication and these may occur at any stage
in the communication process. Barriers may lead to your message becoming
distorted and you therefore risk wasting both time and/or money by causing
confusion and misunderstanding.
Effective communication involves overcoming these barriers and conveying
a clear and concise message.
Common Barriers to Effective Communication:
• The use of jargon. Over-complicated, unfamiliar and/or technical terms.
• Emotional barriers and taboos. Some people may find it difficult to express their
emotions and some topics may be completely 'off-limits' or taboo. Taboo or difficult
topics may include, but are not limited to, politics, religion, disabilities (mental and
physical), sexuality and sex, racism and any opinion that may be seen as unpopular.
• Lack of attention, interest, distractions, or irrelevance to the receiver.
• Differences in perception and viewpoint.
• Physical disabilities such as hearing problems or speech difficulties.
• Physical barriers to non-verbal communication. Not being able to see the nonverbal cues, gestures, posture and general body language can make communication
less effective. Phone calls, text messages and other communication methods that
rely on technology are often less effective than face-to-face communication.
• Language differences and the difficulty in understanding unfamiliar accents.
• Expectations and prejudices which may lead to false assumptions or stereotyping.
People often hear what they expect to hear rather than what is actually said and
jump to incorrect conclusions.
• Cultural differences. The norms of social interaction vary greatly in different
cultures, as do the way in which emotions are expressed. For example, the concept
of personal space varies between cultures and between different social settings.
Besides, there are some other barries when communicating


10. Assumptions and Jumping to Conclusions: This can make someone reach a
decision about something before listening to all the facts.


CHAPTER 3
RESEARCH FINDINGS
After introducing common theories of normal communication and English
communication, I would like to apply those theories to study in a particular aspect:
the receptionist's English communication at the hotel Super Hotel Hanoi (Japan's
Super Hotel Japan chain).
3.1. Communication environment
Same with other international branded hotels, English communication in this
hotel takes place anytime, anywhere. Every day Super Hotel welcomes hundreds of
customers from all over the world and of course English is a powerful tool to
connect customers with hotel staff and services of the hotel. This requires the
receptionist to have good communication skills in order to best serve the customer.
However, communication with customers is not always successful and
effective. Just as barriers to communication are commonplace, the receptionist's
English communication also has similar difficulties and barriers.
To find the difficulties faced by the receptionist, I conducted a survey of the
difficulties encountered by receptionists in communicating with customers from
countries including Japanese (Japanese customers occupy the majority of the hotel)
3.2. Survey
This is the survey for the Front Office Staff and customers when they
communicating in English with clients. This chapter refers to analysis and the
findings obtained from the survey questionaires and evaluation from Front Office
Staff and customers to find out the necessary information and the discussion of the
findings from the survey.
The questionnaire was designed in English for 20 receptionists. The
researcher explained clearly the purposes of administering the questionnaire which

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5. Do you think Super Hotel’s Japanese guests communicate well in English?
A. Yes
B. No
6. What are the problems of their English skills?
A. Pronunciation
C. Restriction in Japanese consonants and vowels

B. Speed of speaking
D. Others reasons

7. Which is the most difficult communicating channels are you using?
A. Email
B. Telephone C. Talking face to face
D. Another
8. Please suggest somes methods to solve the problems when communicating with
guests in English
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