Day 7: Welcome new guests and explain the next step

Decide who welcomes the guest

One person runs reception; the other plays a guest who does not know the location. Start where guests actually arrive and use the existing signs and records. The person at reception should not assume knowledge that a real guest would not yet have.

Agree on cover before starting: who welcomes arrivals if the usual person is discussing a payment or helping in the equipment store? “Someone from the team” may leave the next guest waiting. For this exercise, assign one person and an available backup.

Choose one simple arrival case

Use a fictional booking with a defined course, date and meeting point. Do not use real guest data. To demonstrate a digital process, use an approved test environment or a suitable preview. The exercise must not create a real booking, attendance record, payment or message.

The person playing the guest knows only what they would have received before arrival. They should not use their team knowledge to fill in where the changing room is or what “by the boards” means. If the available records do not let you check a step, record it as open.

Lead from the welcome to a clear next step

Welcome the guest and find their booking using the intended details. Check that the booked course matches the expected start. Discuss personal information and unpaid amounts individually, away from the waiting group.

Then ask what is still unclear about today's course start. Has the person understood the meeting point? Do they know what to prepare? A question shows you which information is missing; it does not mean you need to read the entire booking confirmation aloud.

Finish by naming the next action: where to go, who to meet and what to do beforehand. Show the place if a description alone is insufficient. Personal orientation does not replace the responsible instructor's course introduction or safety briefing.

Example: “Head down to the beach” leaves a gap

Fictional case: after registration, the team member says, “Head down to the beach; we'll be there shortly.” The guest leaves reception and stops at a fork in the path. They know neither the meeting point nor the person they should wait for.

The observed gap is more precise than “unclear welcome”: there is no recognisable waiting place between registration and the lesson. A possible correction is an agreed, signed meeting point that the receptionist shows the guest. In the real process, use your confirmed location and name who will collect them. Do not promise a time that the current plan does not confirm.

Ask the guest to explain their next step

After the rehearsal, ask: “What will you do now, and who will you contact with a question?” The person playing the guest answers without help. Listen before adding any missing details. This reveals what the explanation actually conveyed.

Record one specific observation and the intended change. Name the person responsible and a time to check it again. A booking that cannot be matched may need a different solution from a confusing sign. Act on the observed gap instead of distributing more information by default.

Add the correction to your reception checklist

The two-page German PDF “Gäste begrüßen und Kursstart erklären” provides one version with TIDEFORCE and another with your existing records. Request it using the email form at the end of this article and choose the relevant page. Add your school's actual details and open points. The PDF is in German.

Repeat the same arrival case. Can the person playing the guest now name and find the next step? If not, the gap stays open. A successful rehearsal confirms this exercise; it does not yet demonstrate shorter waiting times or greater guest satisfaction.

Today's result is an adjusted reception checklist, clear responsibility and a practical next step for new guests. The detailed personal welcome guide covers the whole first lesson day. For today, reliably closing one observed gap is enough.