Asking for and Offering Help

 

Lesson Plans- Help                           

Lesson Plans- Advice          Activities          WorkSheets

 

As a member of the hotel industry you will inevitably find yourself in a situation that requires you
to offer help or assistance to a guest. This situation may present itself as an absolute necessity
or one of simply polite behavior. In either case, knowing what to say in those situations will hold
you in good stead with the guests. At times, you will be in situations that you will offer your help
and at other times you may be asked to respond to a guest that has requested help. Look at the
expressions below that cover both circumstances.

 

Expressions- Help

When offering help                                   When asking for help

Would you like some help?                           Could you give me a hand?

Can I give you a hand?                                 Would you mind helping me out?

Do you need any help?                                 Could you help me please?

May I offer my assistance?                           I need some assistance please.

Need any help?

 

Dialogue- Help

When offering help

Staff: Excuse me ma’am, Could I help you with your bags?
Guest: That would be great thanks.

Staff: Pardon me sir, but it likes like you could use some help with those packages.
Guest: I sure could, thanks.

When responding to help

Guest: Excuse me, but can you help me?
Staff: Of course ma’am, what can I do for you?
Guest: Someone just stole my purse off my shoulder outside the hotel.
Staff: Are you OK?
Guest: Yes, just shaken up a bit.
Staff: Why don’t you sit down here and I’ll call the police for you.
Guest: Thank you; I appreciate your help.

Guest: I don’t understand what the taxi driver is trying to say. Could you translate for me?
Staff: Of curse sir, I’d be delighted to help.

 

Conversation Activities- Help

1. Practice using the above expressions by having a dialogue similar to the ones above with a
      partner,  one partner taking the role of the guest and the other the role of the staff. For
     additional practice, switch roles. Practice the dialogue several times, trying to use all of
     the expressions noted above.

2. Role play the following situations with a partner, one person taking the role of the guest and
     the other the staff. Practice both offering help and responding to help. For added fun,
      really take on the role. Pretend to be in front of an ATM looking confused. pretend to be
      having difficulties moving luggage, pretend to be an elderly gentleman limping to the
      elevator.

Move luggage

Put a box in a trunk

Use an ATM

With a stolen purse

Carry a handful of shopping bags

Carry a baby and push a stroller at the same time (a mother)

Limping to the elevator (an elderly man)

 

Listed below are some common vocabulary words that hotel employees should know in order to
assist guests with any problems they may have.

 

Health problems              Emergency Services           Health Care Personnel

cold                                    ambulance                             doctor

flu                                       fire department                       nurse

headache                          police                                      dentist

stomachache                    hotel security                          optician

diarrhea                            clinic                                        pharmacist

toothache                         first aid