Greet everyone with a smile. Be yourself. And, most importantly, remember the names of the guests.

According to Kendra Salmon, those are the three ingredients in her customer service pie.

“I always try to remember names. Remember when visitors come to our island, we say welcome home, and if this is their home, they expect us to know them. So it is very important to remember their names; it goes a far way,” Salmon said.

Salmon, a dining room hostess at Sandals Negril, has been dubbed “Miss TripAdvisor”, and for good reason too. There is hardly a guest who writes on the popular travel website without mentioning her.

The tiny-figured woman has copped the Legendary Award for most guest mentions four years in a row, since she started with the company in 2013.

Her approach to customer service has seen many guests making multiple trips to Jamaica.

“Guests go on TripAdvisor all the time to say that they’re definitely coming back to Sandals or to Jamaica because of me and how warm I was towards them. They do not just say it, they do it. That in itself is an awesome and an inspirational feeling,” Salmon shared.

In June Salmon received a rave reviews on TripAdvisor. One review that stood out was written by a gentleman who had seemingly scrutinised Salmon’s customer service ingredients, first-hand.

“One person that makes this resort a home is Kendra at Bayside (main restaurant). She is amazing with her smile, attitude and remembering everyone she greets. This is one employee they cannot afford to lose!” the reviewer said.

O’Brian Heron, hotel manager at Sandals Negril, is also aware of Salmon’s value not just to Sandals, but to Jamaica’s tourism product.

“The truth is, she has really become a household name and when you read a review from a guest who says they come to Jamaica because of her, then she ends up becoming a destination in and of herself,” he said.

“We cannot overlook the training she has received through the Sandals Corporate University (SCU) and the mentorship opportunities she has been exposed to working with professionals within the brand,” Heron added.

Salmon also said that she believes everyone in customer service must have something unique about them. For Salmon, a rippling, infectious giggle is her standout trait.

“That is what will make you memorable. I know I have a unique laugh that is very genuine and guests can spot that from a mile away. Even if they can’t remember my name, you’ll hear them saying ‘the host with the laugh’,” Salmon said jokingly.

“There was even a guest who had my laugh as her ring tone,” she added.

Salmon knows that customer service is not always easy because there is never really a break from interacting, but she has mastered the art.

“I have problems but people don’t know that. I leave that at the door when I’m coming in because I know the line of work that I am in. Still, anyone can seat a guest, but not everybody can do what I do. There can only be one Kendra,” she said.