| by Doug Kennedy, July 2007
Being in the business of providing outside training support for hotels
representing all market segments, I never cease to be amazed by numerous
reasons hotel managers give for not being able to schedule training �just
yet.�
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�We first need to get the right manager in place to lead the staff.�
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�Once we install our new �system� then we�ll have more time for training.
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�It�s just too busy now � we can�t spare the staff.�
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�It�s just too slow now � we have to cut budgets.�
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�We�d do the training now, but we�ve just had too much turnover lately.�
Interestingly, I�ve casually observed that the hotels and hotel companies
that already have the best sales and service training in place always seem
to make the time to schedule even more, despite that they also seem to
be the busiest! Interestingly also that training itself can be the
solution for many of the objections above.
For example, one reason the hotel might be �too slow right now to schedule
anything� is that the staff isn�t properly trained in sales. Similarly,
the excuse of �too much turnover� is actually made worse because employees
leave because they don�t feel they are being properly trained, as many
state in their exit interviews.
The reality is that seeking the right time to schedule training is kind
of like seeking happiness: Don�t wait for some major milestone or
life event to make you happy and instead take control of your own destiny.
When it comes to both scheduling training and finding happiness, there�s
no better time to start than right here, right now!
Alternatively, here are some very good reasons to schedule your next
training class immediately:
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Your hotel is only as good as the impression of the last guest who checked-out
today, the last person who called the switchboard, and the last patron
who dined in your restaurant. For that matter, your now-profitable
hotel is only as viable as its last accounting period.
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Due to our naturally curious human nature, everyone thrives when they are
learning, and an environment of ongoing training and development helps
reduce turnover and ensure standards long-term.
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Indeed, at its core creating hospitality is an incredibly simple process,
and yet also so incredibly hard to do well consistently.
Rather than waiting to find that �legendary� training program event that
will create an epiphany for your staff, make it a top priority everyday
to make sure everyone on your team conducts training everywhere and every
time they can. Here are some suggestions for making training
happen on your very next shift:
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Conduct �Grab n Go� training on the fly. Everyone knows that business
cycle in the hotel business creates significant bottlenecks where everything
happens at once, and thus simultaneously also creates times during which
absolutely nothing is happening at all, albeit only for a brief interval.
Whenever 15 or more minutes present themselves, grab every available employee
who is open and conduct training activities and/or exercises.
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Coach on the job, every day. Use down-time between guest transactions
to reinforce what was done well, and to remind them what could have been
done more effectively.
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Clip and distribute articles from online and print trade magazines to your
team on a regular (weekly) basis. Discuss their impressions and how
the topic can apply at your hotel and lessons learned during �Grab n Go�
training.
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During slow periods, connect a tape recorder to a telephone handset adapter
and have managers (who are coached in advance to sound like a realistic
customer) place calls to frontline staff. The recordings can then
be critiqued and discussed during �Grab n Go� training.
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Similarly, use the camera movie feature of the hotel�s digital camera,
or purchase an inexpensive camcorder. Then during down-time you can conduct
role/play skill rehearsal activities in the workplace, videotape them and
then critique them in small groups during �Grab n Go� training.
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Reinforce core themes of traditional training workshops with workplace
displays, posters, and job aids that provide reminders in the workplace.
Print this article, head to the photocopier and get your hotel staff on
the continuous journey to hospitality excellence right here, right now!
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Doug Kennedy, President of
the Kennedy Training Network, has been a fixture on the hospitality and
tourism industry conference circuit since 1989, having presented over 1,000
conference keynote sessions, educational break-out seminars, or customized,
on-premise training workshops for diverse audiences representing every
segment of the lodging industry. Ee-mail Doug at: [email protected] |
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