HospitalityEducators.com The #1 Independent Website for Hotel Owners & Managers

Posted on April 8, 2011 by John Hogan, HospitalityEducators.com and HoganHospitality.com WHAT'S THE PROBLEM^TM with hospitality training today? A question from HospitalityEducators.com

A survey from the American Society of Training and Development several years ago found four top attributes or qualifications employers stated they wanted their associates to have:

1. the ability to learn
2. the ability to listen and effectively communicate information
3. innovative problem-solving skills
4. the knowledge on how to get things done

While this was a survey subject to changes in values and perspectives, these four qualities certainly have substance in today' s hospitality world remain intact.

How do you as a manager match up to the list? What about the associates who report to you?

1. Does your hotel, restaurant, club, spa or store provide the incentive for learning?
2. Does your hospitality business develop active listening skills? How do you measure effective communication to guests? Among staff?
3. How do approach problems? While it is tactful to call problems "challenges", resolving situations to the delight of guests is a real issue.
4. As in innovative problem-solving, knowing "how" to address situations is essential. Does you staff know how to handle overbooked nights? Or unacceptable entrees? Or noise complaints? Or issues about pricing? The list can be long.

We can help.

WHAT'S THE PROBLEM^TM? @ www.HospitalityEducators.com is a new section addressing specific hospitality problems.  It launched in late March 2011 and features specific problems submitted by members and readers or identified from HospitalityEducators.com associates' consulting.  The problem will be stated in industry terms and there will be at least one potential solution discussed. WHAT'S THE PROBLEM^TM?  Is open to visitors and members.



The key to success here is training, associate engagement and management that cares enough to take the additional step to listen and learn on their own.  Annual membership to more than 500 best practices, forms, checklists and ideas on how to make your hotel more profitable is available on an annual basis for less than the cost of a postage stamp or a local phone call - about 35 cents per day!

 

Dr. John Hogan CHA CHE working with clients @ Fairmont Copley Plaza, Boston MA Dec 2010

Feel free to share an idea for a column at info@hoganhospitality.com anytime or contact me regarding consulting, customized workshops, speaking engagements ... And remember - we all need a regular dose of common sense.

John Hogan is a successful hospitality executive, educator, author and consultant and is a frequent keynote speaker and seminar leader at many hospitality industry events.  He is Co-Founder of a consortium (www.HospitalityEducators.com) of successful corporate and academic professionals delivering focused and affordable counsel in solving specific challenges facing hospitality today. www.HospitalityEducators.com is a membership site offering a wide range of information, forms, best practices and ideas designed to help individual hoteliers and hospitality businesses improve their market penetration, deliver service excellence and increase their profitability. Individuals wishing to contribute materials may send them Kathleen@HospitalityEducators.com. Special introductory pricing is in effect for a limited time that also includes a complimentary copy of LESSONS FROM THE FIELD- A COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO EFFECTIVE HOTEL SALES.

Dr. John Hogan, CHE CHA CMHS          United States - Phoenix, Phone: 602-799-5375
www.hoganhospitality.com/ Email: info@hoganhospitality.com.