Our Concierge

It’s something I’ve thought about quite a bit over the years. We put a lot of emphasis on training in the hospitality industry and rightly so. Classroom learning plays an important role. It introduces concepts, sets standards, and gives people a foundation to build on.

But there’s a gap that often only reveals itself once someone steps onto the floor for the first time.

I remember a learner who stood out from day one. Always prepared, top of the class, understood every concept we covered. If you had to pick who was “most ready”, it would have been her.

The thing is, she didn’t fail because she didn’t know what good service looked like. She failed because she’d never had to deliver good service under pressure, in real time, with an angry guest standing in front of her.

Bridging the gap

This is where learnerships come into their own.

There’s sometimes a hesitation when employers hear the word “learnership”. It can carry the perception of being slow or overly academic. Some employers brush it off as “a government thing”. In practice, I can’t rave about it enough.

MARK HIBBERD

A well-run learnership combines structured learning with real workplace exposure. Learners are not just sitting in a classroom… they are on the floor, applying what they’ve learned, dealing with real guests, and building the kind of confidence that only comes through experience.

They learn how to handle pressure. How to recover when things go wrong. How to stay professional when the situation isn’t ideal. Those are not theoretical skills. They are operational ones.

What this means for the hospitality industry

If we want to raise service standards across the hospitality sector, we need to prepare people for the realities of the role, not just the theory behind it. That means giving them the opportunity to experience the pace, the unpredictability, and the expectations of the job with the right support and structure in place to guide them when things go wrong.

Because that’s where real capability is built. Yes, of course, classroom learning lays the foundation. But the on-floor experience that is layered on top of that learning – when in an accredited learnership program – is absolutely invaluable.

Explore our accredited in-house learnerships now. Begin the journey towards establishing learnerships at your establishment.

There’s a noticeable shift happening in tourism at the moment. Airports are busier, hotels are filling up, and there’s a sense that the industry is finding its feet again. That’s encouraging.

But I recently read an article warning that South Africa’s hospitality recovery is at risk, and it made me think. Because while demand is returning, it doesn’t necessarily mean we are ready to deliver on it consistently.

Find the cracks – that’s where the risk is

In hospitality, the cracks don’t always show up in obvious ways. They come through in small moments like a check-in that feels slightly rushed. Service that varies depending on who is on shift. A lack of attention to detail that you can’t quite put your finger on, but you feel it as a guest. Individually, they seem minor. Collectively, they shape the guest experience.

And that’s where the real risk lies.

This industry runs on people. Every experience is delivered by someone on the floor. When teams are underprepared or stretched, it becomes very difficult to maintain consistent standards, especially as pressure builds.

There’s often an assumption that experience alone will carry people through. In reality, hospitality requires a level of consistency and professionalism that is much easier to build through structured, formal training.”

MARK HIBBERD

We see it regularly with young learners entering the industry. With the right framework in place, confidence grows, standards improve, and performance becomes more consistent. That shift has a direct impact on the guest experience.

South Africa has a strong tourism offering, and the demand is there. What happens next depends on how well we convert that demand into consistently good experiences.

The industry is moving again. The question is whether we are building the capability to move with it.

Explore our accredited in-house learnerships now. Begin the journey towards establishing learnerships at your establishment.

This past week, 282 of our learners stepped onto one of the biggest stages of their young careers: the G20 Social Summit hosted at the Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre. And we are proud to say that they absolutely rose to the occasion.

For three demanding, high-pressure days, they attended to more than 5 000 high-profile international delegates, bringing enthusiasm, professionalism, and a level of service that far exceeded expectations. From early-morning preparations to late-evening wrap-ups, they showed up with confidence, teamwork, and a genuine passion for hospitality.

The G20 Social Summit was a chance for our students on the Birchwood learnership program to experience the fast pace, precision, and global standard of a world-class summit and to prove to themselves that they belong there.

We couldn’t be prouder of the way they represented the Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre, Hospitality Trainer and the South African hospitality industry. If this is what they can deliver now, we can’t wait to see what they’ll achieve next.

The difference between using an accredited hospitality trainer and getting a manager to throw together some slides is the impact on your bottom line. Simply because using an accredited hospitality trainer means you can access a host of benefits.

Did you know: if you are a registered employer, you are legally required to spend money on skills development whether you like it or not? That’s just how doing business in our country is. However, what few people know is that the unavoidable Skills Development Levy has multiple benefits that implicate your bottom line. It’s an area of your budget that over-delivers on both people and profit benefits. But only if you use an accredited provider like Hospitality Trainer. Intriguing right?

The difference between using an accredited hospitality trainer and getting a manager to throw together some slides is the impact on your bottom line.

MARK HIBBERD

Benefits of using an accredited hospitality trainer

Learnerships are gazetted. And without boring you with the details, here’s a summary of the benefits of using an accredited provider:

• Using accredited training providers is important for your company’s skills development compliance. Why? Because accreditation is granted to a private service provider at the end of a quality assurance process through the Quality Council for Trades and Occupation (QTCO). The QTCO attests to the quality of training services offered.
• It is one of the qualification criteria for SETA grants and SARS tax rebates.
• You can be assured that the quality of training is of a high standard because of the accreditation process.
• You are guaranteed that the programmes offered are SETA approved.
• When completing your B-BEE scorecard, you can claim points against your training expenditure.
• Qualifications obtained from an accredited service provider is a recognised qualification by CATHSSETA. It enables the SETA to establish that the training provider used is not a ‘fly by night’. But is instead a recognised establishment, with recognised standards.
• Accredited training providers will ensure your company is regulated according to the OHS Act. Therefore you and your colleagues are more likely to recognise hazards, and have the systems in place to curtail these.
• Training accreditation is a way of being recognised for competency and best practice. Your clients will feel confident they’re in expert hands, meaning greater client acquisition/retention, which flows to your bottom line.

Make informed decisions

The fact is: unaccredited training providers cannot grant certification and may be in breach of the law. This means that the training received could be considered void, especially if an incident occurs subsequent to receiving the training. Plus, using an unaccredited provider means you can’t access any of the tax or BBBEE incentives available to you.

You might be tempted to get a manager to throw some slides together about your SOPs. Or use an un-accredited trainer that under-quotes. But now that you know the many financial benefits of using an accredited hospitality trainer – you can make an informed decision to maximise your training spend ROI. Make the smart move and get in touch with our team today. Start making your training spend work for you.  After all, we are accredited.

Explore our accredited in-house learnerships now. Begin the journey towards establishing learnerships at your establishment.

Customer Centricity definition: “Anticipating a customer’s wants, needs and communication preferences, then getting it right”

COVID was a wrecking ball to our industry in particular, and the financial recovery for those fortunate enough to be in a position to recover, is a tough ask. Customers have the same financial challenges and are certainly expecting a lot more mileage from their Rands. The only way to get more “bums in beds/seats” is to provide consistent, exceptional interaction. The currency for success is amazing staff who live your brand 24/7, who engage with your customers with enthusiastic confidence. Staff who go above and beyond at every opportunity to get that automatic re-booking and word of mouth engine working in your favour.

The currency for success is amazing staff who live your brand 24/7, who engage with your customers with enthusiastic confidence, going above and beyond at every opportunity

MARK HIBBERD

It takes consistent effort, of course, but let specialists take that on for you. From accredited in-house learnerships and multiple workshops for managers and supervisors, we have everything you need to make customer centricity a fundamental in your establishment. I look forward to your call.