Hospitality Trainer

Improve Your People And Your Profit With In-Service Hospitality and Casino Training That Delivers ROI

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Customer Service and The Opportunity to ‘WOW’

We are away on our bi-annual trip to the Kruger National Park and I have been pleasantly encouraged hearing the different foreign tourist languages/accents at the camps we pass through and sightings we stop and interact at. But the resurgence of tourists and our country’s natural beauty is not enough to WOW visitors – exceptional customer service at our hotels, lodges, casinos and conference centres is the key to holding it all together.

It occurred to me that hospitality establishments have unique opportunities to fly the flag in terms of branding ourselves as a preferred destination to what seems to be a resurgence of foreign visitors. Every single interaction is an opportunity to galvanise the word of mouth chain to our collective advantage. The challenge though is to be able to back it all up with consistent,  exceptional, hands on service. There’s no point waxing lyrical about our great country over a leopard sighting to then have it all blown to hell when the lunch service is a disaster. 

We go to great lengths in our training to drive home the absolute necessity to consistently get it right with our service delivery. As South Africans, we are renowned for our friendliness and open-arms culture. Yet we seem unable to capitalise as a collective.  Customer centricity – a catchy buzz word for sure. But vital if we are to achieve the long haul of economic recovery in our industry.  

Theres no point waxing lyrical about our great country over a leopard sighting to then have it all blown to hell when the lunch service is a disaster. 

MARK HIBBERD

The need for Daniel’s

There are individual gems out there. People who are going above and beyond with little effort because they are natural people persons. Daniel, security officer at Ngwenya Lodge main gate is a case in point. He is relentless and exudes customer centricity from every fibre of his being, all day every day. Priceless. We need more Daniel’s, many many more. I have no doubt at all that there’s a Daniel in every single one of us. And so with this in mind, we focus on helping the youth entering our industry to dig deep. To find the best version of themselves that they don’t yet know, realise or believe they are capable of being. The results are truly gratifying. 

It takes time, commitment and perseverance. But is so worth it, not only to the individual, but also to the bottom line. Because getting customer centricity right has a natural positive impact on financial health. Trust the process.

If your team need help with customer-centric mindsets, consider our Customer Service training workshop. A set of trainings that teach staff about Guest Expectations, Professional Mannerisms, Dress Codes and more.

Can In-service Hotel Training Work Better For You?

‘In-service’ hotel training is a core part of a hospitality establishment’s training program. But often, the benefits and challenges of this particular type of training are not well understood or properly leveraged. In this post, discover the pro’s and con’s of in-service programs so you can better analyse the success of your own training.

Firstly, what does ‘in-service’ mean?

‘In-service training’ is also known as ‘in-house training’. When we use either term, we are referring to an employee-learning program led by the company itself. Frequently, an in-service training program features the development of training materials, courses, assessments and supervision: all done by internal staff.  Sometimes this is run by senior  managers. Other times, the HR department can run this type of training. Staff learn ‘on the job’ and managers oversee their development, guiding them in best practice.

In-service hotel training is a brilliant way to give employees real-world experience. And the impact of correctly implemented in-house training can help your establishment run more efficiently, boost productivity and increase employee retention. All of which makes it a good investment. But there is no getting around it. If you want your in-service training to deliver real results and protect your bottom line, time and money need to be spent. Both of which are in short supply for most businesses.

There is no getting around it. If you want your in-service training to deliver real results and protect your bottom line, time and money need to be spent.

MARK HIBBERD

Advantages of in-service hotel training

  • It is a relatively efficient form of training as there are no travel costs and training is done by another employee
  • It can be tailored to the needs of the business
  • Easy to organise and can be completed at short notice
  • Well-trained employees are more efficient and generally make fewer mistakes.
  • Employees value career development and learning opportunities, which may help you attract and retain them
  • You can promote from within an experienced workforce and avoid the hassle of recruiting outside the company

Disadvantages of in-service hotel training          

  • Developing the course material in-house is very time consuming, and can easily become outdated over time
  • Course content isn’t accredited so you lose out on various tax benefits and BBBEE points
  • As the training is usually provided by other employees, it may mean that more people are unavailable to work, lowering productivity levels
  • It is unlikely to bring new ideas and skills into the business
  • The employee providing the training may be ineffective

Can your in-house hotel training be better?

Short answer: yes! If you outsource your in-service hotel training to an accredited trainer like Hospitality Trainer, then yes – your training can be better. Here’s why:

  • We work closely with your team to link your own training materials to accredited unit standards
  • By using accredited unit standards, your establishment can access SDL and BBBEE benefits
  • Training down-time is flexible around your operational requirements
  • And productivity levels remain high as all internal staff are working on hotel operations rather than on building PowerPoint presentations

Essentially, in-service training can be a way to improve your people and improve your profits at the same time. Training that over-delivers on ROI? Now there’s a thought!

In-service training forms part of our accredited in-house learnership programs. The learnership takes place at your hotel, lodge or conference centre with staff experiencing theoretical and practical components on-site. Get in touch to know more!

Why Is An Accredited Hospitality Trainer Important?

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

Leverage your spend for maximum ROI

The #1 way to maximise training spend is through learnerships. These are 12 month programs where staff go through a practical and theoretical program at your site.  Essentially, young people begin working for you on-site and they spend a few hours a month in theoretical training with us: going through a CATHSSETA, NQF-aligned training program.

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.