Hospitality Maldives Issue 11 by Hospitality Maldives

HOSPITALITY FREE COPY

ISSUE # 11

MALDIVES

Photo courtesy of One & Only Resorts

www.hospitality-maldives.com

Spa Trends to watch for 2007

EDITOR’S NOTE

Impressum Publisher Beyond Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. G. Comrade Hiya, L1 Dhonadharaadha Hingun Male 20350 Republic of Maldives www.beyondhospitality.com Editor-in-Chief Ahmed Saleem info@hospitality-maldives.com Managing Editor David Kotthoff david@hospitality-maldives.com Advertising Sales Ali Muaz ads@hospitality-maldives.com Design & Layout Beyond Media Design Pvt Ltd. www.beyondmediadesign.com Print Softwave Printing & Packaging Pvt. Ltd. www.softwave.lk Contributors John Alston Tony Eldred Edward K. Emonde Prof. Steven Ferry Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts Rich Fredricksen John R. Hendrie Rick K. Hendrie Ron Kaufman Douglas Kennedy Chris Longstreet, CHA Roberta Nedry One & Only Resorts Neil Salerno, CHME, CHA Kent Sexton Sidath de Silva Carol Verret Bert van Walbeek Helen Wilkie Hilton Hotels Per Aquum Spafinder Inc. The Leading Hotels of the World www.daydots.com www.ehotelier.com www.mccormick.com www.tophotelprojects.com Disclaimer No parts of this magazine or its content (photographs, articles or parts thereof, design, layout) may be reproduced without the consent of the respective owner. Beyond Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. or any of its associates cannot be held responsible for the misuse of the information and intellectual property provided in this magazine. Opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the writers and not necessarily endorsed by the publisher.

Dear friends and colleagues, Welcome to the 11th issue of Hospitality Maldives! Spa Resorts, Spa Retreats, Hair Spas, Day Spas, Spa Treatments, Spa Cuisine, Destination Spas – Spas wherever you look! It is amazing at which speed the popularity and diversity of spa facilities has grown in recent years, and Maldives is no exception. From the humble beginnings of renaming one’s property to “Beach & Spa Resort”, more and more resorts are dedicating huge amounts of space, time, staff and money towards satisfying an ever increasing amount of demanding travelers. Whilst nobody really knows where the word SPA actually comes from (experts are arguing that it’s either from the Latin word ‘espa’, which means fountain, or simply an abbreviation of the common Roman saying ‘sanus per aquam’, which means ‘health through water); the creativity of Spa gurus combined with ancient wisdom has reached far beyond the basics of hydrotherapy. Nowadays Spa culture combines water treatments with different kinds of massages, special nourishments and diets, skin and hair care, medical advice as well as spiritual experiences. But it’s not only the additional service and facility to show off in one’s brochure with that makes Spas so attractive to hotel owners and operators. Spas have become a serious revenue generator in recent years, one that often outnumbers restaurants, bars or other recreational facilities. The boom has gone so far that even the country’s capital Male’ has had its fair share of Spa operations, whereby certainly not all served the intended purpose and let the government decide to shut them down. Bottom line: the Spa trend is unstoppable and one that is difficult to keep up with in terms of latest technology and trends. For all those who are into this subject, I am sure that our lead article will be of absolute interest and as usual am I looking forward to your feedback. Happy reading! Yours in hospitality,

David Kotthoff

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CONTENTS

CONTENTS 03

Editor’s Note

Bringing out the Best in People - Part III

Communication: It’s a Contract

So How Was Your Butler?

The Why, What and How of WOW

Spa Trends to Watch for 2007

Smile, It Enhances Your Face Value

Hospitality Bites & Appointments

Water Management Options

Be My Guest

You can only make a first impression once…

Top 10 Flavor Pairings for 2007

Last Words

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HUMAN RESOURCES

Bringing Out the Best in People Part III By Chris Longstreet, CHA Look back over your career. Who motivated you? Who brought out the best in you? Which managers, which leaders, seemed to bring out the best in the people they served? In his book, Dr. McGinnis outlines twelve rules for bringing out the best in people. These principles can be applied to any team you lead: the front desk, the sales department, housekeeping, servers, the kitchen, or even the management team of your hotel or restaurant. These skills are valuable in creating a motivational environment where your employees want to work and feel they can contribute to the success of your organization. In final part of this three-part article, we look at the final four rules and how we can apply them to the environments in which we work. RULE 9 : Appeal Sparingly To The Competitive Urge The desire and instinct to compete seems to be a natural human response in the world of work. Servers try to see who can make the most tips in a night. Room attendants have contests to see how fast they can clean a room. We enjoy games and competition! Competition can be a very strong technique, as well as a very dangerous and damaging one, for bringing out the best in your people. “I say sparingly,” says Dr. McGinnis, “because competition has only limited usefulness.” If servers are pitted against each other too often, they will start feeling manipulated and they will resent the competition and eventually each other. If too much competition is created in your team, they might start stabbing each other in the back and undermining each other’s efforts just to “win.” Competition can be used successfully when you place the team against “a common enemy” – another restaurant or hotel or the challenge of selling out the hotel on a particular night. Reaching a team goal can create cooperation and healthy competition among team members. As Dr. McGinnis states, “Competition is always a factor for highly motivated people. The trick is to know how to use it in balance.” RULE 10 : Place A Premium On Collaboration The manager, supervisor, or leader who can learn the laws of group morale becomes very valuable and effective for a hospitality organization. Not only can this leader enable people to get the job done in less time, new people will be drawn into the organization because of this effective corporate culture where teamwork and collaboration is valued. Good leaders do more than build allegiance to themselves – they build allegiance

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

to the organization and to each other. Leaders of successful groups base their efforts on a fundamental: most of us can function best when teamed with another person. Housekeepers work more effectively when they work together – helping each other out even with the small things such as getting more towels or linens. Servers and assistants create a greater and more profitable guest experience when their efforts are combined. Service is more effective and efficient when people are working together. My wife and I spent our recent anniversary in a tapas bar in our hometown. Allisa was a great server and explained our menu options. The assistant brought our orders out in a very timely fashion. There was no hesitation on the part of another server who happened to walk by our table on a couple of occasions to fill our water glasses each time. The collaborative efforts of the team made for a great guest experience. How do we build this collaboration in our teams? Dr. McGinnis suggests fours strategies • Reward cooperation - reward the team when the team succeeds. • Assign responsibility for group morale to the group itself - the best groups take a great deal of responsibility for their own success. This applies to standards, quality control, as well as morale. • Plan occasions when people can be away together - when you take a group away from their normal working environment, they become more creative, more open to new ideas, and create stronger bonds with those they work with. • Assign a high value to communication. - “More often than not,” states Dr. McGinnis, “when a group is fractured and people begin to fight with each other, it is because of misunderstandings and small acts of inconsideration which have escalated into major grievances.” Group loyalty, teamwork, and collaboration do not mean our employees are giving us blind allegiance. It is an acknowledgement that the people in the group each have strengths and weaknesses, but because the group works together and has a history of teamwork, supporting one another is a necessity.

“Part of being a leader,” says Dr. McGinnis, “is that you must spend a considerable amount of energy absorbing other people’s complaints. It is not the happiest way to spend one’s time, but if a group is going to run smoothly people must have an opportunity to get the bile out of their systems. Providing this ventilationshould not be an unbearable burden when you remind yourself that it is one of the ways you keep a group tightly motivated.” At times, your employee’s complaints will be more about others in the group than it will be about your supervision or leadership style. At times, supervisors must act like referees because allowing arguments and disagreements between employees to go on too long will hinder performance. We can’t go up to two servers and say, “I don’t want to hear you arguing – work it out now!” To say that invites trouble! At times, we must go in, hear both sides, and help reach a compromise. When a compromise is reached, stick to the agreement and support it fully. A good motivator tries not to lose anyone and doesn’t take sides. Allowing fighting will decimate the organization. “What we are after,” concludes Dr. McGinnis, “is a positive-thinking cadre of people in which there is a minimum of backbiting, criticizing, and negative communication. The only way that will be possible is if the leader is willing to drain off a great deal of venom by getting potential troublemakers aside and hearing them out. Anger is inevitable, and it is much smarter to let it ventilate upwards rather than allow it to smolder down in the ranks, for it is such smoldering that often erupts into a major conflagration.” In every organization, whether it is a hotel, restaurant, college food service outlet, or even an amusement park, the only way to keep a high level of enthusiasm is to build in adequate avenues for grievances.

RULE 12 : Take Steps To Keep Your Own Motivation High If it is true that the quality of your own personal spirit is an essential part of your leadership style, then the management of your own motivation must be a priority. How is the motivator motivated? Dr. McGinnis outlines the following strategies: 1. Associate yourself with successful, positive people. Spend time with individuals who inspire you, people who stimulate your thinking, restore your vision, and stretch your capacity for dreaming. 2. Monitor carefully the ideas entering your mind. The famous axiom is true: garbage in, garbage out. If you become what you think, and if you feed a constant stream of junk and trivia into your brain, your motivational skills will suffer. 3. Educate yourself! Attend classes, workshops, and seminars. Take advantage of the wealth of audio books and websites. Don’t get stagnate in your career. 4. Write down your goals and post them. Keep a journal of your goals and record the steps taken to achieve them. This record will become a source of motivation when you look back on your achievements. When we get down or discouraged in our efforts as we work with people, it is important to step back and remind ourselves that there is nothing more noble and honorable than assisting another human being and helping them succeed. Conclusion and Review If it is

true that people can grow, expand their abilities, jump higher, run harder and faster, do more with less, this means that ultimately leadership is becoming servant to those we lead. In the end, we will produce employees who will surpass us. Employees will become managers and owners and have their own restaurants. General managers will oversee multi-unit organizations. If we can reach in and draw out the best from our employees – if we can like Vince Lombardi challenged his players to give an extra 10% - they will perform better, try harder, and give more effort for us than for anyone in the world, and they will accomplish surprising things. That extra effort just may be the difference that wins the game for your organization. Then, our challenge is, do you:

HUMAN RESOURCES

RULE 11 : Build Into The Group An Allowance For Storms

1. Expect the best from your employees and those you lead? 2. Understand the needs of your employees and use this information to create an environment that builds their motivation? 3. Establish standards of excellence that are attainable for your employees and those you lead? 4. Create an environment where failure isn’t fatal? 5. Encourage your employees as opposed to nagging them? 6. Provide models of success for your employees to follow? 7. Regularly recognize and applaud the efforts of individuals and groups of employees? 8. Use a mixture of positive and negative reinforcement? 9. Effectively balance competition among teams and individuals? 10. Place a premium on collaboration? 11. Build in the group the allowance for storms? 12. Take steps to keep your own motivation high? Evaluate your own performance in these areas. As leaders in the hospitality industry, strive to bring out the best in all those who work with you. Chris Longstreet, CHA, is President & CEO of the Society for Hospitality Management. Chris is also a Visiting Instructor in the Hospitality & Tourism Management Program at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan. Bringing Out the Best In People: How to Enjoy Helping Others Excel was written by Dr. Alan Loy McGinnis (1985) and is published by Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

SERVICE

The foundations of good service By Tony Eldred

When I ask the average business owner how important customer service is to their business, I usually get a strong positive response. This is as it should be, of course — but when I follow up with the $64 question — ‘Do you objectively measure customer your service in any way?’, I usually get a negative response — as I do when I ask if they have put into place any special recruitment or training systems to ensure customer service delivery. I have always found this very puzzling and frustrating. Let’s make sure we’re talking about the same thing before we move on in this discussion. I define customer service as: ‘A positive perception of human interaction.’ Research across the world tells us it is worth at least 40% of your customers’ perception of your business (the rest is made up of product and environment). For over 30 years I have been involved in the quest to create management systems that lead to the delivery of superior customer service. I’ve come to understand that customers vote for a hospitality business with their wallets and purses, and form

reject the applicants who are not naturally service oriented. The end result is a mixture of staff who’s service delivery is OK when a manager or supervisor is watching and inconsistent when there is no supervision. Most non service oriented staff drop the pretence that got them the job when there is nobody in authority watching. There is a trap here in that it is easy for the manager or supervisor to get an inaccurate picture of the service standard they are delivering because the service is good whenever they are watching. Another downside is that while you need constant supervision to ensure customer service standards you can hardly take time off without damaging your business. I’ve come to understand that the foundation of good service is really good recruitment. If you get the right people they will run your business for you, and they will preserve a consistent standard of service whether you are there or not — because they want to, not because you want them to.

the decision to return according to their own, unique perception of what they experience while they’re there. I’ve also come to understand that the creation of really good customer service requires the management of a quite complex set of variables, and is very unlikely to happen by accident. If you go into any restaurant or hotel and receive consistent good service right across their staff, you are dealing with a very special business and the leaders of that business are highly skilled and deserve a bronze statue in a prominent public place. I believe it all starts with a clear vision of what you are trying to create, together with the evolution of what we call service performance targets. How long should a customer stand in a restaurant entrance before they are greeted? How long should you stand at a hotel front desk before you are acknowledged? How long should you have to wait for a drink in a dining area or a bar? How long should your phone ring for before it is answered? Next, you need to define what I call service style targets. We all probably want our staff to establish eye contact and project warmth to our customers; we probably all want cheerful, helpful service, but how many business owners specify these as targets within their business? At this point you might think I’m going too far in trying to systemise procedures down to the last detail, but the issue I’m leading to is: How can you recruit the right people for the job until you have a clear understanding of what the job involves? How often have you gone somewhere and had really good service from one or two staff and pretty average service from the rest? This usually happens where the recruitment process applied within the business is not thorough enough to identify and

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Without giving an inappropriate discourse on the subject, good recruiting should concentrate on finding people with the right attitudes rather than the right skills. Skills can be taught quite easily, while it is very difficult to change peoples’ attitudes. I find that a lot of managers try to find experienced staff, only to find that they have inherited the recruiting mistakes of other businesses. I believe it’s a lot easier, faster and cheaper to recruit a person with a natural love of people and train them to do the job than it is to try to convert a technically skilled person who is perhaps introvert in nature or who deep down really isn’t comfortable in a front of house role. Of course, good recruitment must to be followed-up with good training or it can’t capitalise on those good attitudes. The right people are quite easy to train — they want to learn; they want to get it right. I’ve found that a structured training program over a week or two, applied to the right people, can produce wonders. The important thing is to train all your staff into the same system — don’t let your supervisors or senior staff train them the way they want, or you will get wildly inconsistent performance across your team. Try very hard to avoid the situation where you have an ‘A’ days and ‘B’ days. On an A day you have your good staff on shift and any customer who comes in will probably get a value for money experience. On a B day you have a weaker team and anything can happen. Tony Eldred is the Managing Director of hospitality management consultants Eldred Hospitality Pte. Ltd. For more information visit www.eldtrain.com.au or email Tony directly at teldred@eldtrain.com.au

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LOCAL NEWS

Hilton Maldives ‘The Best In The World’ Hilton Maldives Resort & Spa has won the “Best Luxury (4 and 5 star) in the World” in www.tripadvisor.com’s 2006 Traveler’s Choice Awards as well as “Best Luxury (4 and 5 star) in Asia”. “We’re very proud to have won these awards because tripadvisor. com reflects the opinions of genuine travellers from around the world who have visited the Hilton Maldives and experienced the resort in person,” said General Manager Carsten Schieck, “Our team works hard to provide our guests with the best service possible so we are delighted to be chosen the best luxury hotel in the world”.

Summary of awards won by the Hilton Maldives Resort & Spa (in chronological order): Winner: Best Luxury in the World Winner: Best Luxury in Asia TripAdvisor.com Travelers’ Choice Awards – January 2007 Winner: “Most Exclusive Hotel in the World” VIP International Traveller Magazine – September 2006 Winner: “Leading Resort in the Indian Ocean” Winner: “Leading Spa Resort in the Maldives” World Travel Awards (UK) – September 2006 6th Place: “Best Overseas Leisure Hotel – Middle East, Africa and the Indian Ocean Condé Nast Traveller Reader Awards (UK) – September 2006 Winner: “Best Spa Resort in Asia” The Very Best In Travel Awards – smarttravelasia.com – Sep2006 11th Place “100 Sexiest Things In The World” [Ithaa Undersea Restaurant] - FHM magazine UK – July 2006 8th Place: Best Spa in Africa, Middle East and Indian Ocean Condé Nast Traveller (UK) – March 2006 Winner: Best Resort in Asia Asian Legal Business Magazine (Shanghai) – February 2006

Hilton Maldives Resort & Spa boasts the country’s first and only underwater restaurant.

Gold Star: International Star Award for Quality Business Initiative Directions (Spain) – February 2006

The six-star Hilton Maldives Resort & Spa is no stranger to international accolades. Previous awards include “Best Hotel in the World 2005” by the Sunday Times, “Leading Resort in the Indian Ocean 2006” by the World Travel Awards and “Most Exclusive Hotel in the World 2006” by VIP Traveller Magazine. A stunning, romantic resort offering sophisticated barefoot luxury on two tropical islands, the Hilton Maldives offers a sybaritic combination of three distinct resort experiences, surrounded by a vibrant coral reef and lagoon. The resort is home to the world’s only all-glass undersea restaurant and the Maldives’ only destination spa.

5th Place: “Sexiest Restaurants in the World” [Ithaa Undersea Restaurant] www.sexiesthotels.com - January 2006

About the awards: Unlike any other hotel awards programs that survey perhaps thousands of people, the TripAdvisor® Travelers’ Choice winners are uniquely “selected” by the millions of travellers from around the world who provide their real and unbiased reviews or opinions about hotels on tripadvisor. com(TM) and across the web. Visit http://www.tripadvisor.com/ travelerschoice for more information on the winners in this year’s awards.

Gold Award – Most Popular Hotel/Resort Indian Ocean Holidays For Couples (Australia) – Readers’ Choice Awards September 2004

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One of the Top 101 Hotels in the World Tatler Magazine (UK) - December 2005 Best Hotel Worldwide Sunday Times Readers’ Awards (UK) - December 2005 Best Innovative Concept Outside Of Lodging (For Ithaa Undersea Restaurant) Worldwide Hospitality Awards (France) - November 2005

Runner Up – Best Resort In The World Business Traveller Magazine (UK) – September 2004 Runner Up: Hotel Of The Year Tatler Magazine (UK) – Travel Awards 2003 - October 2003

LOCAL NEWS

Tom McLoughlin named one of the 15 most powerful Men in Travel Tom McLoughlin, Chief Executive Officer of Per Aquum Resorts • Spas • Residences, has been recognized as one of the 15 most powerful men in the travel industry by the UK’s leading men’s lifestyle magazine, GQ, in an article in the inaugural GQ Travel supplement, launched with the February 2007 issue of the magazine. Edited by Bill Prince, deputy editor of GQ, and founded on the belief that men think about travel differently to women, being motivated less by the “where?” than by the “why?”, GQ Travel embodies the best of today’s celebrated travel writing, with contributions from the likes of John Simpson and AA Gill. As part of its launch issue, GQ Travel “crisscrossed the globe in search of sun, sea, sand and success to compile the definitive list of travel trailblazers… who are redrawing the map” for its 15 Most Powerful Men In Travel editorial feature. The second youngest member of a select list which includes established global heavyweights such as Richard Branson, the world’s second wealthiest man Warren Buffett, and Sol Kerzner, Tom McLoughlin is described as “developing resorts, spas and residences from the ground up, aiming them squarely at wealthy Gen X and Gen Yers who want relaxed, private fun with their tropical luxury… the general feel is of private jet-set luxury, 21st-century style.” Tom set up Per Aquum Resorts • Spas • Residences in 2003 as a joint venture with Universal Enterprises. Having established Per Aquum’s resort and spa credentials with the award-winning Dhoni Mighili and Huvafen Fushi in the Maldives, Tom is overseeing a meteoric expansion of the company, both into new geographical areas - as evidenced by the recent opening of The Fortress on the south coast of Sri Lanka, the imminent opening of Desert Palm in Dubai, and forthcoming new projects in Grenada and the Seychelles - and into new markets; Per Aquum’s residence management division is rapidly building up an iconic and innovative portfolio with confirmed projects in both Grenada and the Seychelles.

Tom McLoughlin, CEO, Per Aquum Resorts • Spas • Residences

For any further information, please contact: Stacey Dean Group Public Relations Manager Email: stacey@peraquum.com Website: www.peraquum.com

A Universal Enterprise, Per Aquum Resorts • Spas • Residences is a specialist luxury resort, spa and residence management company that offers a different kind of company ethos: one that is passionate, visionary, imaginative and naturally modern. Each property embodies regional tradition and combines luxurious fittings and furnishings in a culturally sensitive way. No two properties are alike. Literally translated, Per Aquum means ‘through water’, and the vision of the company is to develop and manage properties in desirable locations using naturally modern, ecologically responsible design. Per Aquum currently manages properties in Maldives, Sri Lanka, Dubai and Seychelles and is looking at additional locations in the Indian Ocean region, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Morocco and the Middle East.

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NEWS

LHW starts new licensing agreement In 2006 alone - over 600 hotels applied for membership in The Leading Hotels of the World, ultimately only 42 were accepted. Demand and competition for admission to this admittedly very exclusive organization set records year after year. And management of Leading Hotels has recognized an opportunity to help potential members in the development stage to get a leg up on the competition. By entering into a licensing agreement with the company, new hotel projects are afforded numerous distinct advantages, from inception to completion.

Commenting on this new initiative, Welf Ebeling, executive vice president and COO for The Leading Hotels of the World, Ltd., noted, “This unique proposition enables owners and developers to establish and maintain the individuality of their properties, affording them the freedom to operate their hotels without the constraints inherent when taking on a ‘flag’ brand. “The Leading Hotels brand provides the power to drive business, increasing the value of the properties under development. By seeking out strategic partnerships with the owners and operators, we offer exceptional opportunities to maximize growth.” In conclusion, he said, “This innovative business model, focused on optimal ROI and flexibility, offers the ideal solution for the prospective hotel owner and investor to successfully develop the coming generations of Leading Hotels.” For more information on licensing opportunities, contact Deniz Omurgonulsen, Director, Membership Development at denizo@lhw.com or 212 515 5857.

The importance of a pre-opening brand affiliation is vital in the areas of securing funding and financing for the project, as well as the pre-opening marketing. With a licensing agreement in place from the onset of a project, the hotel establishes an invaluable relationship which yields immediate benefits as well as long-term advantages. In a sense, Leading Hotels becomes a mentor and a strategic partner.

The Leading Hotels of the World, Ltd. is the prestigious luxury hospitality organization representing more than 430 of the world’s finest hotels, resorts and spas, and is the operator of www.lhw.com – the online source for your luxury lifestyle. As the largest international luxury hotel brand, the firm maintains offices in 24 major markets across the globe. Since 1928, the company’s reputation for excellence derives from the exacting levels of quality it demands of its members, each of which must pass a rigorous, anonymous inspection covering 1,500 separate criteria. High resolution

Under the terms of the agreement, for example, The Leading Hotels of the World, Ltd. will provide technical assistance during the development stages, beginning as early as three years prior to opening, to ensure the final product is in total compliance with the stringent quality standards necessary for acceptance as a member.

images of member hotels are available for downloading at www.lhw.com/ press. For reservations and information, visit www.lhw.com or telephone toll-free from the USA, Canada, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, (800) 223-6800. Press Contact: Claudia Kozma Kaplan Tel: (212) 515-5708

During the 12-month pre-opening phase, in addition to benefiting from identification with a global luxury brand that boasts a 78-year history of excellence, the new hotel is provided with a full array of marketing services. It can profit from such powerful business drivers and support services as GDS advertising; representation in the annual Leading Hotels Directory and on the lhw.com website; participation in road shows, showcases and conferences; and access to the Leading Hotels client database. Leading Hotels also provides the hotel with voice, Internet and GDS reservations services during the year- long pre-opening period. In the quest for success, The Leading Hotels of the World can provide the aspiring member hotel additional services such as staff training and development to assist in achieving service levels compatible with the Leading Hotels benchmark standards.

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E-mail: ckozma@lhw.com

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HUMAN RESOURCES

Communication: It’s a Contract By Helen Wilkie In the course of my work as a speaker and communication

2. RECOGNIZE THAT COMMUNICATION

specialist, I often hear the complaint, “There’s no communication around here!” It’s usually expressed in tones of disgust and

ALWAYS HAS TWO SIDES

frustration. However, I have made two interesting observations:

There is no such thing as one-way communication. While there can be a one-way flow of information, communication

• When asked to specify what they mean by “no communication”, most people can’t. They do, however, blame management.

• The opinion widely held throughout the rank and file is usually contrary to the belief of senior management, which is often oblivious to the problem.

requires two complementary actions: for every piece of outgoing information, someone somewhere must receive and understand the message. Otherwise, there is no communication. I have called this The Communication Contract™. Clause 1: Written Communication If you want to send a message in writing to someone, either

If top level management is serious about running an organization

within your organization or outside, you must express your

that truly communicates at all levels, internally and externally, it must take steps to create that reality.

message clearly, concisely and in language appropriate to that particular reader, so that he or she can understand it on first reading. That is the writer’s part of the contract.

1. GENUINELY MAKE THE COMMITMENT If you then send your letter or memo to me, I must read it with It’s easy to pay lipservice to a communicating organization and, unfortunately, many do. Like so many other disciplines in

enough attention, concentration and respect that I receive and

business, communication practices start at the top.

part of the contract.

understand the same message as you sent. That is the reader’s Unless both parties fulfill their parts, communication does not

One good opportunity for real communication lies in the Mission

take place.

and Vision Statements. Whose mission? Whose vision? Clause 2: Oral Communication Too often, these statements are created by public relations people and sent down from the top like a commandment from

When you make a business presentation, or make a point during

on high. The lofty ideals they express, however, are more likely

a meeting, you must speak clearly, confidently and as interestingly

to have practical results if they come about through a process

as possible, so that the essence of your message stands out unmistakably. That is the speaker’s part of the contract.

that includes those who are expected to live by them, and are communicated in a meaningful way.

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While you speak, I must decide to listen, for listening is a HUMAN RECOURCES

conscious act. I must ask appropriate questions to clarify my understanding, and provide you with acknowledgement and feedback that tells you I have heard and understood. That is the listener’s part of the contract. Until both parties fulfill their parts, communication does not take place. Clause 3: Non-verbal Communication Individuals and organizations constantly send non-verbal messages through their actions and behaviour. Managers who keep their office doors closed send a message—whether intentionally or not—that they are too busy to deal with employees. Companies who operate authentic employee suggestion programs, with appropriate rewards and implemention mechanisms, send a message that they honour their employees’ intelligence and value their contribution. Behaviour is the outward-bound part of the contract. We all “learn” what we choose to believe from the behaviour and actions of others. If an employee regularly arrives late and takes many days off, the manager “learns” that the person is not reliable. If a company has downsized substantially in each of the past five years and expects the same level of productivity from those remaining, those employees “learn” to disbelieve the company’s statement that its employees are its most important asset. Learning is the inward-bound part of the contract. Only when both parties fulfill their parts does communication truly take place. Understand that these skills can—and must—be learned by everyone, If you are an executive or senior manager, first look carefully and as honestly as possible to see if you have these skills, and whether you take the trouble to use them. In particular, how are your listening and learning skills? Research constantly tells us employees perform at a higher level when management listens to them. Then take a look at communication throughout the organization, which may involve a full-scale communication audit. How, where and why is communication breaking down? Which skills are missing and in whom? Take steps to remedy the problem through training and coaching. Monitor progress and its effect on productivity as well as morale. You may be happily surprised at the outcome. George Bernard Shaw once observed, “The main difficulty with communication is the illusion that it has been accomplished.” It’s an illusion we can no longer afford in the constantly changing business world of today. Helen Wilkie is a professional speaker, consultant and author who helps companies do better business through better communication. Her latest book is “The Hidden Profit Center”. To received free monthly tips and techniques on communication, visit http://www.mhwcom.com or http:// www.HiddenProfitCenter.com and sign up for “Communi-keys”. Reach Helen Wilkie at 416-966-5023 or hwilkie@mhwcom.com HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

HUMAN RESOURCES

Great Leaders Practice Three C’s of Leadership By Rich Fredricksen Clarity, Confidence and Courage Essential To Leadership Excellence We all grew up with the three R’s of basic learning, and we’ve all heard the three keys to success in business: location; location; location. In corporate circles, it’s the Three C’s that can make or break great leadership throughout your company. According to Rich Fredricksen, principal of the execution consulting firm, Paiva•Fredricksen Group, ‘the Three C’s: clarity; confidence and courage are the traits of superior leadership, and are traits that differentiate an individual as a superior leader. To execute at the highest levels, leaders must demonstrate the Three C’s,’ said Fredricksen. ‘Clarity is what allows leaders to optimally bring to bear the different skill sets and capabilities within their organization to meet the desired business outcome,’ said Fredricksen. ‘Clarity can only result if you have enabled thought, allowing you to simplify and focus. ‘Knowing what to do is only a portion of the equation,’ said Fredricksen, ‘the majority of people believe the hard part is figuring out what to do and developing a plan to accomplish it,’ said Fredricksen, ‘the hard part is actually doing it.’

Leaders with confidence: have well thought out and challenged plans and approaches; maintain a positive attitude and build committed teams; and have a consistent ability to overcome obstacles and deliver. Demonstration of the first two C’s is useless without the third. ‘Courage, business courage, is necessary to simplify a complex world and commit to the right four initiatives, rather than 10, hoping two will succeed,’ said Fredricksen. ‘Courage requires a trust in your principles of execution that will lead to a true clarity of what needs to be done, and the confidence that the organization can accomplish it.’

‘Demonstrating this kind of courage will entail a personal risk for the leader but will differentiate him or her from their peers because it will create a focus that is guaranteed to deliver results,’ adds Fredricksen. The kind of results you get with: location; location; location. Great leaders make great companies, and great leaders practice clarity, confidence and courage - the Three C’s of leadership. Paiva•Fredricksen Group, LLC developed the Strong•Leader to help companies improve and sustain their ability to execute. The system aligns and focuses organizations, builds efficient governance and decision

Leaders with clarity: are able to engage the organization around plans and objectives; have clear, unambiguous expectations and path forward; and communicate in simple terms that people can take action against.

making processes, and works in the trenches to improve people, processes and results. For more information go to: www.strongleader.com

Great leaders must have confidence in his or her team to accomplish the desired goal. ‘Confidence is developed by coaching teams through a challenge and support model ensuring plans are rigorous and thorough,’ said Fredricksen. ‘Then they can implement processes and systems that reinforce discipline of thought and action.’

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

RECIPE

Radicchio Wrapped Goat Cheese

Bruschetta with Radicchio di Treviso Tapenade

Ingredients

12 Royal Roseโ ข radicchio leaves, blanched slightly in simmer-

2 heads EVS Radicchio di Treviso 1/2 sweet onion, peeled & thickly sliced

ing water to soften 3 - 4 ounce logs goat cheese cut into rounds 6 small tomatoes (yellow and orange if available), sliced Salt & pepper to taste Vinaigrette 1/2 cup olive oil 4 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar 4 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Olive oil, as needed 1/3 cup olive oil 4 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1/4 cup drained capers 1/3 cup diced green olives 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup washed parsley Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Prosciutto, thinly sliced Toasted or grilled Italian bread, brushed with cut garlic Shaved Parmesan

Method

Whisk first four ingredients together. Arrange leaves on work surface. Brush center of each leaf with marinade. Place cheese rounds in center of each leaf. Fold up leaf around cheese creating bundles, cover and chill. Heat seasoned grill to medium-high. Brush each wrap with dressing and grill until cheese softens and leaves slightly char. Arrange tomatoes slices on plate, place bundles on top Drizzle with remaining dressing, salt and pepper. Option: garnish with fresh thyme or chives.

Heat oven to 450ยบ F. Toss Treviso and onion with oil, place on shallow roasting pan. Roast for 15-20 until fork-tender. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Coarsely chop Treviso and onion; place in large bowl with oil, garlic, and lemon juice; toss. Add capers, olives, grated cheese and parsley; season with salt and pepper, toss again. To serve, layer prosciutto on toasted bread, top with 2-4 tablespoons of tapenade and garnish with shaved Parmesan.

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

SERVICE

So How Was Your Butler? Rating System Keeps Hotels Honest & Validates Serious Players C)

By Professor Steven Ferry Where butler departments are established properly, they enjoy varying degrees of success based on their adherence to the basic purpose of butling: the providing of a discreet service that anticipates guest needs. Failed butler departments are caused by violating a few basics: not selecting proven service professionals for butlers; not training them on the persona, mindset, communication skills, and service skills of the butler in a hospitality setting; launching the butler program without bringing the rest of the employees aboard, so it appears as a threat to their income stream; and trying to cut costs by cutting service, resulting in harried butlers providing an

A manager focused on slashing costs. In one instance, an owner had invested heavily in establishing a butler department (on one floor of a brand new facility) that proved very popular with guests and media (almost always the case). Yet when the revenue began to flag facility wide after the grand opening (as a result of inadequate sales and marketing), he thought one solution lay in the savings that could be accomplished by firing all the butlers, and proceeded to do so. The hotel continues to flounder to this day, having lost its signature service and earned itself a poor reputation in the local community upon which it depended for its personnel, all on top of the original inadequate sales and marketing efforts which were not remedied by these firings.

irreducible minimum of service to too many guests. What drives these shortcuts? In my experience, it has been one or more of three distinct impulses: A) Money motivation, where the goal is solely to increase revenue by riding on the coattails of the butler profession, with little patience for or interest in the financial outlay, sweat equity, and intelligent thinking necessary to deliver the actual service. B) A manager either not understanding or taking a personal dislike to the idea of butlers. In one instance, an inexperienced and unethical GM was busy accepting personal favors, protecting his incompetent protégés, and creating a culture that put loyalty to his own agenda ahead of servicing guests. He resented being shown up by the service expectations of the popular Head Butler and the butler team. So the GM did everything possible, both covert and brazen, to undermine and end the butler service so desired by the hotel owner and guests. As the Head Butler at this establishment noted with typical understatement, “GMs unfamiliar with the service would do well to respect the advice of their Head Butler. If one has not worked with butlers before and does not understand the concept fully, it will be very difficult to provide the support/level of understanding required to make the program a success. Instituting a butler department is a project that requires dedication and support on all fronts—ownership, management, and operations—in order to succeed.” This story is still playing out, but the Head Butler is standing firm while taking over increasingly the functions of other departments being mismanaged by the GM that had been cutting across the ability of the butlers and the hotel to service the guests.

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Successful outcomes might include The Cloister, recently rebuilt and reopened on Sea Island, Georgia. Butler service was initiated at the behest of the owner, Bill Jones III, to all 125-guest rooms and 32 suites. Fiona Williams Cameron, the Head Butler who led the team that established the 55-person butler department, offers some pointers for the kind of success that led to a Four Butler facility with Five Butler service to its 32 suites.

“The Hotel Butler Rating System is a wonderful benchmark that will help guide hotels in the direction of this personalized and quality service while also keeping competition alive. Achieving these standards is mainly dependent on training in the modern style. As an example, we have worked to find a happy medium between ‘good service’ as ‘discreet service’ and the warm, friendly service characteristic of Southern Hospitality that our guests are used to receiving.” Leopoldo Perez is the head butler at One & Only Palmilla, voted best resort in Latin America by Conde Naste for the last two years. Butler service to each of the 172 rooms and suites has been a key element in this success. A dozen of these suites receive dedicated butler service, making One & Only Palmilla both a Four- and Five-Butler facility. According to Perez, “All guests in suites with dedicated butlers are given cell phones for direct contact with their butlers (and nobody else). There is very little the butlers cannot do for guests, as long as it is legal, of course. “Critical elements in building our butler department have been, firstly, having a trainer to guide the department in the right direction. Secondly, having management support and understanding of what the butler department brings to the property, so they were willing to invest in resources, staff, and training. “Our guests were not used to butler service at first, especially in a relaxed beach-resort property such as ours, so they did not take advantage of our service and were not commenting on us in customer-feedback surveys. So we created new procedures and amenities, advertised on the Web site and collateral, and increased our staff numbers. The guests then began to notice and use the butlers, thinking of them as ‘my butler.’ We now enjoy 60% repeat guests and 20% of these ask for the same butler. We have doubled the number of butlers to 44 because of the demand for butler service. “The physical layout of our property is not the normal monolithic building with suites easily reached by butlers on each floor. Our 172 rooms are in twelve separate buildings spread over 25 acres, which makes it difficult operationally to provide butler service. We have handled this by assigning rooms optimally and increasing staff numbers. We also set up mini pantries in each building so the butlers have easy access to their tools and supplies, instead of trekking to the two main pantries on site. And we have added butler runners to keep the pantries and mini pantries stocked and to take needed or requested items to the butlers for presentation to the guests.

“My advice to other head butlers is that even if you are already experienced, bring in a professional in the field to help launch the service. Secondly, if the hotel has not yet been constructed, you as head butler need to speak to the architect about designing the spaces and areas needed by butlers to service guests. Thirdly, you need to create your network, attend butler conventions, become a member of professional associations such as the International Institute of Modern Butlers, and use the network of individuals in the profession to give you knowledge and guidance. That’s how it has worked for me.

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“The more input you can have before infrastructure is in place, the better off you will be in terms of avoiding potential operational issues for the staff, leading to better service for the guests. In terms of operational issues, it is only normal that various departments will be uncomfortable with a new concept, so communication is key among department heads. Lastly, we invested in a large amount of training for the staff and will continue to do so.

“From the GM’s perspective, it is very important that you understand what a butler is and decide what you want your butler service to do for the hotel before launch; then sit down with the head butler and communicate your expectations. “The rating system has proven very useful. Many hotels are advertising that they have butler service as the next great thing in personalized and excellent service. Many guests are experiencing this butler service, often in hotels where they may not have the necessary resources to provide butler service or the proper training. So guests tend to be disappointed with their experience, which of course reflects on all hotels offering butler service. The ratings will allow guests to know what kind of butler service they will be receiving. In the same way, it gives hotels such as ours that offer butler service, the opportunity to see where they stand with regard to that service, and what they need to do to take it to remain at the same or move to the next level.” George Sotello is the GM at One & Only Palmilla, and he reports, “The butler department has become an icon for the resort. Welltraveled guests know what to expect from their butler experience and feedback has been extremely positive. From the moment the guests meet their butler, there is an immediate connection, the guests understanding that they can call upon their butler to fulfill their every need. Some guests, coming from North America where butler service is not common, do not know what to expect from their butlers. We are working on an orientation CD to send first-time guests before they arrive. ‘Blow away the customer’ is our credo, and we rely on the butlers in a good part to deliver on that promise. We have had many guests contact the resort after leaving, stating that after experiencing the butler service at the resort, they feel lost and wish they could have a butler at home.” Mr. Nakano, the Managing Director of the Rosewood property, Hotel Seiyo Ginza in Tokyo, has also utilized the Butler Ratings to help extend the butler service model across many guest contact points in the hotel, in addition to providing butler service to all guests—a first for Japan. As Mr. Nakano puts it, “No-one seems to realize how profitable butler service can be: it would be of great benefit to organizations considering implementing butler service to be coached on how it could enhance the organization’s ability to make more money and perhaps save costs through reorganization and consolidation. Our Rooms Division, for instance, is run by the Head Butler; his team of butlers also manages our PABX/Communication Center for all incoming calls to the hotel in addition to all Room Service orders and delivery.

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Four Butlers Butlers provide excellent, often invisible service to guests who are wowed by the attention to detail. Includes a full complement of butlers who have sufficient presence with the rest of the employees that they have raised their level of service and can obtain instant service for guests. Butler Department personnel

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We have thereby eliminated the need for a separate PABX and Room Service department and staff. Few people appreciate how valuable and convenient butler service can be.”Obviously, these benefits accrue where the players are serious about putting a real butler department in place, and a useful tool in achieving this is the Butler Rating System.

RATING YOUR BUTLER For those hotels and resorts offering butler service, and the ratings assigned to them, visit http://www.modernbutlers.com/ html/butler-rating-system.html. This list is influenced by input from anyone qualified (i.e. anyone who works/worked at or has visited the facility upon which they are commenting) providing their feedback via a link on the same page. Specific comments are not posted, but are used in assessing the real-time state of butler service—rather than annually as with other rating bodies. The Institute, likewise, does not take a passive/judgmental role, but works with hotels to alert them to issues so they can respond and/or act to improve. The ratings range from “No Butler” to “Five Butlers” (briefly) as follows:

receive ongoing training and quality control to keep them sharp and there is a Deputy for the Head Butler who facilitates this training and other organizational steps to keep the Butler Department running smoothly. Five Butlers Guests have their own private butler to attend to their every (legal and ethical) needs and desires, including accompanying them on excursions as chauffeur and guide. In the case of guests lacking companions, this level of service may extend to the butler being a companion for a guest, even being skilled enough to play such as golf or tennis (but sufficiently diplomatic always to let the guest win by a narrow margin—and never crossing the line). Where spa service is offered, the butler may also be the spa therapist or so knowledgeable in spa methodology that he or she presents a seamless experience for the spa-going guest.

No Butler The full list of requirements for each level can be found at

The butlers are called such, but have no training or understanding of the nature or skill-sets of a butler, often having a modifier in front of their title, such as “fireplace butler,” “technology butler,” or “baby butler.”

http://www.modernbutlers.com/html/butler-rating-system.html Professor Steven Ferry trains butlers in hotels, resorts, and private estates. He is Chairman of the International Institute of Modern Butlers (www. modernbutlers.com) and author of the best-selling industry texts, Hotel

One Butler

Butlers, The Great Service Differentiators and Butlers and Household Managers, 21st Century Professionals. He can be contacted at stevenferry@

There is literally one butler on the floor, rushing to service guests who are kept waiting or improperly serviced. There may be more than one butler, but training on the skills of the butler or the grace of a butler are lacking, even though some of the service is being provided. Two Butlers The butler-to-guest ratio is still too strained, so guests are kept waiting or not fully serviced, but basic elements of butler service are performed and the butlers have been trained in their profession either in schools or on site. No night butler on duty and no butler coordinators to connect guests with butlers. Three Butlers There are enough butlers in shifts to manage guests, including night butlers, butler coordinators, and a head butler. The Butler department exists as its own department, not under Housekeeping, Concierge, Room Service, F&B, or any other department. Guests are offered a good range of butler services and these are satisfactorily executed. Butler service has been established and fine-tuned with the assistance of trained professionals.

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modernbutlers.com

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SALES & MARKETING

Identifying the WIIFM Factor The Essential of Hotel Sales Success By Carol Verret Hotel Sales Training that focuses on the sales process alone misses the point. There is no shortage of hotel sales people that know the process. The pace of business is so fast that a salesperson that continues to go through the ‘steps’ often fails to hear buying signals. Has anyone noticed in those Smith Travel reports that the demand side of the REVPAR equation is little bit delicate? Mark Woodruff of PKF points out the implications of that in a new study. ‘While the number of hotel rooms occupied will continue to grow at a 1.4 percent pace, the number of new accommodations is projected to increase by 2.0 percent in 2007. The net result is a forecast of a slight 0.6 percent decline in occupancy for the nation’s largest lodging markets.’

(they have way too many to return), or responding to an email unless there is something in it for them.

The implications of this is that hotel sales people will be competing for business in 2007 and the trend that Mr. Woodruff outlines is expected to continue with Lodging Econometrics forecasting 119,426 new units in the pipeline for 2007 and 131,517 for 2008. Hotel sales people will have to find new ways of differentiating themselves from the hundreds of other hotel sales people vying for the same piece of business.

approach. Existing accounts are a wealth of info about the hotel and why they use us - we just seldom ask them.

To a client the WIFFM (What’s In It For Me) is the most important thing. When product and rate are relatively the same, a sales person who can zero in on what’s ‘personally’ the most important thing to a customer is likely to make the sale. Hotel sales people who can figure this out offer a powerful differentiation from the rest of the field.

• When you make contact, ask them what is important in their hotel selection. They will always say rate first because if they don’t they are afraid that the sales person might overcharge them but that is usably not the deciding factor. Sales people tend to get stuck in the ‘qualifying’ step asking things like number of rooms, arrival/departure pattern -- important to us but we almost never ask them what is the most important thing to them.

In a recent seminar program, I asked the group please don’t tell me that you are still sending those letters with bullet points that outline coffee makers, irons and boards, etc. An owner looked up at me and asked why not? The answer unfortunately is that nobody cares. The ‘commoditiztion’ of hotel rooms has made it so that those things are minimum expectations - everyone has those as well as TVs, beds, etc. So in a world where the vast majority of hotels and rooms are relatively similar, what makes the difference? A hotel and a hotel sales person that can give the client what they want. Finding out what they want is the most important thing a sales person can do. Sales people are preoccupied with the ‘pitch’ - outlining every feature and every product that they can offer. When they are done, they pause as if waiting for the client to applaud. Even after the client gives them a buying signal that they are ready to buy, the sales person proceeds with the ‘process’ until they get the section on ‘close’ - nobody has time for that anymore.

How do you find out the WIIFM? • Do the research. Go online and check out the web site, go to Hoovers and check out their numbers. Is their revenue up or down, what does this mean for the contact person? Find out where they had this event last year - are you a comparable facility? • Ask your current clients in similar positions, ‘Why do you use our property’. If you are using the DNA model of new business development, you have clients similar to the one you want to

• Put your self in their position. Imagine that you are the prospect that you need to reach. What does the prospect’s world look like? If you can’t imagine your way into being them, find someone in a similar position and spend some time observing their world. What would be important if it were you?

Certain market segments are easier to figure out than others but one common response to this question is to make it easy. Staples isn’t selling a bunch of those Easy Buttons by coincidence. We all are so busy we just want someone to make something easy. The client wants a hotel that gets their reservations right, their rooming list correctly entered, and the catered function is on time, etc. Finally, they want accurate and timely billing - this all equates to EASY! Go to Staples - buy a case of those EASY Buttons. Ship or take one to every new business prospect you are having difficulty closing and write a note that says, ‘This is what will happen when you book your next event at our hotel!’ Be prepared to deliver EASY! Carol Verret And Associates Consulting and Training offers training services and consulting in the areas of sales, revenue management and customer service primarily but not exclusively to the hospitality industry. To find out

From the first contact or approach, a sales person has to offer the client a benefit, a WIIFM, for engaging in a dialogue with them. People are just too busy to waste their time retuning a message,

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more about the company click on www.carolverret.com. To contact carol send her an email at carol@carolverret.com or she can be reached by cell phone (303) 618-4065.

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

SALES & MARKETING

Have You Listened To What Your Hotel Sales and Reservations Agents Are Saying To Real Customers? By Douglas Kennedy In an effort to increase the sales effectiveness of their hotel sales and reservations staff, general managers have traditionally looked to outside “mystery shopping” companies to place test calls and then complete checklists that “score” an agent on their sales/service skills. Indeed, many hotels have benefited from such programs and increased their sales and service levels to new heights, especially when the mystery shopping is tied-in to an overall training and development plan. Yet having myself once been in the mystery shopping business I can tell you it has never been easy and the service itself presents inherent challenges that are difficult if not impossible to overcome: • Inability to reach every agent every month. • Recognition of the voice of the mystery callers. • Caller ID from same area codes. • Shop calls placed primarily during business hours. • Mystery shopping callers to being perceived as being too lenient or difficult vs. “regular” callers. • Callers never give a credit card, or if they do, always give the same one. The best mystery shopping companies will work with their clients to overcome challenges such as these. Yet these days, mystery shopping companies face new challenges that are perhaps insurmountable in that today’s agents are fielding a far broader spectrum of call scenarios than ever before. The reality is that when you pick up a reservations call, whether at the front desk, reservations department, or in a call center environment, the range of potential questions, concerns, and needs is far greater then even just five years ago. In the past, test callers could get away with general questions such as “Can you tell me about your hotel?” or “Do you have a pool?” or “I’m thinking of traveling to your city…” Nowadays, callers range from ultra to misinformed, having been on one too many virtual tours and read to much userdriven content at places like TripAdvisor.com and elsewhere. Today’s callers have specific questions that will impact their final decision, and more than anything want a recommendation or endorsement or just to get the comfort level of talking with a real live person which can never be replaced. From the hoteliers I talk to these days, it seems

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

their agents almost always know instantly when they are being test called. From there, it’s only natural that sales agents would perform differently than when fielding a “real” call, thus biasing the results and minimizing the value of the data. Up until now, most hotels and resorts have had no better options as the ability to monitor and record calls for training and Q/A purposes was limited to a call center environment, and even there, expensive peripheral telephony equipment was required. Things have changed rapidly however, and its easier than ever for managers of properties of all sizes and staffing levels to find some way to record at least a sampling of inbound calls for training and Q/A purposes. A little time Googling on the subject will yield numerous options and a wide range of technology solutions. Depending on the type of telecommunications system you are utilizing, there’s new technology for call recording/ logging including systems at lower price points for call centers with as few as 10 seats. There’s also a cutting edge company that can provide external monitoring assessment by using their own equipment, and yet another company that can record all inbound 800 calls for you and post them on the web for you to hear. If all those solutions sound too complicated or costly, you can keep it simple by purchasing a digital call recording device that hooks onto the handset (or headset) cord of any single or multiline phone. When I Googled the subject I found many options, including one model for under $100 that will hold 32 hours of digital recording time. (As a formality, just be sure to program and activate a pre-announce into your PBX or ACD system to properly notify your callers if required, regardless of which method you use to record the calls.)

The point is that today’s General Managers should find a way – anyway – to allow their management team to listen to recordings of sales inquiry calls from real-world guests and third party decision makers. Once able to do so, a whole new level of insight can be gained. One obvious benefit is that once you have access to recordings of real-world calls, your managers and supervisors can:

• Coach agents on how they perform in the real-world vv(vs. how they sound when they know it is a test call.) • Evaluate agent performance based on numerous calls each month, vs. a handful of outside mystery shopping reports. • Ensure that each agent is evaluated equally on a consistent number of calls per month. (vs. They got shopped once this month but 4 times last month.) • Listen to and evaluate how callers respond when agents employ your sales call strategies/standards; determine if they require any updating. • More accurately assess and meet the training needs including at the individual agent level.

Interestingly, another unexpected upside of having access to realworld calls is that your revenue management team can periodically evaluate a reasonable sample of calls to determine actual closing ratios, rate denials/regrets, and other insight that can be useful in setting and adjusting future revenue optimization strategies. But the best part of having access to real-world calls fielded by your staff is that you as a General Manager can keep an eye on your “store front window display,” which is a great analogy for how your callers see it when they dial your hotel’s telephone number. 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. His articles have also appeared worldwide in more than 17 prominent international publications including the HSMAI Marketing Review, eHotelier, 4hoteliers, Hotel News Resource, Hotel Online, Human Assets - Dubai and Hong Kong, Hsyndicate worldwide, BAHA Times – U.K., Hospitality – Maldives, and the Hotel Expert Magazine Hong Kong. Since 1996 Doug has been a regular contributor to the lodging industry’s number one rated publication, www.hotelmotel.com , where he has been a regular monthly columnist since 2001. Visit www.kennedytrainingnetwork.com for details or e-mail him at: doug@kennedytrainingnetwork.com

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

SERVICE

The Why, What and How of WOW By Rick K. Hendrie

“The customer sets the pace, you capture the moments. You are in charge. Your charge is to help customers feel well. Your ultimate responsibility is that each guest feels well when the leave because of how you enhanced their life in the moment that you had to serve them.” Horst Schultze, former President & COO for Ritz Carlton quoted from Harvard Business School Case Study revised 7/02 We want WOW. When we find it we run in droves to indulge in its magnificent, silky perfection and spend a premium for the privilege. We don’t believe we’ll get it, because so much of our commercial relationships are rife with lies, disappointments and broken promises. But, that doesn’t stop us from wishing. Oh, the allure of WOW. WOW is a Full-fledged, 5-Sense Stimulating Experience in which the Guest is personally acknowledged for their patronage and the transaction is based on the premise of an on-going retail relationship. It creates an emotional bond between guest and proprietor that transcends great product or service (but must include it) and becomes that most elusive of hoped for results; an enduring, wildly profitable brand. Why WOW & Why Now? The Service Economy is Finished More choices than ever for the guest to spend their disposable income More and interesting choices for consumers to spend their leisure time Satisfaction does not guarantee loyalty. Expectations for good service are so low that “exceeding” them means little. We’ve left the Service Economy and entered into the Experience Era, where guest satisfaction does not translate into repeat business. Frederick Reichheld said that between 60-80 % of all consumers who were surveyed and said to be satisfied or very satisfied with their purchase, went out and bought a competitive product the next time out. We’re saturated with information. According to Sam Hill, only 9% of consumers tested were able to identify the name of a product whose TV commercial they had just seen. We’re not a nation of demographics but of impassioned tribes, unfettered by physical barriers, connected 24/7, who listen for the language of WOW as it is spoken in their native tongue.

to a deeper state of pleasure, satisfaction and comfort. It is never logical, even if some of its components ‘make perfect, rational sense’. At your local Starbucks WOW is not coffee. They says it’s “…an experience. …a treat. …a daily necessity. …a happy place. …homey. …a Fortress of Solitude. …what you want it to be.” In the case of Marriott, it’s the recognition, in the words of Michel Jannini, EVP of Marriott’s lodging brand management , that, ‘The cookie cutter is dead’.* Boston Globe 3/6/05 , Building a Better Hotel Room by Keith Reid WOW is interactive, involving, seducing the guest into investing psychic and physical energy into the interaction so they have a vested interest in the outcome. WOW is soulful It speaks to the power of a brand to look at Krispy Kreme. A pariah now on Wall Street for its multiple strategic blunders, it still can elicit rhapsodic quotes from people like Roy Blount Jr. “When Krispy Kremes are hot, they are to other donuts what angels are to people.” * The Wall Street Journal, September 3rd WOW is sensory. “…Call it a better for you food bazaar on organic steroids, or the grocery equivalent of Disney World for food Junkies…could help to transform grocery shopping into interactive theater… For Whole Foods, WOW is “shopping as Showtime…” *from an article on Whole Foods in the front page of the Money Section of USA Today March 9th, by Bruce Horowitz WOW can even be modest. Jim Riddick, proprietor of The Cypress Inn, offers a small Four Diamond Award Bed & Breakfast Inn whose purpose is to “nourish the body and soul”. Located in the little town of Conway, South Carolina, he has achieved national recognition, without hype or notoriety.

What Is WOW? What is the How of WOW? It is Theater WOW is almost never about what it purports to sell, to whit: Lexus’ cars are about living the elegant, good life, Nike’s shoes represent the possibility of Olympian achievement , Disney’s theme parks conjure eras of comfort, fun and love that never actually existed, Kimpton’s Hotel bedrooms are about bliss and Harley’s bikes about freedom and brother (or sister) hood. WOW is a state of emotional being that brings the consumer

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The How of WOW needs an acting troupe of wow’ers, the people who actually ‘perform the play’. These actors aren’t called that because it makes good copy. The best WOW environments recognize the contrived nature of the interaction in which the promise of a brand is either ‘put across’ or broken by an associate who is untrained, uncaring or in the wrong ‘role’. As the noted

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PhD Social Anthropologist Erving Goffman observed, “It is the act of acting that, in the end, differentiates memorable experiences from ordinary human activity” Erving Goffman, celebrated PhD and social anthropologist WOW requires personal connection between guest and associate, often the worst paid and least appreciated employee. Brands aren’t just clever ads and creatively scripted personas. Business people wonder where WOW goes wrong, most often it’s here. “To win brand loyalty companies need to establish strong emotional bonds with their guests, ‘one transaction at a time, involving face-to-face contacts. A brand…has a face…” says John Fleming of the Gallup Organization New York Times 12/7/04 Sanda Blakeslee ‘Say the Right Name and They Light up’ Stick your sword in the ‘Brand Sand” and stand for something, a value for which you have passion. Anyone who has decided to up the bar and ‘stand for something’ more than just a product and/or service has gotten one of the most important parts of the How of WOW. Create a Story It’s the branded narrative of the ideal shopping experience with your brand. It incorporates the mission, position and value proposition within the detail. It reinforces what the customer already feels and likes about your brand. Orchestrate the components: The 10 ‘P’s” in a Play • • • • • • • • • •

The Place: location and building The People: guests, actors, vendors and you The Props: What the actors use The Play: Your branded story The Production Elements: The atmosphere, elements of hos pitality, food The Promise: Your key value enacted throughout every element of your business The Price: What you’re worth and how your guest values the experience. Charge admission. The Promotion: The communication of the brand story in all its forms The Press: The buzz, scripted or not The Performance Reviews & Prizes: Pre-shift and post shift meetings, rewards as a regular ‘rite’

So there is a method to the Method. The theatrical model is not just a glib metaphor, but a means to transform the merely tangible to the transcendent. If a brand is greater than the sum of its service, products and ambiance, where else but the theater can you find a way to take those elements and elevate them into an indelible memory, one impervious to the onslaught of commercials, connectivity and competition? WOW is Remarkable. WOW is ShowTime, Baby. Rick Hendrie is President & Chief Experience Officer of Remarkable Branding, Inc. a Cambridge MA based consultancy which helps clients create and market memorable brand experiences. For a free brochure on 10 Guest Experience Marketing Strategies, go to www.remarkablebranding.com/gems/ booklet_request.html

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

MISCELLANEOUS

Stuff Happens ... Then You Fix It By John Alston No matter how different we are in life, we all have one thing in common when we die: On our headstones, between the year of birth and the year of death, there is a dash. This single line represents all that we have contributed to the world. Within the context of our life, “stuff” happens. There are changes challenges and opportunities. It’s not, however, the ‘stuff’ that happens to us that’s important - it’s our response to the ‘stuff’ that counts.

speaking, people will do what they want to do regardless of what they know to be true. Making a contribution means going against the grain and doing what’s right, rather than what feels good. Be civil to the uncivil, kind to the unkind. With your actions, you will inspire this behavior in others. Life is a gift - don’t trash it. The bittersweet tears at gravesides

Each person is the deciding factor in whether he wins or loses in life. Each person controls what that ‘dash’ will ultimately represent. And because we are trainers, we have the potential to affect many other lives, as well, when we help employees take control of their reactions and behavior. It all starts with understanding the difference between the ‘stuff’ we can’t control and the outcomes, which we can. Every outcome in life is the result of a perfectly designed system for achieving that outcome. Whether the ‘system’ is intentional or not, it’s always there. If we want to change the outcome, we have to change the system. As Francis Bacon said, ‘Knowledge is power.’ It’s not enough just to know about a system, however. True knowledge - which leads to change - has three components: 1. Facts. They don’t change anything, but they do shine a light on the subject. Human beings are prisoners of one thing: Awareness.

are for words unsaid and deeds undone. Don’t take people or time for granted, and don’t forget these basics: •

The greatest gift you have is your mind - use it and your life experiences to grow.

•

Find out what you’re good at, develop it and give it back to the world. The world is waiting for your contribution.

•

Always be the most decent human being that you can be. Remember: Civility reduces tension.

•

No problem is bigger than you are and you have all the resources to make your life work.

•

In this game, there is no guarantee on time.

Skillfully utilizing humor and the power of the story, John Alston is an internationally known keynote speaker and award-winning author who

2. Skills and techniques. To make a change, you have to do something differently. The hardest part is getting started, but to win, you have to begin. 3. Thinking. Your thoughts determine your attitudes. Your attitudes determine your actions. Your actions determine your destiny. Pay attention to the fedback and/or outcome of any system or strategy you use and take note; What works works; what doesn’t work doesn’t work. The universe demands growth, and working really hard at a system that doesn’t work will not give you a better outcome. Every system is feedback-dependent; use the feedback to change the system. Remember that pain is Nature’s way of getting your attention. If you embrace the pain, you’ll learn from it. Not feeling like doing the right thing is no excuse for doing the right thing. Knowing is not the same as doing - and, generally

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

traveled the world infusing knowledge and inspiration to 3 million people with his message of extraordinary performance. For more information visit www.johnalston.com

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

SPA Photo: Ayurvedic Treatment at Landaa Spa and Ayurvedic Retreat, Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru

Spa Trends to Watch for 2007 By Spa Finder, Inc. As the point of connection between the thousands of spas and millions of spa consumers around the globe, Spa Finder offers a uniquely broad perspective of the spa industry. In recent years, the company has used this vantage point to provide industry watchers with a â&#x20AC;&#x153;sneak peekâ&#x20AC;? at the big spa stories in the year ahead. Spa Finder has proven remarkably prescient with its annual predictions, which have included the popularization of spa residences and home spa design; the rapid growth of cosmetic med spas, medical wellness and mobile spas; the renewed interest in water experiences; and increased spa participation among men, pregnant women, teens, couples and groups.

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

Following are Spa Finder’s “10 Spa Trends to Watch for in 2007,” based on widespread consumer input, extensive travel by the company’s Luxury Spa Finder Magazine and Spafinder.com editorial staff, and its close working relationships with thousands of day and stay spas worldwide. Sleep - A New Dawn in Spa Health Exercise, good nutrition and stress management have long been the domain of spa programs. Now healthy sleep is being added to the curriculum, inspired by the emerging field of sleep medicine, which has revealed that sleep has a profound effect on appearance, weight, and well-being - and that we, as a nation, are dangerously sleep deprived. Look for hotels and resorts to put even greater emphasis on creating ideal sleep environments through minimal light and sound, aromatherapy, ultra-relaxing spa treatments, etc. At destination spas (some of which already offer sleep programs) sleep specialists will help educate, diagnose and treat sleep apnea, insomnia and other disorders. More spas will focus on good sleep hygiene, offering sleep yoga programs and life coaches who address the underlying issues associated with poor sleep. Stay spas will also re-schedule their programs to start morning hikes and exercise programs a bit later (so people can sleep in) and allow for naps to help visitors catch up on their “sleep debt.” Even day spas will get in on the sleep craze by offering relaxation lounges for a post treatment nap. (... Now if they would only let us snooze on the massage table after a massage instead of ushering us out.) Detox In the past “detox” denoted alcohol or drug rehabilitation, but today that definition has expanded to express any transition from unhealthful habits to healthful habits. As the culture continues to identify more “toxins” - such as dietary no-no’s, stress, and environmental pollution - look for more people to turn to spas for a range of detox solutions, including relaxation, all-organic diets, sweating (exercise, steams and saunas), and the purging of emotional baggage through one-on-one or group therapy work. Ironically, part of the momentum for this detox trend has been supplied by spas themselves, which over the past years have begun offering alcohol, caffeinated beverages, serve-yourself buffets, tempting desserts and fewer restrictions in general to attract a wider audience. The result? It’s become harder and harder to end a spa vacation having lost weight or made significant changes in eating habits. Spa Finder is forecasting that core spa enthusiasts

will begin to ask for more structure, less temptation, and more intensive programs - in short, more detox and less “tox.”

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“These trends will all continue to unfold and develop in 2007, and of course entirely new concepts will hit the scene,” said Spa Finder, Inc. President Susie Ellis. “Evolution is the one constant in the vibrant world of spa, which is why we focus on predicting where the industry is going, rather than reporting where it’s already been. For writers, spa enthusiasts and industry professionals who want to be on the cutting edge, this is what we see as the cutting edge - and where it will take us in the year ahead.”

Spa Retreats - On the March For years destination spas have offered occasional “specialty weeks” where experts are brought in and like-minded people gather to focus on a specific area of interest, such as yoga, sexual health, or to address medical concerns such as arthritis or quitting smoking. Now resorts and hotels are getting into the retreat business, adding specialty programs or special accommodations that appeal to their past guests - in effect becoming “destination spas” for a period of time. Look for offerings such as wellness workshops, spiritual retreats, boot camps, or “find your inner artist” getaways to energize resort and hotel spa programs, attracting solo travelers with group events, workshops and shared meals. On the horizon, we’ll see day spas expand their group/community offerings with special workshops and even group outings to destination and resort spas for overnight stays. Medical Tourism - In Search of Affordable Health Medical wellness and cosmetic med spas are doing booming business by filling certain critical gaps in the traditional health care system. In 2007 more and more people will travel to another city, state or country for medical spa experiences, creating a new trend: medical tourism. A range of new technologies will attract these medical tourists - DNA analysis, for example, and new generations of anti-aging medicines, injectables and lasers. But another big draw will be cost. Squeezed by domestic health care costs, many Americans are going online and discovering global destinations that offer cutting-edge medical procedures for a fraction of the cost ... often in beautiful, culturally rich locales like Bangkok, South Africa and India, to name a few. Many hotel/resort spas will recognize the new opportunity that medical tourism presents and market themselves as ideal preand post-operation stays. Also look for some travel agents to act as lifestyle coaches, helping to plan vacations that include preventive medical procedures and aesthetic med spa treatments as part of the journey. Move Into a Spa Lifestyle Community ... and Bring the Kids Spa Finder initially identified the genesis of the spa real estate trend at the end of 2004, and already the company is tracking 200 such properties in various stages of development. This growth will continue in 2007 as spa residences move beyond being the retirement option of choice for aging baby boomers the 21st century’s answer to the golf community - to also attract younger families with children. Recognizing the growing priority among parents on raising their children in an active, healthful, communal environment (and avoiding the growing problems of childhood obesity and diabetes), more spa lifestyle communities HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

become solo undertakings as spa-goers have generally sought privacy and solitude in the spa setting. Spa Finder, however, is predicting that the search for solitude will be trumped by the

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will offer structured outdoor/exercise activities and healthy eating options just for children. This trend will also provide a great perk for older empty nesters, since the grandkids will have plenty to do when they visit.

Huvafen Fushi boasts the world’s first underwater Spa, Image: Per Aquum

The Bottom Line Becomes a Top-Line Consideration More spa trends in the New Year will be driven by the bottom line, which will play an ever-larger role in shaping the competitive landscape and determining what the industry will offer. For example, the highest outlay for U.S. spa businesses is labor costs, which can consume over 50% of a spa’s revenue. Domestically, this is one reason we’ll be seeing an increase in “de-staffed” spa treatments, like heat and water experiences, which allow for a higher guest-to-therapist ratio. In general, as profits get tighter, revenue management models will become more sophisticated. Look for spa treatments to become more expensive on busy Saturdays and discounted on Monday and Tuesday mornings. Spa menu options, similarly, may change depending on seasons, time of day, and other factors affecting supply and demand. On a positive note for consumers, more insurance companies will begin to cover complementary and alternative (CAM) (or integrative) health services, and more employers will subsidize spa-like services to promote a healthier, more productive work force. Social Spa-ing Community is the new privacy. For hundreds of years, “taking the waters” had been as much a social event as a personal therapy, but more recently hydrotherapy and heat/cold experiences have

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

vnatural desire for community and a growing awareness that social interaction is an important aspect of health. “Social spa-ing” will emerge as an exciting new term, describing the emphasis on opportunities to connect, converse, and play in the spa environment. (This social spa-ing trend also fits in nicely with the need to create more “de-staffed spa experiences” as discussed above.) How Green Is My Spa? The spa’s mantra of body/mind/spirit is extending past the “self” to include others - and also the planet. Consumers are now factoring in a spa’s green commitment when they choose a spa, and they’re looking for a spa that does more than just recycle and offer organic food. And it’s as much about respecting people as it is about respecting nature. Spa guests are rewarding a spa’s efforts to incorporate authentic indigenous treatments, hire local staff, and contribute to the community. They’re also welcoming education about local cultures and healing traditions and looking for holistic commitment on the part of spa personnel to contribute to sustainability and the health of guests, themselves and the planet at large. In short, spas and spa consumers are getting serious about terms like “natural,” “organic,” “holistic,” “green,” “eco-friendly,” and “sustainable.” And that’s a good thing - naturally.

2007 Spa Buzz Words

Spa Finder forecasts that the spa industry will continue to lead innovation in skincare with new technologies and programs that recognize that beauty is much more than skin deep.

Anti-aging, Ayurveda, Bespoke Spa Treatments, Body Facials, Body/Mind/SPIRIT, Caldarium, De-staffed Treatments, Energy Medicine, Express Services, Frigidarium, Holistic, HRT for Men, Hyperbaric Chamber, Infrared Sauna, Kids Spa, Kinesis, Laconium, LOHAS, Metrospiritual, Mineral Make up, Nanotechnology, Neurobics, Peptides, Self-Responsibility, Sleep Medicine, Social Hydrotherapy, Spa Butler, Spa Culture Tourism, Tepidarium, TCM, Unplugged, Vibration Therapy, Wellness.

Inside Out Spa visitors will continue to pursue maximum results by focusing on full-scale beauty regimens, from the inside out. Anti-aging foods rich in antioxidants such as berries, dark green leafy vegetables, salmon, and nuts are also part of the “inside-out” phenomenon as evidence mounts that what we eat has a major effect on how our skin ages. There is also a renewed interest in natural and organic products, spurred on by skin-care companies making purity a priority, not a false promise.

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Beauty Inside-Out and Outside-In

Outside In “High spa IQ” consumers are curious about advances in beauty products, wanting to understand the science that makes skin-care products work so they can make intelligent choices. And there’s plenty of science to learn about in the current beauty products market, including skin-care serums that penetrate the skin with peptides and nanotechnology, and basically work from the skin’s deeper layers up. This new generation of products, exemplified by DDF’s RMX Maximum, which uses growth factor hormones, and Remergent’s DNA Repair, which fights sun damage, target the building blocks of our skin, fibroblasts and DNA, to improve our appearance, from the outside in. Spa Finder asks: Will invasive face-lifts and cosmetic surgery soon be obsolete? Spa Fusion Thai massage (a fusion of yoga stretches and massage), Watsu (water and shiatsu), wellness (well-being and fitness) and yogalates (yoga and pilates) are just a few examples of spa fusion that we’ve seen in years past. In the year ahead, look for an acceleration of these sorts of combined modalities that produce even more powerful benefits than the sum of their parts.

The Spa Retreat at Hilton Maldives Resort & Spa, Image: Hilton Hotels

As the world’s largest spa marketing and media company, Spa Finder reaches

Ryu-Jitsu (Japanese for “Dragon Magic”), a spa treatment recently launched in Manhattan at NAO Salon and Spa, is a good example of what we’ll be seeing more of in ‘07. The treatment begins with work on the Body Master machine, then progresses to sweating in a hot stone spa room, then to a combination of Shiatsu and Thai massage. Other popular “fusions” will include: facials with breathwork, jacuzzis with light therapy, massage with sound therapy, Neurobics (mind aerobics), and Kinesis, which is a new combination mind/body exercise experience.

millions of health conscious consumers via its award-winning website, Spafinder.com. The company publishes Luxury SpaFinder Magazine, the trusted authority on luxury spas and associated lifestyles, as well as its annual Worldwide Guide to Spas, the ultimate spa-goers’ resource. Spa Finder also operates the world’s largest spa gift certificate and incentive programs as well as the Spa Distribution Network, the Internet’s first online spa booking program. For more information visit www.spafinder.com

“We believe that all of these trends demonstrate the diversity and creativity of both the spa industry and millions of consumers who turn to spas to find wellness and balance in their lives,” added Ellis. “Spa Finder predicts that many of these spa trends, which seem so new and unfamiliar now, will soon be mainstream - helping many people live healthier, happier lives.” HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

HUMAN RECOURCES

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

SERVICE

Smile, It Enhances Your Face Value By John R. Hendrie Attributable to a noted Hotelier? Implored by your Dental Hygienist? Emblematic of that horrid button? Actually, this line was spoken by Dolly Parton in “Steel Magnolias” (courtesy of AHLA News Brief). Ms. Parton has that energy and charm packaged in authenticity. No matter how you might regard her many talents, she is magnetic - her self-effacing humor engaging, a huge voice from a tiny body, a smile which is infectious, and, by the way, she is in Hospitality, directing quite an empire, which entertains millions. She knows from whence she drawls.

FACE: The landscape of our being. We scrub it, beautify it, grow assorted whiskers, remember it, use it as a noun and a verb. Face is very flexible. In Asia, this is an extremely vital concept and permeates much of the social fabric. It allows for a level of grace and respect in all transactions - personal and professional. Any exchange, the give and take of our energy and resources, establishes some result. And, a smile makes it that more memorable. ENHANCEMENT: We all communicate through body language the messages transmitted by our mannerisms, posture, attention and movement. Body language demonstrates attitude. Guest and Visitor impressions are established through our attitude the sullen Front Desk Clerk, the harried waitress, the obsequious sales associate, the rude ticket taker - eye contact, order taking, unnecessary waiting, the cold shoulder, hands in pocket, hung head - very strong messages. “Don’t bother me; you are not important; I don’t care.” We all know the signs - our business is not valued, and we are not respected. Enhancement involves attention to behavior, for everything can be improved and the level of service delivery elevated. The power of a smile sets the tone for the Experience.

This year I visited a Destination Resort area, which had all the ingredients for success - location, venues, recreation. Product quality was quite good, service standards upheld, and the facilities were in decent condition. But, there was a lack of joy and excitement in many of the Hospitality businesses. I am sure that the reasons were multifaceted, but their travails met you at the front door. No one smiled, which left me, the Visitor, distressed. A smile is really a simple thing - an expression of welcome, there is no cost involved, it is voluntary and usually sincere. Without it, you lose that critical first impression of Hospitality, and your business will suffer. This particular quotation above captures four (4) components of the Experience we frame for our Visitors and Guests. VALUE: Almost as hard to translate as Quality, for we all have different definitions and levels of import. But, value does imply worth, distinction and an expected fair return for our money, our goods, and our services. From the Visitor’s and Guest’s perspective, they expect the experience we have crafted for them. Punctuate that with a smile, and they will return.

THE SMILE: A simple muscle contraction, brought about by joy, pleasure, relief, confidence, and, dare I say it, a commitment to service. Yet, it can take so many forms. “Smile, you’re on Candid Camera” produces the sheepish grin. Smile for the family photograph creates the grimace. Smiling when you think you have all the answers results in the smirk. Washington and Hollywood promote the phony semblance. And, with a good joke, a smile leads to a laugh. With the above, you can appreciate the many forms of a smile and the stimuli which encourage those muscles to move. As a Consumer, I can be compassionate and understand that you are having a bad day, that the Boss is on you, the children are sick, you have a toothache, and the litany goes on. What I will not abide is your inattention to my needs. A smile sets the stage for our transaction; it provides accessibility, the welcome and care. Plus, a smile is contagious. Watch out, I may respond in kind! John Hendrie is CEO of Hospitality Performance, Inc., a full-service hospitality consulting company. With a strong background in Hospitality, Human Resources, Organizational Effectiveness, and Communications, John has devoted his career to establishing Standards of Excellence across varied businesses.

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

SALES & MARKETING

Hotel Web Site Productivity

The New Way to Measure Your Site’s Effectiveness By Neil Salerno The way I see it, search engines have become so convenient, user-friendly, and accurate that online consumers are being converted into search addicts. Search engines have become an essential part of the Internet. I feel bad for many hotel web sites that are not yet search-friendly and/or have not improved their site content to accommodate search requirements. The way I see it, many hoteliers still don’t-get-it. While hotel sites are getting more attractive, many simply ignore the basic requirements to be a searchable and functional web site. Both the design of the site and the text content make a huge contribution to the search ability of the site. Search engine compatibility is not complicated nor does it have to change the entire ‘feel’

Don’t kid yourself, if your site is not producing well, the solution may not simply be fixed with search engine optimization (SEO). Getting more visitors to view a non-functional site, fixes nothing. Creating an effective sales tool involves a lot more than simply having pretty pictures and listing facts about the facilities and amenities of your hotel. Your site should be designed using sound hotel marketing principles; that means that it has to be designed to sell. You’ve heard it before; content is king. Many designers spend more time composing photos and flash elements than developing text and links, the most important part of your site.

of your web site. Many times minor changes can make a huge difference.

marketing plan? No more so than you would have your marketing director fix a leaking sink. Why would you leave it to anyone other than a hotel marketing professional to design your web site? I have a client who had his new flashy site designed by a major web design company to the tune of $6000. In six months the site produced reservations in the low single digits each month. After content and navigation changes, it now produces roughly thirty percent of all his reservations.

It’s obviously important to attract as many visitors as possible to your site. Your site means nothing unless people can see it. But your site’s design has a great influence on how search engines spider and rank your site; which will determine the number of visitors who will see your site. That’s right, folks, it’s a ‘Catch 22’; for those of you to young to remember, that’s a problem which revolves in a circle, over and over again. You should no longer be satisfied with web masters who simply track the number of visitors to your site. Site optimization includes the ability of your site to convert ‘lookers’ to ‘bookers’. Getting visitors to see your site is only half the job; the easier half. How many visitors are actually making a reservation? Productivity means bookings. I spoke to a professional the other day who was satisfied that the only way to increase bookings was to attract more visitors. Well, how about also optimizing the design of the site so that more of those additional visitors will make a reservation? Over time, many hotel web sites tend to become a collection of disjointed, unrelated information due to the hotel’s eagerness to include as much information as possible, as if that would make a difference. Sometimes less is more. Many others continually display information which is out-dated, due to simple neglect. A web site is not your hotel’s online brochure; it’s a continually evolving sales tool.

Would you have your maintenance engineer write your hotel’s

For independent hotels, it is also necessary to provide the ‘instant gratification’ that only an online booking engine can provide. Most hotel site visitors will not be satisfied with waiting for a fax or email confirmation of their reservation. I simply cannot understand why there are still so many hotel sites that don’t have the ability to accept an online ‘real-time’ reservation. Many booking engines are seamless and easily affordable; the return on this minor investment is huge. Whoever has designed your site, make them accountable for reservation production; unless, of course, your bank now accepts deposits of unique users. According to Secure-Res, their average client site converts 3.48% of all visitors; wouldn’t it be common-sense that it should be much higher? Can you imagine making reservations for only 4 out of every 100 people that call your hotel? Neil Salerno, CHME, CHA Hotel Marketing Coach www.hotelmarketingcoach.com NeilS@hotelmarketingcoach.com

For independent hotels, web site optimization is an absolute must. Loyal franchise shoppers often overlook details on a franchise site because they are familiar with the requirements of that brand. But, only 20% to 25% of Internet searches are brand-specific. This leaves a lot of ‘opportunity’ available to independent hotels. Your site’s ability to get ranked higher by search engines and its ability to ‘sell’ rooms, once visitors get there, is critical to the site’s productivity.

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

Hotel Marketing Coach specializes in Internet & eMarketing, training & professional coaching for hotels around the World.

HUMAN something

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

NEWS

Tophotelprojects.com announce The 10 largest Hotel Projects of the World

By www.tophotelprojects.com The world’s largest hotel under construction with more than 4,100 rooms will be opened in 2009 by MGM Mirage in the city center of Las Vegas, Nevada. This is result of a current ranking of the largest hotel projects worldwide by tophotelprojects.com, the database provided by the internationally respected CHD Expert Group. The second and third greatest hotel projects with more than 3,000 and 2,400 rooms are under construction in Las Vegas, too. Research and analysis of all hotel markets around the world, are summarized in www.tophotelprojects.com , the new on-line database provided by the CHD Expert Group. Tophotelprojects. com provides detailed information on more than 500 current hotel projects around the world. Individual information requests for specific hotel and tourism projects can be provided immediately on request or via the web site.

1.The CityCenter Rooms: Operator: Opening:

Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas/USA 4,100 MGM Mirage Jan 01, 2009

2.Palazzo Casino Rooms: Operator: Opening:

Resort, Las Vegas/USA 3,025 Las Vegas Sands April 01, 2007

3.The Cosmopolitan Hotel Resort & Casino, Las Vegas/USA Rooms: 2,400 Operator: not named yet Opening: Aug 01, 2008 4.The Venetian Macao Rooms: 1,500 Operator: Las Vegas Sands Opening: July 01, 2007 5.Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center / USA Rooms: 1,500 Operator: Gaylord Hotels Opening: March 01, 2008

The Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai will boast 1,000 rooms and suites.

Tophotelproject.com is produced by the CHD Expert Group and researches each country’s’ hotel market via its experts across 15 offices worldwide. Every month all latest five star luxury hotel projects are summarised with all relevant facts and figures, i.e. operator, hotel chain, architects, contact data and more. “Keeping track on construction project of new hotel projects around the world remains a challenge for many businesses. With Tophotelprojects.com we have created a one stop solution, using information gathered from our 15 offices around the world we have been able to create a unique dataset, with the focus on reliable, authenticated information in each country,” says Mr Rolf W. Schmidt, managing partner of CHD Expert Group. CHD Expert is the european leading provider of information collection, management and analysis for the Out of Home Market. CHD Expert is divided in 15 national offices. In the USA a joint-venture was founded with Technomic Inc., the leading research and consulting form for the food industry, in early 2006. More informations: www.chd-expert.com Source: www.tophotelprojects.com

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

6.Trump International Hotel & Tower, Las Vegas/USA Rooms: 1,280 Operator: not named yet Opening: Aug 01, 2008 7.Zam Zam Sofitel Grand Suites, Mecca/Saudi Arabia Rooms: 1,240 Operator: Accor Opened since: September 2006 8.Maritim Dubailand, Dubai/United Arab Emirates Rooms: 1,050 Operator: Maritim Opening: July 01, 2007 9.Atlantis, The Palm, Dubai/United Arab Emirates Rooms: 1,000 Operator: Kerzner International Ltd. Opening: March 15, 2007 10.Traders Hotel, Macao Rooms: 1,000 Operator: Shangri-La Opening: Jan 01, 2008

HUMAN RESOURCES

Orderly Progression By Tony Eldred I’ve been getting quite a few requests for advice on structuring the development of subordinates from hospitality business owners recently. Interestingly, even though I’ve been in my own training business for eleven years now, I didn’t get many of these requests until a few years ago. Perhaps this is evidence of the development of professional management career paths within the smaller, private sections of our industry. Restaurants and smaller hotels have traditionally shied away from the kind of personal development available in the big hotels and corporate catering companies, because of the perception that training and development is expensive or that they can operate without it. For those of you who are interested in the subject, I can best illustrate the principles of management development by following the career of a hypothetical person I’ll call Jim. Lets assume Jim enters the industry after completing secondary school or college, and that he has had some experience as a waiter. He wants a career in hospitality management. The first, and obvious thing we have to do is to give Jim the basic technical skills he needs to be productive within our business while we develop him for higher duties. We also need to give him a thorough understanding of the business and how the various sections work and relate to each other, so he needs to be cross exposed to experience a variety of different jobs. Cross exposure might involve starting in the front of house as a waiter to learn customer service and selling skills, moving into the bar to learn beverage skills and then into the kitchen as a kitchen hand or cook for a period of time to learn food production skills. By the time Jim reaches management he should be familiar with all of the activities he has to manage. He doesn’t necessarily have to be proficient at every job, but he does have to have a basic understanding of the requirements of each job and an appreciation for the normal stresses in each section and between the sections. I often strike managers who don’t understand sections of their business and who get ‘hoodwinked’ by their senior staff — especially by Chefs. Early cross exposure and a thorough grounding in your business basics will prevent this. If Jim handles these roles effectively, his next role should be that of departmental trainer, where he will be responsible for induction and skills training of all new staff within a department. This is a very handy developmental role because it requires analytical and communication skills similar to those of a supervisor, without the stress of total responsibility. We would give him a Train-the-Trainer course or similar at this point. If Jim handles this responsibility well, he qualifies for further development; if he doesn’t, his career stalls right there.

effective in any senior role. If our boy Jim can’t demonstrate good training skills he is extremely unlikely to be effective in a leadership role. A surprising number of people scrub themselves out of management at this point. Assuming he does a good job training, we would now advance him to a supervisory position and place him in charge of a team. He’s now got to learn team building and leadership skills. Logic suggests that we should prepare Jim by training him in recruitment and leadership before we promote him, but I’ve found that you will get a better result if you wait till he’s been in the job for about six months before you try to train him. We’ve noticed that newly appointed supervisors tend to come to training with an ‘attitude’. They often act as if they’re God’s gift to the industry and totally bulletproof, and they can see no need to learn — after all, they don’t understand the pressures of their new job yet. It’s better to wait till they are up to their necks in crocodiles and struggling before offering them appropriate training — they’ll come along with an entirely different attitude then; you’re throwing them a life preserver and they’ll grab it with both hands. Supervisors must be taught how to run a business on a day to day basis and should be able to handle all the issues necessary to achieve this, including hiring, termination and discipline; stock control, cash control, purchasing, etc. At some stage all supervisors should spend time in the administration section of the business learning how the accounting and payroll are processed. Again, they need to understand this aspect of a business if they are going to manage successfully. An ‘apprenticeship’ in supervision can last up to five years, depending on the complexity of the business and the aptitude of the supervisor. Then comes the hard bit. The transition from supervisor to manager is a difficult one for most people to handle, because it involves letting go of the day to day leadership of the business or department and learning to be responsible for business growth, human resources development, marketing and financial control. I believe on the job experience should be supplemented with a series of external short courses in the management skills. Because of the complexity of these skills, we’ve found the best way to train someone is to do it in digestible chunks, while the person is in charge of a real business and has the opportunity to convert ‘theory’ to practice. Personally, I’m not too keen on three or four year intensive tertiary courses in management because I think 90% of management is learned by managing. Tony Eldred is the Managing Director of hospitality management consultants

My logic is quite simple. All advancement beyond this point requires team supervision and team development skills. Supervisors and managers have to be able to train, or they will not be very

Eldred Hospitality Pte. Ltd. For more information visit www.eldtrain.com.au or email Tony directly at teldred@eldtrain.com.au

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

LOCAL NEWS

Maldives Represented at the Prestigious PFV Dinner in India The first ever PFV dinner was held in Bombay, India on 3th December and a tasting on 4th December 2006 at The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower. In conjunction with Gimshe Investments Maldives Pvt (B/W), sommeliers from three fine resorts in Maldives participated: Huvafenfushi, Sonevafushi, and Sonevagili resorts. Some of the world’s Leading Wine Families, each a recognized leader in its region, have created an international association, named PRIMUM FAMILIAE VINI (“leading Wine Families”), of PFV. Each year they travel to one or two countries as a group to promote wine at one highbrow dinner. In the past they have been hosted by the King of Spain and the King of Sweden. This year they have traveled to Singapore, with Raffles hosting, and for the first time ever in India. PFV has been created by family companies which own vineyards and wineries and excel in the production of fine wines of fine reputation. Each family is personally involved in the management of their company. They all share the philosophy and aims of the PFV association, which are as follows: PFV Members List •

To enhance the moral and ethical values which are the strength of family business

•

To share and exchange knowledge and expertise in viticulture and oenology

•

To exchange information on different business matters

•

• Champagne POL ROGER

• Maison Joseph DROUHIN

• HUEGL & FILS

• PERRIN & FILS

To promote traditional viticulture by emphasizing the highest quality, prestige and respect for the identity of terroir

• Egon MULLER- SCHARZHOF

• Marchesi ANTINORI

•

To promote the belief that only family companies have the ideal framework for guaranteeing a continuous improvement in viticulture and winemaking in the ‘longer term’ which results in the wines of the highest possible quality

• TENUTA SAN GUIDO

• Miguel TORRES

• VEGA SICILIA

•

Whilst having the utmost respect for the Denominations of Origin to which each belongs, PFV members believe that it is the reputation and image of their brands, built up over many years, which is the ultimate expression of their unique international standing.

• CHATEAU MOUTON ROTHSCHILD

• SYMINGTON FAMILY ESTATES

During the gala dinner, The PFV members each presented one of their flagship wines. They did also donate for a charity auction the much sought after and extremely rare PFV Collection Case, a mahogany box containing one bottle of the flagship wine from each of the members of the association.

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

For more information please contact: Edward K Emonde, Managing Director Gimshe Investments Maldives Pvt Ltd (Importer/distributor of Fine wines from above Families) Email: edward@gimshe.com

HUMAN RECOURCES

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

HOSPITALITY BITES

Hospitaliy Bites Emaar MGF And Accor Form JV To Develop 100 Formule 1 Budget Hotels Across India The new venture, ‘Budget Hotels India Private Limited’, has planned investments of US$300 million over ten years. Emaar MGF is a partnership between global property developer Emaar Properties and MGF Developments. The company has already identified potential locations across the country for the development of Formule 1 hotels. Starting with major cities, the company is looking at developing 50 hotels in the first five years of its operations, with the remaining 50 to be developed in the second phase. The total development will add about 10,000 hotels rooms that cater for the budget travellers.

Dubai records 228% increase in Hotel Guests between 1996 and 2006 The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) has reported a phenomenal 228% increase in Dubai hotel and hotel apartment guests during the 1996-2006 period, while the number of operating hotel establishments increased by 42% during the same period. The number of hotel guests rose to 6.3 million in the year 2006 from 1.9 million guests in 1996. The number of operating hotel establishments in the year 2006 was 415, up from 293 in 1996.

A new tourist attraction in the hill country of Sri Lanka A new biodiversity centre is now open at Sri Lanka’s Ambuluwawa mountain, near the hill country’s Gampola town, to attract local and foreign tourists. A newly built 243-foot farmers’ pagoda will be ceremonially opened tomorrow by the Minister of Post and Telecommunication D.M. Jayarathna. The pagoda is said to be a new addition to the Buddhist pagoda design tradition. There are shrines for all of Sri Lanka’s major faiths at Ambuluwawa Mountain. The tourist site has a conference hall with 500 seats, an inspection hall and other facilities. The site is already visited by hundreds of local and foreign visitors daily.

Banyan Tree planning US$200m luxury hotel resort in Vietnam The luxury hotel and spa operator Banyan Tree Holdings has signed a memorandum of understanding to build a hotel resort in Vietnam. In a statement out on Monday, Banyan Tree said the resort would be built in the province of Thua Thien Hue. The MOU was signed between its subsidiary Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts and the Management Board of Chan May-Lang Co Economic Zone. The two parties will buy up to 200 hectares of land for the development. The project is estimated to cost around US$200 million (S$308 million)

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

Tourist Arrivals in India Up 14% in 2006 Tourist arrivals to India crossed 4.47 million in the calendar year 2006, a growth of 14.3 percent over January-December ‘05. December ‘06 had the highest ever number of tourist arrivals to India in the past three years, 5.47 lakh, up 18 percent over December ‘05, and is nearly twice the numbers that arrived in India in December ‘02. These arrivals show up in the forex earnings in 2006, which were Rs 29,000 crore for JanuaryDecember ‘06 , up 15.6 percent over January-December ‘05. December ‘06 grossed the highest forex- Rs 3,369 crore, up 13 percent over December ‘05 -- in the past three years. 2006 has been a good year for Indian tourism, with double-digit growth rates in every month, even during lean months of summer and monsoons. Part of this is business travel, which has been rising all through out 2006 as a result of greater industrial activity and trade. Another key driver is the higher number of airline seats into India, with all the major airlines having increased flights to various destinations in India. In fact, in 2006, it was the airlines of the neighbouring countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, UAE, Qatar and Sri Lanka that raised their seats to cities like Hyderabad, Cochin, Bangalore and Ahmedabad, opening up new destinations in India for tourists. This coupled with greater awareness of India as a destination, courtesy the ‘Incredible India’ campaign airing on the networks of several countries, drove growth in numbers. The US and UK still remain India’s largest inward markets, but tourists from nearby countries are also growing. The rising tourist numbers also reflect in hotel parameters. Average room realizations (ARR) have remained higher than ever in the past three years, averaging over Rs 14,000 in cities like Bangalore even through ‘lean’ seasons, where a rise in business travel made up for a drop in leisure travel during the months of June-September. Occupancies in major cities have averaged over 75 percent, and the 1-lakh odd rooms that India has in the registered category are already falling way short of demand. The hotel stocks reflected this strong demand-supply situation as well. Share prices of all major hotel scrips traded on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) were up between 13 percent to 32 percent over the year. These are good numbers for India, but still lag far behind smaller Asian rivals. Singapore, a city-state the size of Mumbai, got 8.8 million visitors in January-November ‘06, up 9 percent and 0.8 million in November ‘06 alone. Hong Kong hosted 22.8 million visitors, up 8 percent. Even accounting for 10 million Chinese mainland visitors, Hong Kong received over 12 million overseas visitors, and nearly 1 million in November ‘06, against India’s 0.5 million in the same month.

Meeru Island Resort is proud to announce the promotion of Mr. Ahmed Shiham to Guest Services Manager.

Lebua To Offer US$25,000-Per-Night Penthouses Lebua at the State Tower in Bangkok, a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, will invest US$16.8 million to renovate six penthouses to be rented out at between US$20,000 and $25,000 per night. The penthouses will be located on the 60th, 61st and 62nd floors of the State Tower on Silom Road. Each room will cover an area of 1,200 square metres, with a private swimming pool and dining room. Mr. Deepak Ohri, managing director of Lebua Hotels and Resorts Co Ltd said the renovation would be completed at the end of 2007 and the hotel would be the first in Thailand to offer penthouses at this rate.

Anantara Resorts to open its first hotel in Sri Lanka with a luxurious resort in Bentota The Anantara Resort Bentota, will be located just one hour south of Colombo in the pristine beach location of Bentota - renowned for its wide, golden beaches and pristine waters. The architecture and design of the resort is contemporary in style, inspired by the natural surroundings and the flair of the renowned architect - Jeffrey Bawa. A focal point for the resort will be the highly acclaimed Anantara Spa, an inviting heaven of tranquility providing a full range of holistic Eastern and Western treatments and therapies. Michael Sagild, COO of Anantara’s parent company, Minor International said, “The Anantara experience evokes a sense of tranquility which mirrors the traditions and lifestyle of the natural environment. With this guiding philosophy Anantara creates a destination experience in unique and luxurious settings which currently include the recently opened Anantara Resort Maldives, as well as Hua Hin, Koh Samui and the Golden Triangle.”

Emaar MGF And Accor Form JV To Develop 100 Formule 1 Budget Hotels Across India The new venture, ‘Budget Hotels India Private Limited’, has planned investments of US$300 million over ten years. Emaar MGF is a partnership between global property developer Emaar Properties and MGF Developments. The company has already identified potential locations across the country for the development of Formule 1 hotels. Starting with major cities, the company is looking at developing 50 hotels in the first five years of its operations, with the remaining 50 to be developed in the second phase. The total development will add about 10,000 hotels rooms that cater for the budget travelers. Hospitality Bites courtesy of www.ehotelier.com

HOSPITALITY BITES

Appointments

Hulhule Island Hotel has the pleasure to informing that as recognition of the hard work, sincerity, dedication and potential, the below members have been promoted during January 2007:

Standing from left: Mr. Mr. Mr. Mr. Mr. Mr.

Ramesh: Sen. Room Attendant to Housekeeping Supervisor Badeeu: Trainee to Steward, Sundaram: Asst. Front Office Mgr. to Manager Front Office Bhattarai: Steward to Senior Steward Rasheed: Trainee to Waiter. Tabrez: F&B Coordinator to F&B Supervisor (Not in Picture)

Seated from left: Mr. Nalin: Commis III to Commis II Mr. Ali: Manager HR to Human Resources Manager Mr. Utkarsh (General Manager) Mr. Fazam: Room Attendant to Senior Room Attendant Ms. Rahushath: Trainee to GM Secretary Taj Exotica Resort & Spa welcomes Mr. Prashant Kadaskar as the property’s new Chief Steward as is proud to announce the promotions of Mr. Abdul Hameed to Chief Fleet Captain and Mr. Mohamed Shafiu to Boutique Incharge. Got new appointments or promotions to announce? Email us at info@hospitality-maldives.com

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

SERVICE

What To Do When Your Customer Is Ready To EXPLODE!

By Ron Kaufman

investigation or a court case...which is NOT where you want to end up!

When things go wrong, customers get upset. Sometimes they blow up in anger. Here are five steps to sanity when your customer is ready to “explode”! STEP ONE:

STEP THREE: Tell your customer exactly that you will do on their behalf. Explain what steps you will take, and when you will get back in touch with the results.

Let them blow off steam! No one is rational when they have pent up anger and emotion. Let your customer vent his rage and fury. Don’t take it personally, and don’t get in the way. Just open a pathway for them to let off the pressure. Several years ago I had a real problem with a shipment by an express courier company. I called the company and got a reasonable sounding woman on the phone. “You folks messed up!” I yelled. “OK,” she replied in a very attentive tone. “This was a really important shipment!” I continued loudly. “OK,” she replied with concern. “And my customer is going to be very upset,” I complained. “OK,” she replied again a calm voice. “Well, what are you going to do about it?” I finally asked, exhausted by my own tirade. She paused a moment. “OK?” she asked gently? “OK,” I replied, smiling at her quiet but effective approach. And then we began the process of identifying details needed to get everything worked out. Imagine if she had asked me for all the information right away? In my anger, it would have taken twice as long to give her the details, and extended my frustration, too. Instead, she gave me the space and time to simply “blow off steam,” not taking it personally, allowing her angry customer (me!) to settle down. STEP TWO: Show the customer you are “on his side.” Let the customer know you are here to help, not to argue, defend or disagree. Phrases like these will work: “Oh! I am really sorry to hear that. Can you tell me exactly what happened?” “I can certainly understand your frustration. Let me be the one to help you.” Phrases to avoid are like these: “That’s strange. It’s never happened like that before. Are you sure that’s what happened?” “It’s not our policy to do anything over the phone. You have to write, fax or come in personally.”

STEP FOUR: Take fast action! Get the problem fixed. Resolve the misunderstanding. Communicate inside your organisation as a “champion” for the upset customer. And when you do fix the problem, go the extra mile. Give them a bit more than they expect. They will remember and appreciate your efforts. STEP FIVE: Go back to the customer and explain how the problem has been resolved. Ensure they are fully satisfied, and thank them for allowing you to help. But wait! What about the customer who curses and screams, threatens and throws things about? What do you do with a genuinely abusive customer? An upset customer should never be an abusive customer. If you encounter an irate customer who threatens, insults or barks foul language, use a phrase like this to calm them down: “Sir, I am here to HELP you. But it’s hard for me to HELP YOU if you keep speaking to me that way.” Try this several times. If they continue berating or attacking you personally, simply say: “I would really like to HELP you, but I cannot when you speak to me this way. If you will calm down, I can help you now. Otherwise, please call me again later.” If they calm down, then help them. If they continue the abuse, hang up. Always remember this: An upset customer tells a lot of people about their problems. But that same customer, when truly satisfied by your assistance, can become a great promoter, too. “Positive word of mouth” is precious for your business: be sure that you deserve it. Ron Kaufman is an internationally acclaimed innovator and motivator for

Some words are triggers for angry conversations. Avoid phrases like these: “Who’s fault is this?” “Who is to blame?” “About your accusation...” These sound like phrases from a police

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

partnerships and quality service. He is the author of the bestselling “UP Your Service!” books and the FREE monthly newsletter “UP Your Service!”. For more information and a sample newsletter, visit www.RonKaufman.com

SERVICE

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

HUMAN RECOURCES

Muni Home care - Add

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

ENVIRONMENT

Water Management Options Kitchen and Food Preparation Although commonly overlooked, there are many ways to reduce water usage in the kitchen. Traditionally, saving water has not been a major consideration of commercial food preparers. Many establishments cite the lack of money or employees as reasons for not using water conservation methods. Case histories have shown that water efficiency programs are cost-effective, and most initial costs are retrieved within a two-year period. Participation in water efficiency programs shows that there is a concern for efficient water. These programs are supported by local communities. Inefficient uses of water in kitchen operations come mainly from two areas: equipment design and behavioral patterns. The main types of water-using equipment found in kitchens are dishwashers, faucets, ice making machines, and garbage disposal use. Improved technology has eliminated many of the water issues associated with equipment, as more rigid standards have been created to curtail excessive water use. Water audits of commercial facilities have shown that 60 percent of identified water savings comes from simply installing faucet aerators in all kitchen sink outlets. An effective part of water savings in kitchens is attributed to behavioral patterns in facilities. Awareness programs, education, training, and job performance measures can influence proper behavioral patterns of staff. DISHWASHERS All dishwashing machines employ wash, rinse, and sanitizing cycles. The sanitizing cycle typically is the chemical reduction of microorganisms to safe levels on any food utensil. The time taken for a dishwasher to complete a cycle is a combination of mechanical action, water temperature, and chemical action. Most dishwashers use between 2.0 and 7.0 gpm for a complete cycle of cleaning and sanitation. Hot water use varies with the pressure of supply lines, operation speed of the machine, and dish table layout. All these variables are intrinsically linked and any adjustments affect each component. For example, rapid washing cycles necessitate stronger mechanical action and more concentrated detergents for cleaning.

Casestudy A study of 605 industrial water efficiency programs by the Metropolitan Water District of California estimated that facilities cut kitchen/cafeteria water use by 32 percent, yielding a saving of nearly 100,000 CCF of water per year. Types of Dishwashing Machines

A wide array of models and accessories are available for each category. Requirements for machine size can be calculated by estimating the amount of traffic that will be served in the food service area. Energy guidelines and water consumption levels for dishwashers are becoming stricter, and many manufacturers offer new water-saving models. Figure 1 illustrates typical water use ranges for each type of dishwasher normalized on a .per rack. basis. Most importantly, note the wide range of water use in each dishwashing category. Using an appropriately sized, water efficient model will save a significant amount of water. Undercounter Smallest of commercial dishwashers, undercounter dishwashers are best suited for small establishments of about 60 people. They commonly are used in nursing homes, churches, small food service areas, office buildings, and for glass washing in taverns and bars. The undercounter machines are similar to residential dishwashers in that the door opens downward with rack(s) rolling out onto the lowered door for access. A revolving wash arm handles the wash and rinse cycles, with a small holding tank being automatically drained after each cycle. An automatic timer controls cycle length. Undercounter machines come in both hot water and chemical sanitizing models, with optional booster heaters for the latter. As can be seen in Figure 25, undercounter machines use the most water per rack of all commercial dishwashers. This illustrates the need to wash only full racks when the machine is in use. Door-type Manufactured to service 50-200 people, door type machines are the most widely used of commercial dishwashing machines. Door machines are used in schools, hospitals, churches, restaurants, catering businesses, fast-food establishments, and as glass and utensil units in larger operations. These box-shaped machines have singular or multiple doors that slide vertically for loading and unloading. Door type machines are available in high temperature and chemical sanitizing models. These .dump and rinse. machines have a single tank for water and detergent, which are circulated in measured volumes and temperatures. Two revolving spray arms (one above and one below the dish rack) distribute wash solutions evenly over the dishes. Some door-type machines now have the ability to recycle rinse water to be reused in a wash cycle.

There are four main types of dishwashing machines: undercounter, door, conveyor, and flight.

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

ENVIRONMENT

C-line Conveyor, Rack

Mechanical Modifications

C-line, or rack conveyor, machines use a motor-driven conveyor belt to move the rack-loaded dishes through a large tank with separate wash and rinse compartments. Most widely-used in hotels, large restaurants, hospitals, schools, and universities, these machines are well suited for service of 200 or more people and accommodating most heavy food service operations. Cline machines come in varying sizes, with available additions such as pre-wash units, side-loading trays, condensers, and blower-dryers. A single tank holds the water and detergent at a regulated temperature. The wash solution is pumped through multiple spray arms (revolving or stationary) that run constantly once the machine is operational, regardless the presence of a dish rack. The rack is then sent through the rinse compartment, where it is sprayed with the 180 F water by spray nozzles above and below the rack. C-line machines with multiple tanks differ in that some use stationary versus rotating spray arms. The racks then are sent into a pump-driven rinse tank that rinses the dishes heavily. This process usually uses recycled water from the final rinse. All rack conveyor machines have a timer control for the speed of the conveyor to assure proper wash and rinse times.

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Water efficient measures, such as the installation of an electric eye sensor (that keeps the conveyor from running when there are no dishes on the racks), have started to make rack conveyors more energy- and costeffective. Some efficient conveyors can reduce final rinse consumption from 300 gph to 130 gph. The use of energy-efficient boosters and low-flow pumps can reduce energy and water consumption levels by 50 percent. Flight type

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KITCHEN FAUCETS AND PRE-RINSE SPRAYERS Faucets can waste large amounts of water, as they are the most heavily used water source in kitchens. Conventional faucets, with typical flow rates of 2.5 to 4.0 gpm, can waste as much as 40 gallons of water a day when not fully closed. Since 1994, water efficiency standards have been federally mandated, requiring that all post-1994 manufactured faucets consume a maximum of 2.5 gpm at 80psi. But many facilities have older fixtures with rubber gaskets that wear and deform because of high amounts of hot water use. By simply installing a brass gasket and an automatic shutoff nozzle, a facility could save as much as 21,000 gallons of water per year. Many adjustments and technology advancements have been made in faucet design as a variety of low-flow faucet types are manufactured. Foot-activated kitchen faucets will reduce water use while providing additional convenience.

Similar in that they use a conveyor belt to move dishware, flight type machines do not have racks. Rather, dishes are loaded directly onto the belt. Flight type dishwashers provide high-volume washing capability needed only in the largest institutional, commercial, and industrial facilities. Variations in possible machine additions include power scrapers, power wash, power rinse, final rinse, and blower-dryers. Water efficient strategies for these machines include the recirculation of final rinse water, electric eye sensors, extra-wide conveyors, and lowenergy built-in booster heaters. These additions have amounted to water savings as much as 47 percent, while maintaining loads of more than 14,000 dishes per hour.

Water Efficient Practices for Dishwashers

The volume of consumption in dishwashers can be reduced by a variety of practices, all of which target awareness of equipment and operation needs.

Faucets used in kitchens will be primarily the conventional type or pre-rinse pressure sprayers. There are a variety of modifications that can be employed for all types.

Water Efficiency Options for Kitchen Faucets

Behavioral Modifications

n Educate staff about the benefits of water efficiency and the importance of hand scraping before loading a dishwasher. n Instruct staff to quickly report leaks and troubleshoot. n Only run rack machines if they are full. n Try to fill each rack to maximum capacity.

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

Recycle final rinse water for washing. n Keep flow rates as close as possible to manufacturer specifications. Installation of an electric eye sensors. to allow water flow only when dishes are present. n Install door switches for convenient on/off access. Check voltage of booster heater to make sure it fits the machine. Use .steam doors. to prevent water loss due to evaporation. Install low-temperature machines that rely on chemical sanitizing over high water temperature. Check volume of service and estimate facility needs a better option may be a larger machine that has a lower water flow rate per rack.

Adjust flow valve to reduce water flow. Check for leaks and worn gaskets. • Install a flow restrictor to limit maximum flow rate to 2.5 gpm or less. • Install a 2.5 gpm faucet aerator, maximizing flow efficiency by increasing airflow to the stream. • Consider infrared or ultrasonic sensors that activate water flow only in the presence of hands or some other object. • Install pedal operated faucet controllers to ensure valves are closed when not in use. • Educate staff to look for leaks and broken faucets in their area. • Do not leave faucets on to thaw vegetables and other frozen foods. • Post water conservation literature and reminders to staff around work areas. • •

Pre-rinse Sprayers

Casestudy By installing a foot-actuated faucet, one food service facility reduced its monthly water usage by 3,700 gallons. This translated to annual savings of nearly $700 the hose head to supply water only when needed. There are water-efficient spray valves offered that supply from 1.6-2.65 gpm at 80psi. These types of sprayers are designed to meet the demands of food service operations. Ice Making Machines Ice machines have many commercial uses, from restaurants to lodges, and can use significant amounts of water depending on the type of machine and the desired type of ice. Ice machines are composed of the following components: a condensing unit used for cooling, an evaporator surface for ice formation, an ice harvester, an ice storage container, and, in some models, a dispenser. The type of condenser an ice machine uses will have

Garbage Disposals Studies show that garbage disposals can waste a significant amount of water. It is recommended that their use be minimized or eliminated from kitchen operations. Many facilities use strainers or traps that employ a mesh screen to collect food waste for proper waste treatment. Another option is to install strainers in sinks, leaving the food matter in the sink for disposal in trash receptacles or composting units. This is a publication by the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources Division of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance. Information contained in this publication is believed to accurate and reliable. However, the application of this information is at the readerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s risk. Mention of products, services, or vendors in this publication does not constitute an endorsement by the State of North Carolina.

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

ENVIRONMENT

Pre-rinse sprayers are used for rinsing cooking utensils, pots, pans, soaking dishes, and cleaning. They are designed with automatic shut-off valves at the hose head to supply water only when needed. There are water-efficient spray valves offered that supply from 1.6-2.65 gpm at 80psi. These types of sprayers are designed to meet the demands of food service operations.

the largest effect on water use. Two types of condensers are available: air-cooled and water-cooled. Water-cooled machines use 10 times as much water as air-cooled machines and water rarely is recirculated. (See Figure 2.) In comparing water- and air-cooled compressors, the compressor horsepower at design conditions is invariably higher with air-cooled machining. However, operating costs frequently compare favorably during a full year. The desired quality and visual clarity of ice also will influence water consumption. Ice quality, machine cleaning, and water efficiency all need to be balanced for optimum operation.

MISCELLANEOUS

It Can Be That Simple? Why We Must Stay Focused on Clean Rooms and Truly Helpful Service. By Kent Sexton, Hamister Hospitality, LLC I’ve heard a lot of talk lately about adding innovative amenities restructuring hotel organizations and “thinking outside the box.” These concepts can improve operations and customer satisfaction, but only if they do not take our focus off the essentials: a clean room and a friendly, helpful staff. Although I have worked in hotels for the past 15 years, I have only been a hotel General Manager for 1 year. Direct contact with guests—still very fresh in my memory—helps me concentrate on what is most important to them. During my first months as GM I devised an intricate plan to transform my hotel. I decided to work on cleanliness and staff conduct in the beginning and then move on to implementing more complex ideas and buzzwords. I was so proud of my plan. It had all kinds of statistics, “out of the box” ideas, and neat terms such as ESSOcc, LNRs, and, of course, RevPAR. I decided to keep things extremely simple in Phase 1 and, before I knew it, we were constantly filling up. I raised rates and continued to fill up, even in slow season. What was I doing? I simply dedicated myself and my staff to maintaining immaculately clean rooms and providing genuinely helpful service. We replaced housekeepers that would not perform up to standards. We retrained our housekeeping staff and got their input on what they needed for them to do their job successfully. We then started having contests and games to make the job fun. These contests were not based on ADR or occupancy; they were simply based on cleanliness of rooms as determined by guests or inspections. I’d hide blue crystals, about the size of a quarter, in rooms where there was something to which the housekeepers needed to pay special attention. If they didn’t find the crystal, it meant that the room was not cleaned to standards. At the end of the month, the housekeeper who found the most stones got a prize like tickets to the movies or the comedy club. Housekeepers with the cleanest rooms that I inspected would also get prize. If we improved QAR scores, then I treated them all to a luncheon. We also worked on creating a friendly and helpful staff. I’ve worked at many hotels where the staff was very nice and had beautiful smiles, but refused to give guests site-seeing advice, make reservations at local restaurants, or make photocopies for over-stressed guests. I started off simple. I insisted that my coworkers not only acknowledge guests in the hallway by saying “Hello,” but also wait for the guest’s response. I instructed them to look for an opening to ask, “How can I help you, today?” When a guest asks for directions, we shouldn’t just recite them and expect the guest to remember. I had my staff show maps to our guests and then give them written directions (preprinted if possible). When a guest requested a recommendation for a

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

restaurant, my staff would first ask what kind of food the guest liked. Then we gave honest opinions and offered to make reservations. We wanted to prove to guests that we would help them at every opportunity and that they could expect results from us. I explained to my coworkers that we must “retrain” our guests to ask for assistance without worrying that they are interrupting anything. Achieving this kind of staff behavior takes constant work and reminding. I probably spend 1/4th of every day being a cheerleader. The easiest way to have a pleasant staff is to make work fun. Start the morning talking to coworkers. Have lighthearted conversations and tell a couple of jokes (clean jokes!). Or recount a funny work situation you have lived through. This puts your staff in a better mood and helps them forget their personal problems. Managers must lead by example . Coworkers need to see me interrupt my work to help guests, or even just to talk to the guests. They know when I am having a bad day, and they see that I try to make sure the guest never knows it. Even if I am stressed, they see me stop in my steps and ask guests if they need any assistance. They will then see me provide that assistance. Leading by example is the only way to get this philosophy embedded into the core atmosphere of the hotel. So, before you start “thinking outside the box,” adding more amenities, or trying to restructure the hotel organization, get back to the simple basics…the guests. The guest is renting a room. It is crucial you give them what you promised: a clean room! Next, remember the guest is visiting the area; that is why he needs the room in the first place. Guests see the staff as local area experts, so train your entire staff--not just the front desk--to help and talk to guests. And, most importantly, be a cheerleader. Encourage the behavior you would like to see. Don’t confuse things with technical gibberish; just hire and train coworkers that actually care about your guests. Keep it simple so that everyone can understand and adopt your philosophy. If you have truly clean rooms and a sincerely helpful staff, the guests will come . . to your hotel. The Hamister Hospitality Group, LLC is a rapidly growing hotel management company. Founded in 2004 by Mark Hamister of The Hamister Group, Inc., a leader in assisted living and health care management for nearly 30 years, the company now manages 10 hotels in Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Kentucky. The Hamister Hospitality Group is actively seeking acquisitions, management contracts, and new development opportunities within its defined market areas. Visit www.hamistergroup.com for more information. We welcome your discussion of the above article. Please send comments to our author at: news@hamistergroup.com

HUMAN RECOURCES

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

ENVIRONMENT

Your Reliable Power Source… By Sidath De Silva Are you living in a tiny remote island or are you employed at a holiday resort surrounded by the Indian Ocean? If this is the case, have you ever bothered to find out how you get your electricity to light up your home / resort, to watch your favorite TV program or to iron your clothes? Well, it’s your friendly and ever-reliable power source Generator which makes all those possible and your life easy. Hence, isn’t it worthwhile to go a bit into detail and find out more about this wonderful piece of equipment, its characteristics, how it actually works and more? The basic construction of a generator involves either a single phase or three phase alternator unit, driven by a suitably rated engine to produce electricity. These engines can be classified according to their cycle type (such as 2-stroke and 4–stroke) and their cooling system (such as air-cooled, water-cooled, etc.). However, the majority of modern generators are fitted with 4–stroke, water-cooled, low-emission, diesel-fired internal combustion engines. For your information, there are a few valid reasons behind the decision to opt for diesel engines and these reasons are in fact elaborated herein for the benefit of those who are really keen on the subject. The engine and the alternator are coupled together and mounted on a heavy duty steel base frame which incorporates the daily service fuel tank as well. According to Principles of Engineering Mechanics, rotating and reciprocating masses generally produce a high degree of vibrations and generators are no exception. Therefore, antivibration mounts capable of absorbing these vibrations are fitted in between generator mounts and the base frame to eliminate these detrimental effects. Generators are generally classified according to their ratings and presented in different forms with optional attachments to suite a vast range of requirements. According to the ratings, generators can be classified as Base Load, Prime Power and Stand-by Power. Base Load sets are capable of supplying utility power at a constant 100% load for an unlimited period of time. However, no overload facility is available under this rating. Prime Power is capable of supplying power in lieu of commercially purchased power. Prime power is the maximum power available with a variable load for an unlimited number of hours. A 10% overload capability is available for 1 hour in every 12 hours of operation. Stand-by Power supplies emergency power and the number of operating hours differs from manufacturer to manufacturer. Under this rating too, no overloading facility is available.

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

As mentioned earlier, these generating sets are presented in numerous forms to cater for a wide range of applications such as:

• Fitted with fully enclosed weatherproof canopies for outdoor operations • Fitted with fully enclosed soundproof canopies for indoor operations. A generator fitted with a super silent type canopy will virtually suppress the noise to such an unbelievably low level that you will hardly hear the machine working

• Fitted on trailers with single or double axel (depending on the size of the generator) for easy transportation or re-location

• Fitted inside a container for special project applications Fitted with automatic mains failure switchgear to operate the generator automatically in the event of mains failure and supply power. When the mains power is restored, the generator will shut down automatically.

Besides the above mentioned, generators are generally incorporated with many safety devices in order to protect the engine and the alternator. Low engine oil pressure, high engine temperature, low coolant level or engine over-speed are a few of the common parameters covered by these protective devices. The moment any abnormal operating conditions are sensed, these devices will shut down the generator in order to protect it. The generators of the modern era usually come equipped with microprocessor based generator set monitoring, metering and controlling systems. The integration of all the functions into a single control system provides enhanced reliability and performance compared to conventional type control systems employed in generators of yesteryears. All the sophisticated control systems and other features described above make generators more reliable than ever before and also an operator friendly equipment you can depend on for your uninterrupted supply of electricity. Even though there are many other features related to diesel powered generators to write about, let’s look into one such special feature for the benefit of the reader. Did you know that two or more generators of either same or different capacities can be operated simultaneously, sharing

Have you ever thought of buying a generator on your own? If you have, there are several very important factors which need your attention prior to making a decision. Out of all, the two most important factors are power and speed of the engine. The engine power or the engine output is determined by the maximum load that it has to support. According to accepted engineering norms, the engine power rating should be 1020% more than the maximum power demand. This prevents overloading the generator by absorbing extra load during starting of motors and also when wear and tear of the equipment pushes up its own power consumption. For generator applications it is rather crucial to have a good speed match between the engine and the alternator. If this can be achieved, the engine could be coupled directly with the alternator. Whilst bulks of present day generators are having a rated speed of 1,500 revolutions per minute (rpm), there are sets coupled with engines having different speeds classified as medium and low speeds.

Apart from generators there are several other types of power sources in operation around the world. Perhaps you may be aware of some of them, such as Hydropower, Atomic power, Solar power or Steam and Gas turbines. However, diesel generators have always been first choice when it comes to small power systems ranging up to 15 MW. The main reason for their extensive use is the very high efficiency factor of diesel engines compared to all other sources. The invention of modern high efficiency turbochargers has paved way to further increase the overall efficiency of the engine and lower fuel consumption. For the records, diesel engines are capable of achieving efficiency as high as 46–48%. Other factors which influence the extensive usage of diesel generators are:

Low installation costs Relatively short delivery and installation periods Minimum cooling water requirements Short start-up time Less environmental hazards due to low emission engines

Even though operating a generator is a rather straightforward affair thanks to all these sophisticated features, it is a rather difficult task to maintain a generator owing high prices of fuel, lubricants and spare parts. Hence we have to adopt cost saving methods to counter act on high operating costs and this is where one should implement an energy management system. The simplest definition of energy management is to achieve and maintain optimum energy procurement and utilization throughout the organization in order to minimize energy cost/ waste without effecting production and quality and also to minimize negative environmental impacts as much as possible. The following energy saving measures will help you to reduce unnecessary operation and maintenance costs and operate your generator in an economical way.

Besides the above mentioned, there are a few other factors that have to be considered when selecting a generator for a particular application or purpose. These include the cooling system, abnormal environmental conditions, ambient temperature, the altitude, control system, availability of spares and maintenance facilities are just a few to be mentioned. All of these factors will play a vital role in delivering the optimum efficiency of the generator you intend to procure.

• • • • •

ENVIRONMENT

the load? This is a special type of operation known as Parallel Operation and it requires few additional instrumentation to monitor and ensure satisfactory operation. One might wonder why parallel operation is required at all. In fact, there are several reasons why this special operation can be needed, so let’s look at a few of them. The most important aspect: parallel operation will help enhancing the power generating capacity of an existing system without acquiring any additional high capacity generators. Parallel Operation of two or more generators already in the system will automatically enhance the output to meet higher load demands. It also helps to shut down one generator at any given time to carry out a periodic service or any other maintenance work without interrupting the power generation. Furthermore, smooth transferring of load from one generator to another generator without any power fluctuations in the system is possible this way. Saying that, it is worth to note that generators can be operated in parallel with the mains supply as well.

• Ensure cold, dust-free air at intake and improve air filtration if required • Service and calibrate the fuel injection pump in regular intervals as recommended by the manufacturer • Ensure steady load conditions, avoiding fluctuations and imbalanced loads. (It is recommended to always have the load balanced as much as possible in order to avoid overheating of the alternator) • Consider parallel operation among generators for better loading and improved fuel economy thereof • Stick to preventive maintenance rather than breakdown maintenance as latter is rather costly • Insist on genuine spares rather than cheap substandard parts. Sweetness of a low price paid for substandard parts will soon be forgotten when bitterness of low quality prevails • In case of base load operation, consider a waste heat recovery system for hot water and steam generation as a by-product. A little initial investment will definitely go a long way in saving energy

A generator as described above is indeed a unique piece of equipment, rendering a yeomen service wherever electricity is of concern. Therefore, the main objective of this whole exercise is to impart a basic knowledge about this wonderful machine, its configuration and utilities to readers for their personal benefit. I do fervently hope that I have succeeded in my endeavors at least to a certain extent, if not fully. Sidath De Silva is the Maintenance Engineer at Summer Island Village. He can be reached via email to info@summerislandvillage.com

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

MISCELLANEOUS

Be My Guest By Kelley Robertson In recent years many different businesses have begun to approach their clients differently. They are now labeling them as guests, which has been the norm in the hospitality industry for decades. Many restaurant chains as well as car dealerships and airlines have even taken to using this term. A simple word like “guest” versus “customer” can make a dramatic difference in the way we perceive the people who pay our salaries. A customer is someone who makes a purchase. A guest, on the other hand, is someone we welcome with open arms and look forward to interacting with. A guest is more of a friend, someone we will treat with dignity and respect. I’m not suggesting that you immediately begin calling all of your customer’s guests. What I would like to introduce to you is the GUEST model of selling. GUEST is an acronym for a five-step sales process.

1. Greet your customer. 2. Uncover the customers’ needs. 3. Explain your product or service. 4. Solve their objections. 5. Tell them to buy.

Many sales-based organizations have their own sales model or structure. The GUEST model is designed to fit into most sales cycles. These five steps are the key components to all successful selling. The majority of sales people don’t follow any structured process, preferring to allow the sale to flow naturally. I’ve heard objections, excuses, justifications and rationalizations for this, such as: “You can’t follow a structured process.” “Customers just take control of the sales process.” “It takes too long to go through a process like this.” “I’m too busy.” “I’ve done it my way for years and I’ve been successful.” The list could go on and on. In fact, I could probably write a book just listing the excuses I’ve heard from salespeople. Here is the point. The GUEST process works. Ultimately, you need to take control of the sales process. If you don’t, the customer will, which is what happens in approximately 80 percent of all sales transactions. News flash! People will not buy from a sales person they don’t trust, don’t like, or who doesn’t show confidence. I have known sales people with a tremendous amount of experience and knowledge who can’t close the number of sales they are entitled to because they try too hard.

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

Here’s a typical sales story. The customer is considering a particular product or service. The sales person launches into a canned pitch about the product. The customer asks some questions and expresses some objections. The sales person tries to overcome or defend the objections. The process ends with the customer saying, “I’ll think about it?” Why didn’t the sales person get the sale? The reasons are simple.

- The sales person did not ask the customer any questions. - The sales person delivered a rehearsed presentation instead of focusing on the customer’s needs. - The sales person did not gather sufficient information to overcome the customer’s objection. - The sales person did not give the customer a reason to make the purchase!

The GUEST approach of selling of these issues. The key is on the process rather the you work through each of trying to close the sale increase your closing ratio. salespeople work hard a sale because they reach a certain level earn commission, is hounding them deal, or they haven’t their sales quota. is a desperate get the customer with their hardmoney. These feel threatened, manipulated, coerced and often any purchase at On the other hand person concentrates sales process the customer will be more feel more comfortable more likely to buy. In my I encourage sales people sale to progress naturally. them to pay attention customers instead of closing the sale. This runs most sales training where

addresses each to concentrate outcome. If step instead you will Too many to close need to of sales to their boss to close a reached The result attempt to to part e a r n e d customers

don’t make all. if a sales on the relaxed, and will be workshops to allow the I instruct to their focusing on contrary to the

MISCELLANEOUS

emphasis is on closing the sale or dealing with objections. My philosophy is that the sale will happen when you put all five components together in a relaxed, comfortable manner. During the sales process the average sales person spends the bulk of their time in a non-active, passive role – waiting for the customer to ask questions and responding to objections. It’s no wonder people aren’t anxious to make a purchase. The GUEST model of selling suggests investing most of your time asking questions to learn as much about your customer as possible. This enables you to then adapt your sales presentation to address what is important to each customer. When done properly, this will eliminate many objections. Unfortunately, most sales-people either don’t understand this or refuse to believe it. Most still feel that they have to skate quickly through the qualifying process to ensure they have enough time to deal with and overcome objections. A business acquaintance of mine works in advertising. When I approached him to produce a training video he began asking me questions to fully understand what I needed and wanted in a video. Because he took the time to learn about my business needs, I immediately saw the value in this $45,000 investment. Not once did I express an objection about the cost because he demonstrated the value while he uncovered my needs and presented a solution. He made sure that he positioned himself and his company as a problem-solver and a solution- provider. Stop treating your customers like a pay cheque and view them as guests to your business. This may sound awkward and initially difficult to comprehend particularly if you have been accustomed to using aggressive selling tactics in order to close a sale. However, you will soon notice a difference in the way your customers respond to you. In return, they will be more willing to part with their hard earned money. © 2006 Kelley Robertson, All rights reserved. Kelley Robertson is a professional speaker and trainer on sales, negotiating, customer service, and employee motivation. Receive a FREE copy of “100 Ways to Increase Your Sales” by subscribing to his free newsletter available at his website. Visit www.kelleyrobertson.com. He is also the author of “The Secrets of Power Selling” and “Stop, Ask & Listen-Proven Sales Techniques to turn Browsers into Buyers.” For information on his programs contact him at 905-633-7750 or Kelley@RobertsonTrainingGroup.com. HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

MISCELLANEOUS

Wake Up Call Manage Your Risk By Bikash Subba Internal Control helps businesses to assess and enhance its internal control system to better achieve their established objectives. In recent years heightened concern has been put on risk management by business enterprises. Major entities around the globe have put efforts and shown concern on developing robust risk management framework to identify, assess and manage risk. This emphasis on development of risk management framework has been sought; after the series of business scandals and failures that rendered extreme loss to all stakeholders and society et al.

Enterprise Risk Management. This will encompass a rigorous study, analysis and development of business objective, develop strategies, conceptualize processes for controls management, encourage corporate governance and evaluate of end result for further innovation and improvement. Most crucial of them - enlighten the entrepreneurs and human resources. Act on time to face the challenges for competitive business environment which is inevitable.

Amidst such serious economic crisis the need for stronger control environment and risk management is becoming even

Bikash Subba is the Chief Internal Auditor of Universal Enterprises Private

more compelling. Development and enactment of new rules and regulations are happening all around the globe; like Sarbanes Oxley Act, The Orange Book, volumes of revised financial reporting standards, etc. to counter the new control lapses and risk exposure faced by new, ever changing and extremely volatile business environment. To keep informed of ever changing business condition and environment; an unprecedented reliance, expectation, advice and certification are being sought from experts like consultants, independent auditors.

Controls Development and Financial Management. He can be reached at

The local scenario in Maldives may not be equally serious as perceived in global business. Many factors affecting critical risks in global scenario are not being experienced by Maldives, such as; the legal provision and requirements of Maldives is not as stringent as in world over or rather there is not at all any business risks faced by the enterprises in Maldives on this front. However, the new promises made by the government and plans in the pipeline on legal and revenue revision may tinkle a wake up call on Maldivian Inc to redress or understand risk management and internal control. Considering the increase in economic activity and recent influx of global players into the market; having exposure and experience on risk management; will definitely pose a threat to the domestic players to be at par in terms of quality of service and strong controls management. The continuous exercise of risk management and experience to handle such risk would definitely provide competitive advantage to them. The affect has already been started to feel in some front by the local enterprises and this will ripple effect to every other department of the enterprises. This pressure of competitiveness will keep mounting and proliferate in future days and will show no sign of recession - signaling a serious message on local enterprises to get ready to rub shoulders. Only remedy to counter this effect is through thorough risk identification, assessment and management; termed as

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

You Run The Business And Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Let It Run You!

Limited and has a holistic knowledge on Risk Management, Internal bikash.subba@unient.com.mv

MISCELLANEOUS

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

HUMAN RESOURCES

You can only make a first impression once... By Bert van Walbeek I was sad to see that last month’s article “Hotel General Manager, can anybody, everybody, somebody or nobody do this job?“ generated more reactions than my previous five articles on the much more serious and essential subject of Risk & Crisis Management ! But perhaps this shows us that for most GM’s, their own future is much more important than their company challenges and the tangible and intangible assets they ( should ) manage…….

The most “remarkable” reaction was the following, unedited, e-mail : I am X.X, clairvoyance of web company of job, most behalf. Think that has gratify criterion, if are to feature, I would moore information. I work 20 year in hotel, 10 year of front office in YYY Hotel, letter ZZZ Inn and next year as Gen. Manager in few hotel. I have gut status, bad if are men for. You please send mail.

Although most reactions read like :

A lot of responders asked me for assistance in showing them a sample of the best CV that I would consider for a person to sell

•

It is nice to be able to start the week with a smile

•

Thank you for the morning of laughter

•

I’m rolling over with laughter

•

Thank you for your most inspiring article

himself and this is the main reason for this article. Please note that I am not a Human Resources expert, my specialty is marketing and therefore I looked at those 127 applications from that angle.

•

It made me laugh, because it is so true

Of course a few, self centered, answers were like : •

Attached my CV, maybe you have some interesting

•

Can I still apply for this GM position, my CV is attached

•

Would you mind going through my C.V and give me your

•

I have what it takes to do this job

position I could fill.

comments?

But, thank heaven, there were more critical observations too: •

Do I want to be associated with this?

•

I share your point re the outside world’s perception of our

•

Many people believe, being a GM is like being on holiday,

profession. you walk through your hotel, chatting with the guests, taking coffee or a drink with them and all this in a nice surrounding •

You provoke neither anger or laughter, as I am a very

•

Your article was very interesting and amusing as you are

toler and person and realize that to ere is only human the first to “critique” grammar and spell check, but lo and behold look at what YOU published with your by-line on an international hotel site . •

Only hotel owners are to be blamed for allowing these types of people to be passing around business cards announcing to clients that they are “Hotel General Managers”.

•

The governments in the countries where these “clowns” work are equally to be blamed for giving working visas to these characters.

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

I strongly believe there is no right or wrong CV, a quick Google search shows about 19,600,000 sites for “writing a CV “, so who am I to claim the right of wisdom in this matter The 2 websites

A “CV” or “Resume” is an “instant picture” of yourself, your personal brochure and marketing tool with the purpose of creating awareness for you and then, hopefully, creating the need for the company to extend an invitation to you for an interview! I qualified the CVs first in 6 (academic) categories from A (=the best) to F (=fail) and I based my markings very much on the “first impression“ basis, initially mainly looking for the following, soft skill, details: E-mail heading (From – To – Cc & Subject): • •

organizations and the personal “agony” that this attitude must create for applicants. In order to show that this Resort Group is different and, secondly, as an effort to test the netiquette of the applicants, an e-mail answer was send to each applicant, advising them of a selection dead line. The few that answered this e-mail passed the extra communication test, in this world of fast communication, an important one! Around the date of the deadline, all unsuccessful applicants were eventually advised by e-mail that their applications did not have the ultimate qualifications we were looking for and that we wished them success in their efforts to find new challenges.

loveyoubaby1967@yahoo is not good “branding” using your present company’s e-mail address shows “disrespect” for your current employer proper information in subject line, not just CV or Apply various hotel & resort addresses in same e-mail CV format Word, Excel or, much more professional, PDF format Name of file, “Nok CV” or “resume revision 070103 “ do not “sell” well Spelling mistakes as sign of lack of attention to details Too little or, even worse, too much information Too much bragging about past results, like 50 % increase in GOP, etc, etc 20 attachments in very high resolution, taking 10 minutes to download Personal details first

Some polite reactions like “thank you for informing me“ and “appreciate your courteous approach“ were received but, in closing, I would like to share these 2 answers, again un-edited:

Only then previous positions and professional qualifications, the hard skills, became a factor:

Perhaps the old (and very, very dumb) joke is true after all: How many Hotel General Managers does it take to change a light bulb?

• • • • • • • • •

• • • • •

Present job ( or none ….. ) Positions of the last 10 years Average length of each position Family status and personal interests References

HUMAN RESOURCES

I visited were www.cvtips.com and www.soon.org.uk, and I suggest, if you are still reading this article, that you use those insights to “market” yourself in your own, personal style.

It matters not your intense selection process. I don’t understand what kind of persons you want to staff your 3-4 star resort, but truth be told I would not work for you anyway. It seems you are looking for a young person who would do the job for cheep. Be happy and content with your third rate resort on a most undesirable island. Its not difficult for some people to be winners when it is done deals, I believed I had friends but apparently was wrong, did you recruit at the Gay Pride? Sorry I am neither jewish nor homosexual.

Nobody knows, they don’t last as long as light bulbs…… I rest my case ….. Bert “Bow-Thai” van Walbeek has been an Hotelier for 40 years and

Your CV should be working for you, not against you, and, as one reader put it simply, but exact :

Marketer of Tourism for 30 years, a Motivator for 20 years and a lecturer

“Show me you care on your writing and I may trust your care on the operation”

In 1993 he became the Founder and still is Managing Director of The

for 15 years.

Winning Edge, ( www.twe-winningedge.com

) a boutique consulting

company, offering marketing audit, sales and service training and

Another point one reader mentioned to me, I believe appropriately, was :

consultancy services mainly to the Hospitality & Tourism industries He is also lecturing the “next generation” at Universities in Asia and

I often get frustrated that in hospitality recruiters spend so much money on promoting their hotel as “the place to work”, however when they receive applications, they do not manage them so well.

Europe and speaks on leadership, crisis management and marketing

Having been lucky in my career, I never needed to apply for a position and therefore I am only indirectly aware of how hospitality companies manage applications, however I understand there is a total lack of courtesy and humanity shown by most hotel

He can be reached at bert@twe-winningedge.com

subjects during industrial and academic conferences. The company is presently handling projects in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and Thailand.

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

HUMAN RECOURCES

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

FOOD & BEVERAGE

Tips for Surviving a Surprise Health Inspection By Daydots Food Safety Solutions “Surprise health inspection!” They are three of the most painful words to a foodservice operator’s ears.

Critical Violations 1. Toxic Item Storage

They are also, however, much to the dismay of food service operators everywhere, unavoidable. Every restaurant in the business, from quick service to fine dining, will at some point host the uninvited government official whose seemingly only job is to make the lives of restaurant managers difficult. It is important to note, however, that no matter how unwelcome he or she may be, health inspectors are one of a food service establishment’s most helpful allies. The same civil servant that hands out fines, reprimands, and the occasional shut down notice, also saves businesses thousands of dollars in potential lawsuits and medical fees as well as the loss of business expenses that result from serving unsafe food in unsanitary environments. While it may not be necessary to embrace your county health official with admiration and praise, it might be wise to graciously welcome them. They are, after all, helping establishments run smooth and effectively, and most importantly, safely. Enjoyable does not typically describe most surprise health inspection experiences, but operators can do several things to help the process along and keep it as painless as possible. Obviously, an establishment will have an easier time passing a health inspection with flying colors if it is kept clean and operated by the book. If it were that easy to keep things clean and above par, however, there wouldn’t be any need for the inspector. Even establishments with conscientious managers with good food safety intentions can fall victim to common health code violations. Being aware of code rules and common deficiencies can be half the battle on the way to a perfect health inspection. The Maricopa County Health Division, winner of the prestigious Crumbine Award, given annually to local food protection agencies that demonstrate excellence and continual improvement in a comprehensive food protection program, conducted 24,461 health inspections of food establishments last year. The top five violations found in these inspections mirror common violations found by health inspectors around the country. If knowing what the health inspector is looking for is half the battle toward a perfect inspection, reading this list and making appropriate suggested changes to your establishment will help get you on your way to a perfect inspection score.

Toxic items stored above or adjacent to food or food preparation area and unlabeled/mislabeled chemical bottles were a major violation. Chemicals contaminating food preparation surfaces and/or food can result in chemical poisoning. Eliminate this critical challenge by training staff to return chemicals to appropriate storage areas and marking the spray bottles with chemical names. 2. Improper Food Temperatures Food temperature requirements include keeping potentially hazardous foods below 45¾F at times of storage and display; cooking foods to a safe temperature (130¾F to 165¾F depending on the type of food); and holding hot foods above 140¾F. Proper cooking temperatures kill bacteria and correct cooling procedures slow bacteria growth cycles. These techniques can be done easily and without high cost using any of the numerous temperature measuring devices on the market today. 3. Poor Personal Hygiene Employees practicing poor personal hygiene were a common violation. Specific violations include not washing hands, sneezing, and coughing. Train staff on proper personally hygiene practices to effectively eliminate this problem. 4. Insect and Rodent Activity Environmental health staff found evidence of insect/rodents in multiple establishments. This critical control item requires a cost outlay. Establishments with pest problems should contract with a licensed pest control company that will prevent vermin entry. 5. Improper Sanitizing Lack of sanitizer at the three-compartment sink and dish machine, as well as inadequately sanitizing surfaces throughout the day result in this violation. Testing your sanitizer to ensure proper concentration and conducting routine cleaning and sanitizing procedures will both kill the potentially hazardous bacteria while improving your inspection score. www.daydots.com

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

SERVICE

Making a Mess out of Service By Roberta Nedry As summer kicks into full swing, hot weather strikes, the bugs come out, attitudes relax, food seems sloppier and dirt makes bold appearances. Cleanliness is next to Godliness and so it goes in service too. A man sitting in a restaurant was waiting for his soup appetizer. When it arrived, the man noticed a fly in his soup. He summoned the waiter and asked, “Waiter, what is this fly doing in my soup?” The waiter calmly replied, “Why, I believe he is doing the back stroke sir.” While this joke has been told many times to amuse patrons everywhere, the unappealing prospect of scenarios like this really happening is far from amusing. As summer kicks into full swing, hot weather strikes, the bugs come out, attitudes relax, food seems sloppier and dirt makes bold appearances. Cleanliness is next to Godliness and so it goes in service too. Making sure clean is clear and constant for guests is a critical facet of service excellence. When places, people or things are not clean, the organization hosting those “unclean” environments makes a statement that they do not care and that there are other priorities which take precedence. I have studied this issue for many years and along the way hairs not belonging to me started appearing everywhere. I found them in salads, on hotel shower walls, around bathroom sinks, nestled on carpets and couches and submerged in soups. I think I even saw one in an episode of “Hell’s Kitchen”, the relatively new TV reality series. I wondered whatever happened to hair nets and began to search for them. Several restaurants, hotels and attractions later, I only found one place that still wore them, Nacho’s Tacos and Seafood, a small family run restaurant in San Marcos, California. Unbelievable! And, not only do they wear

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

hair nets; they always smile and deliver delicious CLEAN food in a CLEAN environment which makes me feel safe and well served!!! Whew! Such small efforts can be so reassuring and provide high value in the service delivery model. Perhaps some sort of hair patrol should be set up as part of service standards. We all lose hair every day (I think my hairdresser said at least a handful each day) but these hairs should be not lost on guests, where they stay or what they eat. A wonderful head of hair can be quite attractive but not without constraint in the world of hospitality. Grooming standards should be strongly in place and “head first” should top the list. If not hair nets, then some way to hold back loose hairs, especially for those in food service and delivery. Those entrusted to cleaning may be trained to have extra radar for hair and not leave souvenir hairs of their own as they do their jobs. Grooming checks should take place throughout a shift, not just at the beginning. Supervisors should allow a few extra minutes for an employee to go through a checklist and mirror check before each shift and after each break. Fingernails, toenails, ears, tongues and clothing should also be clean. Dirt under nails, wax or unidentified material in ears, whitewashed tongues or stained clothing will gross guests out. Anyone who has seen those TV commercials with the yellow and green animated germs may be more terrified and shaken by these service “dirties”. In certain minds, unclean also means unsafe and in an increasingly bacteria minded world, that is not good. When guest confidence plummets, so does their spending. Guests are less likely to order more, stay again, or refer others

Washed utensils and glasses are another clean statement. I’ll never forget visiting a major entertainment attraction and waiting for a bowl of pasta in a buffet line. As the server filled my bowl, she dropped the ladle on the dirty kitchen floor, looked around for it, picked it up, and continued filling my bowl. Needless to say, I lost my appetite. Wine or water glasses, in restaurants, hotel rooms or bars with lipstick leftovers can be very unromantic. Silverware with smudges, smears and smells can make smiles go away. Are servers, cooks, chefs, and housekeepers keeping up with cleaning checks and balances? Training should include cleaning “what if’s” and how to handle them. Several eyes should be checking before the guest takes a look. Hygiene behavior can be another huge turn off for guest spirits and their dollars. What could be worse than a sneeze shower as the final touch to a meal? Or, a coughing spell which is shared freely and hexes and vexes guests? A runny nose that causes guests to run away? Teach employees the revised way of handling these body moments: rather than covering the nose with the hand that will soon touch guests, their food, their luggage, their utensils and plates, lean into the arm or shoulder. The spray or invisible germs will then go to a private place rather than the public space of guests. It’s a simple modification to hygiene behavior but one which is proven effective in reducing the dreaded spread. Keep in mind that your employees will only do what is expected when it is inspected. Set up sanitary service standards for each facet of the guest experience. Evaluate how “clean” can greet guests and not gross them out. Consider the following points in establishing a more germ “unfriendly” environment that results in more guest friendly results: 1. Establish a “hair patrol”. Heighten the awareness of hair control and recovery. Fly away hair has no place in the kitchen and hair should always be pulled back when serving food. In other environments, hairs should be detected and removed before guests have a hair raising experience. 2. Consider adding a “Grooming Station” to the work place environment. It could be near/in the break area and be introduced when an employee is hired as part of job requirements. The “Grooming Station” could feature manicure tools for cleanliness, sanitized combs ( as in many spas, the combs are located in a sanitized solution), hair nets, hair clasps/rubber bands, stain removers, toothbrushes and toothpaste, deodorant and a LARGE mirror. If uniforms become soiled, provide alternatives . Next to the “Grooming Station” would be a list of the Grooming Standards essential to service excellence and pleasant guest experiences.

3. Orient employees on how to ensure utensils and beverage holders are cleaned and how to inspect and clean them before guest delivery. If items fall to the floor or become dirty, provide clear instruction on how to replace that item or wash it immediately.

SERVICE

if they feel sanitary service standards are not in place. They are more likely to leave with a queasy feeling in their bellies and great stories to warn other guests. Lack of sanitation can cause loss of reputation.

4. Introduce the newest form of hygiene behavior (using the shoulder or arm) for coughing and sneezing and reinforce the technique at all points of contact. Have Kleenex tissue readily available for those who may need it. Consider a diagram as well to ensure cross cultural understanding for all employees. 5. Make sure bathrooms are checked and cleaned on a regular basis. Add doorknob and door cleaning as part of the routine. They are one of the most touched areas where germs spread. Wipe off counters, faucets and consider having special wipes on hand for touch ups which any employee could quickly do. Add sanitizer gel dispensers as an added commitment to guests. 6. Keep bugs on a short leash. Alert management to any creepy crawler. While some may not be able to be helped, others may foreshadow a bigger problem. Consult the experts and bring them in sooner than later. Also, be wary of smelly insect sprays that do the job but turn guests off with the aroma. A bug’s life should not be long in any hospitality environment. Bugs should not have the opportunity to do the backstroke in any one’s soup! 7. Inspect what is expected. Train management to look for and inspect the cleaning side of service. Make sure grooming, hygiene and focused attention on the clean details that make the guest difference are top of mind for any employee. 8. Make cleanliness a recognized part of the service delivery model. Each person in any organization has responsibility for cleanliness, not only those who directly serve or clean. Millions of dollars are spent on hotel and hospitality design, décor, food, materials, marketing, sales and more. Yet, only one hair or one lipstick stain can negatively impact all that those dollars attempted to create. Make your hospitality environment a clean, keen, sanitary service excellence machine! It costs almost nothing and yields refreshing opportunities for service. Hygiene helps hospitality. Don’t make a mess out of service. Set up sanitary service excellence standards and enjoy the fresh smell of success. printed with permission from www.hotelexecutive.com

and Roberta

Nedry, Hospitality Excellence, Inc. Roberta Nedry is President of Hospitality Excellence, Inc., consultants in guest experience management and audits, service excellence training for management and frontline employees and concierge development. To learn more about the programs her firm offers and their service expertise, visit www.hospitalityexcellence.com She can also be reached at 954 739599 or roberta@hospitalityexcellence.com

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

FOOD & BEVERAGE

Top 10 Flavor Pairings For 2007 Announced by McCormick.com Tangerine and thyme, crystallized ginger and salted pistachio, wasabi and maple. What do these flavors have in common? Spanning sweet, hot, tangy, bitter, sour, and everything in between, they are just three of the trendy, tantalizing flavor pairings featured in the just-released McCormick Flavor Forecast 2007. An annual look at the tastes that will define the year, this latest report reaches a whole new level, exploring 10 tempting pairs. Teamed together, these intriguing combinations will be influencing the foods we eat in restaurants and at home. The mouth-watering, top 10 flavor pairings of 2007 are:

• Clove and Green Apple

• Thyme and Tangerine

• Tellicherry Black Pepper and Berry

• Sea Salt and Smoked Tea

• Lavender and Honey

• Crystallized Ginger and Salted Pistachio

• Cumin and Apricot

• Toasted Mustard and Fennel Seeds

• Wasabi and Maple

• Caramelized Garlic and Riesling Vinegar

Along with the flavor experts at McCormick, some of America’s top chefs, television personalities, and cookbook authors contributed their thoughts to the Flavor Forecast. Visit www. mccormick.com to explore some simple, delicious recipes that showcase this year’s top flavor pairings. Since 2000, McCormick has forecasted the flavors and trends that will be on Americans’ plates. With an extensive network of researchers, trend experts, chefs, home economists, food technologists, and sensory analysts, McCormick & Company, Inc. keeps its finger on the pulse of flavor.

“In creating this report, we examined two overarching trends influencing flavor,” said Laurie Harrsen, Director of Consumer Communications at McCormick. “The first is the ever-expanding breadth of choices, specifically within individual ingredients. Even staples like salt are now available in a diverse palette of flavor, color and texture. Also, global cuisines, particularly those of North Africa, Asia and the Middle East, continue to drive our exploration of new foods and flavors.”

HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

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HOSPITALITY MALDIVES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007