March 2020
Irish Hospitality InstituteÂ
Winners of the 2020 National Hospitality Business Management Game - TU Dublin Team
Be Progressive - Be Entertained - Be Recognised - Be Part of Us
In this Issue
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Note from the President
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IHI Events
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Welcome New Members
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2020 National Hospitality Business Management Game
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2020 National Hospitality Business Management Game
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CPD Courses
Be Progressive - Be Entertained - Be Recognised - Be Part of Us
Dear Member,
The IHI events committee have also sprung into action after some early year planning and March is the kick off month for many of our IHI events. The first of our busy schedule of events for you, our members is planned for Wednesday March 11th. Details can be found in the link at the end of this page but given current circumstances we expect that there will be significant interest given current circumstances involving COVID -19. A big call out to the Events Committee led by Russell Hadley who have put great energy into scheduling the events calendar 2020. I hope you will be able to add some of these events to your working calendar. The IHI business game took place at the start of the month and was a very successful event. In total we had 6 college teams participating and the winning team were the Hospitality Students Team from TU Dublin. The standard all round was extremely high and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the teams, lecturers and judges along with our Exec Team of IHI for all their work and input. A very big thank you to Tara Meehan, a board member and member of our Education & Membership committee who supported the Exec Team of the IHI for the full 2 days of the event. The event is a very worthwhile event and we would love to see the number of participating colleges to grow. It really is a great learning environment for all students. Events are scheduled for the coming months so please link in to our social media to keep up to date with all that’s going on. As I write events of any kind are causing much debate as to whether to be held or not given the spread & threat of COVID 19. It certainly is a disruptive event and one which is going to cause great concern across our Hospitality Industry. No business will remain unaffected by this. What’s important is to remain positive in the face of these challenges and for us all to continue to work together and to use your professional network within the IHI and beyond for advice, mentoring and support. Keep safe & best wishes,
Oonagh Oonagh Cremins FIHI IHI President
https://www.ihi.ie/future-events.html
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NOTE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Spring seems to have sprung finally, the evenings have begun to stretch and the summer does not appear too far away at this point. I find its always good to have something to look forward to, so roll on warmer days and even longer evenings. Its been a tough winter particularly for our members in the West and I am sure they are glad to see the seasons move on.
IHI EVENTS
Wednesday, 11th March Breakfast Seminar The Mayson Dublin "Leading Your HR Strategy in the Hospitality Industry in Challenging Times" with guest speaker Caroline McEnery Managing Director The HrSuite
Thursday, 18th June IHI Annual Conference & AGM "The Power of Peer to Peer Mentoring"
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Nicola Walsh FCCA, MIHI Lyrath Estate
Stefan Lundstrom MIHI The Galmont Hotel & Spa
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
Savio Devasio MIHI Clayton Hotel Leopardstown
Eoin P Clancy MIHI Da Bruno Marbella Nutu Radu MIHI InterContinental Hotel Dublin
Niall Burns MIHI Lyrath Estate Nadia Shields MIHI The Mespil Hotel
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The 35th IHI National Hospitality Business Management Game, was held on Sunday 1st and Monday March 2nd at the Clayton Hotel, Dublin Airport.
2020 IHI NATINOANL HOSPITLATIY BUSINESS MANAGAEMNETR GAME
This year a total of 6 teams participated representing TU Dublin, Dundalk Institute of Technology, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Institute of Technology Tralee and Shannon College of Hotel Management supported by main sponsor Dalata Hotel Group. TU Dublin Winning Team: Sarah Kenny, Amie Kinsella, Dylan Leo, Ina Bivol and Charbel Yazbeck
This Year’s Challenges saw the students assume the roles of Department Heads as the Hotel, experienced the impact of an international hotel brand opening beside them and acquiring not only some of their key accounts, but also some of their management team. Competition was tight amongst the teams with the final outcome: 3rd Place: Dundalk Institute of Technology 2nd Place: Shannon College of Hotel Management 1st Place: TU Dublin Our sincere thanks to the Team Tutors for their commitment to their Students and the Business Game. Our Judges: Des Mc Cann, Group General Manager, Clayton Hotels Muireann King, Sales & Marketing Director, The Croke Park Patrick Mc Namara, Senior Recruiter, Broadline Group Niamh Jordan, Director of Human Resources Conrad Dublin
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The Business Game was followed by a Student Seminar "Frame, Build, Develop, Pursuing a Career in Hospitality and Tourism". Our sincere thanks to Aine Doyle for chairing the seminar and to our speakers for sharing their own hospitality and tourism journey and for inspiring our future Young Hospitality Professionals. Alan Buckley General Manager Jury’s Inn Parnell Street
2020 IHI NATINOANL HOSPITLATIY BUSINESS MANAGAEMNETR GAME
Amanda O’Donovan Group Revenue Manager Trigon Hotels Brian Farrell Financial Controller Clayton Hotel, Burlington Road Paul Hayden Head of Tourism Careers Failte Ireland Charlene Mc Govern Client Experience Manager Netaffinity Andre Claro Assistant HR Manager The Marker Hotel Keith O’Sullivan Group Operations Manager MasterChef’s Hospitality
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2020 IHI NATINOANL HOSPITLATIY BUSINESS MANAGAEMNETR GAME
Shannon College of Hospitality
TU Dublin
Institute of Technology Dundalk
Institute of Technology Tralee The Business Game would not be possible without the continued support of our sponsors Dalata Hotel Group: Aine Doyle, Group Learning and Development Manager, for her input to the case study and stewardship of the Seminar. Dalata Hotel Group for sponsoring the Game. The Russell Partnership: Peter Russell, Operations Director, for their support in developing the Game and managing our Judging panel on the day.
Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology
Failte Ireland Paul Hayden, Head of Tourism Careers Failte for the support to the Student Seminar. Classic Drinks: Hugh Murray, Managing Director, for hosting the Game Celebration. Stafford Lynch: Garreth Lynch, Food Services Director, for supplying San Pellegrino and Acqua Panna throughout the two days. Irish Hotels Federation: Tim Fenn for IHF ongoing commitment to the Game.
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A very special thanks to Phillip O’Neill MIHI, General Manager at the Clayton Hotel, Dublin Airport and his team for their incredible hospitality and support during the Game.
Be Recognised
We know that staff recognition leads to retention. In supporting your team member with IHI Membership you are recognising their industry experience and professional qualification.
For inforamtion on Group IHI Membership for your Team, contact Tina Maree @ tina.maree@ihi.ie
Be Progressive - Be Entertained - Be Recognised - Be Part of Us
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INDUSTRY NEWS
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
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Management Changes at the Guinness Storehouse Storehouse MD Paul Carty to retire after two hugely successful decades at the helm of one of the world’s leading brand attractions Catherine Toolan announced as new MD of the Guinness Storehouse
INDUSTRY NEWS
Monday 10 February 2020; Guinness and Diageo announce that Paul Carty is to retire from his role as Managing Director of the Guinness Storehouse, Ireland’s most popular paid visitor attraction and one of the world’s leading brand experiences, after a long and illustrious career. Paul has led the Guinness Storehouse since its inception, joining as MD in its year of opening almost two decades ago. Under his leadership, visitor numbers have increased six fold from under 300,000 toalmost 1.8 million in 2019. He has overseen the development and expansion of facilities at the Storehouse, forging it into one of the most successful brand experiences in the world. He also led the management and opening of the Smithwick Experience in Kilkenny, the Guinness Open Gate Brewery on James’s Street and the latest addition to Diageo Brand homes the Roe & Co whiskey experience. During Paul’s tenure, more than €50 million has been invested in the Storehouse leading it to be voted Europe’s favourite tourist attraction in 2015. The latest investment in the expansion of the unique Gravity Bar, which will be opened later this year, is also a significant achievement for Paul’s career. Mark Sandys, Global Head of Beer, Baileys and Smirnoff, said: “Over his time, nearly 21 million people have entered the doors of the Guinness Storehouse, including kings and queens, presidents and prime ministers, superstars and rock singers. Regardless of who they are, Paul and his team have given each and every one the same warm welcome, as if they are visiting their home, the home of Guinness.
“We have all loved working with Paul whose passion, commitment, kindness and energy are inspiring to everyone. We are sad to see Paul move on after his incredibly successful tenure, but happy that he will have a well-earned retirement and no doubt, still engage with enthusiasm in the tourism sector and continue to share his wisdom. One of his biggest legacies will be the culture of customer care and employee engagement that is the hallmark of his leadership.” Paul has also played a critical role in the development of tourism and hospitality in Ireland. He has acted as an adviser to many projects and initiatives and has made significant contributions to shaping the strategy of the sector, not least during his term as president of the ITIC (Irish Tourism Industry Confederation), and as a board member of Fáilte Ireland. He was instrumental in the formation of AVEA (Association of Visitor Experiences and Attractions) which now has over 105 members throughout the island of Ireland . He has acted as an ambassador for Ireland and its hospitality offering in numerous tourism trade events abroad, becoming one of the most recognisable and respected faces in Irish tourism globally. Guinness is also announcing today that Paul’s successor will be Catherine Toolan, who will take up the role of MD of the Guinness Storehouse from the beginning of April. From Sligo, Catherine has had a very successful career in the conference, events, live music and hospitality industry spanning three continents, including senior roles in Aramark, close partner of the Guinness Storehouse. She was also responsible for managing the delivery of the Athletes Village at the Beijing and London Olympic Games. Catherine’s most recent role as Chief Executive of the International Convention Centre, Belfast has seen her transform the organisation to compete globally, and work with key stakeholders to develop a business tourism strategy and win large business events, contributing significant positive economic impact to Belfast and Northern Ireland. Concluding, Mark Sandys said: “We are so excited to have Catherine joining our team. She brings a wealth of experience in event and visitor experience management as we move into a new era for the Guinness Storehouse and our other brand homes. I am looking forward to seeing Catherine’s energy, drive and vision leading this great business forward to even greater heights”.
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Net Affinity Achieves Level III Global Support Certification! Net Affinity have earned Hotel Tech Report’s Level III Global Customer Support Certification (GCSC) for its investments into tools, processes and strategies to ensure the ongoing success of its customers across the four of the key pillars of the GCSC Rubric including: pre-emptive support, reactive support, coaching and customer validation. The Hotel Tech Report GCSC certification program analyzes software vendors along critical dimensions of customer support infrastructure in order to help hoteliers minimize risk and maximize positive outcomes when selecting technology partners. In order to become certified, companies must open their internal systems to Hotel Tech Report for assessment along HTR’s rigorous 34-point GCSC Rubric “Given that Net Affinity provides both products and managed services, the team has structured their support operation to focus not just on being there to answer customer inquiries--but to serve as a true partner constantly providing ongoing education to help their hotel partners navigate the digital landscape through webinars, support calls and their Revenue Summit user conference.” Hotel Tech Report co-founder Adam Hollander. "We pride ourselves in our commitment to a world class service, proven by our 96% satisfaction rate on ticketing and chat. The collective goal of our support team is to consistently provide clients with everything they need to ensure our products are always making their lives easier. Looking ahead, we want to continue to provide accurate, timely support that clients can feel confident in." William Cotter, CEO @ Net Affinity. Find out more about Net Affinity achieving Level III Global Support Certification! 15
Sodexo appoints Julie Ennis to lead UK & Ireland corporate services business Julie Ennis has been appointed CEO for Sodexo’s corporate services business in the UK & Ireland from 1 March 2020. Julie will also continue in her present role as Country President for Ireland. Julie will now represent the corporate services division on the UK and Ireland’s Regional Leadership Committee. The appointment follows the expansion of current CEO David Bailey’s role to oversee Sodexo’s corporate services business in North America. Julie joined Sodexo in February 2019 as managing director for Sodexo’s corporate services business in Ireland. She assumed the role of Country President from Margot Slattery in September 2019 following Margot’s appointment as global chief diversity and inclusion officer for the Sodexo Group. Under Julie’s leadership, Sodexo has enjoyed continued success in retaining existing clients and winning new contracts that includes a five-year contract with investment services company Quilter Cheviot in Dublin. Other Irish based clients include Microsoft, Nestlé, Astra Zeneca and Nomura. Sodexo and Microsoft recently won the Client & Service Provider Partnership of the Year Award at the 2020 FM Awards Julie Ennis, incoming CEO of corporate services, Sodexo UK and Ireland, said, “I am excited and honoured to now lead the corporate services business across Ireland and the UK. We are at the forefront of innovation and development of best practice in integrated facilities management. We are delivering great services to our clients and we are winning good contracts in our target sectors and doing so with a focus on sustainable, responsible growth and building and developing great teams.” Sodexo employs over 42,000 people in the UK and Ireland and delivers services that improve the quality of life to clients at over 1,700 locations in the corporate, energy and resources, healthcare, education, leisure, justice and defence sectors. Those services range from catering, cleaning, reception to asset management, security, laboratory and grounds maintenance services, enabling clients to focus on their core business. David Bailey, CEO Corporate Services Noram and UK & Ireland said: “I am delighted to be handing over the leadership of the UK & Ireland business to Julie. Over the last year Julie has proved herself to be a strong leader with our teams in Ireland, she has set out a new strategy for our business there and has delivered strong results.” Prior to joining Sodexo, Julie held numerous senior management roles with Bank of Ireland in sales, proposition development, strategy and operations. She is a strong advocate of diversity & inclusion, having held roles on Bank of Ireland’s LGBT+ and Gender Balance networks. She is an MBA graduate of the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School and a National Council member of the Executive Institute.
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We are delighted to announce that our system, iHotelligence, now fully integrates with OpenKey Technology. Some benefits of this new integration include: 1. Cut down your guests wait time as their key will be sent directly to their phone. 2. Cut down on cost to your property as key card orders will be reduced significantly. 3. Cut down on operational cost with staff. 4. Cut down on queuing time for guests who want to check in the traditional way. 5. Great for corporate guests who want as automated a process as possible when staying in a hotel. 6. Improve your guest rating by offering a more convenient way of checking in. A recent article from Hotel Business Weekly reported that “Ninety percent of customers added that guest experience could be improved by the ability to use smartphone to manage basic services such as booking a room and managing the check-in and check-out processes� With this integration you can satisfy your more tech savvy guests but also still look after your traditional guests at the same time. It is a win win for you, the property, and your guests. For more information on how to get your property OpenKey ready, call us here on 01-2811960 or contact our Sales Team on sales@ihotelligence.comAdd a little bit of body text
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Excel Recruitment launches online training platform Excel Recruitment are delighted to launch our online training facilities through our sister company, Futureproof Training. The new, easily accessible online portal offers students the chance to take part in fully accredited, upto-date, student-focused Manual Handling and HACCP training in their own time, at their own pace. Students can access online tutorials and learning materials from their own home and can complete their practical Manual Handling assessments at any of Excel Recruitment’s offices in Dublin, Cork or Kildare. While expanding our offering into online training, Futureproof Training continues to offer classroombased, group training in our purpose-built training facilities in the heart of Dublin city centre. Courses include Manual Handling, HACCP Levels 1 and 2, Waiter and Silver Service Training, Hand Hygiene and Infection Control plus many others. Futureproof Training courses are available to our client’s team and are completed by all Excel temporary team members before commencing work. Our blended approach to learning means that students learn the way that suits them best, ensuring all course materials and legislative requirements are fully comprehended and Excel temps are ready to hit the ground running when they work with our clients’ teams. To learn more about how Futureproof Training can assist with your training needs or if you would like to learn more about how Excel Recruitment can provide staffing solutions for your business, get in touch with Shane Mclave at shane@excelrecruitment.com or call 01-8717676.
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Guest engagement: Why it’s important to offer more than just a great room Customer expectations have raised dramatically in recent years, with more pressure than ever before to deliver something beyond a great room at an affordable price. The overcrowded online market has given us all access to so many more properties than ever before, making it even more important to make your hotel stand head and shoulders above the competition. From crafting clear and concise descriptions of your hotel, and its various features, through to offering attractive incentives for returning customers, there are numerous ways you can attract new guests and boost your repeat bookings. Optimised Content Online Without putting quality photos and helpful descriptions of your hotel and its amenities online, you stand the chance of falling at the first hurdle. Not only will poor photography and content likely turn off potential guests, but you also stand less chance of ranking on the first page of search engines. That means your potential audience may not even be able to find your site if your content is lacklustre. Here are our tips on creating content that’s both useful and eye-catching: Write copy that’s comprehensive and easy to digest, so that guests know exactly what they can expect from their room. Details like the size of the bed or those all-important extra touches, such as Netflix or Egyptian cotton sheets, could seal the deal. Make sure photography is professional and appropriate for the type of room it’s being displayed under. Remember to add alt tags, which allow photos to rank in image searches. 19
Make sure your website copy includes keywords relevant to your hotel, and that you know your potential customers search for. Use Google Ads if you’re looking for inspiration on this. Optimising your content for mobile has never been more important, with more customers than ever before browsing and booking on the go. Keep your content up to date, ensuring both copy and imagery reflect any significant changes or refurbishments at your hotel. Intuitive online booking system It goes without saying that your website needs to be smooth and intuitive across the board, especially when it comes to your online booking system. Whether there’s too many steps, slow page loading time, or unclear content, a low-quality system could have your guests booking via a third-party, or worse still, with a competitor. Our Direct booking Manager (DBM) is a mobile-first platform designed to make things easier for your guests, and has all the required features to make the whole process a piece of cake. Key features include a comprehensive and swift payment system, the ability to integrate with other platforms such as Google Tag Manager, and performance tracking to help you spot trends. Offer flexible payment Flexibility is key when it comes to taking guest payments. As well as being able to pay online via credit card, debit card, or PayPal, allowing guests to pay over the phone or in person at check-in, allows customers to pay on their terms.
Focus on experiences Providing excellent customer service and a great room is more or less expected these days, so it’s important to offer something more unique that your guests will remember you for. A great way to achieve this is by offering experiences or services that are exclusive to your hotel, be they food-driven, or based around activities in the local area. Here are a few things some of the Ireland’s more forwardthinking hotels are offering to raise their game: Breaffy House Hotel 4* Breaffy House Hotel and 3* Breaffy Woods Hotel are set on 90 acres in the heart of County Mayo. From innovative creative writing breaks with international poets and artists to their famed Bingo getaways and wine tasting celebration dinners with award winning winery families, Breaffy House is unique in its entertainment offering to all guests. The Brehon With their ‘In line with tradition, in tune with today’ moto, The Brehon Hotel in stunning Killarney celebrates their guests with unique accommodation packages including a specially created ‘Taste the Island’ break celebrating the hotel’s creative kitchen team and love of locally sourced produce and their ‘Flying solo’ package that expertly caters for one guardian travelling with children and includes bundles of adventure and a visit to the hotel’s magical Fairytrail garden Glenroyal Hotel With kids and families in mind, Glenroyal Hotel in Co. Kildare recently unveiled their newly painted walkway to the hotel’s family swimming pool. Like a scene from a movie it creatively captures colourful fishes and sea life, fuelling little guest’s imaginations. Plus, their ‘Little Adventurer’ package brings the outdoor camping experience into the comfort of the hotel’s family rooms with handmade tepees and goodies.
Offer a free room upgrade. Leave complimentary chocolate, local beer, or wine in the room. Take time to offer good advice on where to eat and what to see in the local area. Offer a turn down service. Incentives to return Once you’ve charmed your guests with the wow-factor throughout their stay, why not give them an extra incentive to return? By getting to know them during their time in your hotel, you should have a pretty good idea of how to entice them back. Here are some of the things you might want to consider: Offer them a voucher code for a discount on their next stay. Offer a deal on an appropriate forthcoming event, be it a Valentine’s weekend stay, food and gin pairing event, or bank holiday break. Take contact details and ask if you can email future incentives. Ask them to leave you a review on Trip Advisor, and don’t forget to respond with a comment. Offer a ‘Recommend a Friend’ discount, because word of mouth really is priceless. With so many ways to go above and beyond, the difference between good and great is all about maximising every opportunity to impress your guests. From providing a slick website to offering unique experiences and free room upgrades, there are plenty of things you can do from the beginning of the process right to the very end.
The little touches It might be a bit of a cliché, but the little details really do make a big difference. You’d be surprised how something as simple as offering customers a thoughtful gift, or something unexpected, can really boost your image. Here are some of the things you can do: 20
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Sodexo and Microsoft won the Client & Service Provider Partnership of the Year Award at the recent 2020 FM Awards in Dublin, winning out against eight other finalists on the night. According to the organisers, there was a recordbreaking number of entries across the country. The Awards celebrated those companies and individuals who have excelled in working on standout projects and providing world-class service in Ireland over the past 12 months. An independent panel of recognised expert judges, drawn from academia, business and broader related sectors determined each winner on the night. The judging panel’s comments on why Sodexo and Microsoft were selected as the winner in this category were…’Spanning 18 countries across Europe, this partnership soared to the top for our judges. The efficiency and effectiveness of the work the companies accomplished together impressed our panel who felt that the co-ordination and cooperation observed was exemplary.’ Commenting on the win, Julie Ennis, country president, Sodexo Ireland said, “We are delighted that our partnership with Microsoft has been recognised. Congratulations to all involved in this most prestigious win in an extremely competitive category. Facilities management is a very fast-paced, rapidly growing industry in Ireland, and we are delighted to be at the forefront of this dynamic business.”
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Sodexo and Microsoft won the Client & Service Provider Partnership of the Year Award at the recent 2020 FM Awards in Dublin, winning out against eight other finalists on the night.
Sodexo was also shortlisted in another category, Cleaning Service Provider of the Year, for the performance of its team based at Seagate Technology in Northern Ireland. Sodexo is a leading provider of food and facilities management services to clients in business and industry, education, financial services, government services and healthcare in Ireland and Northern Ireland. It employs approximately 3,700 people in 230 locations across Ireland and is part of the Sodexo Group, the world’s largest services company.
Looking to upskill your staff in 2020? Avail of the Restaurant & Hospitality Skillnet member rate: The Restaurant & Hospitality Skillnet are providing a range of courses over 2020. Have a look below to see what's on offer. Professional Kitchen Management Designed by chefs for chefs, this one day intensive workshop will guide you through all areas of kitchen management fundamentals. €110 per person Galway 6th April Dublin 7th April Marketing your Restaurant - Dublin 12th March A one day marketing course enabling you to devise a Marketing Action Plan for your restaurant and bar for this year and next. €110 per person
CPD
Restaurant & Hospitality MDP - Cork 19th March This eight-day programme offers current restaurant supervisors an opportunity to hone their skills and assist in progressing to a managerial position within a restaurant/gastro pub. €975 per person Executive Management - Dublin 23rd March Are you a Senior Manager looking to develop personally and grow the business? Learn to build a growth development plan and optimise the business performance €1453 per person Leadership Programme - Dublin 21st April, 28th April & 5th May 3 Day Programme with focusing on Leadership Skills, Performance Management, Team Building for the Hospitality Sector, Communications Skills and Personal Development. €500 per person QQI Level 6 Human Resource Management with Barrow Training - Dublin starting 1st April The purpose of this award is to equip learners with the knowledge, skill and competence in human resource management principles to enable the learner to apply these to planning, organising, implementing, evaluation and revision of human resource management practices for the attainment of organisational goals. Course dates: 1st April, 8th April, 15th April, 22nd April, 29th April & 6th May (Wednesdays) Cost: €450 per person Short Human Resource Courses with Graphite HR HR Essentials for Managers - Meath 10th March How to Manage the Disciplinary & Grievance Process - Cork 26th March How to Handle Allegations of Bullying & Sexual Harassment in the Workplace - Cork 26th March Performance Management - Dublin 22nd April Conflict Resolution - Dublin 22nd April HR Essentials for Managers - Cork 28th April HR Essentials for Managers - Dublin 12th May Check out the RH Skillnet website for pricing. Can't afford to send your staff off site for training? Talk to our Network Manager Niamh O'Malley for in company training options. Niamh O’Malley – 01 6779901 niamh.omalley@rai.ie
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IHI PATRONS