Does your company measure the success of your Facebook page by the total number of “likes”?
When it comes to Facebook, marketers often think that hitting tens of thousands of likes is the only metric for measuring the success of a Facebook page, but how much interaction have you actually made with that viewer simply clicking Like?
The “like” button is definitely comparable to traditional mass media metrics. Magazines and papers sell advertising rates based on their circulation volume and TV companies still sell a 30 second ad spot related to viewing figures.
So if you believe the ROI from social media, particularly Facebook, is your fans due to them liking your Facebook page then you are sorely mistaken. Except the fact that a “like” is not true engagement and interaction.
While there’s nothing wrong with measuring the number of Facebook likes, social media is about more than just getting mass market attention; it should be used to build real interaction and engagement. Marketers need to stop focusing on volume and “likes” and should start looking at the quality or influence levels of the people they are interacting with.
The beauty of Facebook allows you to measure the level of interaction each of your post receives through the number of impressions and the percentage of fans that interact with that particular post. This then allows you to distinguish which post work amongst your fans.
You can also measure your interaction through the number of comments posted. Of which I urge you to reply immediately allowing you to build a relationship with your more active fans.
Another excellent feature embedded in Facebook within “View Insights” is the ability to measure what age and gender your fans are allowing you to target your fans more directly. There is nothing worse than sending the wrong message to the wrong audience.
Influence comes from connecting to those individuals who make up your target audience and over time, developing and nurturing that relationship. Marketers should worry less about how many people they are connected to and should start thinking more about who they are connected to and how their brand can positively add value to that individual’s life.
Take a look at the National Skills Academy for Hospitality’s Facebook page HERE where interaction is the key. This page was designed in the effort to create focus on the essentials of World Class Customer Service - SMILING! We are cheering up the nation, so help us make Britain a more hospitable place to visit. Post a smile today and who knows what prizes you could win.
Wednesday, 18 May 2011
Tuesday, 8 March 2011
We get the service we deserve
As a regular train user, I’ve been following the case of Tom Wrigglesworth for some time now with more than a casual interest.
For those of you who are not familiar with the name Tom Wrigglesworth, this is an interesting little tale that first goes back to 2008, when Tom, an up and coming Yorkshire comedian, got on a Virgin train from Manchester to London Euston and sat opposite an elderly grandmother called Lena.
As the ticket inspector came round, he noticed that Lenas’ ticket was on off-peak ticket and that she had boarded the train half an hour early and as she was now on a peak time train, she would have to pay the full fare, which was over ten times the amount she had already paid.
The gallant Mr. Wrigglesworth, who just happened to be sat opposite and watching this mini drama unfold, decided that he was going to act.
He was unhappy that this elderly lady was being charged ten fold, when she had already been informed by Virgin staff at Manchester just to get on the train as “it would be alright”, so he decided to get a brown buffet bag and go up and down the carriage and have a whip round from all the passengers in the carriage, who gave willingly (indeed one dropped in £30) and in no time the money was collected in full.
So job done you would think? – Lena can stay on the train, Virgin have been paid in full and all the passengers on the train have a rosy glow that they’ve all contributed and done their good deed for the day – well apparently not !! The ticket inspector took offence and rang ahead to Euston and two burly British Transport policemen were waiting for Tom on the platform to arrest him for begging !!
Fortunately, other passengers rallied round and explained what had really happened and happily the BT Police were dissuaded from taking any further action.
Tom, rightly feeling very hard done by, decided to take this further, lobbied hard and after incorporating it into his act, tour and a stint at the Edinburgh Festival with “An Open Return Letter to Richard Branson”, Virgin moved to change their policy and now anyone travelling with Virgin on an off peak train who hasn’t got a ticket, will only pay an off peak price. The other rail companies have not followed suit and he is still lobbying and aims to deliver a petition this summer to try to get them to change their policy as well.
So what’s the moral of the story? – well for me it means that if we want the kind of service that we want, then we have to demand it – we don’t sit back and just accept what we’re given.
Often been said that the curse of the British is not having the spine to say what they mean, when they are on the end of poor service, it’s the “we just won’t come back again” syndrome, “we’ll turn a blind eye”, “lets not make a fuss” – Poor meal, badly served, overpriced rubbish and the waiter approaches “everything alright Sir?”
“Yes lovely thanks!!” it is apathetic and pathetic and we end up with the service we deserve.
Good employers and good businesses want their customers’ feedback, it is hard currency to them, it is alchemy, it is so valuable, so don’t let them down – do right by them and do right by the rest of us as well and hey, when you see great service, smiles and warmth, don’t forget to yell about that too !!
For more great blogs from Lindsay Campbell, Operations Director from The National SKills Academy Hospitality please click HERE
For those of you who are not familiar with the name Tom Wrigglesworth, this is an interesting little tale that first goes back to 2008, when Tom, an up and coming Yorkshire comedian, got on a Virgin train from Manchester to London Euston and sat opposite an elderly grandmother called Lena.
As the ticket inspector came round, he noticed that Lenas’ ticket was on off-peak ticket and that she had boarded the train half an hour early and as she was now on a peak time train, she would have to pay the full fare, which was over ten times the amount she had already paid.
The gallant Mr. Wrigglesworth, who just happened to be sat opposite and watching this mini drama unfold, decided that he was going to act.
He was unhappy that this elderly lady was being charged ten fold, when she had already been informed by Virgin staff at Manchester just to get on the train as “it would be alright”, so he decided to get a brown buffet bag and go up and down the carriage and have a whip round from all the passengers in the carriage, who gave willingly (indeed one dropped in £30) and in no time the money was collected in full.
So job done you would think? – Lena can stay on the train, Virgin have been paid in full and all the passengers on the train have a rosy glow that they’ve all contributed and done their good deed for the day – well apparently not !! The ticket inspector took offence and rang ahead to Euston and two burly British Transport policemen were waiting for Tom on the platform to arrest him for begging !!
Fortunately, other passengers rallied round and explained what had really happened and happily the BT Police were dissuaded from taking any further action.
Tom, rightly feeling very hard done by, decided to take this further, lobbied hard and after incorporating it into his act, tour and a stint at the Edinburgh Festival with “An Open Return Letter to Richard Branson”, Virgin moved to change their policy and now anyone travelling with Virgin on an off peak train who hasn’t got a ticket, will only pay an off peak price. The other rail companies have not followed suit and he is still lobbying and aims to deliver a petition this summer to try to get them to change their policy as well.
So what’s the moral of the story? – well for me it means that if we want the kind of service that we want, then we have to demand it – we don’t sit back and just accept what we’re given.
Often been said that the curse of the British is not having the spine to say what they mean, when they are on the end of poor service, it’s the “we just won’t come back again” syndrome, “we’ll turn a blind eye”, “lets not make a fuss” – Poor meal, badly served, overpriced rubbish and the waiter approaches “everything alright Sir?”
“Yes lovely thanks!!” it is apathetic and pathetic and we end up with the service we deserve.
Good employers and good businesses want their customers’ feedback, it is hard currency to them, it is alchemy, it is so valuable, so don’t let them down – do right by them and do right by the rest of us as well and hey, when you see great service, smiles and warmth, don’t forget to yell about that too !!
For more great blogs from Lindsay Campbell, Operations Director from The National SKills Academy Hospitality please click HERE
Wednesday, 10 November 2010
Truth Behind “B&B’s Performing at the Same Level as 5 Star Accommodation Providers”
I had the pleasure of having some time away with my six year old son this week. We were visiting friends and family in Suffolk and required a place to stay over the weekend. So I started my normal search for branded accommodation in the area. Booking a branded operation always seemed the safest idea as you know what to expect no matter what location. However, it would seem quite a few other travellers had taken it upon themselves to also visit family on the same day as I as all branded options were fully booked.
Nightmare! I had committed to family and now have to say we will not be making it due to accommodation availability, then in the corner of my eye I spotted my 1998 AA B&B guide. So the journey started again, looking on the internet for B&B’s to stay at. The first one did not take children, under the age of fourteen, but said “no” really nicely. The next one was full and then I called, The Firs Farmhouse, in Monk Soham. The usual process expectation of the traditional internet credit card payment was parked and was replaced with a friendly voice, asking questions about a range of things, which made me, feel wanted as a guest. Then, an email arrived with some details of how to find the B&B and to drop a call with expected time of arrival, which I did. The same experience but a different voice, which finished off wishing me a safe journey and a sense that nothing was too much trouble. Now I was really excited to stay. I had that little voice saying do not raise your expectation to higher, it will probably be the same as other times where customer service shines and promises, but then punishes me for dreaming. This combined with the research report from the Hospitality Benchmark programme, which had a headliner showing, “B&B performing at the same level as 5 Star.” Really did have my expectations soaring far higher than I would like to admit.
Was I in for a treat? The heading suggests yes. Well, this is what happened the journey begins, DVD of Hook playing in the background, as my son James settles in for the journey. He is well catered for, with movie sweets and drinks by his side. I am in the front behind the steering wheel, with trusty Tom Tom pointing this way and that. Finally we arrive at The Firs Farmhouse. The light had faded and now we see a period farm house with a big door opening and a smiling couple walking towards the car. I get out and greeted with a handshake and a smile, wow they both direct engagement with James, who is now a live wire from having sat in the car for over three hours. I am in that post driving mind, focus and vision returning to normal. In my heart I feel relieved that his energy had not put them on a back foot, as I reach to get our over-night bag out, there is a hand reaching to take it from me. I decline the offer as I normally do, So far so good.
Then the surprises start to move me in a way that does not happen very often in the UK. Expectations are being delivered in product, behaviour and procedure. As the Programme Director responsible for Customer Service at the National Skills Academy for Hospitality, I am always looking at customer service delivery and behaviour (see previous blog) Therefore, I am very rarely wowed by the current standard of customer service, but here was a gem unfolding similar to the experiences at Bovey Castle, where there were, “Wellies” for guest to explore the world in. So where is the personality and touch, well the welcome was genuine and warm, all potential questions where offered answers before I had a chance to ask them. Then product placement with thought and personalisation, a Lindt Reindeer medium size was sitting on the dresser. I knew that was not a normal welcome and was aimed at my son, who spotted it like a hawk. Then, the need for a cup of tea overwhelmed me. Those of you who drive a lot know this moment. Guess what…? I was now being offered one and so was James, but hot chocolate was his usual drink for bed. Expecting to need to lower his expectations and get ready to disappointing him, the offer came back that it will take a while, but they would be more than happy to do it, as that was also their grandson’s favourite and they have some available. Then, the tea was not the basic variety, but premium brand and the cookies joined the party of excellence. As we settled in drinking our tea and hot chocolate on a comfortable sofa with all the modern expectations, flat screen and all the channels needed. I ask myself, am I really in the UK or did we take a wrong turn? The milk was fresh in a bottle that was designed for milk. Then the bathroom, towels were of a five star standard and the toiletries were not basic or simple. The other unexpected was fresh bathrobes in the cupboard. It does exist I am in that happy place. Where expectations and reality converge to create a rainbow of excellence, the promise has been delivered.
After a great night sleep, breakfast – take a look at the personal touch, what else would you want to know?
Yes, the milk in the milk jug was hot for the coffee. There was warmth and a level of service that was so real and truly personal for both of us. Hot chocolate was offered again to James as he declined the tea and coffee offers. Let’s take our hats off to the B&B that demonstrated excellence. I have celebrated excellence when experienced at Bovey Castle, so felt compelled to do it for The Firs Farmhouse. They even allow you to bring your own wine or bubbly and provide glasses and a bottle opener for your convenience, yet again demonstrating world class customer service through design and thought, with procedures and processes all making the guest the number one priority. Five star experiences at B&B prices do exist.
Thank you for making a stay exceptional! If you are looking for a break you can book The Firs Farmhouse, Bed and Breakfast accommodation in Monk Soham, Suffolk England, IP13 7HD for a current rate of £60 - £70 for a double. Their telephone number is 01728 627969. They are also on Four Square and their email address is jean.richardson2@btopenworld.com
Tuesday, 12 October 2010
Does Customer Service Training Deliver Tangible Returns on Investment!
It all starts in my view with this fantastic piece of research:
World Class Customer Service.... for 2012 and beyond, Research and recommendations regarding how best to raise customer service standards across the visitor economy in advance of the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.
In my capacity as the Programme Director for Customer Service within the National Skills Academy for Hospitality I have taken the findings and recommendations from a pan sector research document and spent time and resources finding a solution which fulfils the findings of this research.
So, how did I start?
Yes, I read the report three times, each time highlighting what was key to taking a page in a document and bringing it to life. I then engaged with a programme developer, who had a track record and was able to demonstrate industry return on investment. I had the vision of what it would look like and integrate with a solution of making training live beyond the one or two day classroom experience.
What next?
Piloting and this was a lot of fun with elements of pure pain and frustration. The main challenge at the time was to take a product that had structure and substance and ensure consistence with personalisation, through facilitation not training. The dilemma is if one person is able to facilitate the course then great, but how do we take that beyond that individual. The solution Train the Facilitator was born with assessment and Licensed Facilitators, which only has a success rate of around 40%, with feedback from Quality Panel and the Board that enabled the individuals that deliver the World Class Customer Service to be verified as excellent.
How did I get to a name?
The original name was “Gold Standard” Customer Service, then National Skills Academy Hospitality Customer Service Level 2 and Level 3. Then finally, I did what all slightly mad people do. I trained and developed the long standing short course solution experts – Welcome to Excellence who deliver Welcome Host and asked them to give our programme a name, which came back as, World Class Customer Service Professional and Coach courses. Thus, I feel totally justified in saying that these sets of programmes deliver exactly what was required by the research document and take the journey of Customer Service to a higher level than the excellent job that Welcome to Excellence have delivered over the last 13 years.
So, what a course that delivers on the research? Why should you be enthused to send your team on the courses or embed it within your own organisation?
This is where the real magic comes to life from those pages on that research document. The organisations that we have delivered and embedded into their Customer Service training and therefore culture have seen growth in financial terms. People 1st had to verify the qualification solution delivered what they said it would in their research. This report is about to be released, but the drafts show that the delivery method and the programme created by the National Skills Academy for Hospitality delivers a Return on Investment, which will be illustrated independantly by the ROI Academy.
Where are we up to now?
We have negotiated Awarding Body rates that make these courses financially competitive, the learner guides are at the same or lower price than all other short courses which deem to cover Customer Service, like Welcome Host or Gold and World Host a new product that is similar light touch approach as the Welcome to Excellence products. Therefore, if seeking a full solution regarding Customer Service which has endorsement from brand names like Hilton Hotels UK, Delaware North (Wembley Stadium and Emirates Stadium), Restaurant Associates, London Zoological Society, Galvin’s restaurant – La Chapelle, Brend Hotels, Boparan Venture Retail, Baldwins Omega, Barcelo, Virgin – Babylon Roof Gardens, Radisson Edwardian, Von Essen - Seaham Hall, Travelodge, Baxter Storey, and on and on. We are currently waiting for a response from Punch Taverns to join the journey to changing the face of Customer Service in the UK and many more.
How have we truly embedded the courses into the culture of organisations?
We train your best managers and trainers to deliver to your own teams. If you are too small to release people to train others the other route is through our training Provider partner HIT Training.
Take a look at my valuable TIPS on how to deliver excellent World Class Customer Service. These clips will give you a real taste of what we cover on our courses
World Class Customer Service.... for 2012 and beyond, Research and recommendations regarding how best to raise customer service standards across the visitor economy in advance of the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.
In my capacity as the Programme Director for Customer Service within the National Skills Academy for Hospitality I have taken the findings and recommendations from a pan sector research document and spent time and resources finding a solution which fulfils the findings of this research.
So, how did I start?
Yes, I read the report three times, each time highlighting what was key to taking a page in a document and bringing it to life. I then engaged with a programme developer, who had a track record and was able to demonstrate industry return on investment. I had the vision of what it would look like and integrate with a solution of making training live beyond the one or two day classroom experience.
What next?
Piloting and this was a lot of fun with elements of pure pain and frustration. The main challenge at the time was to take a product that had structure and substance and ensure consistence with personalisation, through facilitation not training. The dilemma is if one person is able to facilitate the course then great, but how do we take that beyond that individual. The solution Train the Facilitator was born with assessment and Licensed Facilitators, which only has a success rate of around 40%, with feedback from Quality Panel and the Board that enabled the individuals that deliver the World Class Customer Service to be verified as excellent.
How did I get to a name?
The original name was “Gold Standard” Customer Service, then National Skills Academy Hospitality Customer Service Level 2 and Level 3. Then finally, I did what all slightly mad people do. I trained and developed the long standing short course solution experts – Welcome to Excellence who deliver Welcome Host and asked them to give our programme a name, which came back as, World Class Customer Service Professional and Coach courses. Thus, I feel totally justified in saying that these sets of programmes deliver exactly what was required by the research document and take the journey of Customer Service to a higher level than the excellent job that Welcome to Excellence have delivered over the last 13 years.
So, what a course that delivers on the research? Why should you be enthused to send your team on the courses or embed it within your own organisation?
This is where the real magic comes to life from those pages on that research document. The organisations that we have delivered and embedded into their Customer Service training and therefore culture have seen growth in financial terms. People 1st had to verify the qualification solution delivered what they said it would in their research. This report is about to be released, but the drafts show that the delivery method and the programme created by the National Skills Academy for Hospitality delivers a Return on Investment, which will be illustrated independantly by the ROI Academy.
Where are we up to now?
We have negotiated Awarding Body rates that make these courses financially competitive, the learner guides are at the same or lower price than all other short courses which deem to cover Customer Service, like Welcome Host or Gold and World Host a new product that is similar light touch approach as the Welcome to Excellence products. Therefore, if seeking a full solution regarding Customer Service which has endorsement from brand names like Hilton Hotels UK, Delaware North (Wembley Stadium and Emirates Stadium), Restaurant Associates, London Zoological Society, Galvin’s restaurant – La Chapelle, Brend Hotels, Boparan Venture Retail, Baldwins Omega, Barcelo, Virgin – Babylon Roof Gardens, Radisson Edwardian, Von Essen - Seaham Hall, Travelodge, Baxter Storey, and on and on. We are currently waiting for a response from Punch Taverns to join the journey to changing the face of Customer Service in the UK and many more.
How have we truly embedded the courses into the culture of organisations?
We train your best managers and trainers to deliver to your own teams. If you are too small to release people to train others the other route is through our training Provider partner HIT Training.
Take a look at my valuable TIPS on how to deliver excellent World Class Customer Service. These clips will give you a real taste of what we cover on our courses
Friday, 24 September 2010
Ambition an understatement for Darlington College's YCYW finalist
Perfectly crisp white chef jackets, cheeks cherry red, hat’s sat neatly on their heads. It’s a look that would grace the kitchen of any 5 star restaurant, combined with the warm, cheerful, greeting that is more ‘front of house’ than you might expect a group of level 3 Professional Cookery Diploma students at Darlington college.
But this is Darlington College all over. The students have the world at their fingertips and it shows through their determination to win the title of ‘smiliest’ endorsed college through the National Skills Academy Hospitality. This is Darlington’s second year running with the title and this year the students were lucky enough to experience amaster class from TV Chef Cyrus Todiwala (MBE).
Lee Humble is an inspired young student in his first year of college currently studying his level 3 Professional Cookery Diploma at Darlington College, endorsed for excellence by the National Skills Academy Hospitality. Lee is full of ambition and initiative as he managed to anticipate the cooking equipment needed to help Cyrus’s master class. He was on hand at all times to help with the preparing and cooking of Cyrus’s famous Indian cuisine.
From the early age of 12 Lee was cooking at home, including the Christmas day dinner for as many as 15. Lee has always had a passion for food and this was obvious due to his enthusiasm and attentionhe paid when listening and taking notes from Cyrus’s astounding knowledge of food.
Lee said; “When I finished school I got 13 GCSE’s, one which was food technology, where I focused on multi-cultural food. I thoughtthat Indian Cuisine was dishes like Tikka Masala, Korma and Jalfrezi.However after meeting Cyrus and experiencing this Master Class I have realised that Indian cuisineisn’t traditionally focused on saucy curries, but a blend of condiments and spices to create perfectly flavoured dishes.”
Lee is one of many from Darlington College who has ambition and drive to succeed in the hospitality industry.
Lee informed us of his future plans; “I love cooking and although my family keep telling me I’ve chosen the wrong career this is all I’ve ever wanted to do. I love creating dishes and I want to become the best that I can and develop my own style and eventually move to Australia and become the head chef of an amazing restaurant.”
David McHattie, CEO, The National Skills Academy Hospitality says, “We were lucky enough to visit the college on the 8th September and experiencean excellentfour coursedinner as part of the Young Chef Young Waiter regional competition. It wasimpressive, the flavours and combinations were fantastic, whilst the front of house staff delivered a smooth and efficient service. These young chefs are the future pipeline of talent and are an asset tothe hospitality industry.”
The National Skills Academy Hospitality is proud to endorse Darlington College’s Professional Cookery Diploma as an excellent course and was delighted to gain Board Member Cyrus Todiwala (MBE) to help their student’s journeyto becoming professional chefs.
But this is Darlington College all over. The students have the world at their fingertips and it shows through their determination to win the title of ‘smiliest’ endorsed college through the National Skills Academy Hospitality. This is Darlington’s second year running with the title and this year the students were lucky enough to experience amaster class from TV Chef Cyrus Todiwala (MBE).
Lee Humble is an inspired young student in his first year of college currently studying his level 3 Professional Cookery Diploma at Darlington College, endorsed for excellence by the National Skills Academy Hospitality. Lee is full of ambition and initiative as he managed to anticipate the cooking equipment needed to help Cyrus’s master class. He was on hand at all times to help with the preparing and cooking of Cyrus’s famous Indian cuisine.
From the early age of 12 Lee was cooking at home, including the Christmas day dinner for as many as 15. Lee has always had a passion for food and this was obvious due to his enthusiasm and attentionhe paid when listening and taking notes from Cyrus’s astounding knowledge of food.
Lee said; “When I finished school I got 13 GCSE’s, one which was food technology, where I focused on multi-cultural food. I thoughtthat Indian Cuisine was dishes like Tikka Masala, Korma and Jalfrezi.However after meeting Cyrus and experiencing this Master Class I have realised that Indian cuisineisn’t traditionally focused on saucy curries, but a blend of condiments and spices to create perfectly flavoured dishes.”
Lee is one of many from Darlington College who has ambition and drive to succeed in the hospitality industry.
Lee informed us of his future plans; “I love cooking and although my family keep telling me I’ve chosen the wrong career this is all I’ve ever wanted to do. I love creating dishes and I want to become the best that I can and develop my own style and eventually move to Australia and become the head chef of an amazing restaurant.”
David McHattie, CEO, The National Skills Academy Hospitality says, “We were lucky enough to visit the college on the 8th September and experiencean excellentfour coursedinner as part of the Young Chef Young Waiter regional competition. It wasimpressive, the flavours and combinations were fantastic, whilst the front of house staff delivered a smooth and efficient service. These young chefs are the future pipeline of talent and are an asset tothe hospitality industry.”
The National Skills Academy Hospitality is proud to endorse Darlington College’s Professional Cookery Diploma as an excellent course and was delighted to gain Board Member Cyrus Todiwala (MBE) to help their student’s journeyto becoming professional chefs.
Thursday, 2 September 2010
250,000 Students Rejected from University?
After only having graduated a few years previously I really feel for the 250,000 students who will be refused a place at University this year due to the lack of places. These A-Level and AS qualified students will also be joining the 5 million others that will also be seeking employment, However does this small army have the upper hand.
If we look at the students that were selected for University are they any better off? With the current rising of University fees and what used to be the post University “graduate job” swiftly decreasing, it would seem that even the people who were lucky enough to attend University are still not getting the best deal.
If I am totally honest with the cost to attend University rising, I would be very reluctant to go. I was one of the lucky few who paid what seems now a measly amount of £1,125 a year in fees. I do understand why students fork out the fees for University if they are guaranteed a job after all their hard work but what few professions offer that? Doctors, dentists, accountants or teachers maybe!
For those students who want to become accountants but aren’t fortunate enough to get into University, surely there is another way? Night courses at college, internships, or apprenticeships? At least this way the student is somewhat guaranteed a job in the end. Maybe University is over rated now, with the demand for hands on, quick thinking, experienced individuals, I find myself thinking that whether you go to University or not you still have to start at the bottom. After graduating I found myself waiting 2 years till I found the job of my dreams, many graduates aren’t even this fortunate, I have friends who still aren’t in the most desired job. Therefore was it really worth all the debt.
I have also noticed that people are quick to scrutinise certain professions which I have experienced first-hand. After working in a restaurant as a waitress I was continuously asked by my customers “Surely this isn’t all you do?” but little did they know I was on about £25,000 a year, and I only worked 30 hours a week. I also had the opportunity to progress into management. That is a career path in itself, but why is it overlooked? In this current climate, University isn’t the solution to everything and we need to find ways to progress in life and succeed in something we feel truly passionate about. My only advice would be to really think about what you want in life and work out the best way for you to get there. There are courses in college for almost everything and many employers offer some great development opportunities if you are willing to work hard and be hands on. Students shouldn’t feel like they are hitting their heads against a brick wall because there is far more opportunity out there than people realise, it is just finding it.
The Hospitality industry can be a great experience, and career choice rather than a stopgap. Employers should view these students as a potential long-term prospect and put effort into attracting and then engaging, developing and retaining them. I personally loved working in a restaurant; 10 hour shifts fly by when you’re having fun. I also made some amazing friends that I will have for life, some great tips (£80 Tables of four), had lots of fun with hilarious customers, even the social life after work was excellent. All in all great times for me, wouldn’t change it for the world.
The experience and skills I learnt has helped me in my current role at the Academy. I have patience, time management, confidence, pace, ability to talk to anyone and excellent customer service skills. All of these have benefited me immensely. Not only this, but I honestly had the best experience working in a restaurant. Many believe it to be anti-social hours but really it is a time to socialise and enjoy the diversity of each day with the new customer you are faced with. Others believe it to be a simple role, but waiters are truly underestimated for the amount of stamina and patience it takes to provide constant excellent customer service whilst meeting every customer’s expectations.
So I guess the big question is “If I want a career in hospitality, where do I start?” Well with the hospitality industry still facing its perennial skills shortages and the 2012 Olympics on the horizon there are currently hundreds of jobs available. Click HERE to chat with other students in the same position and ask us at the Academy for advice to work out the best path for you. Alternatively try these sites:
www.uksp.co.uk
http://www.caterer.com/SearchBySpecialism.aspx
If I could go back and start again I wouldn’t have gone to University for the soul reason that I was hired for my personality, skills in customer service, time management and ability to work well under pressure, all of which I obtained in a restaurant, and not at University. You make your life what it is and University definitely isn’t a guaranteed gold ticket that gets you into the job of your dreams any more.
Tuesday, 24 August 2010
You can shove your job! by Lindsay Campbell
The case of Steven Taylor has got all sorts of media channels very excited. You'll recall that 38 year old Mr Taylor is/was a senior flight attendant with the award winning and social media savvy JetBlue Airlines in the States and on Monday last week he very spectacularly quit his job after conflict with a passenger who allegedly stood up and tried to retrieve their luggage from the overhead locker before the plane had finished coming to a standstill at JFK, despite an announcement asking passengers not to.
The story goes that the passenger had oversized bags anyway and when Mr. Taylor went to ask her to sit down, the bag fell out and hit her on the head inflicting a nasty gash.
With this ST an employee of more than 20 years "flipped" stormed back up the aisle, grabbed the P.A. and told the passengers what he thought of them, opened the door of the aircraft and jumped down the emergency slide swigging a can of beer, walked across to his car and drove home. Well what else would any self-respecting male flight attendant do?
ST has now become something of a celeb, he has hired Howard Bragg, one of the most powerful and influential PR guys in Hollywood, he has been offered a reality show, by Showtime and is currently on bail pending the court case due at the end of next month.
This story is interesting on three levels other than the obvious. ST, despite showing a total lack of professionalism, service and care for his passengers (it is the FAA who are pressing charges for endangering a passenger jet etc) is now an internet hero, striking a blow for all those people who hate their jobs and their “stupid ignorant customers”
He has a Paypal fund already set up by "admirers" which has accumulated £45k in a week to pay his expected legal fees and court costs. He enjoys the support of a ST Facebook fan site which has 95,000 fans and another site - the rather dramatically named "Save Steven Taylor" site which has 15,000 supporters.
Interesting to say the least that the outcome of his reckless and stupid behaviour is financial reward and cult hero status. It's just a shame that the real hospitality heroes and service heroes who work tirelessly day in and day out sometimes working in really tough conditions, (not enjoying discounted flights for friends and family and duty free shopping, meal allowances and uniform etc) don't get a look in or a nod, but just get on with it because they want to, because they believe it's the right thing to do and because they care.
It reminded of me of the occasion when I was at an awards show in the Northwest and a lady was being presented with a certificate for 35 years of working as a cleaner in a local pub. She had never had a day off through sickness and illness in her whole time of employment there. She would also come in and do extra shifts when needed and helped in the garden planted shrubs and flowers and tended to the beds all in her own time at her own cost. That my friend’s is a hospitality hero. Not a self-confessed "bag Nazi" who threw a little tizzy fit by throwing himself out the escape chute.
Good luck to ST. I wish him every success, my beef is not with him, it is more the celebration of the mediocre, when we should be striving to celebrate and reward excellence - surely?
The second aspect to this little melodrama is the way the organisations involved have responded to it. JetBlue a very media savvy company who work really hard with their social media (they have seven full time Tweeters) have said absolutely nothing about the incident and maybe for good reason with a court case due and possible litigation claims from all the passengers who were on board that day.
However “Never waste a crisis”, is the old saying and I'm sure JetBlue won't and will come out of this very strongly – but right now things are a little awkward for them. Contrast that however, with the makers of the slide, TMZ who are happily issuing press releases highlighting the successful deployment of one of their slides and have been delighted to note that " their product worked perfectly and Mr. Taylor was a model test subject for it, other than he didn't take his shoes off before going down". Gulliver reports that Spirit Airlines – a low cost carrier are telling their customers, “don’t be blue, slide down to get our low price airfares.”
There is a third point to this which Slate (business section of the New York Times) highlighted this week, that employee dissatisfaction appears to be at a very high level as the workforce gets squeezed by the Head Office bean counters and with high unemployment and low morale and the continued focus on recapatilising balance sheets, the pressure to drive more production with less staff has never been more intense.
Slate reports; “The economy has been growing for a year, and corporate profits have surged—Standard & Poor's estimates that profits of the constituents of the S&P 500 rose nearly 52% in the 2nd quarter of 2010 from 2009. Much of that impressive profit growth has been driven by the remarkable gains in efficiency and productivity that corporate America has notched since the recession took hold. Last year productivity soared 3.5 %, up from 1 % in 2008 and 1.6 % in 2007”
There clearly has been slack in the system and a readjustment was required, however, we have to respect and look after our people and our teams and respect the work they do for us and more importantly for our customers.
Leadership is not about cutting costs, looking for efficiencies of course and better value for money always – but just cutting costs?, frankly it’s not the best solution.
ST story is an interesting little cameo for us in these difficult and challenging times. Perhaps now is the time to start considering a more balanced view as a report from the Bureau of Labour Statistics published last week in the States suggests that “Workers put in more hours, but output didn't keep up. They simply can't run any faster”
The story goes that the passenger had oversized bags anyway and when Mr. Taylor went to ask her to sit down, the bag fell out and hit her on the head inflicting a nasty gash.
With this ST an employee of more than 20 years "flipped" stormed back up the aisle, grabbed the P.A. and told the passengers what he thought of them, opened the door of the aircraft and jumped down the emergency slide swigging a can of beer, walked across to his car and drove home. Well what else would any self-respecting male flight attendant do?
ST has now become something of a celeb, he has hired Howard Bragg, one of the most powerful and influential PR guys in Hollywood, he has been offered a reality show, by Showtime and is currently on bail pending the court case due at the end of next month.
This story is interesting on three levels other than the obvious. ST, despite showing a total lack of professionalism, service and care for his passengers (it is the FAA who are pressing charges for endangering a passenger jet etc) is now an internet hero, striking a blow for all those people who hate their jobs and their “stupid ignorant customers”
He has a Paypal fund already set up by "admirers" which has accumulated £45k in a week to pay his expected legal fees and court costs. He enjoys the support of a ST Facebook fan site which has 95,000 fans and another site - the rather dramatically named "Save Steven Taylor" site which has 15,000 supporters.
Interesting to say the least that the outcome of his reckless and stupid behaviour is financial reward and cult hero status. It's just a shame that the real hospitality heroes and service heroes who work tirelessly day in and day out sometimes working in really tough conditions, (not enjoying discounted flights for friends and family and duty free shopping, meal allowances and uniform etc) don't get a look in or a nod, but just get on with it because they want to, because they believe it's the right thing to do and because they care.
It reminded of me of the occasion when I was at an awards show in the Northwest and a lady was being presented with a certificate for 35 years of working as a cleaner in a local pub. She had never had a day off through sickness and illness in her whole time of employment there. She would also come in and do extra shifts when needed and helped in the garden planted shrubs and flowers and tended to the beds all in her own time at her own cost. That my friend’s is a hospitality hero. Not a self-confessed "bag Nazi" who threw a little tizzy fit by throwing himself out the escape chute.
Good luck to ST. I wish him every success, my beef is not with him, it is more the celebration of the mediocre, when we should be striving to celebrate and reward excellence - surely?
The second aspect to this little melodrama is the way the organisations involved have responded to it. JetBlue a very media savvy company who work really hard with their social media (they have seven full time Tweeters) have said absolutely nothing about the incident and maybe for good reason with a court case due and possible litigation claims from all the passengers who were on board that day.
However “Never waste a crisis”, is the old saying and I'm sure JetBlue won't and will come out of this very strongly – but right now things are a little awkward for them. Contrast that however, with the makers of the slide, TMZ who are happily issuing press releases highlighting the successful deployment of one of their slides and have been delighted to note that " their product worked perfectly and Mr. Taylor was a model test subject for it, other than he didn't take his shoes off before going down". Gulliver reports that Spirit Airlines – a low cost carrier are telling their customers, “don’t be blue, slide down to get our low price airfares.”
There is a third point to this which Slate (business section of the New York Times) highlighted this week, that employee dissatisfaction appears to be at a very high level as the workforce gets squeezed by the Head Office bean counters and with high unemployment and low morale and the continued focus on recapatilising balance sheets, the pressure to drive more production with less staff has never been more intense.
Slate reports; “The economy has been growing for a year, and corporate profits have surged—Standard & Poor's estimates that profits of the constituents of the S&P 500 rose nearly 52% in the 2nd quarter of 2010 from 2009. Much of that impressive profit growth has been driven by the remarkable gains in efficiency and productivity that corporate America has notched since the recession took hold. Last year productivity soared 3.5 %, up from 1 % in 2008 and 1.6 % in 2007”
There clearly has been slack in the system and a readjustment was required, however, we have to respect and look after our people and our teams and respect the work they do for us and more importantly for our customers.
Leadership is not about cutting costs, looking for efficiencies of course and better value for money always – but just cutting costs?, frankly it’s not the best solution.
ST story is an interesting little cameo for us in these difficult and challenging times. Perhaps now is the time to start considering a more balanced view as a report from the Bureau of Labour Statistics published last week in the States suggests that “Workers put in more hours, but output didn't keep up. They simply can't run any faster”
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