TECHNOLOGY
SWITCHING
In recent years , hightech gadgets have smartened up the guest room experience while software has become invaluable for back-of-the-house operations , such as sales and marketing , revenue management and obviously , information technology .
But technology also has changed the way hotels train their staff . Employees no longer have to spend hours in an educational session just to learn the ins and outs of their jobs . Nor do they have to carry around manuals , as the information can be found in the cloud on any device , including smartphones . As a result , training procedures at some hotels look a lot different today than they did even just a few years ago .
“ The emphasis on streamlining information and making it accessible to the associate at the touch of a button has revolutionized training ,” says Joe Mellia , general manager of The Envoy Hotel in Boston , an
Contributed by JULIANA SHALLCROSS
EDUCATION FOR HOTEL EMPLOYEES ? THERE ’ S DEFINITELY AN APP FOR THAT .
TRAINING DAY
Autograph Collection Hotel . “ Graphics , links , PowerPoint presentations , video inserts , music and animation allow presentations to be more engaging and capture the associate ’ s attention .”
Technology also has helped eliminate language barriers among hotel workers . “ Associates may learn in their native language ,” Mellia says , “ free of any confusion due to a language barrier or limited understanding of the information provided .”
CONVENIENCE , ENGAGEMENT Putting training exercises online is not only more convenient for the individual employee , who can finish the courses on their own schedule or while at work , but it ’ s a win for the hotels as well .
“ In the past couple of years , learning reach and usage at IHG has really grown exponentially with the introduction of new technology platforms ,” says Gary Whitney , vice president of global learning at InterContinental Hotels Group .
It has allowed IHG to sharpen its focus on the guest experience for each brand . “ This ensures that our frontline team members understand the latest updates and are empowered to bring these preferred brands to life in a thoughtful and consistent way ,” Whitney says .
Those updates are often boosted by data and analytics , such as individual hotel performance data , external benchmarking and feedback from owners and GMs . “ This information helps us understand which markets and brands need which types of hotel revenue , sales , service , channel , and quality-driving learning programs ,”
48 hotelsmag . com December 2017