Training: The Key to Success in the Private Special Events Market - HSMAI Marketing Review
By Nelson Clark
People who book your property for a wedding, a family reunion, an anniversary, or other private special event expect a truly memorable experience. To ensure that they will be delighted by all that you provide, offer special events training to every member of your staff. Then wait for the accolades from your clients and the referrals that are sure to follow.
Let's start with an actual scenario: It is 10 a.m. on Saturday and, as general manager of the property, you're in your office when you get a call from the front desk manager. The catering director has not yet arrived, there is no one else in catering, and there's a nearly hysterical bride whose wedding is scheduled for 4 o'clock, in the lobby wearing jeans and a wedding veil. She cannot understand why she and her attendants can't check in early to her honeymoon suite. And to make matters worse, the banquet captain told them that they couldn't access the ballroom until much later to place the favors on the tables. And not only did he not know where to place the chuppah for her ceremony, he didn't even seem to know what a chuppah is. This scenario is more common than you may think. In many properties, where there are a number of departments making up the whole, the potential for things to fall through the cracks is enormous. Almost all of the unfortunate scenes like the one above can be avoided with one simple thing: effective training. Effective training of your staff cannot only help you avoid crises; it can also make the difference between a successful property and an unsuccessful one. Why? Because with proper training comes better service. And with better service comes happier clients and more revenue. This is especially true in the wedding and special events segment of your market.