What is hospitality training?
Hospitality training is a comprehensive educational and practical program designed to equip individuals with the necessary skills, knowledge, and competencies required to excel in the hospitality industry. This training covers a wide range of areas including customer service, communication, problem-solving, and operational management.
In this blog we’ll discuss everything about hospitality training, including its importance and how certain programs can help hoteliers. Table of contents
Why hospitality training is important
Hospitality training is important to any kind of hotel, large or small. The right training allows your staff to keep up with new trends, new technology, higher guest expectations, new techniques and strategies, as well as maintain any existing high standards. Experienced hands and new staff alike can benefit from ongoing training, ensuring that your hotel outpaces the competition in the thing that matters most in hotel success: guest experience.
What are the objectives of hospitality training?
Staff training in a hotel is a huge topic, with many different aims, from strategic to tactical. Broadly, they include:
- To instil a customer-first mindset among staff, ensuring they can provide personalised, courteous, and efficient service.
- To equip employees with the ability to handle diverse guest needs, complaints, and special requests.
- To develop effective interpersonal communication skills for better interaction with guests and team members.
- To enhance cross-departmental communication, ensuring a seamless guest experience.
- To familiarise staff with the operational aspects of the hospitality industry, including front desk operations, housekeeping standards, and food and beverage management.
- To train employees on the use of hotel management software, like SiteMinder, for improved efficiency and data management.
- To encourage collaboration and teamwork among staff for a cohesive work environment.
- To identify and cultivate leadership skills within teams for future managerial roles.
- To educate employees on health and safety standards, emergency procedures, and regulatory compliance to ensure a safe environment for guests and staff.
- To promote an understanding of ethical practices and cultural sensitivity in serving a global clientele.
- To keep pace with evolving industry trends, such as sustainability practices, digital transformation, and changing guest expectations.
- To integrate new technologies and methodologies into daily operations, enhancing service delivery and operational efficiency.
Empower your staff training with SiteMinder Let your staff flex their new training and skills through SiteMinder, the world’s leading hotel commerce platform.
How to choose the best online hospitality training programs
The best hospitality training programs will teach you things you didn’t already and deliver you tangible outcomes – without taking too much of your time and money.
To choose a training program that best suits your needs, consider:
Course content
Obviously you want to ensure any program or course that you’re considering has content relevant to the knowledge or skills you want to develop. Research carefully to evaluate if the content being offered is right for you.
Comparisons
Analysing course content and making your choice will be much easier if you compare multiple options. Look at how the course and content are structured and choose one which suits your learning style.
Credibility
Who is delivering the program? Are they an established educator and brand? Do they have positive reviews around the content that you want to access? Ensure you are entering a credible program before you go ahead.
Expert instructors
Seek out programs taught by professionals with extensive experience in the hospitality field. Their real-world insights and practical advice can transform theoretical knowledge into practical skills your staff can apply directly to their roles.
Practical use
Look for courses that include interactive elements, case studies, or simulations that mirror real-life situations. This approach helps staff better retain information and apply their new skills effectively in their daily tasks.
Certification
Choose programs that offer certificates upon completion. This not only motivates your team but also helps in building a professional resume that reflects their commitment to personal and professional growth.
Cost
Cost will depend on the length and type of program but you should always factor it into your budget, even if it seems inexpensive. As with every part of your hotel strategy, value for money and return on investment are important.
Delivery
Determine if the training program will be delivered online, in person, or a mix of both. Is it something you can do in your own time with consultation from the course runners, or will you be required to attend sessions at set times regularly? Plan around what will allow you to complete the program to the best of your ability.
Additional support and resources
Consider the value-added services that come with the training program. Access to ongoing resources such as webinars, forums, industry updates, and expert consultations can provide continuous learning opportunities and support for your staff beyond the initial training period.
Outcomes
Perhaps the most important factor is the end result. What will you have learned by the end of the program to take forward in your day-to-day and future career? For example, if you’re looking to advance up the ranks and become a hospitality leader, your program should have a focus on this.
Hospitality training courses for hotels
Whether it’s mastering the art of management, ramping up sales numbers, delivering top-notch customer service, or leading a team to glory, there’s a course out there tailored just for the needs of your hotel.
Specific providers that have plenty of course options include:
- Allara Global: A powerful learning platform and tech solution provider enabling online courses and training programs for all types of hospitality businesses.
- International Career Institute: Offering online courses in a diverse range of sectors, including hospitality management and the hotel industry.
- Typsy: online hospitality learning and courses with the chance to earn badges and recognition.
Here are a few examples and what you and your team can expect to learn:
Hospitality management training
Hospitality management training courses are tailored to equip hotel managers and owners with the skills and knowledge necessary to navigate the complexities of the hospitality industry. These courses cover a broad spectrum of topics, from operational efficiency and financial management to guest relations and sustainability practices. Participants learn how to improve hotel performance, enhance guest satisfaction, and increase profitability through effective management strategies.
Key focus areas:
- Insights into industry best practices and trends
- Techniques for optimising hotel operations and revenue
- Strategies for enhancing guest experience and loyalty
Hospitality sales training
Hospitality sales training courses are designed to sharpen the sales skills of hotel professionals, focusing on increasing occupancy and maximising revenue. These courses delve into understanding customer needs, effective communication, and negotiation techniques. Trainees learn how to craft compelling sales pitches, utilise digital marketing tools, and develop strategies to target various market segments.
Key focus areas:
- Advanced sales techniques and negotiation skills
- Market analysis and segmentation strategies
- Digital and social media marketing for hospitality
Hospitality customer service training
Hospitality customer service training programs emphasise the importance of exceptional service in creating memorable guest experiences. These courses teach staff how to effectively communicate with guests, manage complaints, and exceed guest expectations.
The training aims to foster a culture of hospitality that not only meets but surpasses guest needs, encouraging repeat visits and positive word-of-mouth.
Key focus areas:
- Effective communication and interpersonal skills
- Complaint resolution and service recovery methods
- Personalisation techniques to enhance guest experiences
Hospitality leadership training
Hospitality leadership training is designed to develop the next generation of leaders in the hospitality industry. These courses focus on building essential leadership qualities such as strategic thinking, team motivation, and decision-making. Participants learn how to lead diverse teams, drive operational excellence, and implement innovative solutions to meet the challenges of the dynamic hospitality environment.
Key focus areas:
- Inspiring and leading teams to achieve excellence
- Strategic planning and innovation in hospitality
- Ethical leadership and fostering a positive organisational culture
Kris Vanaerschot,
Chief Commercial Officer
Helios Hotels
Soft skills vs. technical skills in hospitality training
Soft skills and technical skills are both very different but can be equally crucial to a successful career in hospitality and to ensuring guests and customers are given a positive experience.
Technical skills can be more easily attained through training but let’s take a look at what each one means.
Soft skills
Soft skills are personal attributes and characteristics that dictate how well you interact with others. Often these are developed through childhood and early adulthood, and will normally be influenced by external factors such as family, friends, and teachers, or be predisposed by genetics.
Once established however, soft skills can take time to change. For instance, if you are not a bright, energetic person by nature it will take some work to be comfortable serving people face to face everyday. Training can certainly help you understand your strengths and weaknesses in this area though, and give you tactics on how to improve.
Some soft skills that need to be strong in hospitality:
- Communication: Includes active listening, clear and concise speech, and written communication.
- Customer service: Requires empathy, patience, problem-solving, and conflict resolution.
- Teamwork: Involves collaboration, cooperation, and respect.
- Interpersonal skills: Is about building rapport and positive relationships.
- Emotional intelligence: Composed of self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, and social skills.
- Adaptability: Focuses on flexibility, resilience, and the ability to handle change.
Technical skills
Technical skills are related to performing specific tasks or using specific tools, and can be gained through diligent practice or training over time.
Examples include:
- Cooking
- Front desk operations
- Housekeeping
- Bar tending and waitressing
- Using tech systems like reservation systems or point of sale terminals
Examples of the best hospitality training topics
The best training topics for your hotel hospitality staff will depend on their role, function and department, as well as their place in the overall hotel leadership. Reception staff won’t get as much out of food and beverage safety training as kitchen staff will, nor would kitchen staff necessarily benefit from guest service training if they’re in a solely back-of-house role.
With that in mind, here’s a breakdown of the most important training topics for each major hospitality department in your hotel:
Front office
- Customer service excellence: Training on delivering exceptional service, managing first impressions, and ensuring guest satisfaction.
- Communication skills: Enhancing verbal and non-verbal communication, including active listening and clear, friendly interactions.
- Reservation and booking systems: Proficiency in using the hotel’s reservation software, such as SiteMinder, for efficient booking management.
- Problem-solving and complaint handling: Strategies for effectively resolving guest issues and turning negative experiences into positive ones.
- Upselling and cross-selling: Techniques to promote hotel services and amenities, contributing to revenue growth.
Housekeeping
- Cleaning and sanitation standards: Training on thorough cleaning practices, use of cleaning agents, and adherence to health and safety regulations.
- Time management: Efficiently managing tasks to maintain high cleanliness standards within tight schedules.
- Guest privacy and security: Understanding and respecting guest privacy, along with protocols for handling personal items and security concerns.
- Laundry and linen management: Best practices for handling, cleaning, and maintaining hotel linens and laundry.
- Sustainability practices: Training on eco-friendly cleaning methods and waste reduction to support the hotel’s sustainability efforts.
Food and beverage
- Food safety and hygiene: Comprehensive training on food handling, storage, and preparation to prevent foodborne illnesses.
- Menu knowledge: Detailed understanding of the menu items, ingredients, preparation methods, and potential allergens.
- Customer service in F&B: Skills for engaging with guests, taking orders accurately, and managing dining experiences.
- Beverage service and knowledge: Including wine service, cocktail preparation, and coffee making, tailored to the establishment’s offerings.
- Efficiency in service: Streamlining service flow, table management, and teamwork to ensure a smooth dining experience.
Banquets and events
- Event planning and coordination: Covering the basics of event management, from planning to execution, ensuring every detail is considered.
- Customer service for events: Specialised training on handling event guests, from large groups to VIPs, ensuring seamless experiences.
- Setup and breakdown procedures: Efficiently setting up and clearing event spaces while adhering to safety standards.
- Audio-visual equipment use: Training on the setup and operation of AV equipment commonly used in meetings and events.
- Food and beverage management for events: Coordinating catering needs, menu planning, and service timing for events.
Guest relations
- Advanced customer service skills: Focusing on personalised guest interactions, anticipating needs, and exceeding expectations.
- Communication and diplomacy: Navigating sensitive guest issues with tact, empathy, and effective problem-solving.
- Loyalty programs and guest retention: Understanding and promoting the hotel’s loyalty programs to encourage repeat business.
- Handling special requests and services: Managing unique guest needs, from room preferences to arranging local experiences.
- Feedback management: Collecting and acting on guest feedback to continually improve service and guest satisfaction.
