BDL Hotels
BDL Hotels, the UK’s largest privately owned, multi-brand franchise and management company, is using the People 1st Training Company programme Leading Teams to Increase Customer Spend Through Servi...
The group, which first launched in 1997, works across seven brands, including Crown Plaza Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Ramada, Ramada Encore and Best Western, as well as a number of independent properties which it manages and runs on behalf of their owners. With the organisational purpose of ‘exceptional service by exceptional people’, BDL understands the importance of good customer service training.
Niki Fincham, BDL group learning and development manager, places much emphasis on development at all levels and therefore contacted the People 1st Training Company to invest in group training. She says: “Through networking, I was made aware of the Leading Teams to Increase Customer Spend Through Service Excellence programme and its many benefits to both the hotel teams and our guests. Over a period of time, the head count of employees in our hotels has reduced and as a consequence, employees have to take on a lot of responsibility. With this there is a risk that, in busy times the tasks get done, but the customer service element is left behind. We needed to readdress the balance.”
Initially BDL began with a pilot session to sample the programme. Niki comments: “Within the first few hours of training, a member of staff who had recently been promoted came to tell me how inspired she was by the programme.”
Staff feedback has led to Leading Teams to Increase Customer Spend Through Service Excellence being rolled out UK wide, with the first stage focusing on managers. So far 326 members of senior staff have been trained at 45 BDL hotels, with this figure due to reach 1,000 by the end of this month.
“Feedback from managers has been very insightful, many have realised how much time they spend with figures as opposed to people. Now managers are more focused on supporting their team with customer service and utilising the fresh thoughts and ideas generated from the training which can be put into practice everyday,” says Niki.
Two external trainers came to BDL to deliver a licensed facilitator course, training 10 of the team to internally manage the programme, allowing the hotel group to continue to roll it out to all staff as planned. Not only does this empower the group to develop individuals whenever necessary, it also saves money by negating the need to hire trainers externally and provides more ownership for the programme.
Niki says: “We believe continued development is really important to employee and business growth. As the public has high standards of service, it is vital for us to meet these needs and the best way to do this is undoubtedly training.”