London, UK: 4th October 2007
Record self-training by hospitality employees
A record number of hospitality employees are downloading training in an
online initiative by industry membership body, the Institute of
Hospitality (http://www.instituteofhospitality.org/content/) and learning
provider, Echelon Publishing (http://echelonpublishing.co.uk/)
The global membership of the Institute of Hospitality represents
professional managers in the hospitality, leisure, sports and tourism
industries and promotes the 'highest professional standards of management
and education'.
Areas in which the managers are employed include hotels, contract
catering, restaurants, pubs and clubs, as well as leisure outlets, theme
parks and sports venues.
The Institute's Training Library - offers over 400
downloadable training modules for use by trainers, managers and
supervisors. Each solution is proven to work under live training
conditions in hospitality environments and comes with full instructions,
exercises and a feedback checklist.
The Training Library includes training modules on topics such as
Communication Skills; Customers with Specific Needs; Impression
Management; Customer Service Skills (all levels); Project Management, and
Telephone Skills.
The solutions - priced at £5 - can be accessed by individuals using
credit cards or at a discount by groups on a corporate account basis.
"It's a modest price to pay for learning that's up-to-the-minute, proven
and easy to access," says the Institute’s Head of Information Services,
Janine Mills.
"Since we focused solely on selected training, modules uptake has
increase by some 500 per cent. Most members who have used the resource
pick and mix from the material available to put together training
programmes for delivery by managers and supervisors to catering, bar,
front of house and housekeeping staff.
“Echelon hosts, manages and updates the library content for us, enabling
us to focus on complementary online activities such as our digitised
guides on food safety, health and safety and business management."
Leisure is one of the UK's fastest growing industry sectors. Recent
research indicates that the UK population is set to see an increase in
the numbers of 15 - 24 year olds and 55 year olds.
By 2010, the number of over 60s will have increased by 3.1 million,
showing the increasing importance of the ‘grey’ market while certain
sectors will benefit by attracting the younger consumer.
High disposable incomes, changes in consumer demand, low inflation and
unemployment rates are current factors contributing to the robustness of
the industry and these trends look set to continue.
Echelon has a lengthy track record of working in the hotel and
hospitality sector and a developed understanding of leisure industry
needs. Its consulting division has developed and managed customer service
programmes on behalf of Sheraton, Rank Leisure, Holiday Inn, Queens Moat
House.
The company last month (September 2007) completed recruitment, selection,
induction and customer care training for customer-facing staff at the new
St Pancras station in time for its re-opening as London's high-speed rail
terminal.
Further information from
http://www.instituteofhospitality.org/content/
