Hospitality Maldives Issue 05

�HOSPITALITY MALDIVES MARCH 2006

HOSPITALITYFREE COPY ISSUE # 5 / MARCH 2006

“Does your service atraining stick?”

T H E M A G A Z I N E F O R T H E H O T E L , T R A V E L A N D T O U R I S M I N D U S T R Y I N T H E M A L D I V E S

The Healing Power of Water100 Ways to Increase your SalesWhat it Takes to be a ProfessionalEffective Office CommunicationsTeaching People to Solve ProblemsUnderstanding Food Allergy

� HOSPITALITY MALDIVES MARCH 2006 Exc lus ive d is t r ibu tor in Ma ld ives : L i l y F & B Supp l ie rs

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3HOSPITALITY MALDIVES MARCH 2006

EDITOR’S NOTE

IMPRESSUM

PublisherThis magazine is created & published by:

Silversea Investment Group Pvt. Ltd.H. Meheli Ge (2nd fl oor)

Kurangi GoalhiMale’

Republic of Maldives

Editor-in-ChiefAhmed Saleem

EditorDavid Kotthoff

Design, Layout & PhotographyMooinc. Pvt. Ltd.

Cover PhotographMooinc. Pvt. Ltd.

PrintSoftwave, Sri Lanka

An online version of this magazine is available at:

www.hospitality-maldives.com

Contact InformationPlease send your feedback, questions & comments to:

[email protected]

Also please notify us at this email if you would prefer not to receive further

issues of this magazine.

For information about the content of this magazine please contact David Kotthoff at:

[email protected]

For advertising rates please write us at:[email protected]

CreditsAll articles / features are property of their respective authors / owners & have been provided with the great support of the

following individuals & institutions:

Tony EldredHakan Falk

Reinhard Bergel, PhDRick HenderieRon Kaufman

Douglas KennedyDouglas Wayne Hissong

Susie RossJerry DaviesJames Dunne

Christ Longstreet, CHAKelley Robertson

www.ehotelier.comwww.ifi c.org

www.eturbonews.comwww.amanet.org

www.youngentrepreneur.com

DisclaimerNo parts of this magazine or its content

(photographs, articles or parts thereof, de-sign, layout) may be reproduced without the consent of the respective owner. Silversea Investment Group Pvt. Ltd. or any of its

associates cannot be held responsible for the mis-use of the information & intellectual

property provided in this magazine.Opinions expressed in this magazine are

those of the writers & not necessarily endorsed by the publisher.

Dear friend and colleagues,

Welcome to the fi fth edition of Hospitality Maldives.

FITUR, WTM, ITB, MITT, BIT, JATA, CITM – there are hundreds of travel and tourism trade fairs out there. Some small, others huge, some regional, others international; still, all of them serve the same purpose and follow the same concept: bringing industry people together in one place for everyone’s benefi t.

Whether you are a frequent visitor of travel trade shows or have never attended one before, did you actually ever really think about the benefi ts such a trade show can bring you and your company? To list all of them would probably require a book to be written, yet, let me briefl y elaborate on the most prominent and obvious ones.

Attending a travel trade show, same as attending any other industry specifi c exhibition or event, allows you to network; meaning, you are able to make contacts and get to know the key people who are all in the same industry as you. Where else do you get that chance? Additionally, you will introduce your brand and promote it to the public and potential customers. See and be seen, create new contacts and maintain existing ones.

Secondly, and that’s probably the most common reason for people to visit a trade fair; it gives you the opportunity to compile loads of important information and keep yourself updated with the lat-est trends and developments. Today’s times are fast and thus, it is more important than ever to know what’s hot and what’s not in order to keep your business up to date with the current trends.

Attending a travel trade fair also gives you the chance to directly generate sales and to create new business volume for your company. Besides that, you will have the chance to study and analyse your competitors, something utmost vital for any business.

With the ITB in Berlin and the MITT in Moscow just around the corner, think about and carefully consider visiting those events. Sure, it’ll require some investment, but if conducted properly, a single visit can yield a fantastic return on a rather small investment in no time. Especially for newly emerg-ing markets such as the Eastern European countries, the possibilities for you to generate promising business volume and create new industry contacts are almost endless.

Think about it and Happy Reading!

Yours in hospitality,

David Kotthoff

Yours in hospitality,

David Kotthoff

� HOSPITALITY MALDIVES MARCH 2006


CONTENTS

M A L D I V E S

EDITORS NOTE 3

100 WAY TO INCREASE YOUR SALESby Kelley Robertson

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WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A PROFESSIONALThe things you can control

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THE HEALING POWER OF WATERFrom the ancient Romans and Kneipp to modern science, water

has always played a major role as an alternative medical treatment. by Dr. Reinhard Bergel

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FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SERIESPART V & VI

Part V: Forecasting ProfitsPart VI: Financial Management Planning

24

UNDERSTANDING FOOD ALLERGYWhat causes it? What are the symptoms?

What can I do against it? by ific.org

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EFFECTIVE OFFICE COMMUNICATIONSby Douglas Wayne Hissong, PhD

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GENERAL ENERGY SAVING TIPS & TRICKSEasy-to-adapt tips and tricks to save energy

in your home or office. by Hassan Falk

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IN CHALLENGING TIMES, SERVICE MATTERS MOST

When you think it’s time to cut down on staffing & training, think again! by Ron Kaufman

42

DOES YOUR SERVICE TRAINING STICK?How to update your approach to appeal to Generation X and Y.

by James Dunne

48

HOSPITALITY NEWS 52

THE LAST WORDS 58




HUMAN RESOURCES

Who’s Got Time for Time Management?

Do you have a diary? Do you use it daily? If you answered yes to these questions, take a brownie point and read on. If you answered no, what I’m about to talk about could

change your working life and solve a lot of your problems.The issue here is time management and organisation. It all

started with an Italian sociologist and economist called Vilfre-do Pareto, who came up with the now famous Pareto principle, which says: You get 80 percent of your results from 20 percent of your time. We commonly call this the 80:20 rule.

It takes six months to change a persons’ behaviour — or more accurately, it takes six months to eliminate an ingrained behaviour pattern and overlay a new behaviour over the top of it until it becomes normal. Once you have communicated an important in-struction, take out your diary in front of the person concerned and make brief follow-up notes once a fortnight for the next two months, then monthly for the following four months. Tell them you will be following it up, and you expect them to supervise themselves and ensure that it is done.

When you roll up to work each day and open your diary there will be several follow-up notes you have written in the recent past. Check each of them to make sure they are still being done or transfer the follow-up note to another day. Don’t just leave it — a big part of getting behaviour change is ensuring consistent consequences, the third part of the procedure. If it is being done, praise the person; if it is not, assertively request an explanation. The main reason why people don’t react to the requests of a lead-

er is that there are no predictable consequences attached to not do-ing it.

The other main use of a diary is just that — a diary. In this case though, I am not talking about a personal diary but a performance diary. This is simple — at the end of each day or the beginning of the next, discipline yourself to spend-ing five minutes noting the posi-tive and negative aspects of your staff that day. Evolve a shorthand code that is meaningful to you for the purpose. Be specific and con-centrate on positive performance, not just the negative.

You then use this information as the basis of regular, informal performance appraisal. Once a month, sit down with each person who reports directly to you and go through the positives and negatives of their performance. The diary entries allow you to be specific — instead of throwing generalities at them (‘you’re doing a great job’), you can give them detailed information about how you have viewed their work over the last month, then set goals for the next.

If a staff member has failed to behave as they were instruct-ed some time ago, you pick this up when you follow-up according to your diary notes, then deal with it in the next performance ap-praisal session (‘on the 12th May you said you wouldn’t leave the X key in the cash register any more. On the 25th of May and the 2nd of June I found the key in the register. Why is this happening after you told me you would take care of it?’). Using it this way, your diary becomes an integrated leadership and time manage-ment tool and your communication becomes far more effective.

Your staff will rapidly learn that there is a high likelihood that you will follow-up all specific instructions, and there are uncom-fortable consequences to not making their words match their ac-tions. They will learn to listen carefully to you and to manage their own performance. To be fair, what you are doing will take slightly longer at first, but in the long run will repay you many times over in time saved. The longer you practise this the greater the result. Remember the 80:20 rule. If you haven’t got a diary, go and get one right now — and get into the routine of using it.

Tony Eldred is the Managing Director of hospitality management consultants El-dred Hospitality Pte. Ltd. For more information visit www.eldtrain.com.au or email Tony directly at [email protected]!

By Tony Eldred

If we extend the Pareto principle and spend 40 percent of our time doing valuable things instead of 20 percent, we will more than double our current result. I’m talking about working smarter here, not harder. Draw a distinction between effort and result at this stage. How hard you and your staff work is of little interest to me while I’m wearing my management consultant hat; it’s the result you get that’s important. If your efforts are not well conceived, you could be wasting a lot of time.

This is where your diary comes in. Most managers use their diary as an appointment book or a ‘daily to do’ list. That’s OK, but its usefulness can be extended considerably by using it for two other purposes: as a follow-up planner, and as a performance diary. I’ll explain them one at a time.

Using your diary as a follow-up planner means organising yourself to eliminate one of the most frustrating and time con-suming problems a manager has to face — getting staff to listen carefully to and follow through on instructions. Have you ever asked staff to change something or to do something, and they do it for a couple of weeks and then drift back to the old way? This occurs because one of the things you have to do to get behav-ioural change is missing.

If you want staff to change their behaviour you have to en-sure three things are built into your leadership procedure, they are: proper communication, appropriate follow-up, consistent consequences. The first part — proper communication — is easy. Give the instruction then get the staff member to repeat it back to you. The second part — appropriate follow-up — is a little more complex.


MISCELLANEOUS

“Avoid the temptation to perfect everything .....”

25Develop a team consensus on the nature of the problem. Otherwise, you can develop the right solution to the wrong problem or wind up with paralyzing bickering about goals.

Remember and follow the mission statement throughout the course of the project.

Develop a project strategy that will meet all project objectives.

Check back periodically to make sure the project stays within the original scope of work.

Determine milestones and benchmarks: the desired outcome, obstacles to achieving it, guidelines that will let you know you have achieved the desired result.

Get buy-in from all stakeholders on a project to avoid running into confl icts of interest later on.

Choose the right people for the project team—people who bring insights and information to the effort, not only available to work on the team.

Work as a team. If all members of a team operate individually, the end product will be as disjointed as the team was.

Be realistic about the number of projects your organization can undertake and the goals set.

Plan the project by answering questions: what must be done, by whom, for how much, how, when, etc.

Brainstorm solution options, then choose the most suitable choice based on parameters set early on (e.g., based on cost, time, goals).

Negotiate for scarce resources.

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Project Management Tips

Have a deliverable at each major project milestone so that progress can be measured more easily.

Qualify estimates, specifying any factors that might affect their validity.

Don’t schedule any task with a duration greater than four to six weeks—subdivide longer tasks to monitor progress.

Continually ask questions. The more you ask, the more you’ll discover how to solve problems or uncover issues about what’s needed versus what’s been defi ned.

Avoid the temptation to perfect everything—that’s what the next generation product or service is all about.

Keep fl oat or extra time in reserve in case of unexpected problems or bad estimates.

Do whatever you can to keep critical tasks on schedule-a slip up here can stall the entire project.

Be alert to roadblocks and be very pro-active, not reactive, to help project members complete their tasks.

Consider co-locating team members on critical tasks so that they aren’t constantly being pulled off to do other jobs.

Identify team members who will champion various parts of the project management process.

Don’t let project members wait until the latest possible start time to begin tasks. Then, when problems occur, there is no fl oat left and they wind up missing the end take.

Remember the Triple Constraint: to complete the project at cost, on time, and in keeping with the scope set and customer expectations.

Do a post mortem review of projects—review both group dynamics and task implementation.

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Amanet.org is the offi cial website of the American Management Association, a glob-al not-for-profi t, membership-based association that provides a full range of manage-ment development and educational services to individuals, companies and government agencies worldwide

by amanet.org

�0 HOSPITALITY MALDIVES MARCH 2006

TRAINING

The First Rule of Life: develop & maintain a positive attitude. Your success insales and life depends on it.

Know your products/services; become an expert on them.

Practice your presentation; role-play and video tape yourself if possible.

Involve your customers. Engage them in the entire process. Don’t force them tobe passive bystanders.

Learn your customer’s name and use it.

Establish your credibility early by asking effective questions and actively listeningto your customer’s answers and concerns.

Use eye contact to establish rapport.

Learn as much about your competition as you can.

Anticipate potential problems and prepare possible responses.

Check your inventory in advance. Know what you have available to sell.

Obtain information about your customers by asking them questions.

Teach yourself to relax; breathe deeply, meditate, use positive self-talk withyourself

Learn the steps to selling and use them every day.

Manage your time properly. Invest your time promoting your business.

Rest so you are physically and psychologically alert.

Use your own style – don’t imitate someone else.

Use your own words – don’t recite from memory.

Put yourself in the customer’s shoes. Remember WII-FM – What’s In It For Me?

Assume the customer is on your side.

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100 Ways to Increase Your SalesTell customers that you want to take time to identify their needs.

Identify your fears. Categorize them as controllable or uncontrollable and confront them.

Develop a great smile and use it.

Introduce yourself to your customer via a social context or a merchandisefocused opening.

Give special emphasis to the first few minutes you spend with each customer. You won’t get a second chance to make another first impression.

Visualize yourself as a successful sales person.

Manage your image and personal appearance.

Decide you will make more presentations than anyone else every day.

Know where everything is that you need to do your job. Don’t waste your time or your customer’s looking for a piece of information or set of instructions.

Relax and enjoy yourself. Have fun with your customers.

No one sells every customer. Learn how to turn over a customer you are unable to close a sale with to another salesperson.

Believe in yourself first. If you don’t think you can make it, who will?

Set & achieve goals. A goal is simply a dream with a deadline and a plan of action.

Learn the fundamentals of sales and use them. Read, attend seminars, listen to tapes and adapt the recommended techniques to your style.

Learn one new technique a week. Put it into practice as soon as you learn it.

Use your car as a learning centre. A how-to sales tape does more for your success than the radio.

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By Kelly Robertson

��HOSPITALITY MALDIVES MARCH 2006

SALES & MARKETING

Visualize the sale taking place before it happens

Shake hands firmly. No one wants to shake hands with a dead fish.

Be conversational in your presentation. Speak as though you are talking with a friend.

Develop great telephone skills.

Don’t prejudge people; they are often customers in disguise.

Understand your customers and meet their needs. Question and listen actively to uncover their true needs.

Sell to assist your customers; don’t sell for money.

Do a regular self-analysis. Determine what you want to achieve both long term and short term in your sales career.

Believe in the company and your product or service. If you don’t, your customer won’t either. If you believe in what you’re selling, that confidence will show.

Be prepared with questions, answers, statements, openers.

Try new approaches. Don’t get trapped into doing everything the same way all the time.

Listen carefully to how your customer answers your questions.

Adapt your presentation to meet your customer’s needs.

Learn how to present yourself effectively. Take a course in public speaking or join a local chapter of Toastmasters International.

Show your customers that you differ from your competitors; don’t just tell them.

Subscribe to trade magazines to learn more about your business.

Pay attention to your customers. Make them feel important.

Start work half an hour earlier and stay half an hour later.

Spend less time socializing and more time working.

Invest more time learning about your customer.

Learn to ask mostly open-ended questions.

Demonstrate to your customer the value of buying from you and your company.

Learn to empathize.

Clarify your customer’s objections.

Ask every customer for the sale.

Don’t allow the first objection to bring the sales process to a halt.

Keep your name in your customer’s mind. Stay in touch with that customer after the sale.

Ask every customer for a referral.

Follow-up every sale with a thank-you call.

Send every customer a thank-you card.

Learn to accessorize every sale.

Be the expert that your customers can trust.

Learn to become comfortable with silence.

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Be quiet after you ask for the sale.

Be quiet after you ask your customer a question.

Spend less time waiting for customers to come into your store and more time seeking them out.

Invest more time qualifying customers instead of presenting to them.

View the sales interaction as a process, not an event.

Don’t rush!

Be proactive in everything you do. Don’t wait for a customer to ask for something.

Listen more than you talk.

Maintain your motivation by listening to or reading inspirational material each day.

Give people a reason to buy from you.

Know what products your competitors carry and how they differ from yours.

Give the customer who comes into the store at 8:30 p.m. the same attention as the first customer of the day.

Make no assumptions.

Think before you speak.

Do more than your share of work in the store.

Don’t take objections personally. Find out the real objection.

Vary your greeting. Don’t use the standard, “Hi, how are you?”

Focus on uncovering your customer’s psychological needs.

Vary your tone of voice. Avoid slipping into a monotone.

Use different closing techniques.

Seek a customer’s permission before you offer him a solution to an objection.

Make sure your solutions are appropriate to each customer. Avoid giving canned answers.

Do not complain about things that are beyond your control.

Don’t get discouraged – every “no” you hear gets you one step closer to “yes.”

Watch top performing people. Notice what they do differently then adapt their behaviours to fit your style.

Stay in touch with your customers.

Evaluate your strengths and areas that need improvement on a daily basis.

Be aware of your customer’s fears and hesitations.

Treat each customer differently.

Treat every customer with dignity and respect.

Give people a reason to buy from you, today, at your price.

. Stop talking and start listening.

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Kelley Robertson, President of the Robertson Training Group, works with businesses to help them increase their sales and motivate their employees. He is also the author of “Stop, Ask & Listen – Proven sales techniques to turn browsers into buyers.” For information on his programs, visit his website at www.RobertsonTrainingGroup.com .

�� HOSPITALITY MALDIVES MARCH 2006

TRAININGTRAINING

What it Takes to be a Professional Th e Th ings You Can Control By Chris Longstreet

Two y e a r s ago, the So-ciety for Hospitality Management was founded with the goal of improving and el-evating the professionalism of the hospi-tality industry. Today, through our programs and resources, we continue working with professionals at all levels to improve their knowledge, skills, and abilities. People working in this industry are professionals and are vital contributors to the success of the communities and organizations served. This is a 2006 revision of our fi rst article we posted…

know that the numbers will be a refl ection of that.” Attitude, concentration, and effort - these things are keys to being a profes-sional and the things you can control.

“The way I approach the game (is to) play hard and hustle,” said Kata, about the intangibles he brings to the fi eld. “Doing the little things, being in the right place at the right time, always hus-tling, knowing where to throw the ball, moving the runner over … that’s the strong part of my game.” These are the intangibles that have made Matt Kata a professional. His focus on being pro-fessional centers on attitude, concentration, and effort.

Attitude is Everything Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “People don’t seem to see that their opinion of the world is also a confession of character.” What Emerson is saying is that if we think this is a miserable world to live in, then we live in a miserable world...and probably make it miserable for others to live in too.

Our attitudes are refl ected in everything we do, including re-lationships with our customers and guests. If we see guests as a necessary evil and that they are there just “bothering” us, their responses to us will be entirely different than if we see them as investors in our company and people who will ultimately create the success of our organization. We can never be truly profes-sional unless we develop a sincere respect for and healthy attitude toward our customers and guests.

Several years ago, I sat in the grass of a minor league baseball stadium getting ready to watch game on a warm summer evening. There, while eating hot dogs with my kids on the

grass down the left fi eld line, I watched the opposing team, the SouthBend SilverHawks, conduct their pre-game warm up drills. I watched them lay on the grass and stretch, throw the ball in specifi c motion, and run sprints of approximately 25 yards. They were getting warmed up and ready for another game.

I admire the professionals at this level. Each one works hard to improve their skills eager to make it to the ultimate level – the big leagues. They each have a goal and are working hard to achieve it. As I sat watching the team, one player caught my eye.

He seemed to do more, give more, and work a little harder than others on the fi eld. He didn’t stop at the end of the sprints. He always did one more of the warm up drills than the rest of the players he was with. I was impressed with his effort and his appar-ent desire to be the best and achieve his dream of making it to the big leagues. I wondered then: what made him different? What did he have inside him that maybe, just maybe, the others did not?

Today, Matt Kata has made it to the highest level and as a professional baseball player. Matt is on the active roster of the Philadelphia Phillies. In a May 2003 article in Bill Mitchell’s Minor League Ramblings, Matt Kata outlined his baseball philosophy with three rather simple success factors. “Attitude, concentration, and effort,” states Kata, “those are the easy things to control. I

�3HOSPITALITY MALDIVES MARCH 2006

HUMAN RESOURCES

“Whether at the corporate or property level, professionalism is what we bring to the job.”

Keith Harrell, in his book Attitude Is Everything, makes it clear that with our attitude we have a choice. “The critical differ-ence between those who believe that they will succeed and those who have no belief in themselves is their understanding of at-titude. There are those who know they can control their attitudes and those who allow their attitudes to control them. The people who do best in life are those who realize they have the power to choose their attitudes, just as they have the power to choose their clothing, their cars, or their dinner companions.”

The American Heritage Dictionary defines attitude as a state of mind or feeling with regard to some matter. So what is our atti-tude towards our profession? the organization you lead or serve? the customers you serve? the employees you work with or lead? Our attitudes have an impact on our actions. Our attitudes have an impact on those we work with. And, our attitudes have an impact on our guests and the people we serve.

Concentration and Knowledge I was recently on a tour of an Outback Restaurant with a class I teach at Grand Valley State University. Jim Dunleavy, the manag-ing partner of the restaurant said, “Multi-tasking isn’t for me. If I have to do three things at one time, which one is getting my full attention and which one am I doing well?” What a great insight!

To achieve a high level of concentration, a professional has to be knowledgeable in what they do. Whether it’s teaching a class, running a restaurant, operating a hotel, planning and coordinating an event, or playing baseball, professionals need to know what it takes to get the job done.

Concentration is enhanced through knowledge.Knowledge encompasses understanding what it takes to perform, what factors impact business, and being able to use this knowl-edge to improve performance. Concentration is knowing the little things that make a difference, being in the right place at the right time, and knowing what to do and when to do it. Professionals make concentration a strong part of their game.

There is no question that concentration takes practice. Base-ball players become better when they practice so that their deci-sion making and actions are in sync with each other. Our minds are designed to carry out several tasks at once, if needed, and it is common for our attention to be going many directions all at the same time. Learn-ing to take control of our attention is a critical skill in developing the self-control needed to be a professional.

Effort and Passion“Play hard and hustle,” says Kata. What words define effort bet-ter? “Doing the little things, being in the right place at the right time, always hustling!” Effort means getting there before some-one else does, beating the competition, rolling up your sleeves and grinding it out when times are tough, making the right plays when needed, and not being afraid to get dirty. Each analogy ap-plies to the role of a baseball player as much as it does to profes-sionals in the hospitality industry. To be a professional, we must love playing hard and hustling.

Effort and passion go hand in hand. Richard Chang in his book, The Passion Plan: A Step-by-Step Guide to Discovering, Developing and Living Your Passion, defines passion as personal intensity, or the underlying force that fuels our strongest emo-

tions. “When you experience passion,” claims Chang, “you lose track of time and become absorbed in the task at hand. It uplifts you and inspires you. It heightens your performance and enables you to achieve things you may never have dreamed possible.” For a professional, passion fuels effort. Combined, passion and effort make a professional achieve their goals and objectives and allow for performance at a high level.

Developing as a ProfessionalProfessionalism is how you conduct yourself and act on a daily basis. It is not what you do - it is how you do it. Pride is the sense of satisfaction you have from knowing that you are important, worthwhile, in control of your destiny, and aware of and acting on your potential. Taking pride in yourself and what you do is the foundation from which professionalism grows.

Professionals can be found at every level of an organization. Whether at the corporate or property level, professionalism is what we bring to the job. Servers are professionals. Room atten-dants are professionals. Front desk managers are professionals. What we do in the hospitality industry isn’t just a job – it is a pro-fession. We all are professionals in the hospitality industry.How do you grow as a professional? Consider the following ac-tivities:

Learn as much as you can about your job and the industry. To be a professional requires knowledge of your job and knowing when to use that information. Take a college course, attend seminars and workshops when available and appropriate, or simply read books on the industry. You don’t need college credit to gain knowledge about the hospitality industry.

Join an association that encourages professional development in your area of the industry. There are many associations – find the one that fits you and helps you grow both personally and professionally. Research these organizations on-line and see which one fits your needs and career ambitions best. Be a part of a community that is helping you grow and develop as a professional. The association can be local, national, or international. The important thing is to join an organization that provides you value and assists you in achieving your professional goals.

Find a mentor in this industry and learn from them. Mentoring is an informal relationship with another industry professional that aids in career growth and development. Learning occurs informally through discussion and experiences. The relationship provides tremendous insight personally and professionally and provides learning which rarely occurs in a formal setting.

Make a commitment to be a professional and to grow in this industry. We all are professionals in what we do and can enhance this industry by working on the things we can control: our atti-tude, our concentration, and our effort.

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Chris Longstreet is President & CEO of the Society for Hospitality Management. He also serves as a visiting instructor for the Hospitality & Tourism Management Program at Grand Valley State University. For more information, visit the SHM website at www.hospitalitysociety.org or contact Chris at [email protected].


MISCELLANEOUS

Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts Named to Fortune Magazine’s 100 Best Companies to Work for List for 9th Consecutive YearEmployees From Near and Far Honour Company With Their Endorsement

ner in which they treat our guests, and each other, especially this past year,” said Nicholas Mutton, executive vice president, human resources, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. “Our employees inspire Four Seasons toward continuously perfecting the art of hospitality for our guests. We are honoured that they, and their colleagues, have distinguished us with this recognition and we thank them.”

Four Seasons Named To Fortune List Once AgainFORTUNE magazine’s 100 Best Companies to Work For rank-ing is compiled by Robert Levering and Milton Moscowitz of the Great Place to Work Institute in San Francisco. The results are based on a survey completed by tens of thousands of employees from companies in the United States. Candidate companies are also asked to submit information about Human Resources poli-cies and workplace culture, though the final scores are weighted most heavily on the responses from employees.

Dedicated to continuous innovation and the highest stan-dards of hospitality, Four Seasons invented luxury for the modern traveller. From elegant surroundings of the finest quality, to car-ing, highly personalised 24-hour service, Four Seasons embodies a true home away from home for those who know and appreciate the best. The deeply instilled Four Seasons culture is personi-

fied in its employees – people who share a single focus and are inspired to offer great service. Founded in 1960, Four Seasons has followed a targeted course of expansion, opening hotels in major city centers and desirable resort destinations around the world. Currently with 68 hotels in 31 countries, and more than 20 properties under development, Four Seasons will continue to lead luxury hospitality with innovative enhancements, making business travel easier and leisure travel more rewarding. For more information on Four Seasons, visit www.fourseasons.com.

For more information, please contact:Andrew Cole, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts T: (416) 449-1750 E: [email protected]

TORONTO, Canada – January 17, 2006 – Last summer, twelve people who had never been to a baseball game or seen the inside of a stadium suddenly saw their faces

on the Jumbotron at a Texas Rangers game. Their surprise had barely registered when they were overwhelmed by a standing ova-tion from the crowd. The twelve are Maldivians, employees of Four Seasons Resort Kuda Huraa whose lives, and jobs, had been thrown into chaos by the tsunami of late 2004.

“The tsunami forced our Resort to close, putting hundreds out of work at the moment when they needed income most as they started to rebuild their lives and communities. We couldn’t let that happen,” said Isadore Sharp, chairman and CEO, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. “Instead, we sent them to our other properties around the world – including properties in the United States, in Dallas, Palm Beach, Jackson Hole, Los Angeles, Maui and Washington. In true Four Seasons fashion, they have be-come a dynamic part of the teams at these hotels, embracing our guests with their caring service.”

Now, these employees and the others who work for the com-pany in America have named Four Seasons one of FORTUNE magazine’s 100 Best Companies to Work For. The accolade es-tablishes Four Seasons once again in the Hall of Fame, a presti-gious group of only 19 companies that have appeared for nine

consecutive years on the list since it was introduced in 1998. This year, for the first time, Four Seasons is also being award-

ed the Great Place to Work® 2006 “Respect Award”, by the Great Place to Work Institute in San Francisco, compilers of the FORTUNE list. The five companies receiving this award were selected for paying particular attention to a specific employee practice, program, or collection of programs which exemplify one of the dimensions of the Great Place to Work® Model®: credibility; respect; fairness; pride; and camaraderie. Four Sea-sons was chosen for its comprehensive three-stage management orientation program, based on the tremendous feedback the In-stitute has received from the Four Seasons employee survey sample over the last nine years.

“We are so proud of our employees and the thoughtful man-



TRAININGTRAINING


ADVERTISING

SPACE [email protected]


TRAINING

The Healing Power of Water

by Reinhard Bergel, Ph.D.


SPA

“ The little right toe is the farthest spot fromdyour heart & that’s where we

start.”

Sebastian Kneipp, who developed water treatment as a means of curing illness, was a German priest who lived from 1827-1897. As a young man, the doctors pronounced

him terminally ill with a lung disease. But he wouldn’t accept their prognosis. Sebastian Kneipp wanted to live, and when he found, by chance, a booklet in the Munich library call Cold Water Treat-ments by Sigmund Hahn, he decided to try it.

The treatments worked. His health stabilized. He got well, well enough that he in turn cured other people. Poor and rich alike flocked to receive the water cure and advice of the not too friendly, but warmhearted healer-priest who never asked for any payment.

When Father Kneipp first started giving his treatments at the monastery in Woerishofen (near Munich), the town was no more than a sleepy village. Over the years it grew into a world famous spa city.

Father Kneipp expanded on the original work of Sigmund Hahn. To it he added his vast knowledge of herbs and natural foods. An entire system, of water treatments, baths, steam baths and wrappings, was developed. To pass on his knowledge he wrote several books, My Water Cure, That’s How They Shall Live and My Testament and Codicil are the most well known of these. The man who was supposed to die at an early age lived to a very fruitful 70.

Today, over 100 years after his death, Father Kneipp’s wa-ter cure is still respected and used by the medical profession in Germany. In fact, the German medicare program will even pay for your stay at a Kneipp Spa if it is prescribed by a doctor. The government’s philosophy is that three or four weeks of treatment acts as prevention and reduces health costs in the long run.

The International Kneipp Association, a non-profit organi-zation with its head office in Munich, has developed a network of treatment sanitariums throughout Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, France and Southwest Africa. Most of these clinics are privately owned by medical doctors who have taken special training in the Kneipp cure.

When Father Kneipp first started, he used a water can (this is now the symbol of the Kneipp Association). Later, after he had more thoroughly developed his treatments, he replaced the can with a hose, a little bigger in diameter than a regular garden hose.

Your patients can try the water treatments at home. When using the hose, the water pressure should be such that when the hose end is held up the distance between the nozzle and the top of the arch of the water is about the width of a hand. Such a pressure will allow a steady, even flow of water around a leg, arm or hip. That the water coats the body evenly, without splashing over the skin, is an important aspect of Kneipp therapy.


SPA

“Shower with a cool or even cold rinse.”

If you want to use your shower, take off the shower head to create an even fl ow, or hold a wash cloth over the outlet.

Alternate FootbathThis is one of the most widely prescribed treatments for tired legs, circulation problems, headaches or insomnia. Place two large pails, or medium sized garbage cans, side by side. Fill one with warm water (approximately 39-40ºC) and the other with cold wa-ter. Put your feet into the warm water for fi ve minutes fi rst (the water level should go about three quarters of the way up your legs.) Then change into the cold water. Count 10 seconds and change back to the warm water for another fi ve minutes. Then cold for 10 seconds once more.

Dry your feet, put on socks and take a brisk walk for 10 min-utes or go to bed right away. Under no circumstances sit down and let your legs get cold again.

Alternate ArmbathUse two sinks side by side, and follow the same procedure as for the footbath.

In Germany, this treatment is often used, under a doctor’s supervision, to stabilize blood pressure, relieve headaches, angina pectoris and nervous conditions.

Knee RinseThis easy and health stabilizing treatment promote circulation. Father Kneipp always reminded his patients that “circulation is life and health.”

Start with the hose on the right little toe, move up along the outside of the leg to about 10 cm (4 in.) above the knee. Move the hose or shower handle back and forth to evenly coat the leg with water.

Move the hose down the inner side of the leg. Do the back of the leg in the same fashion.

If you have warm legs you can use cold water. If your legs and feet are cold, then start with warm water and alternate, The cold water rinse applied between warm water and alternate. The cold water rinse applied between warm water rinses acts as a “shock treatment.” Through the transmitting organ of the skin, the nerves respond to this treatment by increasing the blood fl ow in that area.

Hip RinseAgain, start on the right foot, little toe side, move up to slightly above the hip bone. Cover the whole leg with a water coating. Avoid splashing. Hold this for approximately 10 seconds, then-move the water down the inner side of the leg. (Up the outside, down the inside.)

As with all treatments, start with the right side fi rst. The little right toe is the farthest spot from your heart – and that’s where we start. This is to avoid any sudden shock to the heart.

The hip rinse is very often prescribed for women in meno-pause, to increase vitality and for general improvement of health and circulation.

Arm RinseThis works well for relieving headaches. Start on the right arm, little fi nger side, move the water along the arm to the shoulder. At the shoulder, let the water coat the entire arm and then move the water down the inner side. Do the left arm in the same fashion.

Again, depending on your initial body temperature, use cold water only or alternate between warm and cold.

Full Body RinseIf your shower head is fi xed to the wall you can still use it for a full body rinse. Hold a wash cloth over the shower head. Let the water cover your feet fi rst, then move slowly into the shower until the water coats you from your shoulders down. No splashes though. And again, right side fi rst, then left.

Finish by rinsing the soles of your feet. Warm fi rst, cool after. I usually fi nish my shower with a cool or even cold rinse.

Water SteppingTo combat hot summer weather or the change of life fl ushes, and just for overall invigoration, water stepping is the most effective of the Kneipp treatments.

Many German health resort towns have built basins fed by ice cold natural springs in the forest just for this therapy. The wanderer or hiker can take off their shoes and socks and easily refresh him/herself in these wading pools. It is heart-warming to see not only the very old but the very young doing this.

Similar water basins at intervals along our highways (in Can-ada and the US) would be wonderful health stops. Long car trips are not good for the circulation and the treatment of water step-ping is very invigorating.

But since we don’t have such facilities, your bath tub is a good place to practice this. Fill the tub up to calf level with cold water. (This treatment is never done with warm water.) Walk back and forth in the tub, always lifting one leg out of the water. Walk like a stork, one leg high up out of the water.

The alternation between air and water is what makes this treatment effective. Ten to 15 seconds might be all you need. By no means stay in the water longer than comfortable. Or you can even try walking barefoot in the snow (high stepping all the time). It’s very stimulating.Afterwards dry your legs, put warm socks on and take a walk.

Dr Reinhard Bergel is the Founder and President of H-E-A-T and has developed world-renowned therapy education, consultation, products and services for the med spa industry and offers personal consultation and on site training in Clinical and Health Spa Centers around the world. For more information visit www.h-e-a-t.com


MISCELLANEOUS

In 1906, Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto created a math-ematical formula to describe the unequal distribution of wealth in his country, observing that twenty percent of the

people owned eighty percent of the wealth. In the late 1940s, Dr. Joseph M. Juran inaccurately attributed the 80/20 Rule to Pareto, calling it Pareto’s Principle. While it may be misnamed, Pareto’s Principle or Pareto’s Law as it is sometimes called, can be a very effective tool to help you manage effectively.

Where it Came FromAfter Pareto made his observation and created his formula, many others observed similar phenomena in their own areas of exper-tise. Quality Management pioneer, Dr. Joseph Juran, working in the US in the 1930s and 40s recognized a universal principle he called the “vital few and trivial many” and reduced it to writing. In an early work, a lack of precision on Juran’s part made it appear that he was applying Pareto’s observations about economics to a broader body of work. The name Pareto’s Principle stuck, prob-ably because it sounded better than Juran’s Principle.

As a result, Dr. Juran’s observation of the “vital few and trivial many”, the principle that 20 percent of something always are responsible for 80 percent of the results, became known as Pareto’s Principle or the 80/20 Rule. You can read his own de-scription of the events in the Juran Institute article titled Juran’s Non-Pareto Principle.

What it MeansThe 80/20 Rule means that in anything a few (20 percent) are vital and many(80 percent) are trivial. In Pareto’s case it meant 20 percent of the people owned 80 percent of the wealth. In Juran’s initial work he identified 20 percent of the defects causing 80 percent of the problems. Project Managers know that 20 percent of the work (the first 10 percent and the last 10 percent) consume 80 percent of your time and resources. You can apply the 80/20 Rule to almost anything, from the science of management to the physical world.

Pareto’s Principle The 80-20 Rule

You know 20 percent of your stock takes up 80 percent of your warehouse space and that 80 percent of your stock comes from 20 percent of your suppliers. Also 80 percent of your sales will come from 20 percent of your sales staff. 20 percent of your staff will cause 80 percent of your problems, but another 20 per-cent of your staff will provide 80 percent of your production. It works both ways.

How it Can Help YouThe value of the Pareto Principle for a manager is that it reminds you to focus on the 20 percent that matters. Of the things you do during your day, only 20 percent really matter. Those 20 per-cent produce 80 percent of your results. Identify and focus on those things. When the fire drills of the day begin to sap your time, remind yourself of the 20 percent you need to focus on. If something in the schedule has to slip, if something isn’t going to get done, make sure it’s not part of that 20 percent.

There is a management theory floating around at the mo-ment that proposes to interpret Pareto’s Principle in such a way as to produce what is called Superstar Management. The theory’s supporters claim that since 20 percent of your people produce 80 percent of your results you should focus your limited time on managing only that 20 percent, the superstars. The theory is flawed because it overlooks the fact that 80 percent of your time should be spent doing what is really important. Helping the good become better is a better use of your time than helping the great become terrific. Apply the Pareto Principle to all you do, but use it wisely.

Manage this IssuePareto’s Principle, the 80/20 Rule, should serve as a daily remind-er to focus 80 percent of your time and energy on the 20 percent of you work that is really important. Don’t just “work smart”, work smart on the right things.


TRAINING

mooarcarchitecture interior design urbanism

moomarketingmarketing imagemaking photography

obsessively inventive!


SALES & MARKETING

Woe is Thee If WOW Ain’t Now

“Companies used to focus on making new, better or cheaper products and services – and then selling them in the marketplace. Now, the game is to cre-

ate wonderful and emotional experiences for consumers around whatever is being sold. It’s the experience that counts, not the product…The Goal: to build communities of passionate and loyal consumers…”

The Best Ideas of 2005, Business Week The Experience Era has gone mainstream, acknowledged by no less a traditional expert than Business Week in it’s “Best of 2005…” issue. There is no longer an excuse to avoid the inevi-table. We are in the experience creation business and those who ignore that fact do so at their own peril. So, what’s a destina-tion/hotel/restaurant/retail shop/service entity/business to do? Gnash teeth? Howl at the moon? No, although both are in the spirit of ‘experience creation”.

Follow the example of the World’s Largest Laundromat. Here’s what the press release said when the company broke ground on its ‘new and improved’ facility:

The new facility will offer improvements upon the former business including a more open floor plan, an increased amount of high-efficiency machines that will save customer’s time and money, additional bathroom facilities, a new snack area and lounge, and a play area for children. One thing that will stay the same is Benson’s fun and quirky ways of letting his customers know he appreciates them.

They were being modest. Here’s what Jodi Wilgoren said 0n December 26th in the New York Times, “The birds arrived Wednesday, 15 feathered members of the finch family fluttering around a wood-and-glass sanctuary. Thursday brought the sand table and magnet games for the children’s play area. And when the doors of the World’s Largest Laundromat reopen this week, dozens of free doughnuts will be doled out daily, as reliable as the rinse cycle in the spanking-new washing machines.

Oh, yes, the machines. There are 301 of them now, row upon gleaming silver row, including a dozen washers ready to whirl a whopping 75 pounds (for a whopping $6.50) and the Chicago area’s first high-powered express models that more than double the G-force in the spin cycle to cut dryer time nearly in half.”

What makes this interesting and important to anyone doing business in the Experience Era? A local businessman, Tom Ben-son, took the most utilitarian kind of business, one associated with drudgery and time misspent and created a refuge, a commu-nity center, the Grand Central of Berwyn Illinois, where citizens congregate and commune. Doing laundry is the club scene of the 21st Century, a prime family activity and cultural happening contained under its 13,500 square foot roof. The impetus for this was Benson’s decision to make laundry day fun. It came from the dreary experience of doing the wash as a divorced man. Ev-erything about it was deadly, life negating. Not anymore. Here are some of the things you can expect beyond the birds and the donuts at The World’s Largest Laundromat:

By Rick Hendrie

Spanish-language soap operas.

A Saturday-afternoon carnival with magicians, jugglers, face painters, even a unicyclist.

Santa Claus posing for pictures at Christmas

The Easter Bunny handing out chocolate in April.

Free pizza Wednesday nights

Free wireless Internet access 24/7

Diner-style booths by the vending machines with candy and chips, White Castle hamburgers and other microwaveable products

Neon signs blaring “Welcome” in 20 languages

Open 24 hours, every day of the year

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And the central truth is revealed here, “It’s a community center,” said Joel Rhea, assistant principal of nearby Havlicek Elementary school, who said he kept going to the Laundromat - often with his wife and two children - for pizza and play even af-ter buying a house with a washer and dryer. “It’s family-oriented. There’s stuff to do. Even though it’s a Laundromat, it’s not just a Laundromat.”

Benson claims he is just being a smart business man, looking for more quarter via free donuts and pizza. What he’s accom-plished is to offer state of the art machinery (the price of entry, if you will) and then added the experience to make it distinctive. He’s not selling high capacity dryers, but high capacity commu-nity. In the Experience Era, we all crave a place to congregate and be, where others know us and we all can feel safe. Businesses of the 21st Century may well be the new houses of fellowship. Certainly, anyone in the hospitality, destination or foodservice worlds have a greater opportunity than most to take advantage of the built in nature of the services they provide – offering a space for all us weary travelers looking, not just for sustenance or a place to put our head, but an experiential refuge from the sort of global warming which arises from too much data and too little soul satisfaction. We are tired of living at Def Con 4 all the time. A little free pizza and a flock of finches as neighbors may be just the right elixir.Rick Hendrie is President & Chief Experience Officer of Remarkable Brand-ing, Inc., a Cambridge MA based consultancy which helps create memorable brand experiences. For a complimentary newsletter go to www.remarkablebranding.com


TRAINING

Financial Management Series V: Forecasting ProfitsBy Young Entrepreneur


FINANCE & ACCOUNTING

“...Enter a reasonable projection of monthly sales for each department of the business.”

Forecasting, particularly on a short-term basis (one year to three years), is essential to planning for business suc-cess. This process, estimating future business performance

based on the actual results from prior periods, enables the busi-ness owner/manager to modify the operation of the business on a timely basis. This allows the business to avoid losses or major fi-nancial problems should some future results from operations not conform with reasonable expectations. Forecasts - or Pro Forma Income Statements and Cash Flow Statements as they are usually called - also provide the most persuasive management tools to apply for loans or attract investor money. As a business expands, there will inevitably be a need for more money than can be inter-nally generated from profits.

Facts Affecting Pro Forma StatementsPreparation of Forecasts (Pro Forma Statements) requires as-sembling a wide array of pertinent, verifiable facts affecting your business and its past performance. These include:Data from prior financial statements, particularly:

Previous sales levels and trends

Past gross percentages

Average past general, administrative, and selling expenses necessary to generate your former sales volumes

Trends in the company’s need to borrow (supplier, trade credit, and bank credit) to support various levels of inventory and trends in accounts receivable required to achieve previous sales volumes

Unique company data, particularly:

Plant capacity

Competition

Financial constraints

Personnel availability

Industry-wide factors, including:Overall state of the economy

Economic status of your industry within the economy

Population growth

Elasticity of demand for the product or service your business provides ( Demand is said to be “elastic” if it decreases as prices increase, a demonstration that consumers can do without or with less of the goods or service. If demand for something is relatively steady as prices increase, it is “inelastic.”)

Availability of raw materials

Once these factors are identified, they may be used in Pro Formas, which estimate the level of sales, expense, and profitabil-ity that seem possible in a future period of operations.

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The Pro Forma Income StatementIn preparing the Pro Forma Income Statement, the estimate of total sales during a selected period is the most critical “guess-timate:” Employ business experience from past financial state-ments. Get help from management and salespeople in developing this all-important number.

Then assume, for example, that a 10 percent increase in sales volume is a realistic and attainable goal. Multiply last year’s net sales by 1.10 to get this year’s estimate of total net sales. Next, break down this total, month by month, by looking at the his-torical monthly sales volume. From this you can determine what percentage of total annual sales fell on the average in each of those months over a minimum of the past three years. You may find that 75 percent of total annual sales volume was realized dur-ing the six months from July through December in each of those years and that the remaining 25 percent of sales was spread fairly evenly over the first six months of the year.

Next, estimate the cost of goods sold by analyzing operating data to determine on a monthly basis what percentage of sales has gone into cost of goods sold in the past. This percentage can then be adjusted for expected variations in costs, price trends, and efficiency of operations.

Operating expenses (sales, general and administrative ex-penses, depreciation, and interest), other expenses, other income, and taxes can then be estimated through detailed analysis and ad-justment of what they were in the past and what you expect them to be in the future.

Comparison with Actual Monthly PerformancePutting together this information month by month for a year into the future will result in your business’s Pro Forma Statement of Income. Use it to compare with the actual monthly results from operations. Preparation of the information is summarized be-low:Revenue (Sales)

List the departments within the business. For example, if your business is appliance sales and service, the departments would include new appliances, used appliances, parts, in-shop service, on-site service.

In the “Estimate” columns, enter a reasonable projection of monthly sales for each department of the business. Include

cash and on-account sales. In the “Actual” columns, enter the actual sales for the month as they become available.

Exclude from the Revenue section any revenue not strictly related to the business

Cost of SalesCite costs by department of the business, as above.

In the “Estimate” columns, enter the cost of sales estimated for each month for each department. For product inventory,

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“...amortization of capital assets.”

calculate the cost of the goods sold for each department (beginning inventory plus purchases and transportation costs during the month minus the inventory). Enter “Actual” costs each month as they accrue.

Gross ProfitSubtract the total cost of sales from the total revenue.Expenses

Salary Expenses: Base pay plus overtime.

Payroll Expenses: Include paid vacations, sick leave, health insurance, unemployment insurance, Social Security taxes.

Outside Services: Include costs of subcontracts, overflow work farmed-out, special or one-time services.

Supplies: Services and items purchased for use in the business, not for resale.

Repairs and Maintenance: Regular maintenance and repair, including periodic large expenditures, such as painting or decorating.

Advertising: Include desired sales volume, classified directory listing expense, etc.

Car, Delivery and Travel: Include charges if personal car is used in the business. Include parking, tolls, mileage on buying trips, repairs, etc.

Accounting and Legal: Outside professional services.

Rent: List only real estate used in the business.

Telephone.

Utilities: Water, heat, light, etc.

I nsurance: Fire or liability on property or products, worker’s compensation.

Taxes: Inventory, sales, excise, real estate, others.

Interest.

Depreciation: Amortization of capital assets.

Other Expenses (specify each): Tools, leased equipment, etc.

Miscellaneous (unspecified): Small expenditures without separate accounts.

Net Profit

To find net profit, subtract total expenses from gross profit.

The Pro Forma Statement of Income, prepared on a month-ly basis and culminating in an annual projection for the next busi-ness fiscal year, should be revised not less than quarterly. It must reflect the actual performance achieved in the immediately pre-ceding three months to ensure its continuing usefulness as one of the two most valuable planning tools available to management.Should the Pro Forma reveal that the business will likely not gen-erate a profit from operations, plans must immediately be devel-oped to identify what to do to at least break even - increase vol-

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ume, decrease expenses, or put more owner capital in to pay some debts and reduce interest expenses.Break-Even Analysis“Break-Even” means a level of operations at which a business neither makes a profit nor sustains a loss. At this point, revenue is just enough to cover expenses. Break-Even Analysis enables you to study the relationship of volume, costs, and revenue.Break-Even requires the business owner/manager to define a sales level - either in terms of revenue dollars to be earned or in units to be sold within a given accounting period - at which the business would earn a before tax net profit of zero. This may be done by employing one of various formula calculations to the business estimated sales volume, estimated fixed costs, and esti-mated variable costs.Generally, the volume and cost estimates assume the following conditions:

A change in sales volume will not affect the selling price per unit;

Fixed expenses (rent, salaries, administrative and office expenses, interest, and depreciation) will remain the same at all volume levels; and

Variable expenses (cost of goods sold, variable labor costs, including overtime wages and sales commissions) will increase or decrease in direct proportion to any increase or decrease in sales volume.

Two methods are generally employed in Break-Even Analy-sis, depending on whether the break-even point is calculated in terms of sales dollar volume or in number of units that must be sold.

Break-Even Point in Sales DollarsThe steps for calculating the first method are shown below:

Obtain a list of expenses incurred by the company during its past fiscal year.

Separate the expenses listed in Step 1 into either a variable or a fixed expense classification. (See sample below under “Classification of Expenses.”)

Express the variable expenses as a percentage of sales. In the condensed income statement of the Small Business Specialities Co. ( below), net sales were $1,200,000.

In Step 2, variable expenses were found to amount to $720,000. Therefore, variable expenses are 60 percent of net sales ($720,000 divided by $1,200,000). This means that 60 cents of every sales dollar is required to cover variable expenses. Only the remainder, 40 cents of every dollar, is available for fixed expenses and profit.

Substitute the information gathered in the preceding steps in the following basic break-even formula to calculate the break-even point.

Remember: Increased sales do not necessarily mean increased profits. If you know your company’s break-even point, you will know how to price your product to make a profit. If you cannot make an ac-ceptable profit, alter or sell your business before you lose your retained earnings.

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Reprinted with permission of www.youngentrepreneur.com


A new address in Maldives...

www.silverseatravel.com


TRAINING

Financial Management Series VI: Studies overwhelmingly identify bad management as the leading cause of business failure. Bad management translates to poor planning by management.

Financial Management Planning

All too often, the owner is so caught up in the day-to-day tasks of getting the product out the door and strug-gling to collect receivables to meet the payroll that he

or she does not plan. There never seems to be time to prepare Pro Formas or Budgets. Often new managers understand their products but not the financial statements or the bookkeeping records, which they feel are for the benefit of the IRS or the bank. Such overburdened owner/managers can scarcely iden-tify what will affect their businesses next week, let alone over the coming months and years. But, you may ask, “What should I do? How can I, as a small business owner/manager, avoid getting bogged down? How can I ensure success?”



“...keep pace with the expansion...”

Determine your personal objectives and how they affect your willingness and ability to pursue fi nancial goals for your business. This consideration, often overlooked, will help you determine whether or not your business goals fi t your personal plans. For example, suppose you hope to become a millionaire by age 45 through your business but your long-term strategic plan reveals that only modest sales growth and very slim profi t margins on that volume are attainable in your industry. You must either adjust your personal goals or get into a different business. Long range planning enables you to be realistic about the future of your personal and business expectations.

Set goals and objectives for the company (growth rates, return on investment, and direction as the business expands and matures). Express these goals in specifi c numbers, for example, sales growth of 10 percent a year, increases in gross and net profi t margins of 2 to 3 percent a year, a return on investment of not less than 9 to 10 percent a year. Use these long-range plans to develop forecasts of sales and profi tability and compare actual results from operations to these forecasts. If after these goals are established actual performance continuously falls short of target, the wise business owner will reassess both the realism of expectations and the desirability of continuing to pursue the enterprise.

Develop long-range plans that enable you to attain your goals and objectives. Focus on the strengths and weaknesses of your business and on internal and external factors that will affect the accomplishment of your goals. Develop strategies based upon careful analysis of all relevant factors (pricing strategies, market potential, competition, cost of borrowed and equity capital as compared to using only profi ts for expansions, etc.) to provide direction for the future of your business.

Focus on the fi nancial, human, and physical requirements necessary to fulfi ll your plan by developing forecasts of sales, expenses, and retain earnings over the next three to fi ve years.

Study methods of operation, product mix, new market opportunities, and other such factors to help identify ways to improve your company’s productivity and profi tability.

Revise, revise. Always use your most recent fi nancial statements to adjust your short- and long-term plans. Compare your company’s fi nancial performance regularly with current industry data to determine how your results compare with others in your industry. Learn where your business may have performance weaknesses. Don’t be afraid to modify your plans if your expectations have been either too aggressive or too conservative.

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Success may be ensured only by focusing on all factors af-fecting a business’s performance. Focusing on planning is essen-tial to survival.

Short-term planning is generally concerned with profi t plan-ning or budgeting. Long-term planning is generally strategic, set-ting goals for sales growth and profi tability over a minimum of three to fi ve years.

The tools for short- and long-term plans have been explained previously in this section: Pro Forma Income Statements, Cash Flow Statements or Budgets, Ratio Analysis, and pricing consid-erations. The business’s short-term plan should be prepared on a monthly basis for a year into the future, employing the Pro Forma Income Statement and the Cash Flow Budget.

Long-Term PlanningThe long-term or strategic plan focuses on Pro Forma Statements of Income prepared for annual periods three to fi ve years into the future. You may be asking yourself, “How can I possibly predict what will affect my business that far into the future?” Granted, it’s hard to imagine all the variables that will affect your business in the next year, let alone the next three to fi ve years. The key, however, is control - control of your business’s future course of expansion through the use of the fi nancial tools explained in this section.

First determine a rate of growth that is desirable and reason-ably attainable. Then employ Pro Formas and Cash Flow Budgets to calculate the capital required to fi nance the inventory, plant, equipment, and personnel needs necessary to attain that growth in sales volume. The business owner/manager must anticipate capital needs in time to make satisfactory arrangements for out-side funds if internally generated funds from retained earnings are insuffi cient.

Growth can be funded in only two ways: with profi ts or by borrowing. If expansion outstrips the capital available to sup-port higher levels of accounts receivable, inventory, fi xed assets, and operating expenses, a business’s development will be slowed or stopped entirely by its failure to meet debts as they become payable. Such insolvency will result in the business’s assets be-ing liquidated to meet the demands of the creditors. The only way to avoid this “outstripping of capital” is by planning to con-trol growth. Growth must be understood to be controlled. This understanding requires knowledge of past fi nancial performance and of the future requirements of the business.

These needs must be forecast in writing - using the Pro For-ma Income Statement in particular - for three to fi ve years in the future. After projecting reasonable sales volumes and profi tability, use the Cash Flow Budget to determine (on a quarterly basis for the next three to fi ve years) how these projected sales volumes translate into the fl ow of cash in and out of the business dur-ing normal operations. Where additional inventory, equipment, or other physical assets are necessary to support the sales forecast, you must determine whether or not the business will generate enough profi t to sustain the growth forecast.

Often, businesses simply grow too rapidly for internally gen-erated cash to suffi ciently support the growth. If profi ts are inad-equate to carry the growth forecast, the owner/manager must ei-ther make arrangements for working growth capital to borrowed, or slow growth to allow internal cash to “catch up” and keep pace with the expansion. Because arranging fi nancing and obtaining additional equity capital takes time, this need must be anticipated well in advance to avoid business interruption.To develop effective long-term plans, you should do the follow-ing steps:

Planning is a perpetual process. It is the key to prosperity for your business.

Reprinted with permission of www.youngentrepreneur.com

30 HOSPITALITY MALDIVES MARCH 2006

FOOD & BEVERAGE

“Sneezing, runny nose and shortness of breath can also

result from food allergy.”

Allergies affect the lives of millions of people around the world. Fresh spring flowers, a friend’s cat or dog, even the presence of dust can make people itch, sneeze and

scratch almost uncontrollably. Butwhat about that seemingly in-nocent peanut butter sandwich, glass of milk or fish fillet? Almost two percent of Americans have an allergy to these or other foods. Food allergies can be lifethreatening. Knowledge about food al-lergies can help save a life.

What is a food allergy?Food allergy is a reaction of the body’s immune system to some-thing in a food or an ingredient in a food—usually a protein. It can be a serious condition and should be diagnosed by a board-certified allergist. A true food allergy (also called “food hypersen-sitivity”) and its symptoms can take many forms.

Which foods cause food allergy?The eight most common food allergens—milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish and shellfish—cause more than 90 percent of all food allergic reactions. However, many other foods have been identified as allergens for some people.

What are the symptoms of food allergy?Symptoms of food allergy differ greatly among individuals.They can also differ in the same person during different exposures.

Allergic reactions to food can vary in severity, time of on-set, and may be affected by when the food was eaten. Common symptoms of food allergy include skin irritations such as rashes, hives and eczema, and gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. Sneezing, runny nose and shortness of breath can also result from food allergy. Some individuals may experience a more severe reaction called anaphylaxis.

What is anaphylaxis?Anaphylaxis is a rare but potentially fatal condition in which sev-eral different parts of the body experience allergic reactions.

These may include itching, hives, swelling of the throat, dif-ficulty breathing, lower blood pressure and unconsciousness. Symptoms usually appear rapidly, sometimes within minutes of

by ific.org

exposure to the allergen, and can be life threatening. Immediate medical attention is necessary when anaphylaxis occurs. Standard emergency treatment often includes an injection of epinephrine (adrenaline) to open up the airway and blood vessels.

Understanding Food Allergy

Do I have a food allergy?Of all the individuals who have any type of food sensitivity, most have food intolerances. Fewer people have true food allergy in-volving the immune system. According to the National Institutes of Health, approximately 5 million Americans, (5 to 8% of chil-dren and 1 to 2% of adults) have a true food allergy.

What are other reactions or sensitivities to foods called?Other reactions to foods are called food intolerance and food id-iosyncrasy. Food intolerance and food idiosyncrasy reactions are generally localized, temporary, and rarely life threatening, whereas food allergy can cause life-threatening reactions. Food intolerance is an adverse reaction to a food substance or additive that involves digestion or metabolism (breakdown of food by the body) but does not involve the immune system.

Lactose intolerance is an example of food intolerance. It oc-curs when a person lacks an enzyme needed to digest milk sugar. If a person who is lactose intolerant eats milk products, they may experience symptoms such as gas, bloating and abdominal pain.

Food idiosyncrasy is an abnormal response to a food or food substance. The reaction can resemble or differ from symptoms of true food allergy. Idiosyncratic reactions to food do not involve the immune system. Sulfite sensitivity or sulfite-induced asthma is

3�HOSPITALITY MALDIVES MARCH 2006

FOOD & BEVERAGE

an example of a food idiosyncrasy that affects small numbers of people in the population. However, sulfiteinduced asthma can be potentially life threatening.

Other suspected adverse reactions to foods such as to corn, high fructose corn syrup and sugar have rarely been demonstrated as true food allergies. Some foods contain a variety of either natu-rally occurring or added components that can cause a chemical, or drug-like reaction. The “burning” sensation when eating foods like chili peppers is an example of a chemical food reaction.

What should I do if I believe I have an adverse reaction to a certain food?You should see a board-certified allergist to get a diagnosis. An allergist and dietitian can best help the food-allergic patient man-age diet issues with little sacrifice to nutrition or the pleasure of eating. Making a diagnosis may include:

A thorough medical history;

The analysis of a food diary; and

Several tests including skin-prick tests, RAST tests (blood test) and food challenges (using different foods to test for allergic reactions).

Once a diagnosis is complete, an allergist will help set up a response plan to manage allergic reactions that may occur. A re-sponse plan may include taking medication by injection to control allergic reactions.

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Am I allergic to food additives?Probably not. Misconceptions abound regarding allergy to food additives and preservatives. Although some food components have been shown to trigger asthma or hives in certain people, these reactions are not the same as those observed with food.

Many of these additives, including aspartame, monosodium glutamate and several food dyes have been studied extensively. Scientific evidence shows that they do not cause allergic reac-tions.

What important information should I and my friends and family know?Because food allergy can be life threatening, the allergyproducing food must be completely avoided. If you, or someone else, are experiencing a severe food allergic reaction, call 911 (or an ambu-lance) immediately and execute your response plan.

Most life-threatening allergic reactions to foods occur when eating away from the home. It is important to explain your situ-ation and needs clearly to your host or food server. If necessary, ask to speak with the chef or manager.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that in-gredients are listed on most food labels. Be sure to look at the listings on labels to determine the presence of the eight major allergens. Since food and beverage manufacturers are continually making improvements, food-allergic persons should read the food label for every product purchased, each time it is purchased.

Ific.org is the official website of the International Food Information Council. It’s the council’s mission to communicate science-based informa-tion of food safety and nutrition to health nutrition professionals, educators, journalists, government officials and others providing information to consumers. For more information please visit www.ific.org

3� HOSPITALITY MALDIVES MARCH 2006

MISCELLANEOUS

“....tourism within South Asia can bring economic, asdsocial and cultural benefits to the region.”

SAARC Countries Declares 2006 Tourism Year

The SAARC region has attracted international tourists in search of rich civilization, unique cultural diversity, cuisine, ex-tremely diverse geography, splendid archaeological monuments, and historic religious sites.

A joint Working Group to implement a plan of action has further recommended promotion of tourism in the region to take the form of a travel guide, documentaries, promotion of eco-tourism, cultural and nature tourism, and cooperation with other regional and international tourism organizations.

Tourism experts, media personnel, travel agents and tour op-erators will be invited to create awareness and promote the region

in world markets..Tourism officials from

member countries have also agreed to consider the possi-bility of issuing a single visa, valid for travel within the region. It also looked into a Schengen-type visa for pass-

port holders from the region which allows free travel among 134 European countries with a single stamp. The SAARC Visa Ex-emption Scheme initiated in 1988 has been expanded to cover twenty-one categories of people eligible for visa free travel within the region.

The SAARC countries comprise original members Bangla-desh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Af-ghanistan has been accepted as the newest member.Reprinted with permission from www.eturbonews.com

DHAKA, Bangladesh ( eTurboNews): South Asian As-sociation of Regional Cooperation ( SAARC ) member countries which recently concluded its 13th Summit in

Dhaka has declared 2006 as South Asia Tourism Year. Current chairman Bangladesh, has been entrusted to take a

leading role in the ‘ development, exploitation and implementa-tion’ of tourism attractions in the region. “ The development of tourism within South Asia can bring economic, social and cultural benefits to the region,” said one leader at the Summit.

Leaders from member countries recognize the importance of tourism and the need to promote tourism in the region. Tour-ism ministers from member states are to meet and agree on activi-ties to be undertaken during the year.

The Dhaka Declaration, signed at the Summit, emphasises greater people-to-people contact and cultural cooperation among member countries. Private sector initiatives to promote under-standing and harmony in the region will be encouraged.

The Declaration further noted, to promote South Asia as a tourist destination member countries need to improve air, sea and land links to facilitate travel among SAARC countries.

“ India is prepared to offer designated airlines of SAARC countries fifth freedom rights, both intermediate and beyond within the SAARC region on a reciprocal basis,” declared Man-mohan Singh, Indian prime minister.” They can fly as many services as they wish to our metropolitan cities Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata and to 18 other destina-tions across India.”

by Y. Sulaiman,eTN Malaysia

Among concrete measure to be adopted include promotion of youth exchange in culture and sports, links among profession-al bodies, exchange of teachers, teaching modules and materials and relaxation of visa for journalists.

There will be emphasis on the SAARC Scheme for Promo-tion of Organized Tours, food fairs in member states and joint participation in international tourism fairs.The Scheme will facili-tate exchange of organized group tours, promotional air fares and easy convertibity of foreign exchange through a voucher system.


TRAINING


HUMAN RESOURCES

Effective day-to-day communications are certainly a key to a successful organization. The way employees communi-cate with each other and with customers affects not only

the efficiency of work but also the working environment, morale, and interpersonal relationships. There’s a lot more to communi-cation than information transfer. Feelings are involved. Let’s look at our two most extensively used communication methods.

Telephone communication We do a lot of communicating by telephone. We need to recognize that talking on the phone is less personal than talking face-to-face. There’s no visual component. We hear what he says but can’t pick up any clues from his face. Gesturing is mostly wasted, although what you’re doing as you talk can have some effect on how you sound. There’s no opportunity for touching. When there’s a lan-guage barrier, like when the person has an accent much different from yours or your language is not his primary language, it’s more difficult to understand the person when you can’t watch him talk. You may not think you can lip read, but it definitely helps.

Phone message systems make the telephone even more im-personal. When you leave a message, it’s one-sided communica-tion. It can be efficient, like when the other person answers your question with a reply message without even having to call back. But trading messages certainly is impersonal, and we need to be careful with it. Messages may be O.K. for transferring informa-tion, but when feelings are involved or some interaction is need-ed, we need to talk with the person. Here are a few tips to make our phone communications more effective:

Identify yourself at once when you call. Don’t expect anyone but your spouse to recognize your voice, and don’t play guessing games.

Return phone calls promptly. Not doing so sends a bad message.

Think about whether to leave a message or call back. Don’t leave a message if it’s a subject that warrants a live conversation. Leave a message if it will enable him to prepare for the conversation, get the information you’re requesting, and maybe eliminate another call.

If you leave a message include your phone number. Make it easy for the person to reply.

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Effective Office Communications

Avoid protracted “phone tag”. Don’t leave messages requiring callback just before you’re going to be away from your phone for a long time. If you mis-connect a couple times, don’t keep leaving messages but catch him live.

Electronic communication More and more communication is being done electronically, that is, by e-mail. There are obviously a number of advantages to this type of communication. It’s certainly wonderful to be able to in-stantly send a message to the other side of the world. It’s very helpful when there’s a large time difference between the two ends, so someone doesn’t have to call during his evening to catch the other person’s working day. It can help when there’s a language barrier, where people can read better than they can hear. The re-cipient can study the message instead of having to catch it rapidly while listening. You can keep a number of people informed by sending copies of the message. If the recipient of the message isn’t the appropriate one to handle the matter, he can easily for-ward it to someone else. A record of the communication is kept.

But there are also some potential pitfalls to electronic com-munication, and we need to be careful about these. There is some tendency to over-use e-mail, perhaps because we’re enamored with it or it’s fun. Sometimes it’s not the most efficient way to communicate. People spend more time typing out a message than it would take to make a phone call. People send e-mails to others just down the hall, when they could more easily talk to them in person. At least one survey indicated that e-mail is making offices less, not more, productive.

E-mail is less personal than a face-to-face conversation or a phone call. E-mail has a depersonalizing effect in the work envi-ronment. It’s one-way at a time. One person puts forth his or her thoughts with no immediate feedback or give-and-take. Then the other person may respond, but then it’s his turn at a segment of one-way communication. Since writing out the message is more laborious than talking, we tend to leave out the small talk, and maybe some of the courtesy, and just focus on the business at hand. If there’s some criticism or expression of disappointment with how things are going, we tend to leave out the perspective with positive aspects and just get right into the negatives. One of my co-workers says that if you just trade e-mail messages with someone for long enough you’ll make him mad. Sometimes we fire off an e-mail on impulse, and it shows.

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By Douglas Wayne Hissong


mooarcarchitecture interior design urbanism

moomarketingmarketing imagemaking photography

The easy forwarding feature of e-mail is dangerous. If a mes-sage contains something negative about someone else, the mes-sage can easily be forwarded to that person. Or it can be for-warded to someone whose perspective is so different that he will get a completely different message from it.

Communicating by e-mail is challenging and risky. It’s a form of written communication in which you have to get it right the first time. E-mails are usually sent immediately, with no “soaking” or “cooling off ” period, no input from others, and no approval by superiors. Of course, you can pass the note to others for com-ments or approval before sending it, but for most notes we don’t do that. It’s easy to write something that irritates someone, or worse. These suggestions should help make our e-mail communications more effective:

Think about whether e-mail is the most efficient and effective way to communicate. Just because someone sent you an e-mail doesn’t mean that’s the best way for you to respond. Maybe a long string of e-mail messages needs to be interrupted by a phone call or visit.

Try to keep your e-mail messages as “friendly” as your personal and phone conversations. Remember “please” and “thank you”.

Don’t respond to an e-mail without thinking through the ramifications of your reply. If it has made you mad, give yourself a cooling off period. Print the message, read it again, discuss it with someone, then think about the best way to reply.

Think about inputs and approvals you need before sending an e-mail. You can route a copy to someone for comments or to your boss for approval.

Think about to whom you should send copies, to keep everyone informed and to avoid offending anyone.

Before you hit the “send” button, look over your message, think how the recipient will react to it, and remember that you are in effect broadcasting this message to the whole world (at least everyone having access to your e-mail system). If you wouldn’t want the president of your company to read it, don’t send it.

Think about what the recipient will want to do with your message. Will he want to forward it to someone for action? Make that easy for him. That may mean separate notes for separate topics.

Be considerate of the recipient. Don’t overload messages with attachments that are troublesome to handle and that can fill up someone’s mailbox. Don’t keep adding to and forwarding a note to extremes. Sometimes it’s better to write a new note.

In summary Choose carefully the communication mode you use: face-to-face, by telephone, by e-mail, or in writing. Think about the feelings involved and the possible impact on your working relationships. Be considerate of the recipient.

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Doug Hissong has a doctorate in engineering and has worked over 35 years in in-dustrial companies. His experience has shown him how important interpersonal and communication skills are to effective job performance.He can be reached at [email protected].


TRAINING

FRUIBELFRUIBEL

Exc lus ive d is t r ibu tor in Ma ld ives : L i l y F & B Supp l ie rs

TERNATIONALLILY

PTE.LTD


SERVICE

The 50 Basics

hours are printed and posted all through the Hotel and Guest Rooms).

When a Guest pays top Dollar or whatever currency for quality food and beverage and does not get it.

When a Guest orders the Description on the menu and gets something else.

When a Guest pays top Dollar or whatever currency for sleeping rooms and can’t get quick, hot, courteous breakfast the following morning.

When a Guest travels all evening to get to the Hotel and then can’t get a quick 1st class sandwich or couple eggs (hot & fresh).

When guests Don’t get seated; see empty tables and don’t get P.R. or “Strokes” while they stand in line.

When chairs and booths are dirty, stained, or have crumbs on them.

When Guests who come for breakfast don’t get free coffee if they have to wait in line for more than 3 minutes…or they don’t get coffee immediately on being seated.

When R/S says 30 minutes and it takes 45 minutes to get the order.

When coffee is not steaming. (Check Banquets).

When fruit garnish in Bars or R/S is dried out.

When Buffet Tables or Salad Bars are not replenished quickly.

When orders arrive and they are incomplete, or service people ask, “Who gets what”?.

When coffee cups are stained. (Check inside of yellow mugs and white cups).

When Bud Vase water is murky or flowers wilted.

When Table or Meeting Room linen have small holes, rips, or burns.

When tables and chairs are wobbly.

When greasy, dirty rags are used to wipe down tables.

When guests do not get recognized by a smile, a Hello, or eye to eye contact when they hit the door of any restaurant.

When frozen dessert is served at a banquet and it is so hard the guest cannot possibly get a spoon into it.

When Guests are on a tight morning schedule and can’t get in and out of the C/S in 25 minutes.

When a guest gets their food check and it is sloppy, wet, or stained.

When guests are drinking and have nothing to nibble on.

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When Ashtrays have more than 2 butts in them.

When salads are room temperature.

When water glasses are not automatically refilled.

When hot food and beverage is served on cold plates or in cold cups.

When hot food is not hot and when cold foods is room temperature.

When the R/S phone rings more than 3 times before being answered.

When a guest gets put on hold for more than 30 seconds.

When dishes or glasses are chipped.

When silver on tables is spotted or tarnished.

When glasses are streaked. (Hold them up to light and you’ll be shocked).

When menus or placemats are ripped, stained or smudged.

When bread or rolls are stale around the edges.

When there are not enough menus for the customers.

When salad bars or buffet lines don’t have any “Razzle Dazzle”.

When guests wait for 3 minutes without having a drink order taken.

When food sits in the window waiting to be picked up. (Food = Chef).

When we run out of China, Silver or Glass.

When silver is set crooked on Tables.

When the Tabletop is not picture perfect.

When sugar bowls are dirty inside. (Take the sugar packets out and look inside).

When salt and peppers are greasy to touch, half empty or when ketchup bottles are coated at the neck.

When we run out of any item in any bar or restaurant at anytime.

When service personnel have the “I’M doing you a favour” attitude.

When Banquets or coffee breaks start late.

When soft drinks come out “Flat”.

When debris, bits of paper and food is not immediately picked up from the carpets or floors in restaurants and bars.

When R/S Trays and Tables stay on Guest floors more than 3 hours.

When Restaurants and Bars open late or close early. (Regular

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What Guests Get Upset Over More than Anything Else


ENVIRONMENT

General Energy Saving Tips & Tricks

Electric lighting adds heat to a space that must be removed in the summer by air conditioning. Turn lights off when not in use.

Wash full loads when using the washing machine or clothes dryer.

A 40 watt incandescent lamp and a 40 fl uorescent bulb use the same amount of electricity, but the fl uorescent lamp creates fi ve times as much light.

Use the economizer cycle on the dishwasher and let the dishes drip dry instead of using electric heat to dry them.

Don’t block the supply air or return air ducts to the air conditioning system with furniture or drapes.

Keep doors open in all rooms cooled by a central air conditioning system so that supply air can return easily to the unit.

Be sure the air conditioning system is fully charged with freon so it will operate most effi ciently when you need it.

Check your auto and home air conditioning systems for freon leaks and repair them properly. Freon damages the ozone layer.

Duct air to ice machine condenser instead of using conditioned air that is exhausted to the outside. That way the heat generated by the condenser never enters the air conditioned space.

Shop around for energy effi cient computers, monitors and accessories.

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Use the kitchen exhaust fan when cooking to vent humid and odorous air.

Collect rain water in a cistern for watering plants, garden and landscaping.

Plants help to purify air in the home. They extract carbon dioxide and create oxygen.

Inadequate ventilation in an offi ce or home can result in the “sick building” syndrome and possible illness to people within. Problems can range from dizziness or headaches to allergies or worse.

Turn all the lights and equipment off in the offi ce when you go home for the night.

Plant shrubs and trees around the air conditioning condenser to improve its operating effi ciency. The shade makes it work less to cool the refrigerant circulating from the inside air handler.

Teach your employees the intrinsic value of energy and the importance of conserving non-renewable resources such as coal or oil.

Teach your employees respect for nature, it will be a lifelong joy and benefi t to them.

Install an insulating blanket on the water heater so that it will operate more effi ciently and cost you less each month.

The coils at the back of the refrigerator are heat exchange surfaces. Keep them clean and the unit will operate at peak effi ciency.

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by Hakan Falk


ENVIRONMENT

“Replace incandescent lamps with compact fl uorescent lamps for up to 80% reduction in

electricity use.”

Install a motion sensor to turn off lights in offi ces and spaces with erratic occupancies such as restrooms and mechanical rooms.

Use a combination photocell-switch to turn off lighting in offi ces or rooms with daylighting available much of the day.

When purchasing replacement appliances buy the energy effi cient types.

Turn off lights, radios, televisions and other items when they are not being used.

Clean out the drain pan of the air conditioning unit regularly to prevent bacterial growth from spawning there, then entering the air.

Common offi ce equipment can be responsible for the release of volatile organic compounds, such as blueprint machines, copiers and white out fl uids.

Many ceiling fans can be operated in reverse in the winter to push warm air down from the ceiling to the occupied spaces.

Store cleaning materials in tightly closed containers so fumes cannot leak into the air.

Too much light on the desk surface can be just as harmful to the eyes as too little. Most offi ces are overlit, especially if the overhead lighting is supplemented by daylighting from windows.

A typical air conditioning system should supply 20% fresh air to all the conditioned zones.

Clean the air conditioning return and supply diffuser grills regularly to save fan horsepower and keep the air stream cleaner.

Air conditioning ductwork can be the source of microbial growth over time, especially in a damp environment. Metal ducts can be cleaned.

Smoking areas require a greater ventilation rate than other conditioned spaces, thus are more costly to heat and air condition.

Tilt blinds slightly to keep direct sunlight from entering a room and heating it up unnecessarily in the summer.

Insulating hot water lines in the slab or crawl space will save on the water heating bills. Heat tape will further increase savings.

Active noise cancellation technology can reduce the energy consumed by large diesel engines by reducing the energy wasted in the muffl er.

Take shorter showers to save water and install a fl ow restrictor

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Standing with the refrigerator door open lets humid air in. This makes it harder to cool and it will condense in the freezer into ice.

Manual defrost refrigerators use less energy than automatic defrost models.

A high effi ciency air fi lter used on the air conditioning can help against airborne particles that cause allergies.

Put a brick or bottle full of water in the commode reservoir to reduce water use.

Defrost the freezer regularly to keep ice from building up on the coils and making the unit operate less effi ciently.

Heat your pool the smart way - purchase a solar blanket and let the sun do it.

Put lower wattage bulbs in fi xtures that are used for area lighting or exterior lighting.

Use an inexpensive photoelectric light for nighttime lighting in the yard or home so the lights burn only when it is dark outside.

Motion sensors will turn on outside security lighting only when movement is detected within its range and keep from running the lights all the time.

Replace ineffi cient incandescent outside fl ood lights with more effi cient high pressure sodium or low pressure sodium lamps. The latter are better in areas with bug problems.

Clean the lens of fl uorescent fi xtures periodically so the light transmittance losses are minimized.

Purchase effi cient replacement lamps when the present bulbs burn out.

Replace incandescent lamps with compact fl uorescent lamps for up to 80% reduction in electricity use.

Repair caulking and weather-stripping around doors and windows to weatherize your home to be easier to heat and cool.

Open blinds and curtains in the winter to let the sun heat up a space, then close them at night or when it is cloudy outside.

Changing air fi lters for the air conditioning monthly during times of high use will keep the equipment working at peak effi ciency.

Turn the screen off on the computer terminal at work when you will not be using it for a while.

Remove old items from the refrigerator regularly so you don’t waste electricity keeping them cold all the time.

Use the water from cooking vegetables to make soup.

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ENVIRONMENT

“Cooking with lids on pots & pans can reduce by half the heat required.”

on the shower head. Shower instead of taking a full bath.

An efficient air conditioning system for dry climates is the substantial savings. An evaporative precooler is a good idea for existing units as well and will make the packaged system more efficient.

When buying a refrigerator, choose an energy efficient model. Side by side models are less efficient that other units.

Automatic defrost refrigerators use more energy than manual defrost models.

Irrigating efficiently saves water and for large acreages it saves pump energy as well.

Protection of wooden structures exposed to the elements will make them last longer and look more appealing.

Quality filter elements can help minimize airborne particles in the home that cause allergies. Electrostatic filters are quite effective.

Excessive moisture in the air is bad for buildings during the cooling season. The humid air places an extra heavy burden on the air conditioning apparatus and can cause moldy curtains, walls and other surfaces.

Protect structural wood components from decay by moisture, fungi and termites.

In offices with overhead lights and task lighting at each workstation reduce the ambient lighting to the minimum.

Replace fluorescent lamps with more efficient models when they burn out.

Use the extra heat left over after cooking in the oven to do other tasks such as rising bread or warming food.

Comb the fins on the air conditioning condenser outside when they are mashed or disfigured to improve the heat exchange rate of the unit.

Use smaller appliances such as pressure cookers, woks or broiler ovens instead of the full oven when cooking small portions.

You can turn off the oven or stove a few minutes before an item is finished cooking and the residual heat will finish the job.

Most electrical appliances, such as motors, lights and electronic components generate heat that puts an extra burden on air conditioning.

Purchase an inexpensive light meter and tailor the lighting throughout the office or business to the minimum lighting requirements. Most places are overlit - especially rooms with daylighting - and can benefit from lower wattages lamps.

Reduce the exterior nighttime lighting for your business to the minimum for safety and publicity.

Proper light, of an appropriate level to the task performed can boost morale, productivity and general feeling of wellbeing.

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Don’t open the refrigerator or freezer until you are sure what you will be getting. Keep a list of contents posted on the door with an inventory of contents.

Multi level light bulbs are energy savers if they are used at the lowest wattage whenever possible.

Dimmers can reduce the cost of lighting and cause a more healthy and effective lighting level, especially in spaces with several different functions.

Conserve paper around the office by making fewer copies and by using electronic storage and communication methods.

Rehang misaligned windows and replace windows with broken or cracked panes.

Reduce the quantities of air exhausted from kitchens, restrooms and laboratory vent hoods as much as practicable.

For restrooms that exhaust constantly disable the air supply and let the space be conditioned by return air drawn in by the exhaust fan.

Use a high efficiency filter for the air conditioning system to protect the fan, motor and air distribution system from build up of dust and dirt that reduce efficiency.

Keep the refrigerator coils free of ice build up by defrosting at regular intervals.

Fluorescent lighting is five times more efficient as incandescent.

Spores and microbes can collect in carpet, furniture and drapes and impair the quality of the air indoors. Clean these items regularly.

Insulate the tubing from the air conditioning condenser outside to the fan and heat exchange coils inside.

Preheat the oven for baked goods only and don’t preheat sooner than is necessary.

The aluminum industry consumes 1.4% of all the world’s total energy. Recycle aluminum cans and other items.

Recycle wood and wood products into chips for firing furnaces or for composite wood products.

•Landscape shading of walls and roof will conserve on summer utility bills.

Solar hot water heaters are a renewable energy resource.

Isolate storage rooms from occupied spaces and do not condition the air to them at all if possible.

Inspect all automatic doors for proper functioning. It is especially important that they close completely to minimize any air infiltration.

Develop an after hours equipment check list by custodial and security personnel to ensure that all unnecessary equipment

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TRAINING

such as lights, typewriters and computers are not left on.

Adjust the temperature control on the refrigerator and freezer to the warmest practical temperature.

Locate the refrigerator away from the stove, a heating vent or where the sun will shine directly on it.

Be sure there is enough clearance at the back of the refrigerator for air to circulate. The coils are heat exchange devices that transfer heat from the unit to the air by way of a circulating fluid inside.

Keep foods covered tightly to reduce moisture buildup in the icebox. It takes more energy to cool humid air than dry air.

Wipe moisture from bottles and cartons before putting them in the refrigerator to be sure they do not add to the latent load.

Establish rules and post them asking everyone to keep outside doors closed and to use them only as necessary.

Interlock restroom exhaust fans with the lights and control the lights with an occupancy sensor/switch combination so they operate only when the room is in use.

Cooking with lids on pots and pans can reduce by half the heat required.

Consider replacing the pilot lights of gas burning furnaces and water heaters with electronic ignition devices.

Operate kitchen exhaust hoods only when the cooking surfaces are actually in use.

Designate an energy monitor at the office.

Blue flames on a gas stove mean it is not adjusted right. The flames should be yellow.

Calibrate thermostats so they maintain the right set point.

Post signs near thermostats to remind people of the ideal setting.

Consider automatic door closers on swinging exterior doors.

•Relocate thermostats if they are near outside walls, in seldom used areas, near heat sources or in a draft. The best position is near the return air grill on an inside wall.

Painting ceiling and walls with a lighter and more reflective paint, ceiling tiles or floor coverings will increase the light level in a room.

Replace light fixture lenses that have become yellow or hazy with age with a clear acrylic lens that will permit the most light to pass.

Move desks and work surfaces to take advantage of daylighting.

Increasing light levels in a cool room in cold weather may improve the occupant’s perceived comfort

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Hakan Falk is the founder of www.energysavingnow.com, an initiative dedicated to energy conversation and a clearner environment.


SERVICE

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In Challenging Times, Service Matters Most!

In difficult economic times, some businesses cut costs by cut-ting corners on customer service. This is exactly the wrong thing to do. Right now, service matters more than ever. Here’s

why:

When people buy during an economic downturn they are extremely conscious of the “hard earned” money that they spend. Customers want more attention, appreciation and recognition for their purchases, not less.

Customers want to be sure they get maximum value for the money they choose to spend. They want assistance, education, training, installation, modifications and support. The basic product may remain the same, but they want more service.

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by Ron Kaufman

Customers want stronger guarantees that their purchase was “the right thing to do”. In good times, a single bad purchase may be quickly overlooked or forgotten, but in tough times, every expenditure is scrutinized. Provide the assurance your customers seek with generous service guarantees, regular follow-up and speedy follow-through on any queries or complaints.

In tough times, people spend less time travelling, wining and dining, and more time carefully shopping for each and every purchase. Giving good service enhances the customer’s shopping experience, and boosts your own company image. When times are good, people move fast and sometimes don’t notice your efforts. In tighter times, people move more cautiously, and notice every extra effort that you make.

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SERVICE

“.... for every one person who complains, there are many

more who won’t even bother to tell you”

When money is tight, many people experience a sense of lower self-esteem. When they get good service from your business it boosts their self-image. And when they feel good about themselves, they feel good about you. And when they feel good about you, they buy.

In tough times, people talk more with each other about saving money and getting good value. “Positive word of mouth” is a powerful force at any time. In difficult times, even more ears will be listening. Be sure the words spoken about your business are good ones.

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goodwill, a small gift of appreciation, a discount on future orders, or an upgrade to a higher class of product. This is not the time to lay blame for what went wrong, or to calculate the costs of repair. Restoring customer goodwill is worth the price in future orders and new business.

Appreciate your complaining customers. Customers with complaints can be your best allies in building and improving your business. They point out where your system is faulty, procedures are weak or problematic. They show you where your products are below expectations or your service doesn’t measure up. They point out areas where your competitors are getting ahead, or where your staff is falling behind. These are the same insights and conclusions that people pay consultants to provide. But a “complainer” gives them to you free! And remember, for every one person who complains, there are many more who won’t even bother to tell you. The others just take their business elsewhere. At least the complainer gives you a chance to reply and set things right.

Take personal responsibility. In many organizations, people are quick to blame others for problems or difficulties at work: managers blame staff, staff blame managers, engineering blames sales, sales blames marketing and everyone blames finance. This doesn’t help. In fact, with all the finger pointing going on, it tends to make things worse. Blaming yourself doesn’t work either. No matter how many mistakes you may have made, tomorrow is another chance to do better. You need high self-esteem to give good service. Feeling “ashamed” doesn’t help. It doesn’t make sense to blame the computers, the system or the budget, either. This kind of justification only prolongs the pain before the necessary changes take place. The most reliable way to bring about constructive change in your organization is to Take Personal Responsibility and help make good things happen. Make recommendations, propose new ideas, give your suggestions, volunteer to help out with problem-solving teams and projects.

See the world from your customers’ point of view. We often get so caught up in our own world that we lose sight of what our customers actually experience. Make time to stand on the other side of the counter, or listen on the other end of the phone. Be a “mystery shopper” at your own place of business. Or be a customer for your competition. What you notice is what your customers experience every day! Finally, remember that service is the currency that keeps our economy moving. I serve you in one business, you serve me in another. When either of us improves, the economy gets a little better. When both of us improve, people are sure to take notice. When everyone improves, the whole world grows stronger and closer together.

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Ron Kaufman is an internationally acclaimed innovator and motivator for partner-ships and quality service. He is the author of the bestselling “UP Your Service!” books and the FREE monthly newsletter “UP Your Service!”. For more information and a sample newsletter, visit www.RonKaufman.com

So giving good service in tough times makes good business sense. But how do you actually achieve it? Here are eight prov-en principles you can use. I call them “The Secrets of Superior Service”:

Understand how your customers’ expectations are rising and changing over time. What was good enough last year may not be good enough now. Use customer surveys, interviews and focus groups to really understand what your customers want, what they value, and think about what they are getting, (or not getting) from your business.

Use quality service to differentiate your business from your competition. Your products must be reliable and up to date ... but your competitors’ are, too. Your delivery systems must be fast and user-friendly, but so are your competitors’! Make a real difference by providing personalized, responsive and “extra-mile service” that stands out in a unique way that customers will appreciate, and remember.

Set and achieve high service standards. Go beyond basic and expected levels of service to provide your customers with desired and even surprising interactions. Determine the “norm” for service in your industry, and then find a way to go beyond it. Give more choice than “usual”, be more flexible than “normal”, be “faster” than the average and extend a “better” warranty than all the others. Your customers will notice your higher standards. But eventually they’ll be copied by your competitors, too. So don’t slow down. Keep on improving!

Learn to manage your customer’s expectations. You can’t always give customers everything their hearts desire. Sometimes you need to bring their expectations into line with what you know you can deliver. The best way to do this is by first building a reputation for making and keeping clear promises. Once you have established a base of trust and good reputation, you only need to ask your customers for their patience in the rare circumstances when you cannot meet their first requests. Nine times out of 10 they will extend the understanding and the leeway that you need. The second way to manage customer’s expectations is with the tactic called “Under Promise, then Over Deliver”. It works like this: your customer wants something done FAST. You know it will take one hour to complete. Don’t tell your customer! Let them know you will rush the project…but then promise 90 minutes. Then, when you are done in just an hour (as you knew you would be all along), your customer will be delighted that you actually finished the job “so quickly”.

Bounce back with effective service recovery. Sometimes things do go wrong. When it happens to your customers, do everything you can to set things right again. Fix the problem. Show sincere concern for any discomfort, frustration or inconvenience. Then “do a little bit more” by giving your customers something positive to remember - a token of

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FOOD & BEVERAGE

“Management Chefs often have delusions

about their creative abilities...”

I’ve written on the subject of Chefs quite a number of times in the past and always seem to get an interesting response. I wonder what will happen this time. Recent happenings have

got me thinking and I guess I’ve now come to some conclusions as to how to make kitchens more productive.

Last year we were involved in restructuring of a number of different hospitality businesses. It was difficult to find experi-enced Chefs and Sous Chefs. We were forced to devote a lot of time to identifying young cooks who could be quickly trained into these positions. You may be experiencing the same difficulty, so my observations may be useful.

I’ve come to the conclusion that we can divide what you would probably classify as cooks into three distinct sub-groups, according to their potential. I call them: cooks, artists, and man-agers.

The first group, cooks, are simply that. These are people who are capable of following directions and providing skilled kitchen labour, but are either not motivated to, or capable of taking extra responsibility. I’m talking about the responsibility for creativity and the responsibility for leadership. These people are the back-bone of every kitchen. It’s not that they can’t create, or lead for brief periods; it’s just that they don’t want the stress of doing it all the time. They do need to be challenged though — if you leave them doing something boring or repetitious for too long, they’ll leave.

The second group are the artists. They are the true innova-tors, the ones who can create new flavours, textures, visual de-lights; assimilate new produce; and stimulate the senses. They are a small minority; I believe the ratio of truly talented artists to cooks is about 1:50. They are very valuable, but can be very dif-ficult people — they don’t think in a straight line using normal logic; that’s where their creativity seems to come from. Many are tortured souls and some are temperamental tyrants; few are good leaders.

If you are operating a small restaurant at the top end of the market you often have no choice but to put an artist in charge as Chef. You probably need innovative food to justify your high pricing. I don’t have a problem with this as long as you don’t expect them to lead too many staff, and as long as you are pre-pared to manage them and ride shotgun over their wage and food costs. Don’t expect them to do it; the true artist is not the least bit interested in your practical business problems, or in accepting responsibility or discipline.

To run a large kitchen brigade you need a manager. These are the leadership cooks, the practical souls who can handle people, words, numbers and commercial reality. They are not usually very creative — they’re better plagiarises than innovators — but the better ones do run a tight ship and they do keep staff motivated and happy. They’re quite rare as well; the same 1:50 ratio applies when you’re searching for them.

The Different Kinds Of Chef

Management Chefs often have delusions about their creative abilities and have to be taught to recognise their limitations. We’ve had great success structuring kitchens with a manager as Chef and a few artistic or semi-artistic cooks under them to supply the creativity. We seem to get good synergy once everyone recognises their strengths and weaknesses.

The best management Chefs I’ve worked with require each cook, and sometimes other staff such as kitchen hands, to submit dishes for possible inclusion on the menu. This seems to work well — the cooks get to have input without the weight of re-sponsibility. They constantly learn through this process and find their jobs more interesting. We’ve found that cooks in this type of environment tend to stay longer than average.

If you put an artistic Chef in charge of a large brigade you can have a recipe for disaster. They will tend to hog all the creative tasks for themselves and may stifle self expression on the part of the other cooks. They will often exhibit bizarre and inconsistent people handling skills, and may tend to let costs get out of con-trol. Some seem to pride themselves on only using the most ex-pensive ingredients and processing everything by the most labour intensive methods. Others get hysterical if a dish is returned by a waiter or a customer puts salt on their food.

Occasionally we’ll get someone who is a combination of both artistic and management cook. I think these are very rare. So rare that I wouldn’t even try to guesstimate the ratio of them to normal cooks. I do know that when I’ve tried to find one de-liberately, I’ve had to search reallly hard. If you’ve got one, hang on to them — they’re very hard to replace.

I think that it’s important to carefully plan the structure of your kitchen to match the requirements of your business. Most kitchens don’t need a true artist, all they need is a competent mimic. What most of them do need is a good manager. To put it another way, I believe that ninety percent of the industry needs competent food, produced cost-effectively.

If you’re going to run an art house, I think you should be up-front with yourself and make the decision to forego profit for status, and accept the trauma in your kitchen. If you want to run a reasonable sized, profitable business, embrace commercial reality and get someone competent to head your kitchen—a leader who can bring out the best in all the kitchen staff — not a sensitive artiste who’ll send you bankrupt.

By Tony Eldred

Tony Eldred is the Managing Director of hospitality management consultants El-dred Hospitality Pte. Ltd. For more information visit www.eldtrain.com.au or email Tony directly at [email protected]


“Little things that may seem like a waste of time...”

Customer Service: Fact Or Myth?

Everyone talks about customer service as if they under-stand it; we talk glibly about how important it is and how we know exactly how it should be done. Have you noticed

how quick we are to complain about poor service, yet nothing ever seems to come of our complaints? Could it be that we are complaining to the wrong ears? How many times have you actu-ally asked to speak to a manager so that you could calmly and rationally tell him/her why you were unhappy with the service you received? If we really thought about it, our goal is not to get someone fired. We simply want to point out what would improve the service so that we continue dining at that establishment. After all, if we never tell them what we think is wrong, how are they ever going to know they are doing anything at all wrong? Maybe they are completely unaware and they need to hear it from a cus-tomer who wants to continue patronizing an establishment.

People will return to your restaurant if your food is just “ok” or just “good,” but the service always makes them glad they chose your restaurant and they feel they got the best value for their dollar. Their repeat business is the ultimate compliment to your service quality. On the other hand, if your food is just “good” or is even superior to your competitor’s, but excellent service doesn’t belong in the same sentence as your restaurant, you won’t be see-ing many return visits from your guests. Guess what? Service is the selling point that keeps them coming back! We all know that we can make our own food at home exactly the way we like it. We all know that we can just go to the local liquor store and buy our beverage of choice far cheaper than we could ever hope to get it for at your restaurant. So why would we go out to eat? We want to be served and we’re willing to pay for it! We’re more likely to go where we know the service is caring and consistent and the food is predictably good. We’re going to avoid the place that doesn’t care what kind of impression they make upon their guests.

Little things that may seem like a waste of time or mundane, are the very details your guests notice and appreciate. Open a door, pull out a chair, take a coat, open a menu, suggest a cocktail or appetizer...you see where this is going. You’re paving the way for suggestive selling techniques, which I will talk about in the next newsletter.

There are many small and seemingly insignificant things that a waiter can do to enhance the dining experience for your patrons, not to mention increase restaurant profits and increase his/her tip at the end of the meal. Realistically, that is what is important to your wait staff... their bottom line. The trick is to make them understand that. Enhancing their service techniques means in-creasing their bottom line and yours.

By Susie Ross

Susie Ross is the President of “Waiter Training” and has over 10 years of experi-ence in the restaurant industry. For more information visit www.waiter-training.com or email Susie at [email protected]


RECIPE

RecipeJ E R R Y ’ S

MARINATED LAMB WITH RED ONION MARMALADE

ProcedureMarinade the lamb fillet with the sea salt, chopped herbs, vodka and crushed peppercorn. Put it in the fridge under pressure for 3 days. Slice the onion in thin half rings and sauté in a little oil until very soft. Add the balsamic, honey and bay leaf and continue to cook very slowly. When the onions are 1/2 cooked add some water and reduce again until the balsamic gets to a syrupy consistency. Cut the bacon in 4 cm long pieces and cook in the oven on 100 degrees Celsius until crispy. Pick the frisse lettuce (only the heart). Pick the shiso and cress for garnish

* The lamb should be frozen before use and sliced on a machine or a very sharp knife. Per 1 kg lamb fillet use 65 g salt

Lamb filet 0.600 kg

Sea salt 0.040 kg

Peppercorn 0.005 kg

Herbs-dill/basil/parsley 0.040 kg

Vodka 0.030 cc

Onion 0.600 kg

Balsamic 0.200 cc

Honey 0.050 cc

Bay leave 0.002 kg

Bacon 0.100 kg

Frissee lettuce 0.050 kg

Water cress 0.005 kg

Shiso rouge 0.005 kg

Sour cream 0.100 kg

Salt 0.005 kg

Pepper 0.005 kg

Oil 0.010 cc

Ingredients

Serving SuggestionPlace a ring in the center of the plate and add about 20 gram onion, then again 20 gram on the left side and on the right side. Slice the lamb in 3 mm slice 6 slices per person. Place 2 slices on the 3 onion tow-ers. Then ad 3 small quenelles of sour cream on each lamb. I piece of crispy bacon on top of each And garnish with a little frissee, cress and shiso. Use a little balsamic from the reduction to make to stripes on.

Wine SuggestionA chardonnay or a good pinot noir would drink well with this dish

by Jerry DaviesExecutive chef Soneva Gili Resort &

Six Senses Spa


TRAINING


TRAINING


TRAINING

How to update your approach to appeal to Generation X & Y

Does Your ServiceTraining Stick?

By James Dunne


TRAINING

“The attention span

of this generation is much

shorter...”

I knew that I was finally old when I muttered the words that I swore I would never say:“Kids these days...they don’t know how good they’ve really

got it!”Regardless of whether you feel this way, or whether you

sympathize with the plight of today’s so-called slacker genera-tions, you must understand ONE thing: What you feel does not matter! Your focus need NOT be on how to change these post baby-boomers (aged 34 and younger), but rather, how to understand them.

Formerly in management, I have been a service staff trainer, wine educator and Culinary / Hospitality Professor for the past ten years. I have discovered that the traditional style of education is no longer effective. I say this after stum-bling through my first couple of years, trying to be both the authority and the authoritarian while developing others.

Given the fact that I am not far in years from being a Gen X-er myself, one might think that I would have a firm understanding of how to get through to these folks. Grow-ing up in a hotel kitchen with a traditional European chef and old school owner, I was trained to accept the word of the chef and boss without question. While I responded to this style and am proud to have developed within it, most of today’s generation just won’t respond to it. One of the big-gest traps today’s trainers and managers can fall into is that they convince themselves that they are all-knowing and that they can single-handedly wave a wand to instill their will on a group of people.

You must accept and come to the realization that this at-titude simply does not work any more. We are in an economy where a body...let alone a competent one...is difficult to come by. The unemployment rate is at its lowest in decades. The days of a person needing to wait tables for a second income are over...at least for now. People are doing well at their primary jobs, or are making supplemental money in technology and investments. Kids aren’t working as much because their parents are doing so well that they do not need to. What has resulted is a skeleton restaurant staff which will not stand for the authoritative and all knowing trainer or management team. They can just as easily walk across the street and pick up a job with the competition if they want to, where they will be grateful to acquire additional staff. Furthermore, this is magnified by the stark realization that today’s youth have a complacent and carefree attitude. They are not easily ‘amused’ and do not seem to have much fear when considering moving from one job or career to another.

With that said, take a step back and look at how you commu-nicate with your staff. Understand that they will respect authority, if the authority respects them. Be fair, firm and consistent with policies and procedures. What you enforce and dictate for one

staff member, must be enforced for all...without being condescending. Be sure that your policies and proce-dures are relevant, effective and clearly defined. Go to your staff to help reassess these policies and proce-dures. Show respect and acknowledgement for your staff, and they will in turn give you the same. Always explain to them why you are doing what you do. To-day’s youth does not follow blindly. They demand an explanation. They were raised to be self-suffi-cient. Many grew up in duel income homes where, at an early age, they were given a great amount of autonomy. Because of this self-sufficiency, they command respect. They expect to be treated as equals, and not subordinates. Understand this, and you will be able to communicate with them more effectively. Whether you agree with these views or not, the fact is that it is reality. Accept it.Here are some things to keep in mind when devel-oping a training program for your operation:

Break It Up...Try not to stay on a topic for too long. The attention span of this generation is much shorter, to no fault of theirs. Just take a look at television and cable these days. The viewer who has grown up over the last decade has not been challenged to focus on any one particular program, image or scene for more than a few moments. With the remote control, and video images flashing by in increments shorter than a split second, this generation has been programmed to retain and extrapolate from brief flashes of information. If you have videos, show them in short increments, or play them while the staff is setting up the dining room. If you have lecture sessions, give breaks, and break the activity so the group can move from topic to topic and presentation method to presentation method (lecture, to video, to role play, to interaction, etc.).

ClarIfy yoUrself & yoUr QUalIfICatIons…The Gen X and Gen Y groups want to hear it from some-

one who has been where they have been. The saying “those who can’t do -- teach” should be thrown out the window!

This generation simply will not stand for it. Let them know that you are competent, and that you’ve gotten your hands dirty

(and are still willing to get them dirty).

ClarIfy yoUr pUr-pose...They need to know why they are doing the training. What’s in it for them? Will this help their tips? Will it help bring in more cus tomers. . .thus helping their tips? What? Why? Let them in on it. Be honest...that’s what they want to hear.


TRAINING

“It is a lighthearted & practical way

to put the training work.”

Be self-DepreCatInG...Don’t be afraid to criticize yourself and the mistakes you have made. They will respect your honesty and your forthright ap-proach. They do not want to be told how lazy and lax they are...and what they should be doing. They will listen to a confi dent, experienced trainer/manager who has been there, who will com-ment on past experiences and who is willing to wholeheartedly admit that they’ve made plenty of mistakes on their own. They don’t expect...or want a perfect person. They want someone who is real and who can empathize with the position that they are in. Don’t just tell them that you made mistakes. Be anecdotal, and be sure to tell stories that are relevant, they can learn from, and are amusing!

Get tHeM InVolVeD...Have members of your staff help develop the training expec-tations and session outlines. This empowerment not only helps them get involved and interested in the project, but it gets them to stand behind you when it is delivered to the entire staff. The staff will be more likely to embrace it if one (or more) of their own is involved in its implementation.

I came to this realization years back while managing an up-scale operation. When I needed to pick out new pepper mills, I went to the staff to help make the decision. I fi rst nar-rowed down my choices, then got the samples from the distributor. I presented these to the staff and said, you guys pick!I did this for two reasons:

I wanted to get them involved in decision making...especially since they were going to be the ones refi lling these things and cleaning them every night.

I didn’t want to hear the inevitable complaints about them if I alone picked them out!

Their fi nal selection was a pep-per mill with a round screw-on top. Each night, at shifts end, they would have to refi ll them. On occasion, I would hear the little ball dropped on the ground, and roll across the marble fl oor. Now, if I had picked out this pepper mill, they would have been cursing me and complaining each and every time the ball dropped. Instead, I never heard a word. When one fell to the fl oor, they always made sure that it was retrieved, without a rum-ble of discontent towards the decision that THEY made!

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Make tHeM laUGH...Do whatever it takes. They need to enjoy what’s going on. If they start to joke around a bit...let it happen...just keep the reigns on it and keep the session moving along.

UtIlIZe role play...It is a lighthearted and practical way to put the training to work. It keeps the group occupied, it breaks up the monotony of the lecture, it lets them loosen up, and it lets them work together. Pair the staff off and be sure everyone is involved. Try not to single anyone out, and always be sure to group people together where a shy personality will be alongside an outgoing one.

eMBraCe tHeIr InpUt...Encourage their participation in any way that you can. Participa-tion keeps them alive. Even if they seem to be straying from the topic, encourage active participation. Be sure not to focus on just a few of the participants. Get everyone involved...but be sure not to make shy ones feel uncomfortable. Give out raffl e tickets ev-ery time someone participates. At the end of the session, raffl e signifi cant prizes (they will be insulted if you are cheap). In my training I have raffl ed off everything from movie tickets, to pack-ets of subway tickets, to bottles of wine (as low as $10 value), to

cash (as low as $10 value), to gift certifi cates (as low as $10 value), to weekend vacations, to days off, to the op-

tion of making one’s own schedule for a week, or choosing one’s own station for a week,

to...well, you get the picture...it can be just about anything. It is not as expensive as it sounds. Get your purveyors to donate assorted meats, assorted beers, bottles of wine, etc. Swap gift certifi cates with a store in your area or another restaurant. This will cut down on the cost signifi cantly.

Don¹t GIVe In...The moment you succumb to their

rumbling and complaining and you decide to end your training early, skip a

day, or skip a section, they own you! They will capitalize on this and take advantage in

the future. Let them know that you indeed have an agenda...share the agenda with them...and see it

through to completion.

Be faIr, fIrM anD ConsIstent...No matter what the rules, the expectations or the standards you set forth, be absolutely sure that you are ready to follow them through to the letter. This generation will watch your every step to make sure that you practice what you preach. They will not bow down to authority--they will confront it head on--and they will be sure to let you know how they feel. Trust me on that one. They will respect the leaders who show integrity, and most impor-tantly, are fi rm, fair, and consistent. If they see that each person in the group is treated the same, they will respond to whatever standards you set forth and take to your direction.

James Dunne is a member of the faculty at New York Institute of Technology’s Culi-nary Arts Center, the author of SERVICE DYNAMICS: Profi table Hospitality for the New Millennium, and the Principal of Service Dynamics. Service Dynamics offers an assortment of training programs and consulting services for your operation. Go to www.service-dynamics.com to fi nd out more.


NEWS


HOSPITALITY NEWS

Starwood to Set Up Regional Offi ce in IndiaStarwood announces that it will set up a regional offi ce in New Delhi, India starting this month, led by the newly appointed Vice President, Area Managing Director Stephen Ford. Stephen Ford overseas hotels in India, Nepal and Bangladesh. “Stephen has demonstrated excellent leadership as Area Managing Director for Starwood hotels in Indonesia over the past 2 years. His extensive experience with major business stakeholders in Asia as well as exceptional business acumen make him an excellent choice to lead Starwood’s increasingly aggressive growth plans in India. Asia Pacifi c’s tourism growth is led by China and India. With rising arrivals to India, we see great potential for Starwood to increase our presence and vie for a share of the Indian market,” said Neil Palmer, Senior Vice President for Operations, Starwood Asia Pacifi c. With the acquisition of the Le Méridien brand, Starwood Asia Pacifi c now operates an additional 9 hotels in India and Nepal, bringing its total portfolio in that region to 20 operating hotels, with numerous deals under negotiation. Ford has more than 35 years of experience in the hospitality industry, working in Asia, South Africa, USA and the UK. Prior to his tenure with Starwood, he worked in management positions with Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts Group, Southern Sun and Zimbabwe Sun.

Taj to Open New Hotel in CoimbatoreTaj Hotels, Resorts and Palaces is to expand its hotel portfolio by opening a new site in Coimbatore, the second largest city of Tamil Nadu in India. The new 200-room Taj Business hotel Coimbatore will open to the public by October 2007 and will include three restaurants, 15,000sq ft (1,400sq m) of conference space and a large health and fi tness club. The new property will replace the Hotel Surya International, which currently occupies the space and will be demolished later this year.

Banyan Tree Reveals Plans for Two More ResortsSingapore-based spa and resort operator Banyan Tree has added two new sites as part of its ongoing plans to expand its portfolio of resorts. The company – which currently owns and operates 10 resorts and 35 spas under the Banyan Tree and Angsana brands – will open a Banyan Tree resort in Barbados and an Angsana Resort and Spa in Bali, Indonesia. In two separate deals, Banyan Tree has teamed up with Barbados-based Bacassa Developments to manage a resort at the Black Bess Plantation in St Peter, Barbados and with Masuka Investment Group (MIG) to manage the Angsana property. The new Angsana resort will be located over four hectares and will include 31 apartments, 31 villas and the Angsana Spa. The resort will be developed by Gfab and designed by Architrave Design and Planning. Banyan Tree Barbados will offer guests accommodation in luxury villas and facilities will include an 18-hole golf course and a spa including the island’s fi rst pool villas. Work on the property is expected to begin by the end of the year. Dermot Monaghan, chair of MIG, said: “The combination of design, location and a fi rst class manager in Banyan Tree will make Angsana Bali one of the region’s premier resort destinations.” Banyan Tree’s expansion plans include 13 new resorts by 2008.

Two more InterContinentals for ChinaInterContinental Hotels Group will open two new InterContinental in Chongqing and Shenzhen this year. The property in Chongqing, located in a 42-story mixed-use complet in the city’s central business district, is scheduled to open in June. InterContinental Shenzhen will open in the fourth quarter of 2006. The newly built 549-room hotel will be the fi rst luxury hotel located in the southern city’s Nanshan district.


NEWS


� e Imperia, New Delhi has been presented with the Preferred Hotel Group’s Best Outstanding Hotel Asia Pacifi c award at the Preferred Summit held in Sin-gapore last week. The award has been bestowed on The Imperial, New Delhi as it has exemplifi ed the defi nition of quality under the Preferred Hotel & Resorts brand. This was measured by The Imperial’s rating on Preferred’s quality assurance programme, customer feedback and the Hotel’s recognition as the Leading Hotel in India Award at the distinguished World Travel Mart. The Imperial has worked in partnership with Preferred Hotel Group to grow the production of the revenue by over 65%. The growth has, also, been measured in terms of growth in the num-ber of room nights in 2005 per room available at the hotel (which was the highest in Asia Pacifi c). “The Imperial has epitomized true partnership by its participation in activi-ties provided by Preferred Hotel Group and also by assist-ing in the development of new properties in India,” said the Preferred Hotels Group spokesperson. Receiving the award at the global Summit, Pierre Jochem, Vice President & General Manager, The Imperial said, “The recognition reaffi rms the course that The Imperial has been charting as a market leader. It endorses the benchmarked practices of the Hotel, reinforces the faith that our guests have in us and recognizes the commitment that each team member brings in by being the ideal Brand Ambassador.”

New Spa Facility at Four Seasons DamascusNew Four Seasons Damascus to open spa facility in April The 18-storey, 297-bedroom Four Seasons Hotel Damascus opened in Syria earlier this month and is set to unveil the city’s fi rst full-service spa later this year. Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts’ seventh property in the Middle East, the hotel’s interiors have been designed by Pierre Yves Rochon – who also designed the Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris and Four Seasons Hotel Washington DC – to incorporate Ottoman, Persian and Syrian infl uences. The property boasts 231 guest rooms and 66 suites, including 12 fully-serviced residential apartments for long-stay guests. Facilities include the main restaurant, Safran; a Syrian fi ne dining offering, Al Halabi; and an Italian restaurant, Il Circo; as well as the X.O bar and Kitara lounge and 1,600 sq m (17,200sq ft) of meeting space – incorporating a 1,000sq m (10,800sq ft) ballroom. The spa, which is scheduled to open in April, will boast four treatment rooms, a pool terrace, a 100sq m (1,080sq ft) swimming pool, an eight-person spa pool, a juice bar and a gym. The facility will be open to both guests and local members.

Leading Hotels Association Adds Eastern Europe Members The Leading Hotels of the World has strengthened its presence in eastern Europe with the addition of three new members. These are: Schloessle Hotel, Tallinn, Estonia; Grand Palace Hotel, Riga, Latvia; and the Donbass Palace Hotel, Donetsk, Ukraine The 24-room Schloessle Hotel, whose structure dates from the 15th century, is proximate the historic Town Hall Square and the city’s shopping district. The hotel can accommodate banquets of up to 40 persons. The Grand Palace, built in 1877 as the State Bank, is now a 56-room luxury hotel. It features two restaurants, Orangerie and Seasons, as well as Pils bar. Two conference rooms are available for functions for up to 70 persons. Dating back to 1938, the Donbass Palace Hotel was renovated in 2004. Situated in the center of the city, it is close to the theater, opera house, shopping and business districts. With 129 rooms and suites, the hotel features three restaurants serving continental, French and multi-ethic Asian cuisine, and DP’s bar and a lobby lounge are relaxing venues for cocktails. In addition to the Diva Health and Beauty Center and swimming pool, there are three conference rooms available for up to 160 persons. More than a decade ago Leading Hotels accepted its fi rst member in eastern Europe, naming Grand Hotel Europe in St. Petersburg, Russia, as a member.

Accor has launched its Ibis economy hotel brand in � ailand with two new hotels - Ibis Siam Bangkok and Ibis Huamark Bangkok -Offering the city’s most competitive rates for internation-ally branded hotels. The entry of Ibis to Thailand is part of Accor’s expansion of its Ibis economy hotel brand in the Asia Pacifi c region. Ibis has made a major impact in coun-tries such as China, Korea, Indonesia and Australia and will make its debut later this year in India. There are currently 715 Ibis hotels globally throughout the world. The 180-room Ibis Siam Bangkok is in Bangkok’s Pratunam shop-ping area within walking distance to Suansantipab Park and Victory Monument BTS Skytrain station. Ibis Huamark Bangkok features 269 rooms and is next to one of Bang-kok’s largest shopping malls, the Ramkamheng University and the Huamark Stadium. International Hospitality News reprinted with permission of www.ehotelier.com


HUMAN RESOURCES

“The problem was how could we prevent vthis situation from happening again?”

How often do you find yourself dealing with other people’s problems? It’s a common challenge that managers face when running their kitchen or business, and often your

day can be fractured by numerous interruptions from staff bring-ing issues to you that they should be dealing with themselves.

Many years ago, when I worked in the fast food industry, I took a problem to my manager. Our Financial Controller had discovered that one of my outlets was $100 dollars short in their banking figures. Upon investigation, and much to my dismay, I found that one of my most talented and committed Assistant Managers had done the banking that day. He had found the bank-ing to be over by $100 dollars and, assuming this was a windfall, had decided to pocket the money for himself. Two days later a shortfall became apparent, and his dishonest act was uncovered.

At the time I was inexperienced in dealing with problems like this, and agonised over what to do. The amount of money in question seemed insignificant when compared with the cost of recruiting and training a new Assistant Manager. I also knew that I was short staffed, and could not really afford to lose this staff member.

On the one hand, I felt the person had learnt their lesson and should be let-off with a severe warning, but at the same time I felt the matter was serious, and that justice should be seen to be done. After all, we entrusted our people with huge amounts of money and stock every day. If we allowed this type of action to go unpunished, it could easily spread.

Although my manager was sympathetic, I knew he was not going to solve the problem for me. But he showed me a technique that enabled me to solve the problem for myself — a technique I continue to use to this very day.

First, he asked me to define the problem, and the symptoms of the problem. He made me ask myself the question: ‘Are you dealing with the problem, or is this a symptom of the problem?’,

and used the following example to ex-plain the difference between the two. ‘Say you’ve got a huge headache. The headache is being caused by a brain tumor. You take a Panadol to cure your headache and it goes away. Is the problem solved?’

This approach led me to conclude that the problem was not missing

money, or that the money was over by $100 in the first place. Nor was the problem one of a dishonest employee. The problem was how could we prevent this situation from happening again? After all, if you cure a symptom, the problem has the potential to reappear sometime in the future. But if you cure the problem, the solution should be permanent.

Teaching People to Solve Problemsby Tony Eldred


HUMAN RESOURCES

We then looked at what barriers may be faced in solving the problem. We considered questions like ‘How much money could we spend? How long would it take? What authority did I have? Whose approval would I need to obtain? My boss wrote all of these down in point form on the right hand side of a white-board.

Then he asked me to come up with all the possible solutions. Every suggestion, even those that seemed far-fetched or unreal-istic, was written down. He explained that even a solution which at fi rst appears far-fetched may have some value in addressing the problem. I ‘brain stormed’ my ideas out loud while he wrote them down, one after the other. At the end of this process we had a list with eight or ten possible ideas on how I could solve the problem.

The next step was to evaluate the ideas against the limita-tions. We went through the list again, and considered the mer-its and practicality of each idea against our list of limitations. Through this process we identifi ed three ideas that could address the problem at hand:

Dismiss the Assistant Manager to show how serious we believed the action to be, so that it could be seen as a deterrent to others.

Write a memo to all managers explaining what happened, and how the matter had arisen.

Develop a training program or session for the managers, so that they would understand the fail-safe nature of our accounting and control system.

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I don’t pretend that I couldn’t have come up with these solu-tions off the top of my head, but this disciplined process allowed me to concentrate on identifying solutions that were the most ap-propriate for the problem at hand. It also allowed me to consider all the alternatives. I liked my manager’s approach to solving the problem — defi ne the problem, ascertain the limits, generate pos-sibilities, evaluate and then follow-up.

Not only did my boss show me a handy problem solving technique, he also forced me to think through the problem in a logical way. More importantly, he showed me how to take respon-sibility for my own decisions in dealing with the problem.

I now employ this technique when training managers. Over time I have found that this technique puts them in ‘no lose’ situa-tion. If they make the right decision, they learn; if they make the wrong decision, they also learn. As a trainer, I only offer my ad-vice if I believe the outcome they have selected may have further repercussions for them.

In my opinion, managers in the foodservice and hospital-ity industries are often afraid to let their staff make decisions, or tackle their own problems. The key to changing this situation is to teach them how to deal with problems, and then empower them to think and act for themselves. If you show them how to solve their own problems, you will build their confi dence and their problem resolution skills, while increasing their confi dence in dealing with tricky situations.

You will also reduce the number of staff problems you have to manage each and every day. Fewer problems from your staff — isn’t that a nice thought to have!

Tony Eldred is the Managing Director of hospitality management consultants El-dred Hospitality Pte. Ltd. For more information visit www.eldtrain.com.au or email Tony directly at [email protected]


TRAINING

“There’s just enough business coming in for us to afford training on how to bring in business.”

be trained to hold the line on price with guests who object to pre-reserved rates at check-in.

Is the sales training content realistic?Key considerations often overlooked are the sales process, strategies and tactics presented in the course. Yet, it doesn’t matter how fun or inexpensive the training was if the content doesn’t help us improve or increase sales. An example is training that teaches a rigid, scripted approach to sales. Yes, salespeople can be coerced into using the scripts, and script usage can easily be measured via mystery shopping, so it will appear there’s an impact. But this doesn’t say whether the sales approach that’s taught will help sales team members

bring in new business. So, rather than going with the lowest priced program, be sure that those with the most insight and intuition - the frontline salespeople - are comfortable with the content. Or better yet, beta-test the content with real-world customers.

Are you measuring what’s important?Any good sales training plan includes systems for measuring the impact. Too many sales programs encourage “sendees”

and “payees” (verses the attendees who participate) to measure the results via only one metric-such as mystery shopping scores as referenced above. Yet using this as a sole measurement tool leads to squabbling over the scores, and salespeople who work hard “beating the system” by identifying who the “shoppers” are, and then grabbing their scripts that they otherwise disregard. While mystery shopping scores are definitely a key metric for any sales training, remember to look at important objectives such as

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During these times of austerity and cost containment,

most companies are look-ing closely at every item on the profit-and-loss state-ment. All too often one of the casualties of budget cut-backs is sales training, especially for those com-panies that pay only lip ser-vice to its value and impact on revenues.

Yet, when you think about it, cutting sales train-ing is exactly the wrong thing to do, especially if you have the right programs in place. Properly structured sales training programs should always be seen as a revenue enhancement tool rather than a non-essential operating expense. Just like the humorous old saying, “If it wasn’t for all those guests interrupting us all day long, we could get so much more work done at the front desk,” this approach to sales development says, “There’s just enough business coming in for us to afford training on how to bring in business.”So how do we check our return on investment in sales training? Here are some key considerations:

Is sales training addressing real-world, skill-set needs?Does the content of the training prepare the sales team to take advantage of its day-to-day opportunities? Many group sales

training programs, for example, focus only on handling the inquiry call from the function planner. Yet in the real world, there are many other sales functions not being addressed, such as how to write a personalized, customized proposal letter; how to network at a cocktail reception; or how to prospect via the telephone and in person. Similarly, many transient sales programs only address handling reservations inquiry calls, while in the real world, front-desk salespeople could also capture more walk-ins, upsell at registration and

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Tough Times are a Good Time to Check ROI on Sales Training

by Doug Kennedy


TRAINING

exceeding the revenue goal/target, upselling to higher-priced accommodations (impacting average revenue per booking), marketing facilities/services/outlets, and increasing the number of calls converted to bookings.

Are we being realistic about what we can measure?Hotels don’t operate in a vacuum, so it’s impossible to account for all external factors that can bias the results. For example, it’s entirely possible that following a successful sales training, revenues drop significantly due to changes in supply or demand. While a statistician from academia would argue that it’s therefore impossible to empirically measure the impact, they would also tell you about something called the Hawthorne Effect, which most simply stated says: “Productivity improves when people know productivity is being measured.” So while we want to be as scientific as possible, we have to make a judgment call. The key is to put results measured via the most reliable metrics possible into the hands of those who have the greatest intuition and let them make a determination.

Can training be deployed in a more economic way?Even when we are getting great results, we have to ask ourselves whether there is a better way. One means of reducing costs while maintaining effectiveness is to take advantage of all the new e-learning options. Keep up to date on the latest in distance learning options, and understand that e-learning today is more than putting “read-only” text on a Web site or a CD ROM that links with online testing. Make sure those making the buying decisions on e-learning know the difference between self-paced online courses, asynchronous Web casts, live interactive on-line conference events, and that e-learning has online tracking of participant’s progression through the content and scores on test/assessments.

Are we giving our internal sales trainers the proper tools?For companies that have internalized their sales training, it’s important to be realistic about the tools in-house trainers need. Too many companies underestimate the skill set required for developing program content. Instead, they find a reliable foot soldier from the operations team who has a charismatic personality and charge them with all aspects of sales training including needs assessment, instructional design, organizing/scheduling, and facilitation. Worse yet, companies tend to pile-on extra ad-hoc projects such as planning the annual company picnic and new-hire orientation. While internalizing the sales training can reduce costs and increase results, remember this requires more than hiring a body and giving them a laptop and PowerPoint. Consider purchasing packaged training programs complete with instructor’s guides and videos, Trainer Certification Seminars, and “How to be a Trainer” programs to ensure success.

By asking questions such as these to check your ROI on sales training, you’ll be making sure you are giving your sales team the tools it needs to compete in today’s world of low-ball pricing and in-the-trenches negotiations, and doing so in the least expensive, most effective way.

Doug Kennedy is the owner of The Douglas Kennedy Company. He delivers key-note addresses and conference presentations for lodging and tourism organizations, and provides sales and training consulting services. For more information visit www.douglaskennedy.com

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TRAININGTRAINING

Last WordsLetters to the Editor

[email protected]

“I saw your magazine in a shop and wanted to buy one immediately but I was amazed to learn that this was distributed free of charge. The articles and the quality of work done help me a lot to improve my knowledge. You guys are doing a perfect job and if there is anything I could do just send me a mail.”

Hassan Afrah, Credit and Collection Supervisor, Wataniya Telecoms Maldives Pvt. Ltd.

“I would like to thank you very much for the great work that you have initiated and that is of im-mense benefi t to our tourism industry. I don’t doubt at all, that soon we will witness these positive changes in the various corners of our industry. As HR is my job, I am very much delighted to see that your magazine has been continuously touching this topic, which is the most important area of any industry. […] Thank you David!”

Mohamed Nasrullah, Personnel Manager, Paradise Island Resort

“I am an avid reader of Hospitality Maldives. Your magazine contains articles that help develop young and dynamic executives in the hospitality industry. Keep the great job going! Your service deserves heap of praises!”

Chris Anthony, Human Resources & Training Director, Soneva Resorts & Six Senses Spa

“We all read the Hospitality Maldives magazine with great interest, it’s the best of its kind in the Mal-dives. Informative, creative, imaginative … very useful!”

Ahmed Irash, Human Resources & Administration Manager, Sunland Hotels

“I see Hospitality Maldives as a revolutionary magazine in the tourism industry. To date there has not been one that carried the same imagination and similar scope of look into the Maldivian tourism industry, and thus I feel that Hospitality Maldives will be a great future asset to those in the industry.”

Mobeen Jameel, Branch Supervisor Maldives, Micros Fidelio Singapore Pte. Lte.

“Your magazine has all I want to learn and use in my job. Please don’t stop it and thank you very much!”

Mohamed Solah, Assistant Front Offi ce Manager, Meeru Island Resort

“Hospitality Maldives is a very informative magazine! I like the layout, information and the advertise-ments in it. Thanks!”

Aishath Shehenaz, Credit Specialist, Wataniya Telecoms Maldives Pvt. Ltd.

“So far I have been using all the issues of this magazine for our company’s internal training of staff and it has been helpful in so many ways. This is by far the best magazine currently available in Mal-dives for so many reasons, not just for the industry of tourism but business too. Thank you and keep on publishing as for sure many will agree the magazine is something we all look out for each month.”

Salmaan Hassan, Director of Human Resources & Customer Care, Reefside Maldives Pvt. Ltd.

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Documents

Hospitality Maldives Issue 05