THE staff of many island hotels are not adequately trained. The manager of one of the top establishments believes that the tourist industry is suffering a decline because hotels are not investing in improving staff skills.
‘The industry is not committed enough to training and feels that it cannot afford to train,’ said Simon Courtenay-Warren, general manager of the Old Government House Hotel.
‘It costs a lot of money but you have to deal with that and the possibility the staff may leave. Many smaller hotels struggle because of the costs but they must prioritise and take the long-term view.’
He also cast doubt over the suitability of many hoteliers who carry out training courses.
‘I do not believe most owners have professional training qualifications and the tools to train,’ he said.
Mark Galins, co-owner of the Hotel Bon Port, said that it was vital for hotels to invest.
‘There is a problem that the workforce is transient. But we have invested heavily in our staff. It is necessary to train them even if they stay for just a year or two.
‘It is the same as saying that you do not want to invest in the hotel. You have to train them because it is all part of the customer experience. They are the first thing visitors see when they come through the door.’
Fiona Naftel, deputy chief executive of the Guernsey Training Agency, said that it was working with VisitGuernsey to evaluate training within the hotel sector. The results of the assessment will be available in the autumn.
Mr Courtenay-Warren said that in the long run, investment in training paid off.
‘We believe that because we train our staff, they stay longer. They know what they are doing and they enjoy their job more,’ he said.
The OGH this year won a VisitGuernsey Gold Award for the overall quality of the visitor experience. Only 51 of 10,000 hotels nationwide received the equivalent accolade.
‘We invest in staff. We are aware that staff leave but that is not something to be surprised or frightened about. Some are trained and leave but we have to live with that.
‘The benefit is threefold: it is about the staff feeling comfortable and rewarded, the customer getting a better level of service and the hotel effectively taking more money, which it can then reinvest in the property.’
OGH employees receive in-house training when they start, which includes basic guidelines and health and safety.
There is also formalised training in association with the College of Further Education, such as a welcome course and wine, beers and spirits training.
Article posted on 10th August, 2004 - 12.00am
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