Assess the contribution of training and development activities to the effective operation of a selected service industry business.

The training and development in service industries businesses.
For this task, write a short report of 750-1000 words. You will be given two case studies to assess the contribution of training and development activities to the effective operation of a selected service industry business. Compare the effect of training and development in these two case studies.
Your report will include all standard formatting, including a cover page, contents page, introduction, conclusion and bibliography.
Task 4 case study
The caterer that cares. Caterer & Hotelkeeper, 2009, Vol. 198, Issue 4567.

Contract caterer Bartlett Mitchell is relatively young company, but it has quickly established itself as an employer of choice, and it was no surprise when it picked up a Best Places to Work award last year.
Emma Allen reports

When Wendy Bartlett and Ian Mitchell set up independent contract catering firm Bartlett Mitchell back in 2000, they knew it was going to be hard graft. Like the founders of many other new- business start-ups, the pair did almost everything themselves, from dealing with IT and financials to covering for absent chef-managers.
Nine years on, it’s a different picture. The business now employs more than 460 staff and operates 66 contracts throughout the South-east, mainly in the business and industry sector. Turnover to March last year was £15m.
Despite the impressive growth, Bartlett and Mitchell have stuck firmly to their founding principles. In line with the company’s original objectives of appreciating staff and making the company a great place to work, a whole raft of training initiatives, feedback systems and rewards have been developed, designed to benefit all employees and not just those at the top.
For the judging panel in the 2008 Caterer Best Places to Work in Hospitality Awards, it was precisely these initiatives that made Bartlett Mitchell stand out from its peers. Scooping first place in the contract catering category, the company was praised by judges, who noted its low staff turnover and willingness to measure results.
According to Bartlett, winning the award has already produced tangible benefits. “Because it’s seal of approval form the industry, it has given us invaluable PR, and that has also meant an enormous return in the recruitment process,” she explains. “Specifically, it means we are able to recruit the right people who value the same things we do.”
Those values, she adds, include making everyone feel a part of the business from day one, starting with induction.
Each employee is given a full introduction to Bartlett Mitchell, where they learn about the company’s culture and values, and within their first month staff are invited for a visit to head office, for a tour and introductions to directors.
June Harvey, Bartlett Mitchell’s HR and training manager, points out that induction is one of the most important parts of the recruitment process. “The highest percentage of people leave in the first three months, and that’s usually down to a poor induction, so you have to make sure staff are happily bedded in,” she says. “In contract catering, people can also become very isolated in their own sites so it’s important they understand how their position works within the company as a whole.”
TUPE TRANSFERS
In particular, special attention is paid to TUPE staff, who join when the company takes over an existing contract. To smooth the process, the company has introduced a change-management coaching policy just for TUPE employees, which has proved a success, already boosting retention rates to 82%. “It can be a real culture shock for some who come to us via TUPE,” Harvey comments. “They are not necessarily familiar with us, or they might be joining against their will, so it’s vital we get them settled in properly. If we don’t, staff will simply up and leave.”
Training and development, or “continuous learning” as the company calls it, is another priority. All staff are encouraged to follow courses either related to their particular job role or career interest, and a variety of learning methods are available, from online workshops to evening classes.
Last year, the company also organised its first external training open day at its Canary Wharf site – 28 staff signed up to do NVQs in food prep and hospitality skills. A second open day is planned for early this year.
For catering and chef managers, the company’s management development programme, “Steps and Strides” is recognised by the Institute of Hospitality and runes four modules: team development, effective leadership, managing teams and influencing skill. The aim, according to Harvey, is to boost confidence and develop people skills, rather than just focus on technical ability.
“We’ve found that lots of companies just look at legislative training and cooking, but good management skills are so important these days,” she explains. “We’re not in the 1980s – people don’t want to be barked at – and encouraging our managers to develop their teams has a serious impact on things such as attendance, service standards and general morale.”
Elsewhere, “cup of tea” training, or bite –sized sessions, delivered by busy, time-pressured managers in subjects such as motivation have proved successful. An as a result of demand from staff, this year the company is introducing IT evening sessions, covering Word, Excel and Powerpoint.
“So many people wanted to do IT that finding cover for day shifts was just impossible, but after asking staff what they wanted, we found that people were willing to come after work, “Harvey says. “It was seen as a real personal development thing. Most people are really keen to develop their computer skills so we are now running two evenings a month for any member of staff that wants to do it.”
With a real cultural mix at work – the company employs people from more than 23 nationalities – diversity training has become a priority. Diversity issues are now covered in every staff induction, and regular equal opportunities and anti-bullying workshops are also held throughout the year.
OPPORTUNITIES
For Harvey, there are clear benefits to doing this. “We talk about maximising opportunities to staff and managers, and how you can avoid missing out on potential pools of talent and skills through employing a diverse workforce,” she explains. “Sometimes there are squabbles between teams, so this kind of training is very important in resolving issues and breaking down barriers.”
When it comes to attracting candidates, using online recruitment sites has proved worthwhile, particularly with non-UK based candidates, and the company is also in the process of building up a database of previous applicants. A “refer-a-friend” scheme, where employees are rewarded with £500if they suggest a successful appointment, also works well.
However, Harvey admits that recruitment is an ongoing challenge. “It’s not always easy to find quality candidates. In the next couple of years, we are also going to have to work particularly hard to attract and retain teams because of opportunities coming up elsewhere with the Olympics,” she points out.
Retention is less of an issue than recruitment. Staff turnover, at 18%, is impressively low compared with industry standard, and last year, the company started its first – long service awards, publicly celebrating those who have stayed for longer than five years.
Other benefits for staff include the Feel Good Fund, which rewards those who have gone the extra mile at work with gift vouchers, not to mention flexible working, free lunches, discounted shopping via company perks programme, personal birthday cards and presents for all staff, and an extra paid day off for their birthday after three years.
EXTRA HOLIDAY
Employees can also trade in their annual pay increase and choose to have extra holiday allowance instead, and the company also provides a confidential free counselling hotline for personal or work issues. It is also in the process of introducing a health shield system, where staff can claim back expenses on dental and health care.
Looking ahead, despite the positive HR policies, low turnover and a Best Places award under the company’s belt, Harvey is keen to stress that there is no room for complacency. “We pride ourselves on looking after our people so regularly reviewing our benefits and our “small company” culture is vital. That’s why taking part in Best Places was a great exercise for us: it has really made us focus on what makes us different to other employers,” she explains.
The awards has also encouraged some positive feedback from staff. “One new team member who transferred into us under TUPE commented that they had never worked anywhere before that focused so strongly on their people and really felt we deserved it!”

“It’s a seal of approval from the industry, and it means we are able to recruit the right people who value the same things we do “Wendy Bartlett
“In the next couple of years we’re going to have to work particularly hard to attract and retain teams because of opportunities coming up elsewhere with the Olympics”

Do it like Disney
What you can learn from the customer-service giant

“Whatever you do, do it well,” said Walt Disney, and for anybody who has visited a Disney property it’s obvious one of the things they do – and do well –is customer service.

The Disney Institute, which was created to provide business solutions and insights to other industries, has been working with restaurants, recently showing up in New Orleans to help restaurants get ready for the onslaught of Super Bowl customers.

“We value customer service as much as any capital investments we make,” says Bruce Jones, programming director for the Disney Institute, based in Orlando, Florida. Following, Jones shares seven tips on how to create the best possible customer service in your restaurant.

1. Hire for attitude
“Our philosophy is we prefer to hire for attitude and train for aptitude,” says Jones.

When interviewing candidates, pay attention to personality: does the potential employee smile, make eye contact, seem approachable, ready and willing, and have a good posture. “It shows as part of who they are rather than it being an effort,” says Jones. “We’re looking for that natural ability to provide customer service.”

You can also test job applicant during the interview by asking them to describe a scenario in which they delivered exceptional customer service. Listen closely as they talk to you through that experience, Jones says. “What you’re listening for is the moment they really emphasize and then ask them why that moment was important. Because what you’re testing for is not only how they delivered great customer service, but why. The why tells you why it’s a value for them.”

2. Don’t neglect temporary workers
Many restaurants have seasonal busy times, during which you’ll be welcoming new customers and hiring new employees. The letter may be coming to work for you for the short-term but don’t take the hiring or training process lightly, Jones says.

These employees will often be serving first-time customers,” and the first time has to be great time,” explains Jones, “especially now that consumers can share their experiences with everyone on social media.” So ensure temporary workers are hired and trained with the same rigorous standards as full-time employees so customer service doesn’t slip.

3. Role play
On their first day, new hires at Disney restaurants are taught the company’s common purpose:” We create happiness by providing the finest in entertainment to people of all ages, everywhere. ”They then role-play and are walked through the entire dining experience, beginning in the parking lot.

“Through this they realize that every interaction from someone providing service results in some kind of emotion,” Jones says. “So we put employees in the shoes of the guest so they can feel how it is. They often come up with ways to make [customer service] better during this training.”

4. Seek perfection
Working for Disney means being held to high standards.

Jones cites the example of Walt Disney asking mechanics to ensure that some tiki birds, one of the attractions at Disneyland, would appear to breathe so they were as realistic as possible. The mechanic told him that was too much perfection. Walt’s response? “People can feel perfection.”

The little things you do – the flowers in your flowerbed, the tissues in the ladies’ room, a new picture on the wall – are part of providing excellent customer service through perfection. And your guests notice each of these things – consciously or subconsciously – as great customer service.

5. Listen to employees
If you listen to suggestions from your employees they feel appreciated and part of your restaurant.

As the eyes and ears of the company, frontline employees also know what customers think, explains Jones.

The creation of Disney Parks and Resorts’ FastPass, to allow guests to bypass long lines by booking a time to visit attractions, was a direct result of this. “It creates an environment of trust that leader will take action based on input from the team,” says Jones. Listening to employees’ feedback also improves customer service by giving guests what they need before they even realize themselves.

6. Reward behaviour you want to see repeated
Harking back to Walt Disney’s original tenets for success, which were founded on values – based leadership, today Disney restaurants have several reward and recognition programs.

One is very simple – managers are provided with cards, which they hand to servers when applicable, to thank them for excellent customer service. Every months the cards are put into a box for a drawing to win a prize.

“Employees are rewarded for behaviour that it would be good to repeat,” Jones says.

7. Don’t forget the phone
Often the first experience customers have with your restaurant is when they call to find out information or to make a reservation. Customer service is tantamount, says Jones.

“That initial phone call – if they get a pleasant, smiling person who is knowledgeable and gives them insight – creates a feeling of this being a different sort of place. That phone call is the introduction to the relationship.”