Training Articles

Staying composed during a guest's five-alarm freakout isn't something that always gets covered during your orientation. But with the right tools in your service toolkit, you can handle these high-pressure scenarios while keeping both your professional demeanor and sanity intact. Here's the inside scoop on staying cool when things get hot.

When constant retraining and rehiring is the norm, onboarding often focuses on “getting them started” rather than “getting them invested.” But promoting employee engagement and nurturing a desire for growth early on can reduce turnover and help build a strong, stable pipeline for future leaders. Here are 4 concrete ways to blend people-focused practices with supportive technology to optimize onboarding in your company.

In this CHART Talks Video, Donna Herbel recounts an experience of being mistaken for an employee at a store due to her friendly demeanor, going so far as to say "no, I don't work here, but how can I help?" which led to a broader discussion of hospitality. She believes that hospitality trainers have a superpower! We have collectively cracked the code on what hospitality means, and it comes down to establishing a connection, prioritizing clear communication, and seeking opportunities to be kind and create community. Hospitality is not just a profession but a way of life, and the world needs more of it. So go out and spread your superpower of hospitality not only in your professional life, but also into the world.

Omotenashi, a uniquely Japanese term often translated as “hospitality,” extends far beyond the typical Western understanding of the word. It embodies a selfless dedication to serving others, emphasizing genuine care and respect without expecting anything in return. After experiencing omotenashi during a work trip to Japan, I was struck by how setting clearer expectations in staff training could create a more genuine approach to hospitality. Here are my top 5 tips for incorporating the spirit of omotenashi in your own organization.

Meetings are essential for collaboration, but not all meetings are created equal. Knowing how to hold a purposeful and focused meeting can save time, create clarity, and drive action. Learn why identifying the meeting’s purpose ahead of time is crucial, the three key types of meetings, and practical tips for leading any meeting effectively.

The "Second Mile Service" philosophy at Chick-fil-A is about cultivating a magical aura around the business—creating an experience so exceptional that customers can't help but return. By focusing on personalization, surprise, and empathy, you too can create a lasting impression that elevates the customer experience beyond the industry standard. Here are some core principles and key takeaways that will help you get started.

Participating in the community service event with HOPES during CHART 106 Chicago made me rethink how we approach training new hires. Rather than teaching them to open the door and to smile, instead, we should start with personal responsibility and attitude... and maybe a recipe or two (check out the full article for my favorite family recipe). This experience reinforced my belief that we can improve our industry and the world through meaningful connections and a focus on bringing hospitality to every moment in our day-to-day lives.

At CHART 106 in Chicago, Wisetail President Ali Knapp and Fox Restaurant Concepts’ Jay Hartwig facilitated a session that explored new ways to rethink learning to drive success. Key themes emerged from the discussions, offering actionable strategies for organizations aiming to foster learning and development (L&D).

Experiential learning is not just a buzzword – it’s a transformative way to train that leads to deeper understanding, stronger skills, and more confident teams. Moreover, it's simple to implement, highly effective, and can be adapted to fit any workplace setting. Let's take a deeper dive into what experiential learning is, how it works, and the simple steps you can take to implement experiential learning into your training programs to help your team grow stronger, more confident, and more prepared for whatever comes their way.

In this CHART Talks Video, Kim Carson outlines Rosen's revamped leadership training program, which is designed to replace traditional, lengthy sessions with 60-minute high-energy sessions. Acknowledging that employees no longer want to spend hours in classroom settings, the program focuses on developing both hard and soft skills necessary for effective leadership. Kim emphasizes the need to address the diverse generational landscape in the workplace and to provide real-world tools, professional development, and inspiration for enhancing service. Notably, the "Give them a Pickle" video remains a favorite motivational tool!

Though hotel and restaurant employees are pros at engaging with guests, these skills don't necessarily translate to professional networking, where the stakes are higher and connections are long-term. Effective networking can open doors to career opportunities, mentorships, and collaborations that propel your professional growth, not to mention creating a support system of like-minded peers and trusted advisors. The breakout by James Frank and Corban Nichols at CHART 106 Chicago, "Master the Art of More Impactful Conversations," had some excellent strategies to help with getting the conversation started. Here are some additional ideas to help you utilize impactful conversations to maximize your professional networking efforts.

It's hard to find the balance between hitting your personal and professional goals for 2024 while looking ahead to 2025 and beyond. Here's Felicia's advice: think strategically and consider which actions will have the most impact. Then, you can allocate your resources to those actions to finish out the year strong!