Staff shortages are damaging customer experience

The cracks caused by staff shortages are really beginning to show as customer service within hospitality slips. According to new consumer and hospitality staff research by KAM Media for pointOne, which reveals that customer experience, particularly in QSR, is being damaged by the current crisis.

In their survey of 500 QSR customers and 100 frontline staff, nearly two in three customers had noticed venues they have visited being short-staffed over the last three months and one in five said they’d waited longer to be seated and served than normal.

Staff too are beginning to feel the strain, with 59% of staff admitting that customer experience in hospitality is suffering in their venue due to lack of staff. The research suggests that the knock-on effect of shortages is also leading to an overload of work on existing staff and subsequent stress and dissatisfaction, with an alarming 64% of staff saying that working in hospitality is less enjoyable now than it was pre-pandemic.

Far from feeling threatened by it, venues embracing time-saving technologies would improve their job satisfaction, says 64% of hospitality staff. 94% of them are confident that technology can help them do their job.

Blake Gladman, Strategy & Insights Director at KAM, said: “Given current staff shortages, tight budgets and supply chain issues, the pressure is really on for operators to ensure that their staff have the time and space in which to ‘look after’ the fundamental customer demands and consistently deliver the experience their customers expect. Staff obviously only have a finite amount of time so it’s critical they are focused on the areas which will deliver the greatest return. Quality and relevant training, great leadership, and company culture as well as emerging technology are all critical enablers here.”

Steve Rolfe, founder at pointOne said: “Hospitality has taken a hammering since restaurants were forced to close their doors last March and since then the need to quickly adjust operations has been relentless. As we emerge out of this pandemic with the latest pressures of staff shortages, it may not feel like the ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ moment we were looking for, but this could be a timely fork in the road for many operators. It offers a fantastic opportunity to completely re-evaluate their operation and implement automation tools that can free up employees’ time for the part of the job they really love, which is giving the customer a great experience.”

The demand for the ‘human touch’ and connection is still absolutely at the heart of a memorable customer experience and in fact has grown in importance post-pandemic, even in a QSR environment; more than 40% of customers saying staff friendliness and also knowledge is even more important to them now compared with 20 months ago.

Customers are desperate for service with a smile with 1-in-3 wanting staff to pro-actively engage with them, even in a QSR environment. However, more than 1-in-10 just want to be left alone while in a venue, with minimal contact with staff. Customers who want the most interaction from staff are women (compared with men), customers with children and perhaps surprisingly Generation Z; only 7% said they prefer to be left alone by staff compared with 17% of over 55 years olds.

Gladman comments: “Outstanding customer experience in hospitality demands a human touch. It requires empathy, flexibility and passion. These skills can be harder to train and take a greater level of emotional and intellectual knowledge to deliver effectively. Operators need to create an environment in which these skills can flourish. The danger of having too many processes and menial tasks for staff to deal with is that they can negatively impact the capacity for them to connect with customers.”

Rolfe comments: “We know that hospitality is not the most desirable career path for many, a challenge the industry must conquer, but knowing that a better use of tech can ultimately take away a lot of the tasks that are less desirable and make a career in hospitality about actually delivering hospitality to customers is a valuable thing.”

The independent research commissioned by pointOne has been published in a white paper, People + Tech: A New Era of Customer Experience in QSR, available to download here.

The original version of this article was first published on The Caterer

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Former MasterChef judge helps launch new hospitality scholarship at Dundee and Angus College

Ulster University bucks trend with multi million pound hospitality school to beat post-Brexit skills shortage

With the pandemic and Brexit having exacerbated the UK’s hospitality skills shortage, industry leaders have said it is essential institutions continue to offer professional hospitality courses as they do in Europe.

A university in Northern Ireland is opening a multi-million pound hospitality school and cultural hub, which will help combat the sector’s post-Brexit hospitality skills shortage.

Ulster University Business School has spent £360m on a new campus, with a considerable portion being used to create a specialist centre for would-be chefs, restaurant managers and hospitality entrepreneurs.

While other institutions are closing their culinary arts programmes, Academy: the Centre for Food, Drink and Culture features a commercial restaurant and bar among its facilities.

Hospitality consultant Donald Sloan, the chair of the centre’s steering group, said the investment is more crucial than ever.

“Our industry has suffered from massive underfunding and still there is this perception that hospitality isn’t deserving of investment such as this,” he told i.

“This project goes against the grain – I think one good thing to come out of an awful two years is how valuable and necessary our pubs and restaurants are. But we need skilled people to work in them.

“Elsewhere, universities are cutting funding. This signifies a long-term commitment and I think it will have an enormous impact.”

In September 2019, one of the country’s then leading university hospitality schools closed its training restaurant, despite a widespread public outcry.

Oxford Brookes Restaurant, which formed part of the Oxford School of Hospitality Management, pulled the plug “following a formal consultation process and careful consideration”.

In the same year, The Advertiser reported Derby University’s Buxton campus would be stopping courses in hospitality, tourism and events management, displacing hundreds of students.

With the pandemic and Brexit having exacerbated the UK’s skill pool, industry leaders have said it is essential institutions continue to offer professional hospitality courses as they do in Europe.

Professor Una McMahon-Beattie, head of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Ulster University, said: “We’re one of the oldest departments in the UK and Ireland and this investment means we’ve built an amazing new learning environment for students.

“Ulster has a long tradition of hospitality. Now, we’ve gone so much further, and have a fully immersed hospitality environment with a restaurant, kitchen, bar, board room, and visitor centre.

“This is one of the biggest educational developments in Europe currently, with world-class facilities.”

The original version of this article was first published on the iNews

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Hospitality Rising recruitment campaign launches £5m fundraise

Hospitality Recruitment Campaign, Hospitality Rising, led by ex Pret a Manger and YO! Sushi marketer Mark McCulloch to tackle the sector’s talent crisis, has launched a £5m fundraise.

McCulloch hopes to create a high-profile Hospitality Recruitment Campaign to attract more talent into the industry as it starts to recover following the pandemic.

Hospitality Rising has already raised £200,000 pre fundraising launch from a range of companies including Côte, Peach Pubs, Wild Flor, Butlin’s, Rhubarb Hospitality Group, Hilton, Buzzworks, Pizza Pilgrims, Wahaca, Arc Inspirations, Loungers, Coal Shed, Marugame Udon, Hawksmoor, Punch Pubs and PizzaExpress.

The campaign has also secured £250,000 worth of pro bono creative strategy time and concept development from a clutch of top agencies via the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising, led by Julian Douglas. He has pulled together advertising agencies including VCCP, Ogilvy and Forever Beta that work with brands such as O2, Cadbury, Burger King, Coca Cola, Google and Amazon.

McCulloch said: “The support we’ve had from the industry and some of our marketing contacts has been amazing. We now need to raise enough money to really land a high profile that will both attract people back into the industry or make those who haven’t considered our sector as a viable, exciting, creative and rewarding career.”

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, added: “We’re very pleased to be working closely with Mark and Hospitality Rising to develop and promote a comprehensive campaign to address chronic labour and skills shortages in the hospitality industry with a range of short and long-term plans, and in particular to raise awareness of the need for all-important campaign funding. It has our full backing and we’re excited to see such early and positive momentum.”

The original version of this article was first published on the caterer

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Hotel Cateys 2021 winners revealed

UK hotel investment market set for bumper 2022 driven by return of international visitors

Hospitality boost in 2022 predicted after confidence in the UK hotel investment market is rising with the volume of transactions forecast to reach £4.5b in 2022, according to property firm Savills.

This would beat the 15-year average of £4.22b and demonstrate a growing appetite among investors for UK hotels.

However, there is already some recovery in the market with transaction volumes in 2021 set to total £4.1b, which is 78% higher than in 2020.

The return of international visitors could see a hospitality boost in 2022 rise to 75% of pre-Covid levels by the end 2022, Savills has predicted.

Robert Stapleton, head of hotel transactions at Savills, said: “Activity in 2022 will be supported by more stock coming to the market and improving operational performance, particularly in London which has lagged the trajectory of the UK’s regional markets.

“The return of international visitors has been long awaited and we are already seeing the positive effects that growing international arrivals are having on the hospitality industry.”

Savills said environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors would become increasingly important for hotel operators, developers and investors in 2022 and beyond, with ESG compliant properties likely to see tighter yields due to a rise in demand.

Stapleton added that though there was a “weight of money” looking to be spent in the sector, recovery could be delayed by operational challenges and uncertainty around rising Covid rates in the UK.

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Consultation launched into banning single-use plastic cutlery and plates

Single-use plastics in hospitality such as plates, cutlery and food containers could all be banned in England after the government launched a public consultation into the issue.

Items such as expanded polystyrene cups could also be phased out in a bid to eliminate avoidable plastic waste.

Environment secretary George Eustice said it was time to leave the UK’s “throwaway culture” behind “once and for all”.

It is estimated that 1.1 billion single-use plates and 4.25 billion items of single-use cutlery are used in England every year, but only 10% are recycled.

Under proposals in the 12-week public consultation, businesses and consumers will need to move towards more sustainable alternatives.

Possible future policy measures could include banning plastic in certain items and introducing mandatory labelling on packaging to help consumers dispose of items correctly.

Eustice said: “These new plans represent the next major step in eradicating the use of problematic plastics that pollute our natural world.”

Ministers are planning a range of legislation to tackle pollution as part of the Environment Act, which became law earlier this month. Consultations on introducing a deposit return scheme for drinks containers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and requiring packaging producers to cover the cost of dealing with waste were held earlier this year.

A separate call for evidence is to be launched on tackling other commonly used plastic products such as single-use cups, sachets and wet wipes.

A government ban on single-use plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds came into force in England in October 2020 and a tax on plastics that don’t meet a minimum threshold of at least 30% recycled content is due to be introduced from April 2022.

The sale of single-use plastics in hospitality such as straws, cutlery and polystyrene cups and food boxes is to be banned in Scotland from June 2022.

The original version of this article was first published on the caterer

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Be Inclusive Hospitality launches second industry survey

Be Inclusive Hospitality has launched its 2021 Inside Hospitality Survey to understand how diversity and inclusion in hospitality may have changed over the past 12 months.

The first was launched in November 2020, surveying employees and entrepreneurs from all backgrounds and career levels, in alignment with the social enterprise’s mission to accelerate race equity and equality by exploring topics including bias, career progression, inclusion and education. The results of the survey found half of hospitality professionals from Black, Asian or Ethnic Minority backgrounds had experienced racism at work.

This year’s diversity and inclusion in hospitality survey has set out to understand the status quo within all areas of hospitality including contract catering, pubs, bars, hotels and restaurants by benchmarking 2020 with 2021 results, facilitating learning and informing actions.

The Inside Hospitality Report will be published in March 2022 and will become a free of charge resource for the industry due to sponsorship.

Lorraine Copes, Be Inclusive Hospitality founder, said: “Coming out of a pandemic in 2021 has naturally meant that cash in some instances has acted as a barrier to purchase the report for some organisations. We wanted to remove this challenge and encourage all companies within the industry to share this survey amongst all employees at all levels. I truly believe that in order to move the dial forward on equity, diversity and inclusion we must really understand the problems that we are all working towards addressing”.

To take part in the survey, click here.

Be Inclusive Hospitality is a not-for-profit with a mission to drive education, amplify voices, build a strong community and accelerate racial equality in the hospitality sector.

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The Greyhound Beaconsfield launches hospitality mentoring scheme

The Greyhound pub and restaurant in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, has launched a hospitality mentoring scheme aiming to encourage more young people to consider careers within the hospitality industry.

As part of the Greyhound Hospitality Programme (GHP), proprietor Daniel Crump will run a series of talks in schools, outlining his experience in the hospitality industry and demonstrating what it takes to work both front of house and in the kitchen.

Crump will also be accompanied by members of the Greyhound team, including head chef James Askew and co-proprietor and sommelier Margriet Vandezande-Crump.

As well as teaching young people about the importance of hospitality and informing them about opportunities within the sector, students will also be invited to the restaurant for hands-on training.

Each student will have their own plan of action depending on their interests, with opportunities to shadow chefs and other kitchen staff, as well as front of house and bar staff.

Daniel Crump said: “We’re excited to connect with the next generation of hospitality professionals and promote what this industry is all about.

“As well as being there to mentor students and assist in any advice they may need, we hope to also offer talented young people the opportunity to work with the Greyhound in the future.

“I know how this sector can open so many doors for people who are keen to learn, develop and travel the world.”

Margriet Vandezande-Crump added: “The industry is so much more than just a job people do to fill gaps in their careers. It offers experiences which are second to none. We cannot wait to start sharing some of our stories with the next generation.”

The original version of this article was first published on the caterer

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