Sep
14
Years ago (more than I care to mention) when I was a student of hotel management (thinner, hairier, fitter and very stupid) I can remember going on a site visit to the kitchens of a University Hall of Residence. It was there that I first came across the phenomenon of employees not always appreciating the technology they're given to help them do a job better/quicker/more accurately/safer. In this case, the manager (or "Bursar" as they are sometimes called in this country) took us to see his lovely new pot wash unit, installed at a cost of a couple of thousand pounds. This was a very impressive bit of kit, with scrubbing gadgets and pressure jets - yes, it could truly take the misery out of washing pots.
So much so that someone had cut the electrical plug off it...
Somebody in the organisation didn't like the new gadget. This left £2,000 worth of kit sitting there doing nobody any good.
Fast forward a few years and it's still happening.
So much so that someone had cut the electrical plug off it...
Somebody in the organisation didn't like the new gadget. This left £2,000 worth of kit sitting there doing nobody any good.
Fast forward a few years and it's still happening.
Except that today, it's hotel software that's being compromised because someone in the organisation doesn't want to (or isn't given the resource to) make the best use of it.
This morning, we sat and stared each other out - me on one side of the table, my clients' head receptionist on the other.
"It's rubbish!" She exclaimed. "It just doesn't do what you said it would!"
"So when was the last time you used it?" I asked.
"Yesterday", she replied, fixing me with an icy stare.
I looked at the system logs. This software was last used five weeks ago. I pointed this out to Madame Head Receptionist.
"Well it's wrong then! See! I told you it was rubbish!"
To cut a long story very short, it turns out that Madame Head Receptionist doesn't like computers very much. She turned up for the training sessions we ran when we installed the software but asked no questions and avoided taking part in any of our training exercises, instead insisting that "her girls" be fully trained. This we did, however today only one of "her girls" is left and is far too busy doing other things. This means Madame has to operate the software herself - which she can't. She also can't ask for help, because in her world that would be a sign of weakness - her manager frowns on people who don't appear to be completely in control.
So, in order to appear in control, she did the modern day equivalent of cutting the plug off - she stopped using the software and didn't ask for any help to become familiar with it.
Fortunately, we've been able to revisit the training for this and Madame has grudgingly conceded that the software is in fact not rubbish and can save her many hours every week. Which is nice.
But it doesn't matter what you buy and install in your hotel, you've got to invest in the training too - and keep the training and communication going so we all sing from the same songsheet. Assets and technology are only part of the equation. The skills and know-how in your business walk out the door at the end of each shift. Without training and (positive) communication, those skills might not walk back in again to start the next shift.
Then where will your investment be? Sans plug perhaps?
This morning, we sat and stared each other out - me on one side of the table, my clients' head receptionist on the other.
"It's rubbish!" She exclaimed. "It just doesn't do what you said it would!"
"So when was the last time you used it?" I asked.
"Yesterday", she replied, fixing me with an icy stare.
I looked at the system logs. This software was last used five weeks ago. I pointed this out to Madame Head Receptionist.
"Well it's wrong then! See! I told you it was rubbish!"
To cut a long story very short, it turns out that Madame Head Receptionist doesn't like computers very much. She turned up for the training sessions we ran when we installed the software but asked no questions and avoided taking part in any of our training exercises, instead insisting that "her girls" be fully trained. This we did, however today only one of "her girls" is left and is far too busy doing other things. This means Madame has to operate the software herself - which she can't. She also can't ask for help, because in her world that would be a sign of weakness - her manager frowns on people who don't appear to be completely in control.
So, in order to appear in control, she did the modern day equivalent of cutting the plug off - she stopped using the software and didn't ask for any help to become familiar with it.
Fortunately, we've been able to revisit the training for this and Madame has grudgingly conceded that the software is in fact not rubbish and can save her many hours every week. Which is nice.
But it doesn't matter what you buy and install in your hotel, you've got to invest in the training too - and keep the training and communication going so we all sing from the same songsheet. Assets and technology are only part of the equation. The skills and know-how in your business walk out the door at the end of each shift. Without training and (positive) communication, those skills might not walk back in again to start the next shift.
Then where will your investment be? Sans plug perhaps?
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