'Reach for the Stars'

Malta-based CHI Hotels and Resorts, operator of Corinthia Hotels worldwide and exclusive operator of Wyndham and Ramada Plaza branded hotels in Europe, Middle East and Africa, has embarked on a pathway of development, concentrating its efforts and talent on training and developing its team members within all of its internationally branded hotels.

For CHI, last year was a year of intensive research and development, aimed at targeting and identifying the current trends and needs of its customers within the everchanging hospitality sector. The result was the development of its '123s' operational corporate training programmes for its hotel team members worldwide.

Often, going back to basics and taking a systematic approach towards learning skills ultimately results in team members gaining confidence on their job as well as building on customer relationships. These training programmes are therefore a catalyst in further developing the individual team members' career prospects.

The mechanics behind the training modules are simple and yet instrumental in enhancing performance levels and return guest ratio combined with a recruitment selection based mostly on the positive attitude of potential candidates - 'Think like a customer' forms the basis of the 123's training series, that significantly has been endorsed by the Institute of the Hospitality Industry of the UK.

On June 18, CHI team members celebrated their first 'Reach for Stars' graduation day, which was organised by the company's corporate training and development manager, together with the talent members at CHI's head office in Floriana.

On this occasion, 37 departmental operational coaches were certified as trainers within the Malta hotels. These trainers had been previously selected on the criteria of positive attitude, willingness to help others, optimum service delivery skills and excellent job knowledge. This nucleus of qualified trainers now looks forward to instilling the true values of CHI hotels and resorts among colleagues in each hotel.

The award ceremony took place amid a firmament of glowing stars and upbeat motivational sounds and visuals that afforded the graduates an amusing look back at their training period. CHI's chief executive officer and managing director Tony Potter presented certificates in the presence of Corinthia Group co-founders Joe, George and Victor Pisani.

Congratulating the newly qualified trainers Mr Potter said: "At a time when the industry is experiencing a lull in business due to the current economic situation, it is encouraging to see so much trust, initiative and enthusiasm emerge from our very own ranks, both in terms of our talent teams at our corporate office and our hotels across all our brands, namely Corinthia, Wyndham, Ramada Plaza and independent properties.

"Many team members are heeding our call to come forward and grasp this opportunity to improve their skills and train their colleagues in readiness for the upsurge in business levels that is bound to follow these lean times."

During the ceremony, another key training programme was launched, targeting specifically the international Corinthia five-star brand. The 'Spirit of Corinthia Hospitality Worldwide' is a cultural training programme focusing on all team members, including top management. It is due to be launched within the third quarter of this year.

Training and development at CHI hotels and resorts is set to flourish further and will now extend towards leadership development programmes for all senior executives. The essence will be to develop selected executives into potential general managers, as well as to further extend the knowledge and leadership skills of existing general managers.

E-development is another important area of training that is being explored.

In collaboration with Ecornell, which was established by Cornell University of the US to offer the most comprehensive online, professional and executive development curriculum possible, executive management teams from within CHI-operated hotels can enroll into specific certified online training programmes that will enable them to gradually enhance their development throughout the year.

These online programmes are highly interactive and involve strong participation between participant and lecturer. Other programmes targeted at shop-floor and supervisory levels are also currently being uploaded onto CHI's e-development website.

Enthusiasm, talent, research and business acumen are the ingredients behind the creation of CHI's training programmes, which, together with the output of the company's operational coaches and management teams, make training a key fundamental issue at CHI Hotels and Resorts.

Ms Ellul-Mercer is CHI training and development manager.