hen Jean Michel Offe calls the program “We Commit,” that is just what he is talking about: commitment. Launched in May 2005, the We Commit initiative gives the sales staff at Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts a full curriculum of food and beverage training. More than just a 152-hour training program, it is a way for Shangri-La to demonstrate its commitment toward event sales professionals eager to expand their knowledge. At the same time, the education effort encourages staffers to commit to the hotel.

This innovative program introduces sales professionals to the back-room operations that typically are not a significant part of their professional experience. Now they can see it before they try to sell it.

“The program not only aims to build a knowledgeable sales force,” says Offe, Shangri-La’s group director of food and beverage, “it fosters a more cohesive work relationship between sales personnel and the operation teams.”

FIVE KEY AREAS
The subject matter is broken down into five key areas: food, beverage, banquet operations, audiovisual, and stewarding. Each module contains a series of exceptionally detailed study topics. The food component, for instance, includes basic cooking methods, regional cuisines, food trends, herbs and spices, pastries and bakeries, the Shangri-La food safety management system, and so on.

Offe describes the program as an almost inevitable result of a changing market situation. “The turnover of event sales [personnel] has become an unavoidable threat, especially in fast-developing countries such as China, while competition remains continuously brutal,” he says.

Within this environment, a training course for sales staff becomes an integral piece of the overall corporate strategy. “As events business continues to be a key focus of the group’s development, we envision a need to develop a structured system to provide effective and pragmatic training to enhance the knowledge of our sales team.”

All new members of the event sales team must go through the program and must be certified before they can pass out of their probationary period. So far, about 350 staffers have experienced the training since its inception.

THE PROCESS
Shangri-La properties are all equipped with We Commit training DVDs, and department heads typically act as trainers. They also design the particulars of the coursework.

Classes often are based on a hotel’s target market, taking into consideration the particular strengths and weaknesses of the sales team and addressing those needs. Instructors try to keep the classes small in order to make lessons as effective as possible.

Instructors also try to mix up the coursework, offering a combination of classroom learning and hands-on experiences, though Offe says the majority of subjects include practical components and that instructors try to go the hands-on route as often as possible. It’s “more fun” that way, he says.

The classes may be fun at times, but this program is meant to be serious business. “Banquet revenues contribute a significant portion of the group’s overall food and beverage revenues and profits,” says Offe. “As the competition becomes increasingly ferocious, a knowledgeable sales force is crucial.”

THE RESULTS
The dollar figures suggest We Commit may indeed be making a difference. During the program’s first year at the Kowloon Hong Kong property, Shangri-La saw a 12 percent increase in guests, a 10 percent increase in average spending, a 41 percent increase in profits, and a 25 percent increase in revenue.

In addition to these promising revenue metrics, the program also delivers less tangible benefits.

Offe believes the program is succeeding when he sees an improved working relationship between sales staff and operations. It’s subjective, true, but it’s also a crucial measure. An event “is all about teamwork,” he says. “You can never be successful by working hard by yourself.”

This matter of improved working relationships is vital in the realm of event sales, which can become unnecessarily territorial at times. There are cases seen throughout the industry in which chefs and food and beverage directors may feel the need to control the banquet or event environment, for example. Any resulting tug-of-war reduces productivity and generally takes people’s eyes off the ball.

The training regimen, therefore, aims to foster teamwork, in part by helping sales to better understand the overall picture of event production. With training, “a sales person understands it takes more than a phone call to order fish to feed 500 guests,” Offe says.

As outcomes go, the program also ought to drive improved efficiencies among salespeople as they become more confident in their ability to make decisions without having to check with other departments. Finally, success can be seen through the guest experience. “The guests benefit ultimately as they receive more professional and attentive service. This may sound intangible, but it’s happening every day,” Offe says.

There are tangible outcomes, too, as when an event draws a price above the minimum rate required to sell a menu or function room. When the contracted rate surpasses the minimum, Offe is ready to assume this upsell is the result of a sales staff that is better informed about its product.

Beyond these improvements, the program works in a big-picture way to ensure that Shangri-La keeps pace with changing times.

“Selling function space or event planning, unlike selling any other commodities, is fluid. It evolves over time, and there are always new trends and new practices,” says Offe. Ongoing training helps address that reality.

Underlying all of this is a recognition that hospitality itself is changing fast and becoming more competitive, even as products become more complex and diverse and customers become ever more demanding. Expectations rise, challenging staff to stay current in their knowledge.

And yet, within this changing environment, highly skilled people are getting harder to find, and keeping them on board for any length of time is that much harder. Companies throughout the industry are investing heavily in their recruitment efforts. But Offe suggests an equal commitment should be made on the training front.

Give people the chance to learn and grow, and they are more satisfied and thus more apt to stay with your organization. That way everyone wins. “Happier colleagues result in happier guests,” says Offe. “This rule has not changed much over time.”

Adam Stone is a frequent contributor to HOTEL F&B.