Theater Sets Stage For Domina Staff

By Staff -- HOTELS Magazine, 3/1/2007

The executive team at Domina Hotel Group, Milan, likens the interaction between staff and guests at each of their hotels to a stage performance. So, what better way to train them in customer service than to actually produce a theatrical experience, role playing potential service scenarios?

Last December, Domina gathered the staff from two of its hotels at the Domina Inn Alaska in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, to train in a theatrical laboratory setting. Operational leaders, department managers, chefs, receptionists, maids, waiters and all other staff members in constant contact with customers collaborated, worked and acted together for two days, learning how to give guests an ameliorated service experience. "We realized that the staff attitude during guest contact was not appropriate in terms of communication styles," says Claudio Cecchini, vice president and director of human resources for Domina Hotel Group. "We are convinced that the hotel is like a stage where every single employee is in charge of his daily performance. The company writes the rules, but employees apply them with their personal styles. We want our employees giving regularly the best performance adapting the rules to each single different customer coming to our hotels."

Groups at the workshop were given plot lines based on hotel life and a description of the characters to be played. Each group is asked to develop one of these cases, producing a short performance presented to the other groups. The sessions were organized by an Italian consulting firm called RSO.

"We are excited and satisfied about this innovative learning methodology," Cecchini says. "Theater and drama make organizational skills grow through a relation game, making people feel part of a group, thus learning how to listen and interact successfully." He adds that this program provides a unique experience. "For so many people to be in front of a camera for the first time in their life is a very significant value to be added to their bag of technical and professional experience," he says.

The cost of the program has been split over the duration of the first 10 sessions. Total costs, Cecchini estimates, will be around US$125,000, and well worth the investment. Feedback from employees has been very positive. Regarding service levels, Cecchini says it is a little bit early to measure, but the company will do it regularly starting in April. "Return on investment will be guest satisfaction increasing day by day," he says. "It will be employee satisfaction increasing day by day. It will be the repeat guests coming back to our hotels increasing month by month. It will be the operational profit increasing day by day."

The project will continue throughout 2007 in all Domina properties to make staff members feel part of a group that is even more enthusiastic and willing to serve its guests the Domina experience, according to Cecchini. The next session will include more than 1,000 employees. "We discussed this project during one of our executive committee meetings at the corporate level, but this is something I had in my mind since 1995 as part of the Domina Hospitality School project," he says.

In fact, Domina Hotels & Resorts is the only group in Italy to boast its own hospitality school. Other than internal training, it offers internships focused on the tourism industry, hospitality master's degrees and management courses and training for professionals in the industry who want to improve their competence and skills. Domina will be soon dedicating itself to the education of students willing to enter the hospitality industry through the Domina Hospitality School project.

REAL TIME COACHING

At Hotel Teatro in Denver, management is using the expertise of communications guru Harrison Monarth to train staff on the nuances of enhancing the guest experience.

Monarth, director of training and brand development, aims to create a tailored experience for every guest, fulfilling any wish, no matter how unusual or extraordinary. To achieve this level of bespoke service, Monarth is providing training to all members of the Hotel Teatro team and runs regular small group seminars for Teatro staff and management on topics such as "Creating Unforgettable Experiences." Guests benefit immediately from this real-time coaching through the staff's heightened ability to respond to the needs of a highly discerning clientele