It really does p....s me off sometimes

I’ve just seen several LinkedIn posts from hotels down south proudly sharing that they’ve taken their sales team away for a two day retreat to bounce around ideas and come up with strategies.

Now don’t get me wrong I’m not here to knock the sales team. Sales has its place. It’s important. We all need strategies, ideas, business development. But here’s the bit that stings.

We’re spending thousands sending the sales team on retreats… while the very people who deliver the service, who are the experience, are forgotten.

When was the last time you took your housekeeping team or your F&B team away for two days of development?
When was the last time your room attendants, bartenders, or breakfast staff were given the chance to sit around a table and share their ideas the ones they form while actually dealing with guests every single day?

You see, sales teams sell a promise.

But it’s your teams on the ground who have to deliver that promise often without the recognition, training, or investment they deserve.

I once had a conversation with a lady who worked in hotel sales. I asked her a basic question:
Can you tell me about your restaurant? She couldn’t. She had no idea. She worked in the building but couldn’t name a signature dish, the head chef, or even how many tables there were.
That’s not her fault. it’s the system’s fault. We’re separating people into silos, and then we wonder why the guest journey feels disconnected.

So let me say this clearly.
If you truly want to increase your sales start with the people who interact with your guests every single day. Take them away for a few days. Train them. Inspire them. Listen to their ideas.
They’re the ones who can upsell without sounding like a pitch. They’re the ones who create the memories that bring guests back. They’re your natural brand ambassadors not because it’s on their business card, but because they live it every day.

Yes, Sales is important. But service sells far more powerfully than any brochure ever will.

So invest in your people. Not just the ones in the boardroom -but also the ones in the boots, behind the bar, in the laundry, on the floor.

They’re not just part of your operation. They are your operation. And they deserve just as much investment as anyone else.

Trevor Walford - Helping Restaurants Shine Worldwide | Service Training, Mentoring & Coaching | Discreet Secret Shopper Feedback

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