APU Business Careers Careers & Learning

The State of Hospitality Customer Service

By Steven Cooke
Instructor, Hospitality Management at American Public University

Working on the MoveBaby Boomers are retiring and millennials are taking over the workforce. The word “millennial” is increasingly appearing on top trends and current issues lists as more and more managers and leaders are figuring out how to not only relate to the workforce, but how to maximize productivity. However, it doesn’t stop there. Not only are millennials taking over the workforce, they are also becoming the largest consumer group.

As the millennial generation becomes more influential, the state of hospitality customer service and training is calibrating its aim to this group. Though older generations have learned and adapted to evolving technologies permeating all aspects of life, the millennial generation has grown up expecting ever- increasing speed, convenience, and ease of use. So much so that Generation X’ers and Baby Boomers often confuse that expectation with laziness or as a sense of entitlement. This confusion is a result of misinterpretation. It isn’t that the millennial has to have it easy; they have every expectation it should be that way. In a world of voice commands and point- and- click technology, why would anyone have to go through the tedious effort of getting up and walking to the TV to change the channel? Accessibility and “plug- and- play” is the standard framing the millennial experience.

As consumers we have a higher expectation for speed. Kiosks are now commonplace at airports, while tablets are being used in restaurants to increase the speed of service and give guests control of their customer service. True, this may be seen as the next obvious level of service for all guests, but the underlying concern is how to adapt the level of service to their changing needs, which are rooted in speed of interactivity. Communication is measured in bytes- per- second, so why should people have to wait in line to check- in? It’s not that they are lazy, but that there is a different expectation. Service with a smile [engaging, positive human interaction] is still highly valued, but only when that service is needed.

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Another aspect is how to respond to the same expectations in managing the workforce. Not only should the workforce be enabled to respond quickly to the needs of the millennial consumer; the organization also has to respond to these needs. Just as the consumer expects to be engaged, so does the worker. Training the workforce is no longer lecture, and then assess performance. The Millennial worker cannot be expected to simply sit and listen. Training has to be engaging and interactive to draw the millennial worker in. They have existed in a social environment where communication is often limited to less than 140 characters, so information has to be capsulized to provide clarity and establish value in learning. The information provided has to clearly define expectations and link to desirable results to reduce any ambiguity. This will enable understanding and identification with the behaviors that are needed for their job roles.

The effect is that training will be conducted in modules. Rather than lecture new employees for several days about the organization and their job, training will focus on specific elements of their job and necessary behaviors. Expectations, results, appraisal metrics, and benefits will be defined within each module and correlations to organizational values and culture will be integrated within the module. Training elements will also integrate explanations of how workers can meet their own needs and continually establish value in the training experience, defining “what’s in it for me” more as “how fast will I gain” than “what do I gain”.

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Likewise, training leaders have to be ready to engage, interact, and provide feedback for the worker to continually develop and provide direct linkages from behavior [actions] to results. Learning has to be focused on developing, as well as enabling, the worker. The trainer is not an expert lecturer, but they are an orator versed in connecting with the audience. They are skilled and able to demonstrate skills and coach through recognizing variances of performance. In a world where “Likes” are the norm, trainers also have to be enchanting. They do not have to be the trainees’ friend, but they have to be able to present and teach through connecting with the audience and be relevant in their narrative, phrases, examples, and anecdotes, for example. They also have to remain upbeat and positive.

The implication is that training the millennial workforce is more focused on developing the worker within a role rather than placing the worker in a function. Hard work and perseverance have been ideals in the workplace for some time as workers were told that they could go as far as they want in the company with their toes on the line and nose to the grindstone. However, conceptual understanding of the job role and behavior is no longer viable as hard work has to be defined in terms of what will constitute the work, and what will the results be. Millennials are wary of long- term job advancement and career planning due to being a bystander for the years of recession and budget debates that marked their adolescence and early adult jobs. Many older Millennials were even the first targets for layoffs and scale- backs due to their length of employment and lack of seniority. Perception has shifted more to self-enrichment through the job because of the realization that building a stronger foundation now is best, and easier

About the Author

Steven Cooke holds a MBA in Management, concentrating on human resources and is an assistant professor for the Hospitality Management program within the School of Business at American Military University. He teaches several classes related to general management and restaurant operations management. Prior to teaching, Steven worked in the restaurant industry for several widely known brands as well as served with the 14th Eng. BN of the Triple Nickel at Fort Lewis and Tikrit. He is working on his doctorate degree, with research focused on the experience of leadership development and the influence of choice or volition on performance.

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