Hooray!! 🙌 You have a new Meeting and Events team member joining your hotel sales team!!! You finally filled that vacancy that means you can relieve the pressure, drive business forward and be more productive.
The next step, your induction…
When welcoming new starters to your hotel sales team, a thorough induction checklist ensures new employees are well-prepared, informed, and feel part of the team from day one. It helps them quickly understand their role and covers company culture and expectations, giving them the best start possible.
This article talks about what an induction checklist is, why it's important to have one, why it's useful for both new employees and managers, what to include in a checklist, the importance of sales training and our top 5 things to put on YOUR induction checklist.
What is an Induction Checklist?
An induction checklist is a structured guide used to ensure new employees receive a comprehensive and consistent induction to your hotel or venue. It outlines all the essential steps, tasks, and information that new starters need to get to know the business and their role.
It should include introductions to key team members, an overview of company policies and procedures, training on relevant systems and tools, a tour of the workplace, and a clear outline of job responsibilities.
Why it's important to have an induction checklist
By following an induction checklist, you can ensure that nothing is overlooked, helping new employees integrate smoothly, understand expectations, and feel welcome and prepared from their first day.
Your new employee is more likely to feel confident, engaged and aligned with business goals, leading to higher job satisfaction and lower turnover rates.
It ensures new employees understand your brand, values and operational procedures. A well-structured introduction promotes a positive work environment, encourages teamwork, enhances productivity and drives business growth.
Did you know, an induction checklist benefits new employees AND managers?
An induction checklist is invaluable for BOTH new employees and managers. For new employees, it provides a clear, structured road-map to navigate their first days and weeks, ensuring they receive all necessary information, training, and introductions.
For managers, the checklist ensures a consistent induction process for every employee, ensuring all actions are ticked off. It saves time, and allows managers to track progress easily.
For the whole team it enhances productivity, promotes a positive work environment, and sets the foundation for long-term success.
Have you included Hotel Sales Training on your induction Checklist?
I am hoping the answer to this is a firm Yes. Including hotel sales training in your induction plan for new starters is crucial for their success driving higher revenue and customer satisfaction. It ensures that new team members understand your sales strategies, target market, and unique selling points, enabling them to effectively communicate your offerings to potential clients.
Proper training boosts confidence, equips them with essential skills and knowledge to understand customer needs, negotiate effectively, and build long-term relationships.
It also promotes consistency in sales approaches, aligning all team members with the hotel's goals and standards in service delivery, maximising revenue opportunities, and enhancing guest satisfaction and loyalty.
Our top 5 things for your New Starter Induction Checklist!
So what could your induction checklist look like? From experience, I recommend you have at least the following 5 things on your induction checklist, assuming you have covered the initial IT requirements:
Day one has to include a departmental induction, this will instantly welcome them to the team and answer all the questions that we know are running around in their heads like “how do they book holiday”
Organise a tour of the hotel, and product knowledge training including the hotel's objectives, business strategy, event offering, food and beverage standards and how we enhance the guest experience.
Book in ‘meet the team’ one to one’s with the Operations team so they can understand the role of each specialised department, their responsibilities and how the role of the Meeting and Events team member impacts each department within the hotel.
Provide thorough training of your PMS and the Meeting and Event processes with the customer journey front of mind. Providing staff with the tools to support them with managing enquiries, conversion, event planning, invoicing, pre and post event communication, through to the date of the event taking place, will improve your customer service standards and increase your revenue.
Now that they appreciate the business strategy, how do they identify new business? A Meeting and Events team should be both reactive and proactive so do they know how to identify a sales lead?
Need support with your induction for your new meetings and events sales team members? At Vicky Roberts Hotel Support, we can provide one to one induction training for new meeting and event team members joining your hotel or venue. Also our extensive working knowledge of property management systems means we can also provide systems training and support too.
What else should your Induction Checklist cover?
Company policies such as health and safety procedures, confidentiality agreements, code of conduct employee benefits and payroll processes.
Set clear performance expectations and offer opportunities for questions and feedback.
Don't forget the little things:
Show them around staff areas like the kitchen, break rooms, and restrooms.
In your tour highlight emergency exits and first aid stations.
You could assign an "induction buddy" or a mentor, especially for managerial positions, to offer guidance and support.
Ensure their workstation is set up with necessary supplies.
Provide a welcome pack with essential information and contacts.
Schedule regular check-ins during the first few weeks to address any questions and ensure a smooth transition.
To Conclude
A thorough induction checklist ensures a seamless transition and alignment with company goals, saves you and your team time and money, promotes confidence, productivity, and job satisfaction among new employees whilst promoting consistency and efficiency across the business.
Remember sales training is a key element in the induction plan and equips employees with the skills to effectively represent the brand, understand customer needs, and drive revenue growth in the long run.
For a copy of our free comprehensive new starter induction checklist, contact us.