The Luxury of the Bellagio Las Vegas
The Bellagio in Las Vegas is a four star resort that captures the essence of Vegas. It combines elegance with old world charm to provide its guest with one of the most luxurious stays in this colorful city. The rooms are divided into guest rooms, suites and luxury villas. The rooms range from 510-626 square feet.
They are modern and well appointed. Each has modern amenities that one would expect at a 4-star establishment. (Bellagio) The suites are characterized by their decorating style and range from 800-4075 square feet. (Bellagio) Their styles appeal to executives and fun-seekers alike.
These are truly rooms to be indulged and service should follow accordingly. The villas are designed for guests that seek luxury and the best in life. The Bellagio website describes them as such. “Each of our 6,500 square foot, two bedroom, five bathroom Villas and 8,000 square foot, three bedroom/seven bathroom Villas feature an in-suite workout facility, a massage room, a private kitchen, a full bar stocked with guests favorite beverages, a duel fireplace, and a gorgeous private terrace and garden with a pool and a whirlpool. ” (Bellagio) Obviously these villas are designed for the most exclusive clientele.
The hotel itself is known for its beautiful fountains that dance on cue to music several times a day. Additionally, they house botanical gardens, pools and courtyards, art galleries and concierge service. A feature that should not be missed is the lobby ceiling adorned with a blown glass sculpture created by Dale Chihuly. Of course the hotel is known for its gambling floors and Cirque O is now housed within its buildings. Fine dining opportunities are offered in various price levels. This hotel is the embodiment of luxury, convenience and fine living. Training Program for Villa employees
The Villas require an employee that is versed in excellent service techniques as well as discretion. As this section of the hotel caters to our most exclusive guest, the service must mirror their expectations. This is a challenge as these are at times the most demanding of all our guests. There are three groups of employees—floor managers, guest service associates and cleaning personnel. The ongoing training starts with the first day of employment within the division. It is seen as an advantage to work in the Villas because of the high profile of our clientele.
Thus most of these employees are promoted from other divisions. They require two weeks of additional training before they are allowed to work with the customers. All require a background check. Training Objectives We employ a program that focuses on consistency, innovative techniques and dedication to upkeep of the reputation of the hotel. (Signature) The first phase is consistency. Each employee must be educated about the hotel’s visions and values. This will inform all their decisions as they need to act in accordance to those expectations. Floor Managers Our first step is to empower the floor managers.
The floor managers should start the day by reviewing their staff’s appearance. Each staff member should be briefed on the guests staying in the Villas and their anticipated needs. The floor manager can do this electronically (as in a daily webpage) or as a face to face meeting. This is the point in the day where the vision of the Bellagio is demonstrated and actualized. It is up to the floor manager to do this accordingly. The floor managers are usually promoted guest service associates. Their two week training session focuses on management techniques and personnel skills.
“Before I can hold my managers accountable for the performance of their staff, I have to make sure they know how to educate their employees. ”(Westminster) They are also shown what they are allowed to do. It is the hotel’s goal to solve altercations on that level before they are given to the general management. This is done in an interactive workshop environment and then reinforced with on-line activities and assessments. “eLearning can effectively deliver the theory behind your service philosophy along with the procedure and policy. ” (Duprey) This allows employees to be able to show their advancements both in person and on-line.
As well, the online resources provide a point where employees can check their progress and reference prior information. All of the training focuses on hands-on learning and working to resolve real world situations. (Westminster) In particular, floor managers are taken through a series of role-playing activities. The real world aspect of this part of the training is indispensable. Upper management can see exactly how they might solve a problem and assist them in making positive situations. (DeLollis) Once they are trained, they are given the job of training their guest service and cleaning personnel.
They are encouraged to share what they learned. They will be taught how to appeal to and train people with many different learning styles and skills. Guest Services and Cleaning Personnel The employees will be assessed in person and on-line. The cleaning personnel will be trained with hand-on modules and will be evaluated based on an on-site observation. They will work in tandem with an experienced cleaner for the first month of their service. Cleanliness is our top priority, so this is a major area of need. Each six months, employees will attend another training session.
The purpose of these follow up sessions are to critique their performance, provide them with new information and acknowledge their successes. At this point in their employment, they are offered incentives for retention. Their service is rewarded. For every additional training session they attend or online training they pursue, they will also receive rewards and incentives that lead to promotion and salary increase. Employee Value Each employee, whether manager or cleaner, is valued. Part of the training is to demonstrate this value and to show them their importance. This is done through incentives and awards.
(Atkinson) We believe the greater the share they have in the overall success of the hotel, the greater effort they will demonstrate. Along with that value, we also seek to challenge the employees. We feel this increases their sense of worth. We challenge them through task achievement, weekly goals, excellence performance levels, and as mentioned additional training incentives. We give the employees space to succeed. “Today’s workplace can be highly stressful, and the pace is unlikely to slow down. A key challenge is helping people learn in a highly stressful environment.
One way that companies can help is by providing learning opportunities that balance challenge and support. ” (Atkinson) The bottom line is that we want our employees to feel how important they are to the overall success of the team. We feel that the more training we provide, the more supported they feel. As employees make who we are, the Bellagio always provides opportunities for and expects feedback. We seek to create an environment that encourages open discussion and unfettered communication. In that spirit we have weekly meetings where the employees can voice concerns.
For more sensitive issues, there is an online journal employees can fill out and floor managers can answer. (Atkinson) We agree with Starwood resorts that although our buildings are beautiful, it is our people that create an unforgettable experience. “Our guests value the design of our hotels, but what they really remember are the people. Their loyalty was often to a specific employee who had gone out of their way for them. ” (DeLollis) Advantages and Disadvantages The employee training program is one with strength but can always be improved. As well, its goal has to be retention otherwise it is extremely expensive and ineffective.
The chart divides each section of the training process and assesses its effectiveness. It also discusses its disadvantages or areas that we can improve. Our hotel is about service people, thus our employee training is about service. Overall our goals are to ensure continuity, offer fresh and interesting training programs and demonstrate the value of our employees. It is absolutely essential that our managers are empowered to make decision. As well, they should be empowered to show their employees appreciation and recognize their growth and development. Working in this section of the hotel is seen as an accomplishment.
In order to maintain that mentality, we must focus our training program on what our employees need rather than what we want them to know. Working with the select clientele that the Bellagio attracts requires devotion and knowledge. This can only be developed through a comprehensive training program that consistently communicates value, growth and the image of the hotel. Works Cited Alejandro, C. “Employee Training, Incentives Boost Conservation Programs. ” Energy User News 4 October 1982. Atkinson, Tom. “Helping Hotel Employees Learn—Without Reservation. ” Hotel Executive. 2003 Cummins Communications 2 May 2008.
Bellagio Las Vegas. 2008. MGM Mirage. 2 May 2008 (www. bellagio. com). De Lollis, Barbara. “Hotels Train Employees to Think Fast. ” USA Today. 2006 USA Today 2 May 2008 (www. usatoday. com). Duprey, Robert. “Is eLearning On Your Hotel’s Training Menu? ” Hotel Online. Hotel Online 2 May 2008 (www. hote-online. com) Hotel and Motel Management. 2008 Questex Media Group. 2 May 2008 (www. hotelmotel. com). “Lodging Managers. ” Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2007 2 May, 2008 (www. bls. gov). Signature World Wide. 2006 Signature Inc. 1 May 2008 (www. signatureworldwide. com). Yahoo Travel. 2008. Yahoo! Inc. 2 May 2008 (travel. yahoo. com).
