Remember the kindergarten game called “telephone” where everyone sits in a circle and a secret is whispered from person to person? The secret might be something along the lines of, “I really like Frank’s shirt today.” But by the time the secret reaches the last person and is spoken aloud, it has transformed into, “I think Frank has really let himself go over the past few years. Maybe we should stage an intervention.”
For a hotel company’s communication efforts to be understood and therefore effective, there must be a plan in place to ensure every communication is received as intended. Don’t let this scare you. In reality, it can be as simple as asking who, what, where, when, why and how.
Ask these questions:
• Who will deliver the communication?
• What is the message?
• Where do team members receive the most information?
• When will the communication be sent?
• Why is this communication necessary? (Is it necessary at all?)
• How will the end user receive and use the message?
Who?
To give stability and consistency to the message, use just one person to speak for the organization. Too many people speaking for the organization might send the message of a lack of unity. If more than one person must be used for communications, limit it to just a few and create a hierarchy.
What?
As far as the message itself goes, it must be unified and defined. To keep messages consistent, create a style guide, which will help determine what terminology to use and keep everyone on the same page. If a message contains updated or different information than a previous message, be sure to acknowledge that the previous information has been altered.
When?
Deliver routine, scheduled communications. Messages should be sent at regular intervals so they are expected. This predictability will increase the chances that the message will be read. Only extremely urgent messages should vary from scheduled message times. Being sent at a different time than usual will emphasize its importance, but only if it is rare and all other messages are sent at a regularly scheduled time.
Toolbox Ad Will Appear Here
Where?
Determine where your team members have access to receiving information. Messages must meet team members where they are.
Why?
Before sending any message out, ask why you are sending it. Pausing will help to determine what information is essential and what is not. If it is not essential, perhaps it should only be communicated to those it concerns in a different manner.
How?
The final question you must ask is: How will you send this information? This is closely related to the question of where. Where team members get the messages will determine how to send it. Should it be sent as an email with an attached PDF that the manager can print? An email with embedded content to be read on screen? As a fax? Mailed newsletter? Should you pick up the phone and call? Determine what works best for your audience and use that method.
By asking these simple questions, you can refine your organization’s communications to be more effective. Determine a spokesperson for the messages, create unified messages, send the messages out on a regular basis, ask yourself why the message is being sent, and decide by what means team members should receive the message.
Follow these steps and Frank always will be flattered by compliments and will never fear an intervention!
Always remember—take care of the customer, take care of each other, take care of yourself!
Jim Hartigan, chief business development Officer and partner joined OrgWide Services, a learning, communications, surveys and consulting firm in April 2010 after nearly 30 years experience in the hospitality industry, including the last 18 as a senior executive with Hilton Worldwide. Jim brings to OrgWide a reputation for driving change through improved business processes and developing comprehensive strategies that streamline operations, drive brand awareness and preference, and increase customer satisfaction.
The opinions expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect the opinions of HotelNewsNow.com or its parent company, Smith Travel Research and its affiliated companies. Columnists published on this site are given the freedom to express views that may be controversial, but our goal is to provoke thought and constructive discussion within our reader community. Please feel free to comment or contact an editor with any questions or concerns.