MAY I raise the topic of conference gratuities with your readers as part of the issue of improving levels of service for delegates?
In the US, staff have extra reason to be motivated, because usually they keep their tips – which are at recommended percentages of the bill. Only human nature!
In Britain, the tendency is for gratuities to be pooled – if distributed at all – and therefore there is no direct link between the service and the reward.
This is possibly made worse in the context of conferences, where such a ‘group booking’ is not viewed by staff potentially as a direct source of a tip. Supposing, however, that organisers paid part of the daily tariff for service; that it was a sum voted on by delegates in the light of their experience of the venue; and that hotel managers let staff know in advance which clients were the most valuable to impress.
A post-conferenceshare-round could literally be worth thousands.
Is this potentially a recipe for improved performance and satisfaction all round?
David Campbell
Managing director
Banks SadlerLtd
London