Mike Hohnen

Mike has his own unique style. He draws on more than 27 years experience. He has worked most positions in the service industry and feels at home in more major cities than most people.

Mike Hohnen

Archive for the category 'Hotel'

Bowler I med et gardin på tværs af banen?

[lang_da]Politikken. dk har den 9 maj en rigtig god artikel med et velkendt budskab:

“Professor på Copenhagen Business School Henrik Holt Larsen mener, at manglende anerkendelse på jobbet giver mere sygefravær: »Det, der virkelig betyder noget i dagligdagen, er en god leder. Det kan afgøre, om man har lyst til at blive i jobbet. Manglende feedback giver tvivl, og det kan være en kilde til stress, som giver højt sygefravær hos mange virksomheder«, siger han.

Det svarer lidt til at bowle med et gardin midt på banen, forklarer han. Man kan anstrenge sig nok så meget for at kaste godt, men hvis bowlingkuglen triller ind under et sort gardin, kan man ikke se, om den rammer. Den tvivl og forvirring, det kan give ikke at ane, om arbejdsindsatsen er i orden, kan i sig selv føre til sygdom hos selv den dygtigste medarbejder.

For det handler ikke kun om, at chefen skal dele sukkermadder ud til de ansatte, men om, at de føler sig set, mener forfatteren til ’Førstehjælp til Feedback’, Anders Stahlschmidt: »Det behøver ikke være ros, men at man ser sine medarbejdere og interesserer sig for, hvad de laver.

Hvert år smider virksomheder millioner af kroner ned i et sort hul, fordi medarbejderne lægger sig syge eller siger deres job op. Det skyldes, at mange chefer enten kritiserer eller helt overser de ansatte, skriver Anders Stahlscmidt i en ny bog med titlen ’Førstehjælp til Feedback’, som udkommer 6. maj.”

Læs hele artiklen i Politikken
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Hornstrup Kursuscenter på YouTube …

[lang_da]Jeg blev nysgerrig efter hvad Hornstrup Kursus center var for en størrelse – så jeg googlede dem og fandt denne video, som de selv introducere:
“Jørgen Kronborg og Martin Monberg fortæller om Danmarks bedste læringsmiljø, Hornstrup Kursuscenter.
Hør også instruktører og gæster fortælle om deres oplevelser. En film om ånd, tryghed, involvering og viden.”

Jeg ved ikke om de bevist arbejder med The Service Profit Chain – hvis de gør er det i hverfald lige efter bogen – det skal prøves en dag, helt klart [/lang_da]

Why stay at a hotel?

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If you could rent this for the same price with friendly service….

From the Financial Times this weekend:

“On a trip to Italy last July, I stayed at a hotel in Tuscany called Castello del Nero. Opened in 2006, it has featured in many best hotel lists around the world. I was visiting with my family (as a journalist on a complimentary stay) and was dumbfounded. Slow, forgetful service combined with unsatisfactory food left me wondering how the industry had reached a point whereby it could charge €500 a night for a hotel that was sub-standard – aside from the excellent spa. I was told some of the lapses were because of a departing chef. The trouble is, with the luxury hotel industry entering difficult times, there will be few opportunities for such excuses.

Next year will probably see a tough, consumer-led reappraisal of the market. Interestingly, early signs of this shakedown can be seen in the generally robust market for private villa rentals”

Read the full article here[/lang_en]

How much extra for nice?

Is the question Seth Godin asks on his blog – it reminds me of a quote i once read from the HR people at South West Airlines: ” It is not technical skills we are looking for it is nice people. We can train people to do anything technical, but we can’t make them nice” .
When I conduct training’s for front line staff I ask them what in your opinion is a wow experience and when did you last have one. Invariable the same happens no matter what group I do this with: a) out of 25 – 30 people only 3-5 have had a wow service experience.
b) when I then ask them to describe in detail what is was, 9 times out of 10 the best experience always have to do with some one who was exceptionally nice – never ever do people mention the chandeliers in the reception area, the 6-foot flat screens in their room or any of the other features that are listed in a hotel brochure – always we come back to nice – my conclusion on this is: wow – what an opportunity, obviously very few people do it and it costs virtually nothing to implement – A huge opportunity indeed as Seth Godin says. I could not agree more.

Read the post here

Food trends for 2008

This time of year we are all (including me ;-) ) busy trying to forecast what the new food trends are going to be.

I gave a speak on the subject at the UK CESA conference in november – presenting the new and creative concepts that I have encountered in the major cities. Among these a quite unique concept in Barcelona – made by Camper. Watch it here.

Here is an attempt from restaurant guru Michael Whiteman

And here you will find a less colourful attempt from the Magazine Restaurants and Institutions

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One thing I have observed is that the new mantra for buffets and food displays is that less is more – simplicity and quality have replaced volume and variety in some of the best and most progressive concepts I have seen. Tappas and Sushi style bites have replace huge displays.

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The photos here are both from the spanking new Renaissance Shanghai Hotel – note that the cokkie jars are there for quest to take their pick if the feel like a cokkie with their coffee.

What do you think are going to be the dominant new trends in the Food business this year?