HomeMy WebLinkAbout16. Vail Community Hospitality Program-VCBA Strategy & TacticsVail Community Hospitality Program-VCBA Strategy and Tactics
Vision
Create a Community Culture of Mountain
Hospitality-Like Nothing on Earth
Today’s Situation
Today’s travelers have more competitive resorts going
after our high valued traveler than ever before
Increased pressure from new IKON pass and from new resorts
offered on the EPIC pass
Service standards at competing resorts are catching up
and in some cases may have surpassed Vail’s service
standards
NPS scores show opportunity to improve
How Did We Get Here?
Perceived loss of value proposition for our guests
Increased property values, room rates and localized
accelerated inflation
Time and geography have created varying guest service
experiences through the Vail business community
Perceived loss of value proposition for our employees
Housing and economic pressures have reduced employee
enthusiasm for delivering extraordinary service
The focus has shifted to driving revenue at the expense of
our employee/community culture
Goals
Our Goal: To Create a Community Culture of Mountain
Hospitality - Like Nothing on Earth
Create a sustainable and consistent component-based
service training platform
Create a sustainable employee engagement and retention
platform that builds a strong foundation of local culture
This Vail community program will align Vail Mountain, Town of
Vail and independent businesses
Objectives
Empower employees and businesses to consistently offer premier
levels of service and knowledge through our unique brand of
Mountain Hospitality once the guest arrives
On-boarding, retention and sharing of valuable and
knowledgeable 2nd and 3rd year employees
To instill an employee mantra and foundation of “I am a Vail
ambassador no matter where I am”
Create a cohesive guest experience across our community
(Mountain and Town)
To re-establish Vail as The Premier Mountain Community we need
to offer the best and most creative hospitality in the industry
Available Options
Option 1: Continue with the Status Quo
Option 2: Empower our entire workforce to act like a Vail
concierge at all touch-points, creating one voice and a
more vibrant culture of Mountain Hospitality - Like
Nothing on Earth
Year 1
Offer 3 pronged hospitality culture-based training consisting of Mountain
and Town knowledge and overall service.
Vail community and cultural tour (Build upon current VCBA
programming)
Vail Mountain education and safety training
Classroom and/or web-based motivational/service
component/certification
Employee benefit program offered by participating businesses
Offer Recognition/Prizes and Celebrate High Achievers
Season kick off and wrap up events
Integrate program materials into all participating business’ training
Utilize Vail Resorts NPS scores to measure service level growth over the
winter and VLMD CSI surveys over the summer
Year 2
Utilize Year 1 program alumni to staff wandering “Surprise and
Delight” teams, carrying skis and answering questions (Paid or
benefited positions)
Portable Information Stations that provide real-time information
and that promote Vail as a great place visit and work. Build on
Welcome Center efforts by taking the communications mobile.
Integrate the Vail App through mobile staff tablets/smart pads
Create a communication (Text, FB, Group Chat) network for
direct communication to/between all alumni and participants
Add in advanced programming and recognition/benefits for year 1
Alumni. The more a participant puts into the program, the more
tiers of benefits they will unlock
Further engage businesses to offer specials and other perks to
enhance reward system and increase their exposure
Year 3
Add training and recognition programs for
continuing/advanced knowledge (Increase perks and
recognition)
Create job and housing sharing network (Partner with
community entities)
Create a sustainable funding/growth mechanism to
include potential expansion to other business employees
who touch our Vail community and guests
Insights from Focus Groups
“I just want my staff to really “know” Vail, to embrace it and give that feeling and
information out to our guests.”
“Pride in living and working here has been something that has been lost over
the years.”
“We need to create a sense of community ownership and really make our
employees feel like locals from day one.”
“Let’s consolidate the communication from Vail Resorts and the Town of Vail.
Let’s make it Community Communication”.
“Let’s resurrect our Vail Culture. Bring back that sense of community pride for
Vail within our newest employees. Embrace stuff, like the highway, and show
that’s not what we are all about.”
“Nightlife needs to be enhanced. Bring some of the fun back.”
“A standardized training program and certification with benefits could really
develop a sense of pride and tap into more community active engagement.”
Summary
The VCBA is in a unique position to oversee this
hospitality service program through cooperation,
collaboration and communication between Vail Resorts,
Town of Vail and the business community. The program
will create a sustainable culture of inclusiveness from
on-boarding new employees to retention of 2nd and 3rd
year staff through empowerment and recognition.
Community Mountain Hospitality-Like Nothing on
Earth