Before each cruising season begins, an annual cruise training event is held for all our cruising staff aboard one of our ships moored in Europe. At this training event each of the operations team would be required to present and run a training session on a given topic in order to promote greater consistency and better understanding of the company processes and values across our entire fleet.
Having only worked in the river cruise department for a few months at this point, I opted to do the presentation on the correct way to handle common client complaints. To make my training more engaging, the participants were split into groups of varying levels of experience and asked to prepare a role play of how they would handle one of a variety of the most common client complaints. I was then able to critique each performance with both positive feedback and areas of improvement while also reaffirming what the company required of them. Following each performance, I received questions from the assembled cruise staff and offered clarification on any personal experiences that the staff wished to discuss.
The presentation was a great success for which I received praise from both cruise staff and my office colleagues alike, including the, newly appointed, company Commercial Director. The exercise had allowed the cruise staff to engage with the training more actively and additionally served to break up an intensive few days of PowerPoint presentations. The subject also allowed me to use my experience of handling complaints in the reservations team and hospitality industry combined with my broader understanding of the company to greatest effect. As a new member of the team, it also gave the cruising staff a strong first impression of me that I hoped would set the tone for the coming season.
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