How can you handle unexpected changes to deadlines in hospitality management?

When the hurricane in September 2022 hit the island, approximately 2000 of our clients were affected by the situation. So, what helped me in dealing with this ever-changing situation? The most crucial aspect that aided me was asking the following questions: 1. How many in-house guests do we currently have? 2. How many of them are without accommodation due to the hurricane? 3. How many rooms do I need to secure for them, and for how long? 4. What's the timeframe available? The answer was - there is no time to spare; you need to find a solution NOW! These questions helped to gain a clear understanding of the situation and determine the number of rooms we needed to secure. So, I spent all my recourses on the solution and not on worrying.

In answering all these questions guide you into the future and not to torment staff with the past events bringing their shortfalls without any guidance. Change is good for the betterment but must not make it seems like those who held the company down when there were no clear directions have failed.

Prioritise after assessing the situation. Figure out a way to chart out the priorities and delegate them . And keep the stakeholders in loop of the situation.

Be clear in your communication at all levels. Explain what has happened, how this will affect normal operations, how it's being handled, and what changes need to be made to accommodate the situation. Keep checking in with employees with suggestions and a game plan on how to solve the problem. Give feedback at regular intervals to guests so they feel like they understand what's happening at all times.

Due to the hurricane, we had to operate in Emergency Mode for 2 weeks. What helped us use that situation to strengthen our relationships with our business partners and clients? 1. Right after the emergency, we promptly sent them a Plan of Action outlining available options and conditions. 2. We reached agreements with our business partners on which matters we could handle directly with their clients and when we needed their confirmation first. 3. We provided our partners with detailed daily reports, keeping them informed about their clients' constantly changing situations. 4. Given that the clients were understandably exhausted and displeased, we introduced special perks to enhance their experience during their stay.

Give the information to the customers on what they would like to hear . An honest explanation actually works 99% of the time .

We had 3 departments involved in the emergency situation: 1. Commercial-CD 2. Operations-OD 3. Reservations-RD We established clear roles for each department and effective communication channels with each other. To sum it up: 1. OD shared all information about in-house clients with the CD and RD. 2. The CD worked on finding solutions with the hotels and then relayed the information to OD so they could contact the clients and offer available options. 3. Once the clients provided their responses, OD passed the information back to CD and RD to secure the rooms for the clients. Through this coordinated effort, we successfully secured accommodations for all our clients, and they expressed their satisfaction and appreciation.

After the hurricane, we faced at least 14 days of constant adaptation and improvisation. We identified some weaknesses within our operations and initiated efforts to address them. 1. We adapted to the situation by having our team work overtime. 2. We discovered shortcomings in our reports, which were not capturing some critical information. Consequently, we modified the report format and included the missing details. This process required significant time to update previously sent reports. 3. Our top priorities during this challenging period were: a) the safety and satisfaction of our clients, b) followed closely by earning the appreciation of our business partners. All our actions were driven by these two clear objectives.

We identified deficiencies in our reports, which were failing to capture critical information. Additionally, we found areas in our client relationships where our representatives needed to be more attentive and empathetic towards the clients. As a result, we adjusted the report format and included the previously missing details. We also provided our representatives with clear instructions on how to approach clients, how to communicate, what information to verify, and the steps to take to address their needs. This evaluation and these improvements have enhanced our productivity and made us ensure that our clients are satisfied with our solutions.

It is crucial for any hospitality company, and not just in the hospitality industry, to have clear, practical guidance for emergencies. For example, the most common emergency situations for our travel company based in the Dominican Republic are storms and hurricanes. So, we have created clear, practical guidance regarding what our team should do a) before, b) during, and c) after a hurricane. We have also included very clear instructions for each department and individual on what they should do before, during, and after hurricanes. While it may not solve all problems, it helps us stay organized and not waste precious time during emergencies. We encourage everyone to have such a basic plan!

The hospitality industry is known for its dynamic nature, where deadlines can often take unexpected turns. Adapting to these changes requires a flexible mindset, excellent communication, and strong problem-solving abilities. Staying on top of customer demands and preferences is crucial in effectively managing shifting deadlines within this industry. #Fidasays