Empowering Our Employees Gave Us a Boost When We Needed It Most

I know that with a constantly evolving pandemic things can change at any time, but at the moment, our wedding venue is in a healthy place. Nearly two years after government-mandated lockdowns in Texas, ceremonies and receptions at The Bell Tower on 34th have returned to their pre-pandemic levels, and non-bridal events are building momentum, too.

Also important, many of our employees, from servers to bartenders to customer service representatives, know they played a part in getting us here.

As part of a team that’s trained and encouraged to go beyond simply doing their job, our employees frequently get opportunities to see their actions impact customer satisfaction and operational excellence. They see the role their commitment to excellence plays in inspiring positive reviews, word-of-mouth recommendations, and our company’s overall success.

By giving employees the training, parameters, and tools they need to be successful—and make a real difference—we’ve put our company on the path to recovery from COVID-19 inflicted ailments. What’s more, we have an energized, enthusiastic team, people who take ownership of our venue’s well-being.

Here’s a closer look at what we’re doing.

Ensuring Excellent Events

If you spend any time at our venue, chances are good that you’ll hear or read our primary goal and purpose: “We deliver excellent events that no one will ever forget.”

Everything we train our employees to do is rooted in that objective. That includes their responses to scenarios we can’t always predict, situations that occur when every minute counts and they don’t have time to consult with their supervisor. Whether they need to take steps to prevent a minor mishap from escalating or respond to a customer request that would require them to veer a bit from their usual processes, we train our people to ask themselves a question. “Would doing this help create an excellent event that no one would ever forget?” If the answer is yes, then our employees know they’re authorized to make it happen. They also know that as long as their answer was yes, I, as the venue’s CEO, will stand behind them.

This is about more than giving employees the freedom to make quick decisions. It’s our way of saying, “We value you, and we respect your judgement.” When team members realize that, and they see their decisions unfold successfully, they become increasingly more invested in contributing to a thriving, growing operation.

Harnessing Technological Tools

We’ve also found that tech solutions can play a useful role in employee empowerment.

Here, we use our technology stack to encourage open communication and efficiency. For example, we’ve found that Microsoft Teams, with its ability to create channels for specific conversations and departments, has made it an ideal productivity solution for us. So, if an employee notices a light bulb is out, they can post the details on the Teams maintenance channel. The appropriate manager is notified immediately, and they can have the bulb replaced right away.

We’re empowering staff by giving them the right tools to take action and make a positive difference when an issue arises. And, we’re encouraging our people to take ownership of their departments and the venue.

Tangible Results

Fostering a sense of empowerment has truly helped us get through the pandemic. It's helped us keep our quality of service high and bolster morale throughout the company.

I wrote about this approach to business in my 2019 book, “Keep On Going: The History of The Bell Tower on 34th,” when I described the internal processes and checklists we’ve developed.

One of the things I’ve learned during my years in business is that empowering employees with the right training and tools—and the freedom to make things right, on the spot—results in the best possible results for customers. So, yes, our team members are given checklists and specific tasks, but how they achieve them is up to them. Employees know they’re free to make “executive decisions” on the job as long as they support our objective: to deliver an excellent event.

When I wrote that, COVID-19 wasn’t on our radar, we simply were focused on exceeding customers’ expectations.

When employees know you value their contributions, that you want them to be successful, and that you’ve got their back, everything falls into place.

About the Author:

Roger Igo?is the founder and CEO of special events venue,?The Bell Tower on 34th, along with?Excellent Events, and?Venues in Houston. He is the author of “Keep On Going, The History of The Bell Tower on 34th,” a former radio host, a graduate of CEO Space International, and an alumnus of The Disney Institute.