Cornish hospitality industry features on BBC

Fifteen Cornwall managing director Matthew Thompson was interviewed alongside a member of his staff and Be the Business CEO Tony Danker as part of a BBC interview looking at how tailored training programmes can help employees upsell products.

Business reporter Rob Young asked Thompson why he thinks this kind of approach is so important and why he has made productivity improvements such a focus of the business. “I like to look at productivity because it’s something you can make real for individuals in the team,” he said.

“They’re quite interested both from the point of view of pay, tips, but also from their time in the business – are they making a difference to someone’s experience.”

Fifteen Cornwall member of staff Lucy Cascarina was enrolled onto an NVQ wine course and said the extra training helps her improve. “The motivation to have that little bit of a challenge between colleagues makes the night more fun. You can win prizes… there are tips too,” she added.

The full article, also featuring insights from Danker and KPMG chief economist Yael Selfin, can be found here. Thompson and Danker were also interviewed for a BBC Radio 4 segment looking at how the British economy, one dominated by the service sector, can become more productive?

Be the Business has been working with Cornish hospitality businesses to help improve productivity in the region. On 13 December we will be hosting a masterclass featuring The Pig Hotel operations director Tom Ross, who previously explained why he thinks up-skilling is so pivotal to success.

“We take training really seriously and focus on what we call craft skills,” he said. “The business wants someone who isn’t only a waiter, but wants to know about food, wine and the art of service – not just writing an order down and bringing out plates.”