Dive Brief:

• Looking for a way to improve customer satisfaction and retention, a senior living facility in North Carolina has turned to training from the hospitality industry, according to trade publication McKnight's Senior Living. Kisco Senior Living partnered with Forbes Travel Guide, a service that not only rates spas, hotels and restaurants, but also provides staff and management training.
• The partnership is the first of its kind for Forbes, according to McKnight's, and a first for Kisco. The on-site training included communication professionalism, courtesy, appearance, customer service and product knowledge. About 150 full- and part-time staffers completed the program, and all new hires will receive it as well.
• Additional training was provided to managers so they're able to reinforce the standards and engage residents. The goal for Kisco is to provide five-star service for their residents, many of whom have spent a lifetime in the most high-end and luxurious restaurants and hotels in the world, McKnight's reported.

Dive Insight:

As businesses increasingly consider the skills of their front-line employees, training beyond onboarding is no longer an afterthought. Employers are realizing that consistent, positive customer interactions can make or break a business, and many are using creative delivery methods to get their message across to staffers.

This effort often is complicated by the fact that many such employees aren't tethered to a desk or any consistent workstation. The traditional classroom setting, once a one-size-fit-all solution, has given way to on-demand, just-in-time learning. Some in short bursts, others in a longer format, but all accessible for even the most mobile worker.

Deskless workers, in particular, say they want more more training and more feedback. A recent study found that only a quarter receive any type of training to develop leadership skills. Another 25% received no training at all. To provide the type of high-end service that customers often seek, training is key; and Kisco may have found a novel way to accomplish just that.