Cinnamon Grand holds DrinkWise briefing for hotel’s beverages team

Friday, 7 March 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Cinnamon Grand’s Marketing Communications and Sustainability team in collaboration with its F&B team held an awareness briefing for the hotel’s restaurant and bars staff on the ‘Drink Wise’ campaign, scheduled to be launched for the public later this month. The campaign, the first of its kind by a hotel in Sri Lanka is a collaborative effort by Cinnamon Grand and the world’s largest producer of spirits Diageo, to create awareness on responsible drinking and driving. As a key player in the hospitality industry which offers many liquid indulgences, the hotel takes its social responsibility of ensuring their customers wellbeing very seriously.

As Colombo’s largest five star property with 13 restaurants and bars, the highest number within one property, the Grand emphasises through this initiative that the importance it place on ‘people’ is more important than ‘profits’. The hotel therefore launches this effort in hope of creating awareness to both guests and associates on being an informed drinker, who is aware of their own limits and can consume responsibly. The briefing, held at the hotel’s Ivy Room saw a turnout of fifty two staff from the restaurants and bars, who deal directly with handling and serving drinks. Presentations made by the Marketing Communications and Sustainability team informed that according to 2010 police statistics one in seven people died every day due to fatal road accidents in Sri Lanka and that out of the recorded 2,483 fatal accidents, 147 deaths were due to drunk-driving. This figure which is continuing to increase is an indication of the dire consequences of drunk driving. Having discussed Cinnamon Grand’s alcohol sales and revenue figures for the year, it was emphasised that a campaign to create awareness and provide information on important aspects such as assessing the alcohol you consume (it’s potency, percentage and effects), gauging your body and its limits (how much you can handle) and knowing how to manage your drinking (eat before and during drinks, spacing drinks, sipping water etc..) must be introduced, for the guest’s wellbeing. Similarly, as an organisation which hosts numerous staff events throughout the year, which offers generous amounts of beverages, it is important for associates too, to be informed of these effects and their personal limits. While mapping out the communications initiatives planned out for the campaign, the presentation aimed at enlightening the hotel’s beverages team on the campaign’s importance, its impact, what it entails and the importance being responsible when serving valuable guests. Meanwhile, Beverage Manager Namal Jayalath elaborated the importance of being knowledgeable, responsible and sensitive to the customer when serving drinks. He started off with a general discussion on why people consume alcohol, be it to relax and unwind after a hard day’s work, celebrate some success or when enjoying with friends. However, he pointed out that different people react differently and staff who serves guests should be aware of this. It is their concern to ensure that the customer snacks intermittently, spaces their drinks, stays rehydrated and does not get behind the wheel. In order to do so, they must be ‘drink intelligent’; be familiar with the products served, its alcohol percentage and its potency in line with the globally accepted measure of a ‘standard drink’. He spoke of their role in creating the right environment (ensuring floors are dry and bathrooms are clean, removing empty glassware, recommending chasers, keeping fresh water available at the bar etc..), getting to know the customer (polite introductions, friendly yet respectful attitude, watching their wellbeing, being professional at all times etc..) and intervening when necessary (encouraging a snack, serving water, making sure they order a cab or have a designated driver etc..) This, he emphasised is “part of our responsibility in providing a safe, friendly environment in which all hotel customers can socialize and enjoy themselves.” The Drink Wise campaign will be an ongoing initiative, as part of Cinnamon Grand’s and DIAGEO’s commitment to creating informed and intelligent consumers.