Covid lockdown: How Scotland's hospitality sector can emerge stronger than ever from pandemic – Professor Joe Goldblatt

As a small boy I remember my parents playing cards at our kitchen table. My head barely poked up beyond the edge of the well worn table. However, I could easily see the hands that my parents and their friends had been dealt.

Atlantic City in New Jersey, where Joe Goldblatt was impressed by the standard of hospitality (Picture: John Moore/Getty Images)

All the hands were, as life itself, unequal. It reminded me of the famous Kenny Rogers song “The Gambler” when he crooned in his lush baritone voice, “You’ve got to know when to hold ’em and know when to fold ’em.”

I assume many of my friends in the Scottish hospitality industry are having similar debates as the pandemic, day by day, reduces the chances of a rapid recovery for this important sector in our economy.

Unlike other major business interruptions such as the global financial crisis of 2008 or the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001, this challenge is indeed a different kettle of fish.

Last March, when we went into the first major lockdown, I and many other Jewish persons in our country began to be concerned about having sufficient provisions to celebrate Passover which celebrates the exodus of the Jews from Egypt.

Therefore, I telephoned Glasgow and asked for help from Scotland’s sole kosher delicatessen and grocery. They immediately told me they could not help me due to staff shortages.

I then began calling London, where there is a much larger Jewish population, and every call resulted in the same response: “Due to the virus we have staff shortages and cannot fulfil your order.”

A friendly welcome by hospitality staff who realise they are stepping on stage when they go to work can go a long way (Picture: William Thomas Cain/Getty Images)

Core values

After failing in both Scotland and England I decided to go global. My first Google search hit the jackpot. However, I had no idea how far my goods would need to travel to reach our Passover table.

I soon realised that I was still somewhat enslaved and this time it was to the business disruption caused by the pandemic. A box of matzo, the unleavened bread that Jews eat during passover, that would locally cost £2.00 was £9.00 due to shipping and handling costs.

I am certain that many others like me are also beginning to ask, what will be the new normal in the Scottish hospitality and service economy sector? Many Scottish hospitality businesses, to their credit, have quickly adapted their service to include takeaway and click-and-collect.

However, I wonder if simultaneously they have also reinforced and reminded staff of the core values of hosptiality itself?

Language of love

I experienced these core values when I arrived in Atlantic City, New Jersey at 10am one morning to deliver a speech at noon. I had travelled from Boston all night on a cold train whilst sitting upright in my seat.

As I wearily crossed the large hotel foyer, I noticed that a woman with greying hair was standing behind the high desk. This woman lifted her arm and waved at me. When she waved, I looked over my shoulder to see who she was greeting. I quickly learned from the wink in her eye, that I was her target.

When I reached the desk, she said: “Good morning sir. What would you like to do first?” I was startled by her question because it had been my experience to usually be asked: “How do you prefer to pay?”

I immediately wondered why she asked this question and then glanced to my left to see a casino, to my right were shops and behind me a cafe. I instantly realised that she was not offering me a room, she was inviting me to experience true hospitality.

When I explained my need for a shower before my speech she quickly opened my computer record and then looked up and smiled at me and said: “Sir, I wonder if you would be my guest for breakfast in our cafe whilst we prepare a beautiful room for you?”

Of course, she was actually admitting that my room was not ready, however, she used the hospitality language of love to soothe my disappointment.

Stepping on stage

With hope in my heart, again this year I rang a kosher grocery store in London and asked for them to send me some Passover supplies. I was once again disappointed when the so-called customer service worker abruptly said: “I cannot promise anything.”

I remembered last year’s online journey that took me all the way to Israel and wondered if I was about to embark on a similar adventure.

Now is not the time to fold ’em or hold ’em. Rather, it is the time to restore the age-old values of hospitality.

The Ritz Carlton hotel brand is one of the top luxury hospitality organisations in the world. They have earned this respect by adhering to their motto of “Ladies and gentlemen taking care of ladies and gentlemen". This phrase is displayed above the door of every service entrance to remind the staff that when they step through that door they are also, similar to Walt Disney World cast members, stepping on stage.

It is my fervent hope that when we emerge from this horrible period of disruption to business that Scottish hospitality will be stronger, more focused and more successful than ever before because we will have learned that we must adapt and adhere to our core values to be prepared to triumph over future challenges. Then, and only then, will we be consistently dealt a winning hand.

Joe Goldblatt is emeritus professor of planned events at Queen Margaret University and is the author, co-author and editor of 39 books in the field of events and hospitality management

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