The 2018 Grand National is quickly approaching and you can get started on your Grand National 2018 betting online today. If you’re looking for tips on betting on the Grand National, then the odds from bookmakers suggest that horses such as Blaklion, The Last Samuri and Cause of Causes are some of those to watch. Last year’s Grand National winner One for Arthur will not be competing this year after suffering a tendon injury.
Image from the BBC Sport twitter account (link)
The Grand National is one of horse racing’s most prestigious events so it should be no surprise that the Aintree racecourse offers some of the finest hospitality packages available. Although the hospitality packages are very expensive, and have a large upfront cost, the advantage of booking them is that luxuries are all organised and prepared for guests, allowing them to fully focus on the racing. At horse racing events these packages also give guests some of the best views of the track which aren’t available anywhere else at the race course.
The Restaurant Packages are the most basic packages available for guests at this year’s Grand National, providing guests with a fine dining performance in different facilities depending on how much they spend. Regardless of the package they purchase, guests are treated to the finest facilities at the racecourse
Private Box Packages are also available for race-goers to purchase. The Pavilion Boxes and the Lord Sefton Private Boxes are two of the finest hospitality packages available for those that are going to splash their cash; the private box package offers the finest dining experience for guests. The biggest different between the two packages is that private box guests get their own hospitality suite, and even their own balcony to view the race from. The quality of food and drinks of these packages also tend to higher quality than the food and drink available restaurant package. On top of these perks, guests are provided with high quality customer service and bespoke catering options. These types of packages tend to be very exclusive and are usually brought by businesses looking to conduct business in a prestigious setting, or by family and friends celebrating a very special occasion.
Image from aintree.thejockeyclub.co.uk
Although the racecourse employees usually provide the best experience for the guests that purchase these hospitality packages, there are always things that don’t go as expected.
But before we look into some of the scenarios where things have gone wrong, you need to know the dos and don’ts of the hospitality trade industry. Working in the horse racing hospitality industry is slightly different depending on the hospitality package that you are working in on the day.
If you’re looking after guests who have only ordered one of the many restaurant packages, then you’ll probably need some guidance from those that work in the restaurant hospitality industry. Below are some of the key do’s and don’ts of looking after guests in the restaurant hospitality package at horse racing events:
- Maintain quality standards: This might be a fairly simple guideline but it is essential in ensuring that the guests have the best experience possible. For the sum paid by the guests for the restaurant packages they will expect the highest quality of food and service available. This tip is primarily for the cooks, but the waiters will also need to provide high quality service when serving the guests.
- Consistent communication: Everyone who works in the restaurant needs to ensure that there is good and consistent communication all the time. The cooks will need to receive feedback about the food from the guests, whilst the servers will need to be aware of any changes in the kitchen such as running out of ingredients for a certain dish.
- Be flexible: Although it is good to follow and stick to the rules, it is also useful to be flexible especially when it comes to your guests. If a guest is unhappy with a certain aspect of their dining experience, be flexible and accommodate the need of the guest if it isn’t too much of an inconvenience.
If you’re looking after guests who have ordered the private box package, then you’ll need to take some tips and tricks from the hotel industry. Looking after guests in private boxes has some similarities to looking after guests in a hotel. You’ll need to ensure that the guests have everything they need, such as drinks and food so they can fully focus on and enjoy the racing. Some of the main do’s and don’ts that you’ll need to consider when you’re looking after guests in the private box hospitality package are as follows:
- Listen to the guests: A fairly self-explanatory tip, but one that is essential in all forms of hospitality, is listening and communicating to the guests at all times. It is your job to cater to the guests whilst they are at the racecourse, so they can enjoy their day. If something isn’t working for them, you need to listen to their feedback and make the necessary changes as soon as possible.
- Remember the small details: You will be looking after your guests in the private boxes and you will probably get some requests from them throughout the day. Some of these requests might be fairly small, but remembering them will ensure that the guests have an enjoyable day.
With this amount of responsibility given to the employees, it is no surprise that some things might go wrong along the way. Most of these may be minor, but they can still cause inconveniences to guests and give them a negative experience of their time at the racecourse. Despite a few mishaps happening to some guests, they usually have an enjoyable time at the racecourse and have an enjoyable experience in the restaurant or their private boxes.