Direction Training Associates
Helping organisations build exceptional leaders, teams and workplace cultures.
Direction Training Associates is an independent UK training provider, listed under Leadership & Management, based in Camberley, Surrey. Delivers in person, at your premises and by e-learning, across the UK.
About
Direction Training Associates is a learning and development partner that helps organisations build capability, strengthen leadership and create high performing teams. We design and deliver bespoke training, coaching, consultancy and digital learning that is tailored to the needs of each client, because no two organisations, or their people, are the same. Our work spans leadership and management development, customer service excellence, communication skills, emotional intelligence, coaching, team development, workplace culture, employee engagement, HR and people development, learning strategy, induction programmes and organisational development. Alongside our consultancy and workshops, we also develop engaging UK hospitality e-learning programmes covering operational, compliance and service skills for employers across the sector. Whether we're designing a leadership academy, facilitating an executive away day, creating a digital learning pathway or delivering customer service training to front line teams, our focus is always the same: practical learning that changes behaviour, improves performance and delivers measurable business impact. Working across hospitality, housing, engineering, professional services, education, membership organisations and other service led industries, we combine commercial understanding with engaging delivery to help organisations develop the people who make the biggest difference. Developed and written by operators, for operators.
Specialism
Bespoke leadership, customer experience and workplace culture development.
Categories
Leadership & Management Main subject
HR & People
Customer Service & Experience
Health & Safety
Strategy & Business Growth
Pricing
Workshops and consultancy are typically priced between £350–£700 per day, depending on the scope and level of support required. Our bespoke e-learning solutions are quoted individually based on your content, requirements and project size.
Accreditations
Courses
See a selection of courses offeredHide courses
Creating High Performing Team
Building engaged, accountable and motivated teams that consistently perform at their best.
Handling Challenging Conversations
Building the confidence to handle feedback, challenge and difficult conversations with clarity, empathy and professionalism
Coaching for Performance
Developing confident leaders who empower people to grow, take ownership and perform at their best
Leading through Change
Helping leaders navigate change with confidence, build resilience and bring their teams with them
Delivering Exceptional Guest Experiences
Creating memorable moments through confident people, consistent service and genuine hospitality
Managing the Guest Journey
Understanding, evaluating and enhancing the guest journey to create consistently exceptional experiences.
Complaint Resolution & Service Recovery
Turning service challenges into opportunities to rebuild trust, strengthen loyalty and protect your reputation.
Communicating with Impact
Building stronger working relationships through clear, confident and purposeful communication.
Working Better Together
Strengthening collaboration across teams to improve communication, efficiency and the guest experience.
Presenting with Confidence
Building the confidence to communicate ideas with clarity, credibility and impact. Whether delivering team briefings, presenting to colleagues or speaking to senior leaders, the ability to communicate with confidence is an invaluable professional skill.
Commercial Thinking for Operational Managers
Developing commercially minded leaders who understand how operational decisions influence business performance.
Upselling with Confidence
Creating natural opportunities to enhance the guest experience while supporting commercial success.
The Leadership Mindset
Understanding yourself first to become a more confident, adaptable and effective leader.
Emotional Intelligence
Developing the self awareness, empathy and emotional agility needed to build stronger relationships and lead with confidence.
Building Confidence & Resilience
Developing the confidence and resilience to perform positively through pressure, challenge and change.
Personal Impact & Professionalism
Developing the confidence, credibility and professional presence to create a positive and lasting impression.
Train the Trainer
Equipping individuals with the confidence, practical skills and techniques to deliver engaging and impactful learning experiences.
Effective Onboarding & Induction
Creating engaging onboarding experiences that build confidence, strengthen belonging and support long term success
Employee Relations for Managers
Equipping managers with the knowledge, confidence and practical skills to navigate everyday people management challenges.
Creating a Positive Customer Environment
Hospitality is fiercely competitive, and customers increasingly demand high levels of customer service. If customers don’t enjoy their experience, they often turn to social media to air their feelings. Creating a great first impression is vital, but so is the ongoing experience.
Handling Different Customer Behaviours
Unfortunately, not all customers are cheerful and understanding! Hospitality team members are expected to be able to respond positively and professionally. Maintaining a positive customer experience to the very end is vital.
Understanding Different Customer Needs
To truly deliver great customer service and create memorable experiences, understanding customer needs is a vital part of the knowledge of a hospitality professional. Team members who understand customer needs and expectations stand out. Customers receiving this level of service not only return but also tell others about their great experience, boosting your business’s reputation.
Being Disability Aware in Customer Service
Understanding the needs of different customers including those with disabilities and being able to adapt your responses, is a vital part of delivering great customer service and ensures you create an accessible and inclusive environment for all. The module focuses on improving service delivery for customers with a range of disabilities and emphasizes the need for businesses to adapt their practices to better accommodate customers with disabilities and ensure they feel valued.
Showing Cultural Awareness in Customer Service
With international travel forever on the increase, understanding how different cultures may respond and act differently to your own culture is a vital skill for people working in hospitality. Speaking other languages is effective when explaining points to customers but isn’t the whole picture of being culturally aware. All customers have the right to feel safe, be treated with respect and welcomed and this module aims to give hospitality team members ideas that they can implement in the workplace and deliver GREAT customer service.
Handling Customer Problems Positively
Customers will usually remember the things that go wrong, even if lots of things have been right! It is a well known, fact that 90% of customers will not tell a business if they are unhappy or have a problem but they will tell everyone else! Crucial to delivering GREAT customer service and critical to your business reputation is the way customer problems are handled by front facing team members.
Handling Customer Card Payments Securely using PCI Guidelines
Payment Card Industry Compliance is part of the agreement between the business (merchant) and the card provider and applies to not just large companies but small businesses too. It is not law, but if cardholder data is compromised and the PCI standards have not been followed, it can go against a company in a Data Protection investigation. Managers need to be confident they have effective and sound PCI compliant procedures and train their staff effectively.
A Hospitality Managers Guide to Data Protection
The hospitality industry is among the most susceptible sectors when it comes to data breaches globally. Improper handling of personal data can result in hefty fines, eroded guest trust, and significant damage to a brand’s reputation – challenges that no business can afford to overlook. It’s essential to understand that data protection is not solely an IT concern; every Hospitality Manager plays a crucial role in this aspect. By setting a strong example in secure handling of both guest and employee information, they can greatly influence their teams and foster a culture of privacy and trust. To effectively train your operational teams, use the module “Handling Personal Data for Hospitality Operational Teams”. This resource will not only provide consistent training but will also set the benchmark at a high standard.
Handling Personal Data in Hospitality – a Guide for Operational Teams
The hospitality industry is among the most susceptible sectors when it comes to data breaches globally. Improper handling of personal data can result in hefty fines, eroded guest trust, and significant damage to a brand’s reputation—challenges that no business can afford to overlook. It’s essential to understand that data protection is not solely an IT or Management concern, but that all employees play a crucial role. For managers requiring more detailed information use the module A Hospitality Managers Guide to Data Protection. This resource will provide relevant guidelines to manage data protection in the workplace.
Licensing Awareness for Operational Staff
UK Licensing Regulations require appropriate managers to hold a personal licence and delegate responsibility. Therefore, it is critical that operational staff fully understand their legal responsibilities when serving alcohol, as well as the consequences of breaking legislation. From a manager’s perspective, confidence in delegating responsibility to team members is key — after all, it’s their license at risk.
Professional Bar Service Programme
Businesses expect their teams to be able to answer customer questions sometimes with no or very little training or information. Customers also demand a high level of service, hygiene and presentation regardless of whether the business is high end luxury or has a more informal approach. It’s important that team members have the confidence in their role to deliver all this and more to your customers. - Prepare and Close a Bar - Handling Bar Glassware - Serving Beers - Prepare and Serve Drinks Having these 4 modules under one programme is advantageous when learners want a full development programme which results in a professional certificate that may be required for advanced qualifications.
Prepare and Close the Bar
This Prepare and Close the Bar module is fully interactive using questions and activities aligned to the procedures of opening and closing a bar and designed to develop knowledge and understanding. Full colour images illustrate examples and key points.
Handling Glassware in the Bar
This Handling Glassware in the Bar module identifies the best practice standards that would apply to any bar and develops the understanding behind why it is important to achieve a professional standard. Businesses can then add their specific standards and procedures in on the job training.
Serving Beers
This module offers comprehensive training on serving beers, covering various aspects to ensure team members have the knowledge and confidence to answer customer questions.
Prepare and Serve Drinks
This Prepare and Serve Drinks module supports the development of the product knowledge that bar and food and drink service team members should have in order to feel confident in their job role and to answer customer questions.
General Safety for Food and Beverage Teams
Employers have a responsibility to train staff on health and safety when they start employment even if they have completed previous training. There are many risk factors in Restaurants, Bars and Kitchens and this module offers you a benchmark of base awareness from which you can add specific procedures as required during job training.
Food Allergies and Special Diets for Front of House Staff
Food allergies and special dietary requirements are a daily reality in hospitality. With legislation such as the Food Information Act 2014 and Natasha’s Law (2021), Front of House staff have a legal duty to provide accurate allergen information and support customers with confidence. Getting it wrong can have serious consequences for both guests and businesses, making this training essential.
Food and Drink Safety Aware – An Introduction
The UK Food Safety regulations identify that anyone who handles food or drink and the utensils and equipment used to prepare and serve food and drink are legally termed as food handlers and must be trained in safe working practices.
Food Safety Level 2
The UK Food Safety regulations define chefs as primary food handlers as they prepare and cook food, taking it through some of the most dangerous times when food poisoning could result and should undergo initial training g to a Level 2 or equivalent standard. Food and Beverage Supervisors and Managers should also undertake training at this level. Development to Level 3 and 4 courses may be taken separately. With the professional kitchen and restaurant in mind, our Level 2 Food Safety course contains 10 specific modules, which allows for increased depth of understanding compared to some courses.
Principles of Food Safety Management Systems
The basis of any safe food system is an understanding of basic food safety working practices, but managing the system requires businesses to ensure that adequate food safety procedures are identified, implemented, maintained and reviewed.
Working with Food Allergens and Special Diets for Chefs and Managers
Chefs and managers carry ultimate responsibility for ensuring food is safe for every customer. With food allergies rising sharply, over 150 million people across Europe now suffer from allergic diseases, and around 10 people a year in the UK die from food induced anaphylaxis. This training goes beyond the basics. It equips kitchen leaders with the knowledge, systems, and practices needed to protect both guests and the business.
Professional Food Service Programme
People often think that being a ‘hospitality professional’ means working in luxury businesses but any business at any level can be professional. It’s about having a positive attitude, being aware of what is going on around you, paying attention to detail, being confident, delivering the highest standards of your defined product, having thorough product knowledge, responding positively to customers and colleagues and being kind and considerate. The programme offers a comprehensive set of modules aimed at enhancing both the knowledge and practical skills required for professional food service. The modules cover a range of topics including: - Folding Napkins - Laying Restaurant Tables - Preparing Glassware for Service - General Restaurant Preparation - Boxing a Tablecloth - Food Service Skills - Buffet Service - Carry, Serve, and Clear Plates - General Food Service Procedures - Silver Service Techniques - Menu Knowledge - Presenting Menus and Taking Orders - Using Positive Selling Skills in Food and Drink Service
Napkin Folding
This Napkin Folding module is fully interactive using step-by-step videos and diagrams and inviting learners to follow as they go through the module with their own napkin.
Laying Restaurant Tables
How tables are laid is the first impression that your customers have of your standards so it is vital, whether your restaurant is high end or casual dining, that tables are laid with care and attention to detail. Food service operators are increasingly facing pressure to allocate time for training new team members, and using this module supports quick internal job training processes by developing knowledge and understanding and allowing people to learn at their own pace. Together we create confident and professional team members!
Preparing Glassware for Restaurant Service
Ensuring the cleanliness and integrity of glassware is essential for maintaining the high standards of any hospitality establishment, whether it’s a high-end luxury restaurant or a more casual venue. Food service operators are increasingly facing pressure to allocate time for training new team members, and using this module supports quick internal job training processes by developing knowledge and understanding and allowing people to learn at their own pace. Together we create confident and professional team members!
General Restaurant Preparation
There’s a lot to do before a restaurant opens regardless of its size or standard, and new team members sometimes find it difficult to remember everything and therefore make service more difficult that it could be! Food service operators are increasingly facing pressure to allocate time for training new team members, and using this module supports quick internal job training processes by developing knowledge and understanding and allowing people to learn at their own pace. Together we create confident and professional team members!
Boxing a Tablecloth – Mastering the Art
A badly boxed tablecloth looks worse than just throwing a cloth over! and over the years companies have turned to using commercial presentation styles as they are easier to use and reduces training. However, a professionally boxed cloth looks great and the skill is still in demand primarily in meetings and events for wedding top tables, buffet tables and conferences.
Buffet Service
Buffet service is a highly popular service style especially when dealing with large numbers at conferences, events, or breakfast but still demands a professional approach as they can look messy without attention to detail.
Plate Service – Carry Serve and Clear Plates
Plate service is probably the most common type of service in modern restaurants. The kitchen can control portion size and the presentation of food, and service is quicker and easier than traditional silver service but still needs to be professional.
Using Silver Service Techniques
Although not as common these days as plate service, silver service is a professional skill that is in demand for high end restaurants and events and is a highly sought after professional skill internationally.
Menu Knowledge
Customers ask all sorts of questions about food when they are ordering and expect team members to know the answer and respond confidently. Managers, on the whole, have a tendency to assume that people know about food, but unfortunately, in our experience, there are many that have absolutely very limited knowledge about the food they serve.
Presenting Menus and Taking Orders
Presenting menus and taking orders is one of the first interactions with customers and will greatly impact the customer experience. Taking accurate orders ensures clear communication with the kitchen and bar and contributes to efficient service being given to customers. Use the module Using Positive Selling Skills in Food Service to maximise learning. Food service operators are increasingly facing pressure to allocate time for training new team members, and using this module supports quick internal job training processes by developing knowledge and understanding and allowing people to learn at their own pace. Together we create confident and professional team members!
Using Positive Selling Skills in Food and Drink Service
The customer experience is enhanced if team members sell or recommend dishes and drinks and of course revenues increase! However, carried out badly, selling has quite the opposite effect on both the customer experience and the reputation of the business. Selling is an inherent part of any front of house role, but not one that everyone feels comfortable or confident with.
General Safety for Operational teams
Employers have a legal responsibility to train staff on health and safety when they start employment even if they have completed previous training and then on an ongoing basis at least annually. There are many risk factors in Hospitality, and this module offers you a benchmark of base awareness from which you can add specific procedures as required during job training.
Being Fire Aware in Hospitality
There are multiple fire risks in hospitality making fire safety a significant priority. Employers have a legal duty of care to their staff and must ensure they are fully aware of the risks and how to work safely. Neglecting this duty can have serious consequences for both guests and businesses, as witnessed by the number of fires in hotels that occur each year, and underscoring the necessity of comprehensive fire training.
Being Fire Aware in Bars and Restaurants
This module is not about business property compliance but is designed to meet your employer legal responsibility to train all staff.
Safe Handling of Chemical and Hazardous Substances in Hospitality
Employers have a responsibility to train staff on health and safety when they start employment even if they have completed previous training. All countries have legislation covering the safe handling of hazardous substances and the UK has the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (C.O.S.H.H ) regulations. The module will also meet requirements of international regulations. From the benchmark set in this module, employers can add specific procedures as required during job training.
Safe Lifting Carrying and Moving in Hospitality
Employers have a responsibility to train staff on health and safety when they start employment even if they have completed previous training. Many countries implement laws regarding safe lifting and carrying, with the Manual Handling Regulations serving as the framework in the UK. This module aligns with international regulatory standards as well. Employers should use the foundation principles established in this module to develop and incorporate specific procedures during job training as necessary.
Safety Aware in Hospitality
To be Safety Aware in Hospitality, employers must ensure all new team members are trained when they start employment even if they have completed previous training. The responsibility lies with the current employer. This course covers all key aspects of safety in hospitality and can be used as a benchmark from which businesses can add their specific procedures during job training.
General Safety for Front Office and Administration Teams
Employers are responsible for training staff on health and safety when they start employment, regardless of any previous training they may have completed. This module provides a base level of awareness for Front Office and Administration teams, from which specific procedures can be added during job training.
General Safety for Greenkeeping and Grounds teams
Employers have a responsibility to train staff on health and safety when they start employment even if they have completed previous training. Many people working in Greenkeeping and Grounds are specialists, and this module is not designed to replace their knowledge, but to remind new team members of safety factors their company recognize as being critical. From the benchmark set in this module, employers can add specific procedures as required during job training.
General Safety for Health Club and Spa Teams
Employers have a responsibility to train staff on health and safety when they start employment even if they have completed previous training. There are many risk factors in Health Clubs and Spas and this module offers you a benchmark of base awareness from which you can add specific procedures as required during job training. As there are specific safe working practices in different departments, we have different versions of this base module to cover specifically Operational teams, Food and Beverage, Housekeeping, Front Office and Administration, Greenkeeping & Grounds and Maintenance.
General Safety for Housekeeping Teams
Employers have a responsibility to train staff on health and safety when they start employment even if they have completed previous training. There are many risk factors in Housekeeping and this module offers you a benchmark of base awareness from which you can add specific procedures as required during job training.
General Safety for Maintenance Teams
Employers have a responsibility to train staff on health and safety when they start employment even if they have completed previous training. Many people working in Maintenance are specialists, and this module is not designed to replace their knowledge, but to remind new team members of safety factors their company recognise as being critical. From the benchmark set in this module, employers can add specific procedures as required during job training.
Working Safely with Viruses & Infections in Hospitality
The legacy of the Covid-19 pandemic remains with us with new strains developing continually and different countries experiencing different levels of infection. Customers have become increasingly infection aware, and hospitality businesses must recognise this and continue to implement safe working practices that keep both customers and team members safe.
Professional Housekeeping Programme
Customer expectations of cleanliness and presentation have increased over time and meeting these expectations is vital to the reputation of a business. The Housekeeping department is often misunderstood and this course aims to raises the professionalism of the role and encourages people to be proud of the positive impact working in Housekeeping has to the success of the business. The Professional Housekeeping programme contains 6 individual modules: - Your Role in Housekeeping - Preparing Beds to Professional Standards - Cleaning Hotel Bathrooms - Cleaning to Professional Standards - Using Enhanced Cleaning Protocols in Hospitality - Presenting Guest Rooms and Areas Professionally
Your Role in Housekeeping
Housekeeping is an often underrated department and this module, Your Role in Housekeeping, sets out to encourage people to be proud to work in Housekeeping.
Preparing Beds Using Professional Standards
Housekeeping staff have a responsibility to ensure that the way the bed looks gives guests an impression that care has been taken and the way the bed is made contributes to a comfortable night’s sleep.
Cleaning Hotel Bathrooms
Our Cleaning Hotel Bathrooms module is fully interactive using videos with a professional Housekeeper demonstrating techniques and standards and post activities to ensure learners have watched! along with questions and activities to ensure learners develop an understanding of the professional standards and full colour images to show learners examples of standards.
Cleaning to Professional Standards
Our Cleaning to Professional Standards module is fully interactive using a range of questions and activities to ensure learners develop both knowledge and understanding of the professional standards along with videos where a Hotel Housekeeper demonstrates key techniques and standards and full colour images to show learners examples of standards.
Using Enhanced Cleaning Protocols in Hospitality
This new module (April 2024) explores the enhanced cleaning protocols that hospitality businesses have drawn on from Healthcare since the Covid 19 pandemic in order to safeguard their guests and staff.
Presenting Guest Rooms and Areas Professionally
Presenting Guest Rooms and Areas Professionally develops the knowledge and the skills of the final presentation to bedrooms and guest areas that show guests standards of cleanliness are high and attention to detail has been given to create a positive impression
Presenting Guest Rooms and Areas Professionally
Presenting Guest Rooms and Areas Professionally develops the knowledge and the skills of the final presentation to bedrooms and guest areas that show guests standards of cleanliness are high and attention to detail has been given to create a positive impression.
Professional Wine and Champagne Service Foundation Certificate
If you want to develop your wine service skills and knowledge, our professional foundation certificate is the ideal starting point. This comprehensive course covering not only wine knowledge but service skills and selling wines professionally, establishes a strong base of knowledge that will enable you to progress further in the world of wine. Each course has an action plan which will guide you on how to apply the learning and develop further knowledge and skills. - An Introduction to Wine and Champagne - Wine and Champagne Service Skills - Using Positive Selling Skills When Taking Wine Orders
An Introduction to Wine & Champagne
For the vast majority of F&B team members, there is no need to be a highly trained sommelier and indeed this can put people off from learning more about wine and champagne. But all team members at some time will be faced with questions from customers who need to feel confident too with the response.
Wine and Champagne Service Skills
Regardless of whether a restaurant is at the expensive end of hospitality or informal casual dining, customers expect professional standards of opening and pouring the wine or champagne they have ordered. Smeary glasses, a white wine which is warm or wine dripped on the table doesn’t create a great impression, and a more expensive bottle of champagne or sparkling wine opened so it froths too much, is a waste of the money the customer is paying.
Using Positive Selling Skills When Taking Wine Orders
Using Positive Selling Skills to Take Wine Orders assists guests in enjoying wine with their meal, for many customers, this enhances their dining out experience and creates a positive impression.
Sustainability Awareness for Hospitality Teams
Sustainability Awareness for Hospitality Teams initially covers the principles of the 3 pillars of sustainability to give an understanding of why hospitality has such a huge role in restoring and protecting the environment, the module then focuses on the slogan, Reduce, Re-use and Recycle and challenges team members to come up with ideas that they can action in the workplace.
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