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Paul Mannering, National Hospitality and Culinary Lead at HIT Training, discusses the power of staff training to enhance the customer experience, drive loyalty and increase spend. 

The hospitality sector is being hit hard. With energy bills, food prices, business rates, wage increases, and taxes all climbing, many venues across the UK are being pushed to the edge. UKHospitality’s new #TaxedOut campaign is a powerful reminder that the industry is operating under immense pressure — and that urgent government action is needed.

While the sector calls for fairer taxation and relief, businesses also need practical, immediate ways to protect their margins and stay competitive. One of the most effective tools at their disposal? Exceptional service.

Service Isn’t Just a Soft Skill – It’s a Business Strategy

Service has long been considered a “soft skill”, but in today’s high-cost, high-expectation environment, it’s a key driver of business performance.

Great service increases spend, encourages repeat visits, drives loyalty and online reviews, and gives customers a reason to return even when their own budgets are tight. It’s also a way for businesses to differentiate themselves in a crowded market.

But it’s not just about being polite or efficient. To thrive, teams need to deliver service that connects on a deeper level, and that’s exactly what HIT Training’s Hospitality Academy helps unlock.

What Tomorrow’s Consumers Want: Experience, Sustainability, and Connection

Guests today want more than just good food and functional service, they want experiences that are personal, authentic, and meaningful.

There’s a rising demand for hospitality businesses that:

• Champion sustainability and ethical sourcing
• Support local communities and staff wellbeing
• Offer immersive, values-driven experiences
• Use digital tools to enhance, not replace, human connection

Consumers care about where their food comes from, how staff are treated, and what a brand stands for. They seek personalised touches, inclusive spaces, and stories that make a visit memorable. In short: service is no longer just about efficiency - it’s about experience and emotional connection.

HIT has developed a Hospitality Academy designed to meet this challenge head-on.

The Hospitality Academy: Raising Standards, Driving Growth

Now embedded into HIT’s Food and Beverage Team Member Apprenticeship, and rolling out across all front-of-house programmes, the Academy offers:

• Two immersive masterclasses worth £500 each:
  • The Art of Service – mastering hospitality craft and professionalism
  • Service Experience – designing unforgettable guest journeys
• Hearts & Minds™ learning suite: building confidence, emotional intelligence, and leadership behaviours
• Flexible national delivery: in-person workshops and online resources designed around real hospitality settings
• No additional cost: fully funded within the apprenticeship programme

By embedding this level of training into apprenticeships, employers can turn good teams into great ones, delivering service that keeps customers coming back, spending more, and recommending their experience to others.

Find Out More

While #TaxedOut highlights the urgent need for change, the Hospitality Academy offers a proactive way to mitigate the pressure, drive revenue, and protect what makes hospitality special - the people delivering it.

Learn more at: hittraining.co.uk/hospitality-academy