New Orleans & Company and LSU Continuing Education have partnered to create a certificate program for hospitality workers looking to elevate their skills and make a career in the hospitality and tourism industry.
This comprehensive program consists of six expertly designed courses covering exceptional guest services, effective communication, emotional intelligence, conflict management skills, and career navigation and professionalism. Participants who attend all six courses will receive a certification at the end of the program and will have Continuing Education Units that will count as credit toward an eligible online degree or graduate certificate program at LSU Online.
We encourage managers and supervisors to nominate outstanding employees for this program to help them excel in their roles and contribute even more to your organization’s success. Invest in your team’s growth and watch them transform into hospitality and tourism industry leaders. Nominate your top performers today and set them on the path to excellence!
The program is free for participating hospitality professionals! All we ask is for the employer to pay for the participants’ time during class hours. The classes are 2 hours, once a week, and in-person in the New Orleans CBD/French Quarter area. Sign up below. Space is limited for this pilot program. Classes will start this July 7, 2026.
Nominate A Staff Member!
Fill out the following form below to nominate a staff member to attend the training courses.
Deadline to submit nominations is Wednesday, June 17th.
If you have any questions regarding the program, email Arielle Desse at adesse@neworleans.com
July 7: Predictive Index with Progressive HR Strategies
9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
This is a professional assessment that consists of several behaviorial and cognitive factors that will provide you with a great way to get to know yourself and how best to work in a team. Individuals will be presented with a variety of results from the assessment that they can implement into the workplace. Perry Sholes, CEO/Founder of CILI (Career Immersion & Leadership Institute) will be involved in this course as well and will explain the results to you all.
This is a new course that we are implementing into the program that will help set the tone for the rest of the courses because the attendees will have a solid foundation of how they learn, what drives/motivates them in the workplace, and how they work with others. This assessment will provide you with several useful takeaways that you can implement in the workplace.
Some of the benefits of this assessment will consist of the following factors:
- Leadership development
- Employee retention
- Team communication and collaboration
- Behavioral assessment
- Cognitive Assessment
July 14: Exceptional Guest Services
9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
This course provides an overview of hospitality guest services, focusing on the principles and practices essential for delivering exceptional guest experiences. Employees will explore topics such as effective communication, problem-solving, cultural competence, and interpersonal skills crucial for interacting with diverse guest populations.
Through hands-on exercises participants will develop the knowledge and skills necessary to anticipate guest needs, handle inquiries and complaints professionally, and create memorable moments that enhance guest satisfaction and loyalty. Whether aspiring to work in hotels, resorts, restaurants, or other hospitality establishments, this course equips learners with the foundational competencies to excel in guest service roles and contribute to the success of hospitality operations.
Participants will learn:
- How to handle guest inquiries professionally and courteously.
- Techniques for personalizing guest experiences and creating memorable interactions.
- The impact of small gestures on guest satisfaction and loyalty.
- Strategies for turning guest interactions into opportunities to exceed expectations.
- Skills that are transferable across various hospitality sectors.
- To excel in guest service roles and contribute to the success of hospitality operations.
July 21: Effective Communication
9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Hotels, casinos, restaurants, tour companies, and travel agencies rely on effective communication to deliver excellent customer service and maintain a positive reputation.
Ensuring your team is well-equipped to communicate effectively can mean the difference between a thriving business and one struggling to stay afloat. Strong communication skills are a must for all hospitality workers.
This training module will provide instructional training including brief role-plays on the following areas:
- Using Open-Ended Questions vs Closed-End Questions to better understand customer needs and to resolve problems and issues.
- A Five Step Approach for Active Listening to understand better understand customer wants and needs and how to tailor services accordingly. This can lead to greater customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- Understanding and Using Empathy to help staff put themselves in their customer’s shoes, which helps them anticipate and meet their needs more effectively.
- Techniques for Clear Verbal Communication to ensure customers understand what services are available and how to utilize them best is essential. It also helps customers feel comfortable and at ease with the hospitality of the staff.
- Understanding and Using Body Language (Non-Verbal) Communication Effectively to help staff use the best body language to positively impact their customer interactions and how to read customers’ emotions and respond appropriately.
- Understanding Cultural Differences to Enhance Positive Experiences. This can be especially important when verbal communication is limited (e.g., if the customer does not speak the same language as the staff)
August 4: Conflict Management Skills
9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
In the hospitality industry conflicts are common. Conflicts can come from different sources such as:
- A customer is unhappy with their service or accommodation.
- Two customers conflict with each other.
- A staff member conflicts with a customer.
- A staff member conflicts with another staff member.
Managing conflicts in hospitality settings requires a combination of effective communication, empathy, and problem-solving skills. In this “mini” role-play-based module, participants will learn about the causes of conflicts.
In addition, they will learn the following:
- The Five Myths of Workplace Conflicts and How to Overcome Them
- The Impacts of Unresolved Conflicts with Customers
- Effectively Deescalating Tense Situations
- Using Open-Ended Questions to Uncover the Root Causes of Conflicts
- The important of Using the Customers Name and Positive Words
- Managing Unrealistic Customer Request or Expectations
- The Four-Step Method for Problem-Solving, Showing Empathy, and Resolving Conflict
Providing a positive customer/guest experience is much like a performance: prepare and practice. This session will help prepare participants for customer questions, concerns and conflicts that may arise. It provides them a “toolbox” of ideas, action steps, and solutions they can actually use.
August 11: Emotional Intelligence for the Hospitality Industry
9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
In simple terms, Emotional Intelligence (a.k.a. Emotional Quotient) refers to the ability to understand and manage emotions, both within ourselves and in others. It’s all about being aware of how you feel, and how others feel, and using that awareness to interact socially with empathy and understanding.
Hospitality, at its core, is all about providing exceptional service and creating memorable experiences for customers and guests. It’s about going the extra mile to ensure their satisfaction, delight, and/or comfort. And that’s where Emotional Intelligence steps in as the key ingredient in the hospitality industry.
As a restaurant operator, hotelier or other member of the hospitality industry; high levels of Emotional Intelligence among staff can bring your organization a multitude of benefits. Where interactions with guests and/or customers are frequent and varied, your staff having a high E.I. can make a significant impact in providing exceptional service and thus, a positive impact on the bottom line.
In this role-play-based training session, participants will learn:
- The Four Basic Elements of Emotional Intelligence: Self-Awareness, Self-Regula?on, Social Awareness, and Relationship Management.
- An Individual Self-Assessment of E. I. Interpreting their personal E. I. picture.
- Using E.I. To Go Beyond the Standard “How Can I Assist You?”
- Using E.I. To Strengthen Communication Skills. This will help your staff express clearly and listens actively to guests’ concerns.
- Using E. I. To Build and Maintain Better Customer / Guest Relations. This means understanding customer / guests’ preferences and cultural backgrounds, to offer recommendations that better align with their preferences.
August 18: Career Navigation and Professionalism & Certification Presentation
9 a.m. to Noon
Organizations in the hospitality industry should support employees in their career planning is a relatively new concept. Organizations need to take a more active role in encouraging individual career planning.
The career navigation portion of this workshop module is built around three key aspects of career assessment and goal setting:
- Understanding and Targeting Career Opportunities and Trends in the Hospitality Industry
- Conducting a Personal SWOT Analysis: Your Strengths, Weaknesses, Potential Opportunities, and Threats that can impact personal career growth.
- Self-Advocating Strategies: How to Toot Your Own Horn Effectively.
In addition, this module includes emphasis on the importance of individual “Professionalism” and its impact of career advancement. A high level of professionalism shown by your staff not only helps to establish a good reputation for your organization but also sets the standard for the level of service that guests can expect.
Topics include:
- The Role of Passion for Service and Its Impact on Individual Professionalism
- The Importance of Team-Orientation and Its Impact on Individual Professionalism
- The Definition and Impact of Professional Ethics on Individual Professionalism
MEET THE INSTRUCTOR
E. J. Smith, MBA
Consultant, Trainer & Leadership Coach
Lead Instructor in the Following Programs:
- LSU Online & Continuing Education
- LSU College of Business Executive Development Program
- University of Notre Dame College of Business
- Stayer Executive Development Center
I have been fortunate to have a career that has spanned several disciplines ranging from line level production and operations management as a supervisor at General Electric Aviation; mid-level operations management at AT&T; sales and operations management at AT&T, Merck, and Tokos Medical: and executive level management in sales, operations, customer service, and strategic planning at Tokos Medical and HEALTHDYNE (later known as MATRIA Healthcare).
In the hospitality industry, I have provided management training, customer service training, interpersonal communication & conflict resolution training, and project management training to organizations in Metro New Orleans such as The Marriott-Canal Street, The Hilton-Riverfront, the Hyatt Regency, Harrah’s Casino, Boom Town Casino, Bally’s Casino, Brennan’s Restaurant Group, Besh Restaurant Group, and the Greater New Orleans Hotel & Lodging Association.
In Case You Missed It, Nominate A Staff Member Below!
Fill out the following form through the link below to nominate a staff member to attend the training courses.
Deadline to submit nominations is Wednesday, June 17th.
If you have any questions regarding the program, email Arielle Desse at adesse@neworleans.com