It was a busy and rewarding couple of days for everyone involved. Jessie jumped right into the action by shadowing the hotel reception team to get an understanding of day to day operations in a bustling hotel. At the same time, Shabaz put his marketing skills to the test by designing and conducting his own survey, chatting directly with hotel guests to gather market research and build on his customer engagement skills.
The trip was also a great opportunity for our students to share their own expertise. They delivered training sessions to the hotel staff on how to best support blind and visually impaired (V.I.) guests, giving valuable guidance on everything from the initial welcome to safely escorting them to their rooms.
They also reviewed the hotel layout and wayfinding from a guest perspective, offering constructive feedback for enhancements that could further support blind and V.I. visitors.
A spokesperson for Coppid Beech Hotel said:
We are extremely excited to be working alongside the Royal National College for the Blind on this innovative and mutually beneficial initiative. Jessie and Shabaz gained valuable real-world hospitality experience, while our team learned from their expertise and lived experiences.
Congratulations to Jessie and Shabaz for representing the College so brilliantly and helping to shape a more inclusive hospitality sector, and thank you to the team at Coppid Beech for looking after them so well.