A work-shadowing scheme now exists and promotion across departments is not uncommon. Each department can measure itself against the hotel's business plan, and improvements can be seen immediately, which is good for morale. Some aspects of training have become more formalised, with recording and therefore recognition, which has helped to ensure that the training actually happened. Customer complaints have reduced, with written complaints down by one-third. The hotel serves 95,000 meals a year and has received only eight complaints.
Staff turnover is down by well over one-third.
Better applicants are applying for jobs. The Swallow Hotel, Sunderland, gained recognition as an Investor in People in October 1995. The study would not have been possible before Investors in People and certainly no approach to the main group would have received the attention, and now the backing, that the Swallow Hotel, Sunderland can now boast. Investors in People paved the way towards running the hotel in a more professional and progressive manner. The hotel management is convinced that the business benefits enjoyed by the Swallow Hotel are substantial and that Investors in People is a Standard which few, if any, organisations can afford to ignore.