How to use the YoungHotelier TEA Lounge – Our Exclusive Hotelier Discussion Forum

A video specially made to introduce the YoungHotelier TEA Lounge! We hope you find the video informative and entertaining You can also find a text overview below, if you prefer reading or printing this out for your reference.

• What is it? An exclusive hospitality discussion forum. 
• Who can use it? Absolutely anyone! You do not need to be a hotelier, simply have an open mind and you are welcome to join! You can browse as a guest or become a registered member for free
• For Guests – you can view all of the discussions that are on going within the forum but sadly you will not be able to leave any comments or feedback. If you would like to contribute and interact with other members, then you can simply sign up as a registered member! 
• For Registered Members- Not only can you view the articles and discussions ongoing in the forum but also post your own! Ask n’ Answer questions, share your industry expertise by posting something in here!  
• How to access it?  Go to www.younghotelier.com and click on the ‘tea lounge’ tab at the top of the page! Even faster go to www.younghotelier.com/lounge My advice!? Save it as a favourite on your computer!
• How to sign up and log in? Signing up is so easy! At the end of the Younghotelier.com/lounge page you have a “Login/Register” Option. Simply click on the word register – agree to the terms to proceed… then a painless speedy couple of steps from here, your name, email and password etc. Final step on this page is to complete this Confirmation code option. Can I offer one small point of advice and tell you this is case sensitive so take care! From here you shall receive a confirmation email to the address that you have just provided in registering! Your account will then be approved by an administrator and you will received a second email confirming account activation. It is as simple as that! You have been accepted for tea!? This email will tell you your password and simply go online and log on! ww.younghotelier.com/lounge
• How do you update your profile? Now that you’re here you should take advantage of how you can update your profile! Who doesn’t want to look good?!  In the top left hand corner click on the user control panel option. This is like your personal remote control where you can:
  1. Have an overview of your account
  2. Edit your profile, go on show off a little and tell the other Young Hoteliers what you’re made of! You can also upload a photo (called an “Avatar”) to your profile.
  3. Board preference, don’t waste your time with this unless you need a fine control on how you receive updates on replies and messages!
  4. Private messages! Where the fun begins! Let me come back to this after I have explained how to add and manage your friends!
  5. Friends and foes! It is very easy to add friends and pretty self explanatory so I don’t want to insult your intelligence! Find a member option will walk you through it all. As for the foes?! I hope that your continuously remains on the status of “no foes currently defined!”
  6. Now back to the private messages! Simply click on find a message to select the person you wish to send this secret tale to! You will have a window open with a search field and also a listing of all registered users to select from! Choose that special friend, mark a tick in the box on the LHS and then scroll down and click on ‘select marked’! This will pull through the person you have chosen to where you are writing the private message! Most important part! Hit ADD! This pulls through the name to the message… Now get writing! Once all your secrets have been shared you can review your message before sending! Finally submit! After it has been sent you shall be able to view your outbox status with that message. An email has been sent to the recipient to alert them to the fact they have a new message awaiting their perusal. Another way you can go through someone’s profile so either click on them on the LHS if you have added them as a friend or else go through the members icon at the top RHS of the screen. By simply clicking on their profile, scrolling to the end of the page you have the option to contact John, send him a private message! FYI which you may have figured at this stage but PM stands for Private Message! Just in case!   

So now that you’re in….. What do you see!? The different forums

• Announcements – Any industry published news and update to keep you in the know!
• Questions and Answers – You have been asking yourself that question time and time again and just can’t seem to put your finger on it! Post it online and have one of your younghoteliers share their advice and best practices! Remember the ‘young’ is simply young at heart so you are likely to encounter someone online who is a little older than you hence has been afforded more experience and may very well have the ideal solution you are looking for!
• Experiences – Experience in all walks of life is something that is acquired with the passing of time. Each of us learn something new on a daily basis, often it is how not to go about doing something! Help others from making the same mistakes by sharing your stories and I ensure you the kindness shall be returned two fold! 
• People – This is what it is all about- the people! Let’s be honest with ourselves that is what has pulled us out of bed in the early hours of the morning while our bodies resist and kept us out of our beds into the late hours of the night! Sadly the majority of us are not necessarily in it for the monetary benefits but instead the individuals who define this industry. Talk to those people who share this passion and drive! It may even help you to learn more about yourself as you meet those who mirror your life choices and sacrifices.
• Getting Started in the Industry -  Hotel Management and hospitality related education, career choices & paths, schools, universities, places and jobs! Your very own start up kit! Log on!
• Hotel jobs- a place to post all your hospitality, travel and tourism leads! This may not necessarily be for you right now but it may help others! Also an update on new hotel openings and the vacancies that go with that! Please ensure you provide all relevant job and contact details when posting jobs – this makes it easier to find and act on your great leads!
• Young Hotelier Idea Board! Dedicated to the creative side of your brain! Innovative ideas, fresh outlooks and a continuous effort for improvement are the rules here! Should you wish to share any quick hits or futuristic views about hospitality this is just the place!
• Website Support and Suggestions – We are here for you! Our success is simply based on the feedback that you give us and we can only improve this tool for you by receiving it! The Younghotelier Team would love to hear what you really think!
• The second half of the Forum is dedicated to the specific industry departments, but is aimed at serving the same purpose…. Acting as a base for you to share experiences, advice, best practices, learning’s of any kind that will help others to learn from your mistakes. Remember you don’t need to be operating in a hotel to make use of this tool! Stand alone or chain restaurants, cafes, airlines?! Anything that is to do with serving others! Seneca once wrote… “Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for kindness”.  Be kind and share your stories with others… It is sub divided into the following categories:
  **Food & Beverage, **Rooms Division, **Sales & Marketing, **Human Resources, **Finance, **Health & Recreation
• EXpresso – Double Shot to go! Have you had one caffeine hit to many today during your shift? Feel the need to burn off that adrenaline or just voice an opinion… within reason of course! Be it in a poetic or humorous sense, wacky or wild? You have arrived at the right place to vent! Go on! I dare you! 

FINAL WORD!! Forum etiquette, the do’s and don’t!

• Search or browse before posting new items…… no one likes clutter! The search option is on the top RH corner 
• Posting in the right forum, A new word I am going to teach you! Stickys! Simply an internet jargon word for rules/guidelines/instructions! (or simply posts at the top) They will also remain at the top but just take a quick glance to learn the do’s and dont’s! 
• If you are posting something to post on then can I suggest that you prepare it on a word or notebook document and then copy and paste it into the forum. Most important thing-  keep the title descriptive of whatever it is that you are kindly submitting! Otherwise it may not pull through when checked through searches on  the site and your dedication and story telling will not receive all the recognition deserved! 
• Needless to say we are looking for talent here! No talented individual I know uses Offensive means to get their point across! No disclosing of confidential or private company material either, we want to hear what YOU have to say!
• FINALLY! FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions related to the features of the forum)! Top right hand corner – quite useful,almost as useful as this informative video you have just watched! And always feel free to email us at team (at) younghotelier (dot) com
• Look forward to catching you online in the Lounge!

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