The Big Group: Communication for Warm Hospitality
About the Organisation
The Big Group is an Australian hospitality and event design company. They specialise in creating high-impact, memorable experiences across a range of contexts, from major festivals and corporate functions to private celebrations, such as weddings and milestone parties. The Big Group operates as a full-service agency, integrating creative event design, bespoke catering and high-touch service delivery to craft tailored experiences at scale, including venue management and culinary innovation. With nearly three decades of industry presence, the organisation is known for its creative approach to hospitality, its portfolio of distinctive event spaces, and its ability to execute large-scale events as well as personalised gatherings, emphasising both operational excellence and imaginative execution.
The Challenge
Bruce Keebaugh, the founder and owner of The Big Group, initially reached out to NIDA Corporate Training in 2023 with the foresight to create an entirely bespoke course based on the concept of Unreasonable Hospitality (coined by Will Guidara). This course would support staff in preparation of the opening of Ilumina in 2025 – The Big Group’s first large venue in Sydney. Their goal was to ensure that all staff deliver the same high-level experience for all guests and stakeholders, including front of house staff, supervisors and managers, as well as those in operations, sales, and more.
The NIDA Corporate Training solution
Working very closely with The Big Group, we undertook one of our largest development projects to create an entirely new and bespoke program – specifically designed for professionals in the hospitality industry. The program was delivered by tutors who have extensive hospitality experience so that each could speak to their own experiences.
The bespoke program was delivered as a half-day program to five groups of up to 15 participants each.
The program demonstrated the uniqueness of Australian hospitality, and how to build a positive guest experience through their communication. Participants gained awareness their physical and vocal habits and how they shape the guest experience, how to create rapport quickly, and how to use active watching and listening to create magical moments of Unreasonable Hospitality that guests will remember for years to come. This customised training was highly inspired by the Maya Angelou quote, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
A custom workbook was also designed and used as part of the training program. This was a specific request from The Big Group so that each participant could walk away with something tactile to look back on and remember the skills explored.
Our Impact
Our training delivered five key learning outcomes:
- Understand and embody The Art of Australian Hospitality
- Greater awareness of individual authentic communication style
- Greater skill responding successfully in the moment
- Increased ability to read the room and build rapport
- Build a team culture that embodies ‘Unreasonable Hospitality’, not just directed toward our guests but also toward each other.
The Big Group’s staff reported on a positive and supporting learning experience, with renewed perspective on their role. They shared:
“It gave me a really fresh and new perspective about my role. I feel a lot more content and refreshed in my job and I feel like it gave me a new outlook on everyday tasks.”
“The host, Sandy, was super engaging. Sometime role plays can be a little awkward and uncomfortable, but his confidence and support created a safe space where everyone could have a go.”
Find out more about our custom team training solutions, and contact us to find out how we can support your team to reach your goals.
