U.S. Virgin Islands, September 12, 2007 In an effort to consistently offer hospitality employees advancement opportunities, American Express and the Caribbean Hotel Association will unveil a new customer service training course at a press conference on September 26, 2007, at the Ritz Carlton on St. Thomas beginning at 12:30 p.m. The islands’ 15 certified trainers are scheduled for a refresher course prior to the press conference.
Q2 Quantify the Quality of Service, developed in partnership with Johnson & Wales University (JWU), is a four hour interactive course which covers all the factors which contribute to the importance of Customer Service. From strategic positioning through target market segments to operation strategy, the course will cover many organizational factors that impact the quality of service to guests. One of the programs strengths is the opportunity for participants to earn Continuing Education Units. The units are non-transferable and may be applied to college credits when combined with life experience.
“These trainings can provide employees with the tools needed to understand the benefits of delivering good service and its importance to our tourism industry, said Rik Blyth, President of the USVI Hotel & Tourism Association. Our Association is dedicated to providing continuous learning modules for our workforce and this program is a perfect example of what employees have access to.”
Michelle Marchand ---of Johnson & Wales University, and Emil Alvarado, Destination Marketing Manager for American Express, will discuss the new program and answer any questions during the press conference.
Five steps to quality service, moments of truth and building a service culture will all be a part of the content which culminates in communication skills and the positive guest encounter. The sessions are open to hotels, restaurants, jewelry and gift shops, taxi drivers, and anyone else in the tourism service industry.
Scheduled sessions are as follows:
September 26 -2:00 pm – 6:00 – The Ritz Carlton
September 27 – 8:00 am – 12:00 pm, 2:00 – 6:00 pm – The Ritz Carlton
September 28 – 10:00 am – 3:00 pm – Carambola Beach Resort
The Association encourages all managers to register their employees for a session. Future trainings will be scheduled monthly. To reserve a space, please email the information to Canika John at canika@virgin-islands-hotels.com or call 774-6845.
