St. Maarten SuperHost (SMSH) is in full swing to prepare its facilitators for the upcoming customer service training sessions with staff of various businesses and organizations. A one-day refresher course was held on Saturday in The Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Resort and Spa.
The twelve facilitators were updated on many developments made by Innovative Marketing Creations (IMC), the local SMSH agency and organizations that are interested and/or have dire need for SuperHost customer service training and certification.
This refresher course supplemented the original three-day (20 hours) training that facilitators received directly from the corporate SuperHost representatives based in British Columbia.
Facilitators were re-certified and received their official certificates that put them in the leadership team of St. Maarten SuperHost ambassadors.
"This group is comprised of passionate professionals, rooted in our community who are willing to go the extra mile to provide excellent customer service, and give of their time and effort to teach others the same values. Values that will help to bring St. Maarten back to the level where we can truly stand behind the island’s brand promise of being ‘The Friendly Island,’" said IMC General Manager Jacqueline Louis.
St. Maarten SuperHost tourism customer service certification programme is a very interactive training. Participants experience various scenarios and are completely involved in the process. The certification is valid for two years with refresher courses given throughout that term.
A very detailed follow-up programme evaluates how participants and businesses grow from the course through surveys and mystery shoppers. This allows for the continuation and helps to maintain quality customer service for everyone who has participated in the programme.
Louis said, "Our local facilitators know what it takes to give excellent customer service as proud members of our community. They have been given the charge to uphold the St. Maarten SuperHost standards of quality service, and also to evaluate on a regular basis the various businesses and organizations that have either gone through the training, or need this valuable service."
SuperHost customer service training was first introduced in 1985 to prepare British Columbia’s tourism workforce to host the world at EXPO ‘86. The programme’s excellence is recognized internationally. After an extensive search for the best in the world, American Express selected SuperHost as its customer service programme.
St. Maarten SuperHost is one of several prestigious agencies certified and licensed to give this consumer service enrichment programme.
SuperHost is now the official consumer training programme for St. Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association (SHTA).