Located in
Bristol, Brunel’s SS Great Britain is one of the most important historic ships
in the world. Launched in 1843, she was called ‘the greatest
experiment since the Creation.’
This world
renowned attraction received a major accolade this year when it was presented
with the prestigious Portimao Museum Prize and hailed as Europe’s most
welcoming museum by the European Museum Forum.
Liam
Tolhurst, Head of Visitor Experience at the SS Great Britain Trust credits
investment in staff training as a key component to their recent success. Liam said ‘Our priority is and always will be the
experience visitors have with us, so ensuring they are greeted with a smile and
always feel welcome is very important. Customer service training has helped ensure that each and every one of
our staff members is equipped with the skills to deliver this positive
experience.’
Prior to
receiving their award, 47 staff members of the SS Great Britain Trust participated
in Exceeding Visitor Expectations. More than just a training course the content
proved to be ideal as it is specifically designed for tourist attractions and
totally geared to industry needs. The
hints and tips for front line staff helped build confidence and their new
customer service skills were put into practice effectively straightaway.
In addition
to winning a major European prize, Ryan Sanders, Visitor Experience Assistant
at the Trust, who attended the training course, was entered into the
VisitEngland Tourism Superstar award, receiving the runner up
accolade. Hazel Stenner, SS Great Britain Trust Operations Manager, has been
delighted with the impact the training had on their staff and said ‘I’ve had
overwhelmingly positive feedback from the teams who attended the Exceeding
Visitor Expectations customer service courses. It really highlighted the importance of providing staff with top quality
training because it really does motivate and inspire them.’
These courses were organised and delivered by Purple Cloud Consultancy who hold the Welcome to Excellence franchise in the South West.
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