Press release -
Glasgow businesses commit to delivering best ever Games experience
Only one month after its launch, almost 2,500 workers from Glasgow's tourism and hospitality sector have signed up to a unique online programme designed to ensure the city delivers an outstanding visitor experience during the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.
The Glasgow Welcomes-Online customer service programme, which costs just £5 per person and takes two hours to complete, was launched by the city’s tourism service initiative, Glasgow Welcomes (previously Glasgow Service with Style) at the end of February during Glasgow 2014 Legacy Week.
Thousands of workers from city hotels, bars, restaurants, transport providers and visitor attractions, including the Glasgow Thistle Hotel, Willow Tea Rooms, House for an Art Lover and Cordia have committed to completing the programme, demonstrating that the city’s businesses are getting ready to welcome the biggest sporting and cultural event ever hosted in Glasgow.
The Glasgow Welcomes-Online programme has been developed to enable the city’s businesses to easily access customer service training in the run up to the Games. It has been specially tailored for the Games, with practical advice on how to deliver excellent customer service standards; information about Glasgow’s top attractions so that frontline service staff can offer up-to-date advice on what there is to see and do in the city, and facts and figures on Games events, venues and dates.
Stella Callaghan, Project Manager, Glasgow Welcomes said:
“We’ve had a fantastic response following the launch of our new programme from businesses of all sizes, including large hotels, key visitor attractions in the city and small, independent pubs and restaurants.
“The city’s businesses told us they were keen to invest in developing their customer service and that being able to access courses online was important to them. We also know that time and cost are key considerations for many businesses.
“The Glasgow Welcomes-Online module addresses these key concerns, offering businesses a cost effective and flexible way of developing their staff. Businesses have responded positively, with thousands of workers already signed up and we’re receiving enquiries every day. It’s very encouraging to see businesses embracing the opportunity to improve their workforce and customer service delivery, which will contribute to the city-wide effort to deliver the best ever Commonwealth Games experience.
“There’s less than 100 days to go to the Games and now is the time for businesses to start thinking about how they can make the most of the opportunity.”
The Glasgow Welcomes initiative is an Official Legacy Project and is aiming to create a lasting legacy of excellent customer service standards across all touch points of the visitor experience in Glasgow.
Key funders of the initiative and online programme are Scottish Enterprise, with additional funding and support from Glasgow City Council, Skills Development Scotland, Visit Scotland, Glasgow City Marketing Bureau and the tourism sector. The initiative is managed by VisitScotland on behalf of industry and partners.
To take part in the programme or find out about other customer service events and development opportunities go towww.glasgowwelcomes.com
Topics
- Tourism
Categories
- corporate communications
- glasgow 2014 commonwealth games
Regions
- Scotland
Notes to Editors:
- Follow us on twitter: @visitscotnews
- VisitScotland is Scotland’s national tourism organisation. Its core purpose is to maximise the economic benefit of tourism to Scotland.
- The organisation has three key roles:
- To market Scotland to all parts of the world to attract visitors
- To provide information – and inspiration – to visitors and potential visitors so they get the best out of a visit to Scotland
- To provide quality assurance to visitors and quality advice to the industry and partners to help the industry meet and strive to exceed customer expectations
- VisitScotland works together with tourism businesses to make tourism a success for everyone and ensure the industry continues to grow.
- The organisation employs 700 people and has offices and VisitScotland Information Centres across Scotland.
- 2014 is the year Scotland welcomes the world, when it hosts the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles and more than 800 Homecoming events throughout the country.For more information on Homecoming Scotland 2014, go to www.visitscotland.com
- The VisitScotland Information Centre network is a unique face-to-face channel engaging with around five million visitors and locals each year. Everyone who uses a VisitScotland Information Centre goes on to spend an additional £5.35, generating over £24 million for Scotland’s economy.
- According to a recent Deloitte study, tourism employs 270,000 people in Scotland in 20,000 diverse businesses. The same study calculates that the industry contributes £11 billion annually (direct and indirect impact, including day visits) and supports around 10 per cent of employment in Scotland. Almost 16 million tourists take overnight trips to Scotland.
- Where possible, a Gaelic speaker will be made available for broadcast interviews on request (Far an tèid iarraidh, agus far am bheil sin nar comas, bruidhinnidh neach le Gàidhlig aig agallamh)
- For holiday information on Scotland go to www.visitscotland.com
- For information about business tourism in Scotland go to www.conventionscotland.com
- For more information on VisitScotland’s annual review please go to www.visitscotland.org/about_us/our_focus/annual_report.aspx
