First of Dublin Visitor Attractions Accredited For Excellence in Customer Service
Seasons at the Guinness Storehouse and Dalkey Castle have become the first Visitor Attraction Centres in Dublin to complete the Fáilte Ireland’s Accredited Services Excellence Programme. The Programme is aimed at helping tourism businesses reach the highest standards in customer care, which can result in major benefits such as business growth, additional repeat business, increased visitor spend and positive recommendations.
Speaking at the presentation of the accreditations, Martina Bromley, Head of Enterprise & Hospitality at Fáilte Ireland, said that the Programme is an important aspect of Fáilte Ireland’s business development and training supports. “The Accredited Service Excellence Programme is aimed at helping tourism businesses strengthen competitiveness and to help differentiate Ireland from its international competitors as a location where the customer is at the centre of everything a business will do. It provides an opportunity for the Irish tourism industry to be recognised for ‘best in class’ customer service and great visitor experiences and we are delighted to present Seasons at the Guinness Storehouse and Dalkey Castle, two of the city’s finest attractions with their accreditation.”
Matt Lawless, Deputy General Manager, Seasons at Guinness Storehouse, said that the presentation of the award was recognition of the hard work of staff to maintain excellence in customer service and provision. “The accreditation from Fáilte Ireland is testament of the hard work and dedication of our staff. Our focus has been and must always be on providing the very best in customer care and service to the 1.7 million visitors a year that experience Seasons at Guinness Storehouse for first time as a visitor or corporate client.
Speaking at the presentation, Margaret Dunne, Manager of Dalkey Castle & Heritage Centre said that she was delighted to accept the award on behalf of the seventeen staff who undertook the course. “At Dalkey Castle & Heritage Centre we have always placed the customer at the core of our business, and for the staff that have undertaken the course it gives them a real sense of affirmation that indeed we are doing things the right way. It will also help to ensure that customer service is at the forefront of everything we do and at the centre of all our interactions with visitors. I must complement the Programme itself as it was excellently pitched for front facing staff and everyone was left enthused to go that extra mile for every single visitor.”
The Accredited Service Excellence Programme is suitable for all management and front facing staff in a tourism related business who come into contact with visitors. The Award can be achieved in three ways:
- Individual Award – for individual staff upon completion of a full day or online workshop;
- As a Business Award whereupon 75% of front facing staff have completed the Programme;
- As a Destination Award – where a number of set criteria are met and where an agreed level of key businesses in the area have achieved the business award.
