Superhost training hits all-time high
<p>Participants at the annual Superhost training make a list of what there is to do in Superior.</p>
SUPERIOR – Hospitality providers left the Superhost statewide seminar ready to provide quality customer service to keep tourists coming back to Mineral County on a yearly basis. This year the seminar reported the highest attendance ever in the approximately 20 years the program has been offered.
This year’s theme was ‘Rockin’ to the Rhythm of Service.”
The training was offered at the Superior Ambulance barn on June 10 and brought in attendances from as far as Seeley Lake. In all there were 31 attendants, 26 of which were new to the annual training.
The Montana Office of Tourism’s Montana Superhost Program and Flathead Valley Community College offers the training. Together the duo helps bring customer service-training programs designed specifically for Montana hospitality providers. It aims to bring a new perspective to providers, while enhancing effective interaction.
“Many businesses sent their frontline employees to learn how important the tourist industry is to Montana,” said Monte Turner, co-president of the Mineral County Chamber of Commerce.
The chamber helped bring the event to the area, as did the Forest Service. According to Turner, tourism brought 11 million visitors last year. Those tourists spent $3.68 billion in trade, helping to boost the tourism industry to the second in state, right behind agriculture.
The seminar’s focus played on the basics of customer service – focusing on eye contact and greeting everyone with a friendly smile.
Tips on reading body language were shared with the attendants, who also learned how to engage effective conversations in order to figure out what the tourist is interested in, with the hopes of keeping them around a little longer, Tuner said.
“Building a relationship is a key part of any sales presentation and so many of our frontline employees are the best ambassadors the state has to offer,” Turner explained.
Mary Jo Berry was on hand to give a history of Mineral County, providing many unknown facts. Afterwards, Berry followed up with 70 of the most popular activities to do for visitors and residents alike.
The seminars are provided statewide and instructor Lisa Jones stated the one in Superior was her 18th appearance out of 50 during the summer months.
“Training them to sell Montana is actually fun, especially if the participants are excited about learning,” Jones said.
Once the four-hour training was complete, participants received certificates of completion.
According to their website, the Montana Superhost program is a statewide tourism and hospitably program, which aims to bring the custom-designed seminars to local communities and also provides online training.
“Through community seminars, self-paced online training, and service supervisor webinars for Montana businesses and communities, the Montana Superhost program leads the way in educating Montana’s frontline staff, managers, owners and engaged community members on the importance of customer service in delivering quality visitor experience that not only satisfy customer needs and wants, but also keep them coming back for more,” states the website.