Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Submitted by Tracy Salter

Executive Director for the Greenville Area Chamber of Commerce

The Greenville Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Greenville joined forces with The University of Alabama Research & Economic Development, Alabama Black Belt Adventures, Alabama Department of Tourism, Sweet Home Alabama, Experience Consulting, and Holistic Performance Group, on March 13 and 14 to provide a two-day hospitality training workshop. The workshop, “Flawless Delivery,”  is a customer service certification training program for the hospitality industry frontline personnel in the lodging industry. This course is made possible by a grant awarded by the Alabama Tourism Department.   

“This was such a great opportunity for the chamber and city to host this training for our hometown lodging industry, ” said Tracy Salter, executive director for Greenville Area Chamber of Commerce. “It was a win-win for everyone involved.  Local hotel employees received training and certification and local restaurants had the opportunity to spotlight their food and service.” 

Salter noted that access to these types of opportunities is just one of the many benefits associated with chamber membership and that the Chamber plans to have additional workforce training opportunities available throughout the year.

The course accommodated up to 15 participants. The training, which consisted of a two-day and one evening course with approximately 20 hours of hands-on training.  Training topics included:

• Serve – what does it mean;
• Guest expectations;
• Being a team member;
• Appearance, actions, and attitude;
• Professionalism;
• Internal and external responses and behaviors;
• Communication and active listening;
• Dealing with customer dissatisfaction and managing own emotions;
• Sales and marketing – it’s everybody’s job; and
• The four courses of hospitality – a dining experience.

Those who completed the two-day course were presented a certificate of Hospitality Training.

Participants learned essential communication, conflict resolution, empathy, and interpersonal skills needed to deliver Flawless customer service. The certification provides a standard for 21st century service that supports individual career development as well as the industry’s growth as a whole. Delivered in a fun and supportive learning environment, the program included many tools for increasing resilience and retention in the rapidly growing and changing hospitality industry.

Pam Swanner, director of Alabama Black Belt Adventures, said the lodging participants set the bar for training sessions going forward. 

“Their engagement and eagerness to learn was refreshing and will bode well for the growth of Greenville’s tourism industry,” Swanner said.

Day one of training was hosted at the Greenville Area Chamber of Commerce office located in the historic Train Depot, and the second day of training was hosted at the Holiday Inn Express in the hotel’s conference center.  On day one, participants of the program enjoyed a tasty lunch catered by Camellia City Bakery, and a four course dinner catered by Alabama Grill.  On day two, participants enjoyed a variety of lunch items catered by Capt. Pip’s Food Truck. 

Salter added a special thank you to the Alabama Department of Tourism, Alabama Black Belt  Adventures, the University of Alabama and trainers, Experience Consulting, Holiday Inn Express, all hotel staff attendants, Alabama Grill, Camellia City Bakery, and Capt. Pip’s Food.