Customer service Forres style

A GROUP of volunteers have been given training to help them excel in customer service.

Representatives from Forres Heritage Trust (FHT) and Forres Area Community Trust (FACT) took part in a day-long WorldHost workshop.

FHT volunteer Grace Reid was an eager attendee.

She said: "The training was invaluable and covered welcoming visitors, how to give clear information, how to make first impressions last and listening skills. It also focussed on the benefits of knowing how to promote other amenities in the area."

The WorldHost programme sets the international customer service industry benchmark for businesses, ensuring high quality customer service standards are integral to operations. It has already been used to train over 10 per cent of Scotland’s tourism workforce and has invested over £2million since it was launched here.

Last year, Moray Speyside was awarded WorldHost® Regional Destination status in recognition of excellent customer service across the region. This followed businesses in the service and tourism sectors putting more than 50 per cent of their staff through the WorldHost Principles of Customer Service course.

FHT relies on volunteers to support its work so decided to offer them training to ensure that visitors to Nelson’s Tower and the Tolbooth which it is responsible for, have the best experience possible. FHT stages events at the Tolbooth throughout the year including Winter Talks with guest speakers, photographic exhibitions and musical nights. It also protects the heritage of Nelson’s Tower which attracts numerous tourists from April to September each year .

FACT manager Debbie Herron believes the World Host programme is one of the best in the world.

She said: "It makes all the difference to the engagement volunteers have with the public. It was great that FACT could work with FHT to offer this training to our volunteers for the benefit of the area."