14 restaurants better equipped to provide quality service

Fourteen restaurants on mainland St Vincent should now be in a better position to lift the standards and quality of the products they offer.

On Wednesday, June 15, 92 employees and owners of these food establishments were presented with certificates, following the completion of a series of three-day workshops, which ran from May 10 to June 1.{{more}}

The workshops focused on tourism education, service excellence, professional front-line restaurant service and health and safety and were conducted by the St Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism Authority (SVGTA).

Speaking at the ceremony at the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) training room, CEO of the SVGTA Glen Beache said the food and beverage industry is a very challenging one, which is most times taken for granted.

He, however, stated that the industry is the reason SVG has been able to keep its head above water, as it relates to tourism.

“One of the things that we need to understand is that we’re up against every other country in the world and people have options of where they go to,” he said.

Beache stated that in an era where everything is put on social media, it is now more important than ever that the best possible

customer service is given.

Additionally, he noted that persons fail to remember that giving bad customer service has its consequences.

“If you’re the reason why somebody is not coming back to the business that you’re working at and you get laid off, don’t blame the owner… blame yourself because they can’t make that money anymore to pay your salary,” he explained, adding that these things must be taken into consideration.

“You guys are the front line to what we in the tourism authority do,” Beache told the restaurant owners and employees.

He noted that most times they interact with tourists more than officers from the SVGTA do, “and so the impression you put upon them would go a long way.”

Beache thanked the owners for sending their staff for training, adding that he was shocked that 92 persons turned up and received certificates.

Sharon Francis, one of the trainers at the workshop, said it was heartening and encouraging to see persons from so many different dining establishments participate in the training.

“I think each participant walked away with some new skill or technique in service and or valuable information that they can use to improve their performance at work,” said Francis, who is also a lecturer at the SVG Community College.

She added that the representation of different types of dining establishments added interest and different points of view to the training sessions.

“Each of these establishments now has to lift the standards and quality of the product that they each offer and as such can, themselves, become more competitive,” she said.

According to a release from the SVGTA, sessions will be extended to restaurants in the Grenadines during the upcoming months.(AS)