Saranac Lake Area Chamber of Commerce hosts hospitality training series

02 Apr Saranac Lake Area Chamber of Commerce hosts hospitality training series

SARANAC LAKE — The Saranac Lake Area Chamber of Commerce plans to host a series of workshops to train business owners and front-line staff on the ins and outs of great hospitality.

The Chamber has recently applied for and received funding through the Workforce Development Institute to create the curriculum for the first Saranac Lake Community Hospitality Excellence Experience (CHEX) series of workshops for our typical and atypical hospitality staff. Business owners and front-line staff attending the program will bring back valuable knowledge to help train their co-workers and employees.

The CHEX Series will be offered in three half-day sessions from 8:30 a.m. to noon April 17, May 8 and May 22 at the Best Western Conference Room in Saranac Lake. While the CHEX series is intended for participants to attend all sessions for a price of $60, participants may attend separate sessions for a fee of $25 per session.

Who are typical and atypical hospitality staffs? A visitor’s first conversations arriving in the area may very well be with an atypical hospitality employee — a gas station attendant, coffee shop barista, liquor store employee — not the typical hospitality front desk personnel at a hotel. The Chamber hopes to create a warm, welcoming first impression to visitors as we all tell the “Saranac Lake Story,” encourage repeat visitations and great word-of-mouth publicity for the area.

The CHEX workshops, offered to front-line workers, business owners, volunteers, and other interested community members, will increase the economic and community benefits of tourism. CHEX will foster regional collaboration and enhance Saranac Lake’s image as an Adirondack destination.

To achieve these goals, each interactive half-day session will develop different skills in two key areas:

• Community Connections–shared knowledge, sources of information, and familiarization with local and regional historic, recreation, wellness, and arts and crafts experiences and events, as well as resources for shopping and personal needs.
• Quality Hospitality and Service—key components of superior hospitality and communications skills that help improve connections and interactions with visitors, and within work environments.

To develop the Saranac Lake CHEX program components, Susan Day Fuller, president of Fuller Communications, met with a focus group of Chamber members and other community leaders. Fuller will facilitate the three interactive training sessions.