Step up Service to Make the Most of RWC: Mayor

Media Statement
20 October 2010

Step up Service to Make the Most of Rugby World Cup, says Mayor

Wellington has an opportunity to leave a lasting impression on visitors who travel to the region for next year’s Rugby World Cup, but only if the region delivers top-notch Kiwi service.

This was the message from Wellington’s new mayor, Celia Wade-Brown, at an official launch of New Zealand’s uniquely-Kiwi service training programme – KiaOraMai - in Wellington last night (Tuesday 19 October).

Ms Wade-Brown said it was a pleasure to be able to launch KiaOraMai in Wellington and endorsed it as a project that had, “Enormous potential to help Wellington cement its reputation as a great place for residents and visitors alike.”

“We unashamedly use the hospitality sector and our renowned events such as the NZI Sevens, World of Wearable Arts and Toast Martinborough to draw visitors in and also to ensure residents come and stay here as well,” said Ms Wade-Brown.

“But once they’re here, we have to make sure they’re looked after properly, and that’s where KiaOraMai comes in.”

KiaOraMai is a unique workplace training programme endorsed and subsidised by the New Zealand Government and supported by the Tourism Industry Association New Zealand. It was jointly developed by the industry training organisations that make up the Service Industry Training Alliance and is administered by ATTTO (the Aviation, Tourism and Travel Training Organisation).

The programme is designed to ensure frontline staff from across New Zealand’s service industries – whether they’re bus drivers, hairdressers, retail staff, baristas or tourism operators – have good knowledge of what Wellington and surrounding regions have to offer and know how to provide an exceptional customer experience.

Ms Wade-Brown said selling the region through great service experiences will help ensure visitors leave Wellington as ambassadors for the region, encouraging people to come back again and tell their friends about their experiences.

“Increasing service standards in Wellington will benefit everybody. They’ll benefit Wellingtonians, when we’re going out and about in our daily lives. And employers will benefit too, because they’ll be aiming to offer better service. KiaOraMai offers a benchmark, which will help them ensure they have the right people for their businesses.”

KiaOraMai was released in late 2009 and has already been rolled out in a number of New Zealand centres. Between 7,000 and 10,000 people are expected to complete the programme before next year’s Rugby World Cup.

A special “two-for-one” offer is available to employers until the end of October 2010. Find out more at www.kiaoramai.co.nz or call 0800 292 929 to register.

ENDS

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