Northwest Inn is Oklahoma's First Certified Guest Service Property
Orlando, Florida - August 24, 2012 - Northwest Inn in Woodward, Oklahoma, is the first property in Oklahoma to earn the Certified Guest Service Property designation from the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (EI). The property's staff of 36 completed Guest Service Gold training and passed the Certified Guest Service Professional (CGSP) exam.
Guest Service Gold, introduced by the Educational Institute in 2011, shows employees and properties how to achieve a new standard of exceptional service based on emotionally engaging with guests in memorable ways. Employees who complete the training are prepared for the exam to earn the Certified Guest Service Professional (CGSP) designation. Properties that certify 100 percent of their front-line staff earn the title of Certified Guest Service Property. Hotels and academic institutions worldwide have adopted Guest Service Gold to achieve a new standard in guest service quality.
“It creates energy among the staff to know they are among the few properties that have earned this distinction,” said Steve Kohl, general manager. “We've seen a positive difference in our guest comments since completing the Guest Service Gold training.
Kohl noted that at staff meetings, he asks team members to share any “gold” stories from the previous week, to keep the Guest Service Gold idea front and center. One such incident made it to a recent review on TripAdvisor.com. Siera, a Northwest Inn front desk employee, was singled out for her help in returning an iPod left behind by the guest's son and making sure it made it safely back into his hands.
For more information on Guest Service Gold and other hospitality training solutions, visit the Educational Institute at www.ahlei.org.
About the Educational Institute
Established in 1953 as a nonprofit educational foundation of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, the Educational Institute's mission is to continue being the preferred provider to the lodging industry, hospitality schools, and related hospitality industries by developing and providing quality resources to train, educate, and certify hospitality professionals worldwide. Please visit http://www.ahlei.org
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