New workshop dates posted

Eight workshops added to STEC's training and events calendar:

• January 3 to 5, Saskatoon: Facilitator Skills Development (open to the public).
• January 7 – 10, Saskatoon: Service Best (closed workshop for school).
• January 9 to 11, Saskatoon: Facilitators Skills Development (open to the public).
• January 14 – 15, Saskatoon: Marketing 101 (closed workshop for school).
• January 23, Southeast Regional College (Carry The Kettle First Nation): Service Best (closed workshop for employer).
• January 23, La Ronge: Showing We Care, Mamawetin Churchill River HR (closed workshop for employer).
• January 24, Meadow Lake: Service Best, North West Regional College (closed workshop for employer).
• March 13, La Ronge: Showing We Care, Mamawetin Churchill River HR (closed workshop for employer).

Upcoming Service Best workshops

We've got Service Best and related workshops now scheduled into March. There's likely one taking place near you.

Service Best workshop gives you the skills and confidence to deliver superior customer service. Learn useful tools that create memorable customer experiences, identify and respond to customer needs, and turn dissatisfied customers into loyal fans. All workshops are open to the public, except where noted.

November - December, 2012

• November 19 - 20, Selling is Service, Saskatoon (closed workshop for employer)
• November 20,Showing We Care, La Ronge (closed workshop for employer)
• November 20, Service Best, Saskatoon
• November 21, Service Best, Meadow Lake
• November 22,  Service Best, Saskatoon-Whitecap (closed workshop for employer)
• November 26 - 27, Workplace Etiquette, Saskatoon (closed workshop for employer)
• November 27, Service Best, Prince Albert
• November 28, Service Best, La Ronge
• December 4, Service Best, Melville
• December 5, Service Best, Yorkton
• December 12 - 13, Serve It Right Saskatchewan, Saskatoon (closed workshop for employer)
• December 17 - 18, Volunteer Tourism Ambassador, Saskatoon (closed workshop for employer)

 

January - March, 2013

• January 15, Service Best, Regina
• January 15, Service Best, Humboldt
• January 22, Service Best, Estevan
• January 22,  Service Best, Saskatoon
• February 5, Service Best, Weyburn 
• February 5, Service Best, Swift Current
• February 12, Service Best, Moose Jaw
• February 12, Service Best, Nipawin
• February 19, Service Best, Kindersley
• February 19, Service Best, Lloydminster
• February 26, Service Best, Rosetown
• March 5, Service Best, Meadow Lake
• March 5, Service Best, North Battleford
• March 5, Service Best, Regina
• March 12, Service Best, Saskatoon
• March 12, Service Best, Prince Albert
• March 19, Service Best, La Ronge
• March 19, Service Best, Melville
• March 26, Service Best, Yorkton
  

How to keep employees during a labour shortage

Earlier in June, the Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council released its labour supply and demand study titled, The Future of Canada’s Tourism Sector. I posed a question on the STEC Facebook Page at the time. (If you're game for a little bit of fun, go visit our Facebook page before reading any further and try out the little quiz I posted there on June 6. In it, I've asked you to take a guess at rating the top non-wage benefits that help employee retention.)

This study quantifies the implications of long-term demographic and economic trends on labour supply and demand in Canada’s tourism sector, and outlines potential labour shortages over the next 20 years by industry, by province, and by occupation.

The CTHRC study warns of a looming 20-year labour shortage. Saskatchewan is among five provinces to be especially hard-hit, with a projected shortage equal to 1,227 full time jobs within a year. By 2030, that shortfall could rise to 7,396 unless businesses begin to act now.

In shortest supply: chefs, other kitchen workers, entry-level counter staff and housekeeping room attendants.

The report outlines strategies for tourism employers to improve their labour supply, including non-wage benefits that are most attractive to Canadian workers and that are most likely to help employers retain their workforce.

While preparing the report, the CTHRC surveyed 1,000 workers - employed or looking for employment - and asked them what non-wage goodies would either keep them with their current employers or entice them to work with one employer rather than another. The resulting 23 benefits - especially the top 10 - might surprise you. There's a different top 10 depending on whether or not you make over $100,000 a year, whether or not you already have a job, and how old you are.

For Canadians who are currently employed, here are the most important non-wage benefits keeping them with their current employer:

1. vacation time of more than two weeks.
2. health and dental plans.
3. short- and long-term disability benefits.
4. employee life insurance.
5. registered pension plan.
6. flex time/flexible hours.
7. formal professional development.
8. informal professional development.

In other words, if you're looking to retain staff, you should carefully consider providing these highly rated benefits to employees if you are not already.

In the middle are the non-wage benefits that might or might not matter to employees. These vary greatly in importance, depending on employees' current income and age! You'll need to do your homework and have a good understanding of your employees as individuals before you make decisions about these benefits:

• Group RRSP.
• Employee discounts/free services.
• Sales bonuses and/or commissions.
• Company car/mileage allowance.
• Profit-sharing plan.
• Maternity/parental leave.

At the very bottom of the list, of least interest to employees:

• cell phone/smart phone.
• fitness club membership.
• telecommuting/home-based work.
• on-site fitness centre.
• association memberships
• job sharing.
• tickets to events.
• bus or subway passes.

If you're currently putting most of your effort into those benefits at the bottom of the list, you likely aren't having much of an effect on employee turnover. That's not a good thing in the face of a labour shortage. Of course, if you're not doing anything on any of these lists, that's even worse!

I've been looking around at various employee recognition/retention programs that are offered to employers. Surprisingly, most "turnkey" programs focus on benefits at the bottom of the scale - the freebies, discounts, "perqs" and other stuff that employees don't particularly want or care about and that doesn't make any difference in helping employers retain their staff. These programs all but neglect the most important non-wage benefits near the top of the list.

A lot of employers subscribe to group benefit plans separately from other retention programs, and that's something that every employer should consider, no matter how big or small. But there's still a large gap in non-wage benefits that employers need for workforce retention. Professional development, whether formal or informal, is the biggest unfulfilled demand in most small to medium businesses, and it's one area where a little investment can pay out big results. It sounds complicated, but it doesn't have to be. It's basically a matter of making sure that employees are given the opportunity to develop the skills and knowledge to do their jobs and serve their customers well. It might mean helping employees earn professional certification as front line workers, supervisors or managers. It could involve encouraging employees to apprentice toward journeyperson in a tourism or other trade. It could be as simple as enrolling in half-day or day-long workshops in customer service, responsible liquor service, or sales techniques. Just as important as the training or development is the follow-through. Don't give your employees the tools to do their jobs better and give customers more satisfaction and then expect everyone to keep doing things the way they were always done.

As we get closer to a serious labour crunch, employers are going to have to take a much closer look at their retention practices. Hanging out a "help wanted" sign just won't help any more.

A little sunshine on an April morning

Following up on a February Service Best workshop at South East Regional College, facilitated by Tony Kayter, I noticed this comment from participant Gayleen Gurr, of Langbank, Saskatchewan: "...very worthwhile - should be mandatory in schools."

Thanks, Gayleen, for taking the time at the end of the workshop to provide some wonderful feedback and comments (and for providing permission to share them with our readers).

Several schools in Saskatchewan offer our Service Best in High Schools workshop. When you consider that most young people get their first jobs in tourism or hospitality businesses, the training effectively prepares them for summer employment, part-time work as students, and ongoing work in jobs where good customer service counts, including retail. (So, tell me of any job that doesn't require some kind of customer service, whether that's in a retail or "selling" business or in an office that requires you to interact effectively with colleagues!) Diefenbaker Destination Developments recently organized our Service Best Teacher In-Service workshop to certify high school teachers to provide Service Best in schools throughout the Lake Diefenbaker Tourism Destination Area. We even had one teacher travel down from Blaine Lake to take the training so that she could deliver Service Best in her high school.

Would we like to see more schools deliver Service Best? You bet! Consider how most of us learn about how to behave on the job. We learn mainly from experience, by watching how others are treated. If you can remember how you were treated as a high school (or younger) student when you went into local businesses, then you know that our youth don't often experience exemplary customer service. So, how do you learn to provide good customer service if you never experience it? That's why we've got Service Best in High Schools.

Let's hear it for our friends at Diefenbaker Destination Developments: Service Best steal of a deal

For a limited time, you can sign up for STEC's award-winning customer service workshop, Service Best, for just $40. We'll even buy you lunch.

Diefenbaker Destination Developments Inc. is sponsoring this special deal on our February workshops held in the Lake Diefenbaker region, allowing us to reduce the price to $40 per participant, plus GST.

Any business or organization located in the Mid Sask Enterprise Region service area is eligible to receive the sponsored rate. This is part of Diefenbaker Destination Developments’ initiative to achieve Service Best delivery to 60% of employees in 60% of businesses in the Lake Diefenbaker region. But act quickly. This special rate is available only for the workshops listed below, and participants must register no later than five days before the workshop date.

Workshops available:

• Whitecap, February 22.
• Outlook, February 28.
• Davidson, February 29.
• Elbow, TBA (March).
• Central Butte, TBA (March).

You can register on-line, or by calling Christian at (306) 361-5845 or Patty 1-800-331-1529. Registration in advance lets us bring enough lunch and materials for everyone attending.

Mid Sask Enterprise Region, Diefenbaker Destination Developments Inc, Whitecap Dakota First Nation, and the Saskatchewan Tourism Education Council, a division of Tourism Saskatchewan, are working to designate the region as a Service Best Region, with 60 per cent of the businesses and 60 per cent of the staff in those businesses participating in STEC's Service Best program. The region wants to create a "culture of service excellence" that draws more visitors.

Regular prices for Service Best are $109 for Tourism Saskatchewan members and $129 for non-members, so we really appreciate what Diefenbaker Destination Developments is doing to make the workshop more accessible to businesses in the region.

For more information about Service Best, Service Best Management, and Service Best Business recognition, visit www.stec.com.

NOTE: February 10, 2012, updated dates for Elbow and Central Butte workshops.

Meadow Lake readies for Service Best

"Customer service is key to tourism," notes 55 West Enterprise Region Economic Development director Corey Bowers.

That's why he's looking for Meadow Lake and area businesses to sign up for Service Best in March.

There's a real need, Bowers says. There aren't a lot of businesses that have customer service training available to them.

He chose the program offered by STEC because it's "one of the best ones out there," he says.

The entertaining and interactive workshop provides useful tools to help front line staff create memorable customer experiences, identify and respond to customer needs, and turn dissatisfied customers into loyal allies. Service Best is ideal for anyone who deals with customers, including trades, retail and health care. The program content is wide-ranging, not focused exclusively on tourism and hospitality work.

In addition to finding employees in local businesses to fill the workshop, Bowers plans to include volunteers who will be working with the 2012 Saskatchewan Summer Games, being held in Meadow Lake, July 29 to August 4.

Businesses that have 60 per cent or more of their staff or management completing Service Best, receive recognition through STEC's Business Recognition program.

This edition of Service Best workshop is being offered at special group pricing to make it easier for businesses to enrol.

Workshop details:

• Date: March 8, 2012
• Location: Meadow Lake
• Length: 7 hours
• Cost: $79.00 plus GST (Compare with our regular prices: $109 for Tourism Saskatchewan members, $129 for non-members)
• Register by: March 1, 2012

Register online: www.steconlinelearning.com
For questions about Service Best: stec.training@sasktourism.com
Toll Free: 1-800-331-1529

Open to the public. Pre-registration required.

Download the Service Best promotional flyer.

Lake Diefenbaker Service Best workshops

Lake Diefenbaker Tourism Destination Area aims to have 60 per cent of businesses and 60 per cent of staff in those businesses participating in Service Best.

That's why STEC is offering it's award-winning Service Best workshop in communities throughout the region, at special group pricing* that makes it easier than ever for businesses to empower their frontline staff to deliver superior customer service. Service Best is ideal for anyone who deals with customers, in any industry, from tourism to retail to health care.

Upcoming Workshops:

• Elbow, February 15.
• Central Butte, February 21.
• Whitecap, February 22.
• Outlook, February 28.
• Davidson, February 29.

Enrolment:
Visit steconlinelearning.com to sign up for the scheduled workshops.

For questions about Service Best: stec.training@sasktourism.com
Toll Free: 1-800-331-1529

*Special Lake Diefenbaker Tourism Service Best Initiative Rate: $79 for all registrants + GST (Regular Fee is $109 for Tourism Saskatchewan members, $129 for non-members).

SHSA completes STEC facilitator's workshop for staff

The Service and Hospitality Safety Association of Saskatchewan (SHSA) arranged STEC’s Facilitator Skills Development Workshop for nine staff in November.

The 3½-day “train the trainer” workshop builds a solid foundation of knowledge and skills for anyone who delivers training or presentations to adults. The workshop is required for all contract facilitators of STEC training programs, but in this instance the SHSA was looking for a program that would help its staff deliver its own training and services more effectively. The STEC program was a perfect match because it’s tailored to industries in the tourism sector, providing participants with skills and practice that make them better communicators and trainers.

Any organization can use the facilitators’ workshop to help staff create more productive working relationships, and to engage and motivate their clients. The SHSA participants said that in addition to discovering those benefits, they valued the way the workshop approaches planning and facilitating.

More Service Best workshops in Prince Albert

STEC has scheduled Service Best workshops in Prince Albert at a reduced rate to help area businesses create Canada's first Service Best City.

Prince Albert Tourism, Prince Albert Chamber of Commerce, Prince Albert Downtown Business Improvement District and North Central Enterprise Region have challenged local and area businesses to become designated as Service Best Businesses. Prince Albert becomes a Service Best City when 300 of the 500 businesses that are members of the Chamber of Commerce achieve Service Best Business designation.

For workshop dates and registration information, visit www.steconlinelearning.com.

Lake Diefenbaker area teachers ready to deliver Service Best in high schools

Mid-Sask Enterprise Region organized a Teachers’ In-Service workshop in Outlook in November. Seven teachers from schools in the Sun West School Division, and another from Prairie Spirit School Division in Blaine Lake, certified as facilitators to deliver Service Best in the destination region’s high schools to give students a competitive advantage in their summer jobs. Most people get their first job experience working in tourism, so early customer service training can really help.

Diefenbaker Destination Developments is setting the groundwork for becoming the first Service Best Area. As part of its destination strategy designed to improve tourism infrastructure, training and awareness, the non-profit organization and its partners, Whitecap Dakota First Nation, Tourism Saskatchewan, Lake Diefenbaker Tourism, and the Mid-Sask Enterprise Region are working to create a culture of service excellence.

From now until the end of March, the destination area is setting up Service Best in Outlook, Elbow, Central Butte, Lucky Lake and Davidson. STEC is making the workshop available at special group pricing that makes it easier to empower frontline staff to deliver superior customer service. For workshop dates and registration information, visit www.steconlinelearning.com.

Upcoming Service Best workshops

Sign up today for STEC's award-winning, internationally recognized workshop, designed to help your frontline staff deliver superior customer service. This entertaining and interactive workshop provides useful tools to help you create memorable customer experiences, identify and respond to customer needs, and turn dissatisfied customers into loyal allies.

If your business achieves 60 per cent or greater staff or management participation in Service Best, it will receive recognition through our Business Recognition program.

If you want to give your business a competitive edge, register for this one-day workshop today!

• January 10, Regina
• January 17, Saskatoon
• January 18, Prince Albert Service Best Initiative
• January 24, Humboldt
• January 25, Prince Albert Service Best Initiative
• February 1, Prince Albert Service Best Initiative
• February 8, Prince Albert Service Best Initiative
• February 15, Prince Albert Service Best Initiative
• February 22, Prince Albert Service Best Initiative
• February 29, Prince Albert Service Best Initiative

Register online: www.steconlinelearning.com User registration and ID required. We never share your personal information. Registration is fast, easy and free. If your organization is a member of Tourism Saskatchewan, your discounts are applied automatically each time you register for a workshop.

Contact: stec.training@sasktourism.com

Toll Free: 1-800-331-1529

Open to the public. Pre-registration required.

Download the Service Best flyer.

Service Best workshops around the province

The Saskatchewan Tourism Education Council has organized province-wide Service Best workshops for this fall and winter, making right now the perfect time to register your front-line employees for training in the delivery of superior customer service. This entertaining and interactive workshop provides useful tools for creating memorable customer experiences, responding to customer needs, and turning dissatisfied customers into loyal allies.

Workshops are scheduled throughout the province: Estevan/Weyburn, Humboldt, Meadow Lake, Moose Jaw, North Battleford, Regina, Saskatoon, Swift Current and Yorkton.

If you do business in Prince Albert or the Lake Diefenbaker Tourism Destination Area, you can register for one of four special Service Best workshops, Service Best Management, or Service Best Teacher In-Service. Prince Albert aims to be Canada's first "Service Best City", with at least 60% of the city's businesses achieving the designation. Lake Diefenbaker Tourism Destination Area also plans to have 60% of businesses designated, creating a culture of service excellence and drawing more visitors to the area.

For more information, visit www.stec.com or www.steconlinelearning.com.

Lake Diefenbaker aims for region-wide Service Best delivery

The Lake Diefenbaker Tourism Destination Area aims to become recognized as a Service Best Region.

Mid Sask Enterprise Region, Diefenbaker Destination Developments, Whitecap Dakota First Nation, and the Saskatchewan Tourism Education Council are working to designate the region as a Service Best Region, with 60 per cent of the businesses and 60 per cent of the staff in those businesses participating in STEC's Service Best program. The region wants to create a "culture of service excellence" that draws more visitors.


Good service doesn't happen by accident. Creating a service culture requires an investment in training to develop the skills, and to engage fontline staff, supervisors and managers in conversations around what it means to give customers superior service.


We're opening up opportunities throughout the Lake Diefenbaker Tourism Development Area to learn more about providing great customer service.

• Service Best Teacher In-Service workshops. The Service Best Teacher In-Service workshop certifies educators to deliver the Service Best workshop in their schools and to the public.
• Service Best in High Schools. Most students get their earliest job experiences in tourism businesses, yet they often enter the job market without a good understanding of customer service. Providing the Service Best workshop in high schools not only gives students valuable skills to land their first job, but also to help them in subsequent work in the tourism sector and throughout their careers.
• Service Best. Enrolling your frontline staff in a Service Best workshop gives them the skills and confidence to deliver superior customer service. They'll learn useful tools that create memorable customer experiences, identify and respond to customer needs, and turn dissatisfied customers into loyal allies.
• Service Best Management. Enrolling frontline staff in Service Best gets the customer service conversation rolling, but it doesn't end there. For business owners and managers, the Service Best Management workshop will help you create the right environment for delivering superior customer service. This workshop will benefit your business on every level, from a more positive work environment and higher staff retention to satisfied customers, repeat business, new patrons, and increased profits.
• Service Best Business Recognition. A businesses that attains at least 60 per cent staff or management participation in Service Best is recognized as a Service Best Business. Business recognition sends a strong message to consumers, creates a powerful promotional punch, and opens opportunities for businesses to cooperate in demonstrating their Service Best competitive advantage.
• Service Best Region Recognition. When at least 60 per cent of businesses in a region have achieved Service Best Business designation, that region receives recognition as a Service Best Region. Service Best communities are cities and towns across Saskatchewan that have achieved 60 per cent or greater frontline and management participation in Service Best. Our goal is to see the entire Lake Diefenbaker Tourism Destination Area recognized for its participation in Service Best, becoming our first Service Best Region.

To learn more about the Lake Diefenbaker Destination Area Service Best initiative or to find out how your school, business or community can benefit from this training, please call:
Holly Vollmer, Economic Development Officer, Mid Sask Enterprise Region, (306) 860-7404.

To register for a workshop or to find more about how Service Best can help your organization perform better, contact STEC:
Register online: www.steconlinelearning.com

NOTE: User registration required. We never share your personal information. Registration to gain access to the online learning site is fast, easy and free. If your organization is a member of Tourism Saskatchewan, your discounts are applied automatically each time you enrol in a workshop.

Contact: stec.training@sasktourism.com
Toll Free: 1-800-331-1529
STEC Service Best Programs: http://www.stec.com/training/workshops/service-best

Find upcoming workshops listed on our training and events calendar.

Winner of the Service Best Customer Service Contest Announced

We are pleased to announce that the winner of the Service Best customer service contest is Sharon Elder!  Sharon will receive a Tourism Saskatchewan DVD, Place in the Heart, and a Land of the Living Skies CD.

Below is the entry that Sharon submitted:

For 25 years, we had a fly in fishing lodge in northern Saskatchewan, where we lived in the summer.  Winters were spent in Minneapolis, MN.  A great deal of emphasis was spent on GREAT customer service and new staff very quickly learned from experienced staff as to how this should be done.  Dealing with store workers etc. in Minneapolis was a treat.  Coming back to Saskatoon is NOT a treat.  To this day, I very often find the store clerks, office workers, etc. very rude.  It is obvious that they are not getting training in customer service.  Maybe is is because their jobs are year round rather than summer resort jobs.

I would like to suggest that equal emphasis be put on upping the customer service as is spent on rewarding excellent service.

Staff who can not make eye contact, don't smile, don't acknowledge a customer with a nod or finger wiggle do not entice me to deal with their store/office, etc.  As I am the one paying their wages, it is my choice to go where I'm welcome and I do.

Keep up the great job, hopefully other areas of the Saskatchewan economy will catch up to what the tourism business already knows.

Sharon Elder