Hospitality clinic launch attracts major players

The Belfast Institute of Further and Higher Education (BIFHE) has launched a pilot project called the Hospitality Clinic aimed at helping small businesses in the hospitality industry improve their customer service, competitive edge and business performance.

The project has been funded to the tune of £100,000 by the Department for Employment and Learning (DEL) and will be delivered by BIFHE and its partner Internet Concepts (Ireland).

Each of the 30 businesses from the Greater Belfast area who are involved in the project will follow a structured programme of workshops to assist them achieve the Hospitality Assured Marque, a quality standard aligned to the British Standard Quality Award. The Hospitality Assured Marque involves twelve steps and emphasizes growth through service excellence by listening to the voice of the customer.

Guesthouses, hotels, restaurants, cafes and tourist attractions involved in the pilot scheme will have access to a dedicated website, a self-assessment health check in addition to mentoring and support.

Speakers at the launch included Bill McGinnis OBE (Chairperson of the Learning and Skills Advisory Board with DEL), Steve Samuel (Hospitality Assured –HCIMA), and Rosemary Armstrong (Chairperson of the Small Business Federation).

(MB)