Service commended, from the top

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 9, Issue 419, 14 January 1992, Page 8

Service commended, from the top

• Service is the biggest issue facing New Zealand business today. We all know it doesn't take long for a competitor to copy a product or to break into a specialised niche in the market. What they can't copy is service and the attitude and skills people bring to their jobs. Service can make the difference between being in business and being out of business. The same is true about countries, New Zealand is known the world over for the friendliness of its people, and we receive nearly a million international visitors per year. What we need now is the service to match our reputation, so that we meet the expec-

tations of all the customers and visitors who deal with us. You may have heard of the revolution in service that KiwiHost has started. KiwiHost, a New Zealand tourism Board initiative, is a seven hour training workshop running throughout New Zealand that aims to upgrade the level of service and hospitality offered to all customers and visitors. A KiwiHost "graduate" makes a personal commitment to better service and hospitality. Recently one of our KiwiHost service trained participants told me about an experience they had at Ohakune Autos. Celia Walmsley of Wellington commented

on excellent friendly and helpful service she received from Dave Mcllroy. I'd like to congratulate them for exemplifying the kind of service and hospitality we're looking for in KiwiHost, and for doing their part to enhance the reputation of New Zealand as a business and visitor destination.

Hon

John Banks

Minister of Tourism