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Torridon Hotel take it to the top |
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With what must be one of the best locations in the UK and access to delicious local produce, the Torridon Hotel has – not surprisingly – become a much sought-after destination for visitors from all over the world.
Not that any of this gives manager Robert Ince cause for complacency. Far from it.
“We’ve a tremendous amount going for us in terms of our location and great local food but I’m convinced what sets a business apart is its customer service.
“Great service is what it’s all about and if you don’t look after your customers, somebody else will,” says Robert who has just put eight of the hotel’s staff through the One Hundred Thousand Welcomes Delivering Service Excellence Programme.
Staff development and training is a priority for the Torridon Hotel and its mission statement – to be the Highland home of excellence – sets high standards in customer service.
“We actually used our promise as a focus for the training day. The team were absolutely buzzing with ideas after the programme. There’s no other training initiative I know of for this industry like One Hundred Thousand Welcomes.
“What you learn on the day you take with you into work. There were at least two or three ideas the team picked up we’re already implementing and with real benefits.”
And to ensure nobody forgets the importance of outstanding service, Robert and his team have taken what they consider to the four elements of excellent service and put them onto posters, notes and memos which are then pinned to staff notice boards or placed in the main reception area.
“It’s just a bit of creative thinking to remind staff on a daily basis of why excellence matters. And when you get comments from visitors about how great our staff are, it makes it all worthwhile,” says Robert.
Emma Drake, a waitress at The Torridon, agrees: “I did One Hundred Thousand Welcomes as part of my time spent working in the dining room here at the Torridon.
“It really reinforced the business ethos here which we learn through our induction and first month of training. We had so much fun during the day, I realized the real importance of excellent customer service in a competitive industry and how I can play a really important part in making every one of our guest’s stay memorable.” |
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