Business & Tech
Training for Walnut Creek Service Excellence
Downtown Business Association plans training workshops for a variety of organizations, retailers and restaurants.
The Downtown Business Association is trying to infuse the spirit of service excellence all over the city in a training program slated for August.
Service Excellence, City-Wide — a three-day workshop of training for a variety of businesses and organizations in Walnut Creek — is intended to gain the city an award whose prestige will help brand the city.
"We will put ourselves on the map as not only having great shops and restaurant, but having great service," said Heather McNeil, marketing manager for the the Walnut Creek Downtown Business Association. "We hope it will brand Walnut Creek as a destination in Northern California, not just this little suburban town outside of San Francisco."
The training is run by Service Arts, a company that began its program by training and certifying Healdsburg in Sonoma County earlier this year as it brands itself as a wine country destination.
"Our goal is to make Walnut Creek the very best it can be for both residents and visitors alike," said Emily Chang, executive director of the DBA. "Positioning ourselves as a premier destination in Northern California cannot be accomplished without recognizing the importance service holds on all sectors of business. It is our goal to set new standards of excellence in and for our community."
The DBA, with the aid of a consultant, in the last couple of years has focused efforts on rebranding the city.
The training will cost $225 for employees of DBA members, $275 for non-members. The Service Arts team will be in Walnut Creek for seven days starting Aug. 21. Three-day sessions will be held for three groups:
- restaurants and hotels
- retail
- professional services and city government
The city of Walnut Creek is participating, McNeil said.
Santa Barbara, Napa and New Orleans are also in discussions about using the Service Excellence, City-Wide program, McNeil said.
Workshops will be held at the Clubhouse at the city's Boundary Oak Golf Course. After the workshops, area businesses will get certificates that can be displayed in shop windows.
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