KiaOraMai official Rotorua launch attracts over 150 employers

The official start of the Rotorua KiaOraMai training programme designed to ensure people working in the service sector consistently deliver a unique, memorable visitor experience took place with a launch by the Rotorua Mayor, Kevin Winters on Wednesday 9th December. Mayor Kevin introduced KiaOraMai to 150 local employers, “As a real opportunity for Rotorua to be the first KiaOraMai city in New Zealand.”

“As Rotorua transitions from a regional to an international city, lifting the bar in customer service will open new doors to businesses looking to locate to Rotorua and families wishing to live there. In turn good business helps increase household wealth and GDP. In other words this program will benefit all Rotorua businesses not just retail, service and hospitality,” says Grant Kilby, General Manager of the Economic Development Unit for Rotorua District Council.

KiaOraMai is an entry-level employee training programme aimed at increasing the national consistency of customer service skills within the service industries. KiaOraMai is an Industry Training Organisation (ITO) qualification.

“KiaOraMai is not only an opportunity to provide a consistent, positive customer experience but it’s good for business, ” says Grant Kilby, General Manager of the Economic Development Unit for Rotorua District Council.“We are blessed with a diverse range of attractions and activities within one hour of Rotorua. However competition for the discretionary visitor spend is huge. We must be the service leaders: we must take advantage of the unique proposition the KiaOraMai program offers us,” he adds.

Destination Tourism Rotorua, Tourism NZ, Air New Zealand and the Regional Tourism collective have invested heavily in this international market opportunity both on a consumer and trade level.

Guests at the launch were left in no doubt that there is a real opportunity to lift the customer service bar and grow the hospitality, tourism and service sectors, and that now is the time.

“Great service makes the difference when it comes to how visitors and customers experience a region,” says Grant Kilby. “Now is the time to capitalise on what makes our region unique and build our capability and skills across all business types, to deliver a great service experience. This is a key part of this opportunity.”

The Rotorua Chamber of Commerce, in conjunction with the Rotorua District Council also supports the KiaOraMai programme as part of the Lets GO Rotorua campaign and has secured the first two training workshops in Rotorua for January and February 2010.

Presentations as the launch event highlighted the wide range of opportunities including the Rugby World Cup, sharing Rotorua’s rich cultural heritage as part of a uniquely New Zealand welcome to visitors and customers and the bottom-line business benefits of lifting the customer service bar.

“Employers improve their business reputation by finding and training people with the right skills and attitudes - that means improved bottom line results. The KiaOraMai programme helps them do that,” says Roger Gordon, Chief Executive of the Rotorua Chamber of Commerce, who have been involved in this exciting alliance from the outset.

For further information visit the KiaOraMai website: www.kiaoramai.co.nz or call the freephone: 0800 29 29 29