ON OUR MARKS / Find Out More
Suffolk businesses are being urged to take up the baton and draw in millions of pounds to the local economy by getting skilled-up in Customer Service in time for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
At Suffolk’s tourism conference earlier this year, Steve Cram, MBE, middle-distance running champion and Olympic silver medallist called the county to action.
“You [Suffolk] are in a competition with other regions for visitors and you need to be prepared. Whatever ideas you have, waste no time whatsoever. It [the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games] will be a once in a lifetime opportunity, so take it, and use it well, he said.
John Dugmore, Chief Executive of Suffolk Chamber of Commerce, says that local businesses in the hospitality, tourism, leisure, travel and retail sectors in Suffolk should aim to raise their customer service skills now, to take advantage of the custom that will be generated by the global interest in Britain generated by the Games:
“Research by the Sector Skills Council* shows that 65% of businesses that report a skills gap say that their staff lack the required customer service skills. In Suffolk we are getting ready for this unique and exciting opportunity to attract and retain customers by challenging businesses to take up the range of quality, accredited customer service courses on offer. We need to increase the level of skills amongst existing staff and to recruit and train apprentices in time for the Games. “
Suffolk has 11 sports facilities that have been officially accredited as potential London 2012 pre-Games training camp venues and 3 nations, Rwanda, Azerbaijan and Canada’s Gymnastics Federation, have already signed-up to train in Suffolk prior to the Games. A number of athletes from Suffolk are also likely to be taking part in the Games’ events.
Alex Paul, Tourism Manager for Choose Suffolk, says:
“Suffolk needs to be the front-runner in the region and the country for customer service before, during and after the Games and we need to get “On Our Marks” now.” A regional study* has predicted that the tourism and procurement opportunities presented by the Games could be worth millions to the local economy; tourism to the county is predicted to rise by 3% each year for the next six years, as some of the 25 billion global audience for the Games and the thousands of athletes, officials, visitors and the media directly associated with the event, will want to visit, or do business in, Suffolk.
The “On Our Marks” – Suffolk Businesses 2012 Ready campaign, is supported by partners including Suffolk Chamber of Commerce, Choose Suffolk, Suffolk County Council, Archant and Suffolk’s colleges and training providers, and will run until the end of 2012.
*People 1st “State of the Nation Report 2010
* EEDA 2006
