SPEDA hosted its first free hospitality training series July 21 and 23, focusing on the basics of excellent customer service while teaching employees how to direct visitors to community events and attractions. 

Taught by Lake Cumberland Tourism Executive Director Michelle Allen and Thoroughbred Hospitality Group Director of Sales JaKaye Garth, the course covered telephone etiquette, verbal and non-verbal communication, dealing with difficult customers, e-mail and social media etiquette, dressing for success and knowing the community.

The training was targeted to front-line employees — those who work in hotel lobbies, retail, dining establishments, convenience stores or other positions that interact directly with visitors. The group discussed how to tailor customer service to each individual visitor to give them the best experience possible.

Tourism is Pulaski County’s No. 1 industry, generating more than $119 million in revenue and drawing 4 million recreational visitors a year. Because of this, SPEDA put a high priority in its first year on offering this training, so the community can provide the best customer service possible to the people who fuel this important economic driver.