November 02, 2005

LINCOLN, Neb. — Friendly, helpful service may be all it takes to get visitors to come back to a community, said Dave Green, owner and manager of the Grocery Kart in Broken Bow.

Green is one of more than a dozen Broken Bow residents participating in a University of Nebraska Rural Initiative program offered in partnership with University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension. The program targets communities' front-line employees – retail sales clerks, servers and other usually hourly employees who are likely to meet visitors. It teaches them to better promote their area's offerings to visitors, travelers and tourists.

"If we treat people well when they come into our business, that impression is very lasting. They'll remember that," Green said.

Red Carpet Service is a train-the-trainer program that combines customer service training with the needs of visitors, travelers and tourists, said Cheryl Burkhart-Kriesel, community development specialist at the university's Panhandle Research and Extension Center at Scottsbluff. She and Connie Francis, Nebraska Rural Initiative extension educator based at North Platte, developed the program to help Nebraska communities. Broken Bow was the first community to test the program last spring.

The program helps font-line employees discover how to promote tourism, practice skills to identify and respond to travelers' need, and promote the community in a positive way, she said. In the long run, the program will help communities reach their potential by attracting tourists and new residents.

"One of the areas the Nebraska Rural Initiative hopes to increase with this program is tourism that brings new dollars into the state," said Sandy Scofield, Nebraska Rural Initiative director. "The program will help communities offer better service and help them identify their hidden treasures. In addition, the program has the potential to highlight such ventures as agrotourism and ecotourism and highlight Nebraska's rich history."

Good service is anything from giving directions and restaurant recommendations to entertainment suggestions or handing out maps. It also involves such things as slowing people down as they travel through a community by posting a billboard with information about area activities, Burkhart-Kriesel said.

"If communities can give good referrals, good things to do when people are in their area, it can earn communities extra money," she said. "If you can slow a traveler or tourist down and have them do one more activity in your state or community, it equates to about $80 to $90 per car that they will spend in that community. It really can add up."

The train-the-trainer approach makes Red Carpet Service different than other community hospitality/tourism programs. Extension educators and specialists working with the Nebraska Rural Initiative customize the program for individual communities and provide initial training. Front-line employees who are trained then teach the program again and again to others in the community, which multiplies the scope and benefit, Burkhart-Kriesel said.

The program is organized into three, 90-minute sessions. After training, communities often find themselves discussing how to build a Web presence and also are able to participate in an optional "hidden treasurers" tour that helps communities point out attractions of interest to travelers and tourists.

"Cruising through a community, visitors may not see some of those things that the locals do," she said. "This program will allow communities to stress those things that they want to promote."

Green said the Grocery Kart offers a marque featuring local events and an area with local maps.

"We know that if we are going to be able to increase the population in our town and attract people to our community we need to make a good first impression," Green said. "Red Carpet Service helps train our front-line people and helps them understand that having a good attitude and providing good service is important."

He said Red Carpet Service helped Grocery Kart employees become more aware of visitors and tourists and also prepared them for questions they might receive.

"We usually are able to identify (visitors and tourists) the minute they come in the front door because we know most of our customers in a small town," he said. "When we see someone new we try to help them if they ask questions or let them know how we can help."

Green is a fan of the program. It is valuable to businesses, he said, adding that all communities should consider going through it.

"It's a lot of hard work and dedication, but this kind of service can really attract people," he said. "Attitude is very important. If you come into a community where people go out of their way to assist you, it makes a big difference."

Green said Broken Bow plans to offer another train-the-trainer session this spring.

Jefferson and Thayer counties, Columbus and Beatrice also completed the program.

Training fees are paid by participating communities. For more information about the program, contact Burkhart-Kriesel at (308) 632-1234, cburkhartkriesel1@unl.edu or Francis at (308) 696-6739, cfrancis1@unl.edu.

11/2/05-SAK

Contacts:

Cheryl Burkhart-Kriesel - Ph.D.
Panhandle Research and Extenstion Center
Community and Economic Development Specialist
(308)632-1234

Connie Francis
UNL Extension
Extension Educator
(308) 696-6739

Sandra Scofield
Nebraska Rural Initiative
Director
(402) 472-7091

Sandi Alswager Karstens
IANR News and Photography
(402) 472-3030

Department:
Agricultural Economics