Raising the Bar: Great service the goal

A group of Rotorua business people want to help lift service standards in Rotorua. Clockwise, from front left, are Kay Clarke, Heinz Fett, Andy Allen, Mike Steiner, Hilda Duffy and Prue Allen, centre. Photo / Stephen Parker

A group of Rotorua service industry providers and business people have joined forces to help raise service standards in the city.

Supported by the Rotorua Daily Post, they have come up with an initiative called "Raising the Bar" and want every business to get on board in an effort to make Rotorua the best place in the country for friendly, efficient and high-level service standards.

Involved with the new group are Rotorua Cuisine Co-operative led by Lone Star director Andy Allan, business broker Heinz Fett of ABC Business Sales, Mike Steiner of the Inner City Focus Group and Kay Clarke and Yumiko Kawano of Stay and Play New Zealand Tourism Connections.

They have also been joined by Rotorua district councillor and Inner City revitalisation portfolio leader Karen Hunt, Hilda Duffy of Salon St Bruno, Lin Schaeffers of Picnic Cafe and Sabine Willemsen of Mountain Jade/Out of New Zealand.

But, before they launch into a series of initiatives such as workshops and reviews they want to make sure everyone in the hospitality, retail and service industries wants to fit into the "Rotorua puzzle".

"Raising the bar was initiated by the community after having issues with service standards," Mr Fett said.

"There was a feeling something needed to be done about it. We are a group of passionate people who want Rotorua to be a much better place," Mr Fett said.

"Service equals profit."

The group want the initiative to be industry-led, not to focus on the negatives and to share ideas and experiences.

"In the past we may have relied on all of our visitors coming to town so we didn't have to worry too much about the service side of things, but Pushing up service standards is aim

RAISINGTHE BAR

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now people are expecting more," Mrs Schaeffers said.

In the coming weeks Rotorua businesses will receive a puzzle piece, the idea being that all service-based businesses will be able to complete a Rotorua puzzle by fitting all of the pieces together.

"Rotorua is a team and if we all get on board then we will all succeed," Mr Steiner said.

The initiative will get under way at a "Meet and Greet" to be held in Rotorua District Council Chamber from 5.30pm on June 16.

The meeting will be run by Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick, council chief executive Geoff Williams and Mr Steiner.

The meet and greet will also update interested locals on the progress made - and some exciting future initiatives - of the Inner City Focus Group in conjunction with the council.

Mrs Hunt said she was excited about the initiative.

"The community-led group is very important for where Rotorua needs to be in the future.

"They are all very passionate people driving it and they each have their own areas of expertise," she said.

Anyone interested in Raising the Bar and/or attending the meet and greet should contact Kay Clarke at Stay and Play at kay@stayandplay.com

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