Rapid City Hospitality Industry Harnesses the Power of Disney

RAPID CITY, SD, April 02, 2011 (Press-News.org) A taste of Disney magic is coming to Rapid City. Although Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck will remain in Orlando, Doug Lipp, former head of training at Disney's Corporate Headquarters, will help members of the local visitor industry discover Disney's secrets to customer service.

Lipp will give a behind-the-scenes view of how the Walt Disney Company became a leader in customer service, sharing examples of Disney's successes and how they overcame customer service challenges. Attendees will leave the session with skills they can use to become leaders in their industry.

"We are excited to offer this workshop for local visitor industry members. Managers, supervisors and employees will benefit greatly from this training," says Michelle Lintz, Executive Director of the Rapid City Convention & Visitors Bureau. "Their friendly smiles and warm greetings welcome visitors to Rapid City every day. Doug will share strategies to take their current customer service to the next level."

The Rapid City Convention & Visitors Bureau invites members of the hospitality and tourism industry to the training seminar on Monday, May 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center. Tickets are $15 per person and include admission to the 90-minute seminar and the Visitor Industry Luncheon. Two sessions of Lipp's seminar will be offered - one beginning at 10 a.m. and another immediately following the luncheon. Interested individuals can register for the workshop by visiting http://www.VisitRapidCity.com/Training.

Lawrence & Schiller, a regional marketing and advertising agency, will share a presentation on social and mobile marketing techniques during the annual luncheon. Several awards will also be presented. The "Extra Mile" award will be given to an individual who has demonstrated great support to Rapid City and the local tourism industry. A new award, the "Frontline Customer Service Representative of the Year" award will also be presented to an individual who consistently gives visitors a positive first impression of their business and Rapid City. The recipient will be recognized for their ability to exemplify excellence in hospitality, customer service and knowledge of Rapid City attractions.

"Because the CVB values excellent customer service and desires that all businesses in the Rapid City area focus on understanding the needs of visitors, we want to award an individual for being an essential piece of our community's visitor industry," says Michelle Thomson, Tourism Director at the CVB.

The Rapid City CVB is a division of the Rapid City Area Chamber of Commerce. The CVB's mission is to market the Rapid City area as a convention and leisure destination and to promote economic growth that will enhance the area for visitors and residents.