Five-Star Customer Service Program Expands Classes with New Leadership and Supervisory Curriculum

Gulf Shores, AL, July 23, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Continuing the success of its Five Star Southern Hospitality Program – which has now had numerous participants, program organizers recently unveiled a new leadership and supervisory curriculum targeting managers and other mid to upper level management at local hospitality and tourism businesses.

Consisting of five 3-hour modules, student will explore the topics of leadership, communication, motivation, legislation in the workplace and workplace violence. The courses will be lead by the staff of the Alabama Technology Network, a workforce training partner in Alabama’s two-year college system.

The September class schedule is as follows:
September 3 – Leadership (1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.)
September 4 – Communication (8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.)
September 4 – Motivation (1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.)
September 10 – Legislation in the workplace (1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.)
September 11 – Workplace violence (8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.)
September 11 – Leadership (1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.)
September 17 – Communication (1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.)
September 18 – Motivation (8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.)
September 18 – Legislation in the workplace (1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.)
September 24 – Workplace violence (1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.)
September 25 – Leadership (8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.)
September 25 – Communication (1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.)

Tuition for the program is $500, and each class is limited to 20 students.

While scholarships are available, this financial support is limited to five employees per company. To be eligible for a scholarship, students must complete an application form, provide an employer support letter and sign up for each module.

Five Star Certification Courses

Five Star Southern Hospitality classes will resume on August 10 with Hospitality 101 (9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.) and Communications Basics (1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.). Then on Tuesday, August 11, individuals can attend Customer Service Skills (9:00 a.m. to noon) and Exceeding Customer Expectations (1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.). All courses will be held at the Gulf Shores campus of Faulkner State Community College (FSCC), and pre-registration must be completed by the Friday prior to the classes. Local businesses should note direct billing is now available and will streamline the registration process for their employees.

To become certified, individuals must first complete the Hospitality 101 class, which is free. Program participants will then take four of the six remaining classes, each of which costs $25.00. After completing these classes, the student will be awarded a Five Star Southern Hospitality certification. After 70 percent of a company’s permanent workforce becomes certified through this customer service training program, then the company will be named a Five Star Southern Hospitality Provider.

The Five Star program – including the new curriculum - is a partnership between the Office of Workforce Development at FSCC, the Alabama Gulf Coast CVB, the Foley CVB, the Alabama Gulf Coast Area Chamber of Commerce and the South Baldwin Chamber of Commerce.

To Register

For more information about the program, visit www.fivestarsouthernhospitality.com. To complete the mandatory pre-registration for a Five Star course or a Leadership & Supervisory Development Program, contact Tracie McGreal at 251-990-0420 or tmcgreal@faulknerstate.edu.

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