Local visitor center staff recently were recognized for completing state customer service training. Travel Oregon, the Oregon Tourism Commission, recognized the Bay Area Visitors Association for having more than half of their staff trained in Oregon's “Q” customer service program.

A total of 40 staff members from the Visitors Association, comprising the North Bend, Coos Bay and Charleston visitors centers, participated in the three-hour training.

The visitors association joins several tourism-related businesses, including hotels, restaurants, real-estate businesses, insurance companies and hospitals on the South Coast that have established Q certification.

The training, which includes the certified college credit course, “It Pays to Please,” focuses on customer service, including teaching employees in the tourism business how to interact with customers in a positive way.

The Q service trainers also make the program specific to area and type of business.

“Instead of somebody from the Portland area coming down and trying to tell us how to answer questions, they focus the training on our area,” said Barb Dunham, visitor services manager for the city of North Bend.

Q courses have been offered to Oregon businesses and tourism agencies since January 2005 and are provided through partnerships with Chemeketa Community College and the Oregon Coastal Visitors Association.

In order to maintain their Q-certified designation, businesses have to keep at least half of their staff trained in the program.

For more information on the Q Customer Service Program, those interested can contact Southern Oregon Marketing Consultant Sue Price, at (541) 890-5472.