7 News Belize

Frontline: Tourism
posted (June 24, 2010)
The Belize Tourism Board held customer relations training for about 15 frontline personnel from the airport, including both customs and immigration. The training, which was launched in an effort to present a friendlier face to visitors, began on Monday and marked the first of a two-part series of trainings being carried out for frontline personnel at the PGIA. We visited today to see exactly what all was happening.

Romeo Pott, Immigration Officer
"Firstly, this is a BTB initiative because they consider us frontline personnel, who meet and greet people upon arrival at the airport. So they decided that we should also be conscious of what our rules and what are our duties, so that we could treat the arriving passengers and Belizeans who are returning back home in the best manner possible. We have learned that different people come under different kind of stress upon arriving in our country. At the same time that we need to adjust to them, we need to address the problem from before it actually becomes a problem."

Emaun Hyde
"So do you think you'll be nicer to people when they come to you and they're all angry and frustrated?"

Romeo Pott
"It's a matter of personality adjustment that everybody has to do. I think that we've been doing a great job because in the past we've never had any complaints against immigration or customs."

Emaun Hyde
"How has it helped you?"

Karina Marage, Customs Examiner
"Well like I said, sometimes with my job it can become very hectic at times, and with this course it helps me to aim to be a better person. I know that I am now a representative of my country as well, and I should be able to deal with people in a very professional and efficient manner."

The training covered important areas such as Customer Service Essentials, Attitude and Professionalism, Effective Communication, Teamwork, and so on.

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