Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Ambassador program offers a boost for our region

Jan Quintrall Staff writer

How about I quiz you on some little-known facts about Spokane County and surround? Ready or not:

What town in Spokane County was known as Section Thirteen and three other names before getting its present-day name?

What famous Spokane structure was built in the late 1800s as part of an economic stimulus package?

If you can answer these questions, you most likely are a certified tourism ambassador, recently trained by the Spokane Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau. By the end of the year, the bureau will have graduated almost 200 ambassadors, with more classes planned in 2009.

When I started hearing about this ambassador training late in 2007, I was thrilled to hear that incorporated in the training would be a basic customer service component, a topic the Better Business Bureau sees a need for every day. Anyone in business knows that all it takes is one person to make or break a visitor’s experience, and there are times we all hope the service offered to newcomers is better than what we got.

On Nov. 18 I was part of the tourism ambassador training class at the Convention Center in Spokane. What a treat. Prior to the training, we all received a large notebook with training materials, as we were required to do some pre-classroom study. I took the notebook with me on a recent trip for BBB meetings in Florida. Having plenty of time to read up, I truly enjoyed the stories, history and lessons of the course. Some facts about the impact of visitors to our area:

•An average of 10,522 people visit Spokane each day.

•In the last year alone, $805 million came into the Spokane economy from visitors.

•We compete for conventions with cities like Portland, Seattle, Reno, Boise, Phoenix and Oklahoma City.

The goal of the ambassador training is to enlist all graduates to make visitor experiences as memorable as possible and to generate more visitors. That the visitors come from Atlanta or St. Maries, Idaho, matters little; all visitors’ dollars spend the same.

You may have begun seeing service providers in our community wearing the awarded gold stars on their collars or lapels. These are the graduates. What is it they know?

•History and human stories that make this region special.

•Ways visitors can spend time in Spokane and the surrounding areas based on what they like to do.

•Where the events and attractions are and how to get you there.

•A love for this area as seen through the eyes of a visitor.

I took the course for a few reasons. First, training is what keeps us fresh, thinking and connected. Second, I already have a keen understanding of how important the visitor experience is and wanted to learn more. Finally, I wanted to write a column about why we should embrace this concept and do all we can to enhance the experience of the traveler and everyone who comes to Spokane on business.

With all the travel I do in the three states we serve, I realize that Spokane is the destination of choice for many types of visitors, and selfishly, I want the home of the regional BBB to offer exceptional service.

Who should take this course?

•Real estate agents, so they can sell homes, as well as the area, with knowledge.

•Service station attendants and taxi drivers, as they often are the ones who make first contact with visitors.

•Grocery store clerks and fast-food servers can engage customers and make a visit rewarding.

•Human resources professionals, because they often interact with new employees and potential hires from outside the area.

Finally, the answers to the mini-quiz:

Cheney was known as Section Thirteen and was the county seat for six years until 1886. One of the great stories in the training involves a stolen county seat vote by Spokane, challenged by Cheney.

The beautiful county courthouse was the economic stimulus product.

Learn more about the certified tourism ambassador program by going to www.visitspokane.com, where you can find how to earn a gold star to not only impress your boss but any future Spokane visitors you may meet.

Jan Quintrall is president of the Better Business Bureau. She can be reached at jquintrall@spokane.bbb.org or (509) 232-0530.