Great Customer Experience Program
Preparing for Tasmania’s Peak Season
the holiday crowds arrive. Many venues are already planning additional sessions for January and February as the season progresses. What this shift suggests is that Tasmanian operators are recognising the value of early, practical preparation – not just for improving customer service, but for supporting staff through the busiest and most rewarding stretch of the year.
The growth of the GCE Program over recent years reflects a broader shift across Tasmania’s hospitality and tourism sectors. Once a lesser-known training resource, the program has steadily become part of the toolkit many businesses rely on when preparing their teams for the summer season. For venues across the state, summer represents both opportunity and pressure. Visitor numbers climb, venues fill, and the chance to showcase Tasmanian hospitality is at its peak – often alongside the operational challenges that come with high demand. Many businesses now see value in bringing teams together ahead of the season, aligning them on service standards and the practical aspects of running a busy venue. Among those preparing early is the Kalis Group, which has integrated the GCE Program into its induction days onboarding staff for venues including Cooleys Hotel, the Beltana Hotel, the Black Buffalo and the Kingston Hotel.
North and North East
Darren has led a busy month of venue engagement, industry support, and on-the-ground relationship building. A major focus has been the completion of Business Health Checks, which remain a valuable tool for operators looking to strengthen their business foundations, enhance customer service outcomes, and identify new opportunities. Darren has been working closely with a range of venues across the region, offering tailored insights and practical guidance to support long-term growth and operational confidence. A standout site visit included meeting with Sue Gilbert of Sea Stacks Bicheno - a striking new development set to redefine the East Coast accommodation offering. Rising from the site of the former Silver Sands Hotel at Peggy’s Point, Sea Stacks Bicheno is a visionary project more than a decade in the making. Nearing completion and due to open in mid-2026, the development will feature 12 architecturally distinct buildings housing 14 luxury, craftsman-built accommodation experiences. Designed with creativity, precision and a deep connection to place, Sea Stacks promises a guest experience “like no other,” offering an exclusive new drawcard for visitors to the region.
As Ilse Vrijma from the group explains: “The Great Customer Experience program has become a valuable part of our induction day. It gives new team members a clear understanding of what great customer service looks like in our venues, while also highlighting the importance of waste management and managing beer spills to maintain profit margins. By explaining how profit and guest experiences work in the hospitality business in a simple and practical way, the program helps staff see how their everyday actions directly contribute to the success of the business and to an exceptional guest experience.” While December has traditionally been a quieter month for training, this year has seen steady demand right up to Christmas, with cafes, distilleries, hotels and tourism businesses taking the opportunity to do final staff preparation before
37 Tasmanian Hospitality Review December/January Edition
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