Jewellery retailer Argento’s area manager Mairead McCusker has become the 250th person in Northern Ireland to complete the retail WorldHost customer service programme.
Managed and delivered by sector skills council People 1st alongside the National Skills Academy for Retail, World Host for retail is supported by the Department for Employment and Learning (DEL) and follows in the wake of the successful WorldHost tourism programme. Thirty Argento staff in stores and at head office have undertaken WorldHost retail workshops delivered by chartered marketer and WorldHost trainer, Christine Watson, and Argento plans to roll out the world-renowned programme to all staff.
Argento has aimed to develop and instill a thorough customerservice culture throughout their business and feedback from staff to date has been very positive. “We anticipate a continued improvement in staff identifying customer needs and expectations.
We’re also delighted to support Belfast City Council’s goal of becoming a WorldHost recognised destination,” said Mairead Mc- Cusker.
Roisin McKee, director of Northern Ireland for People 1st, said: “Since launching the new DEL funded series of WorldHost training in April, we’re very pleased with the feedback from retail outlets who have completed or who are currently rolling out the programme to their front line staff.”
Thanks to funding from the department, retail businesses in Northern Ireland with less than 250 full-time equivalent employees can take up the training programme for £20 per person, rather than the full cost of £190. For details, go to www.worldhostni.com.