MONTANA SUPERHOST PROGRAM – Passport to Service

In the long term, Montana's tourism success will be judged not only by the number of guests who visit the state but also by the quality of their stay and the number of times they return. Montana has an outstanding reputation for friendly people and is fortunate to have a comprehensive customer service training program in place. The Montana Superhost program is designed to create an awareness and understanding of Montana's travel industry and to enhance the level of customer service provided by the industry. Ultimately, the program strives to encourage the state's visitors to stay longer, to tell their friends about the positive experiences they found here and the great people they met, and to make plans to return to the state year after year. The Montana Superhost program stands ready to lead the way in educating Montana communities and businesses about the importance and economic impact of Montana's tourism industry.

The Montana Commerce Department contracts with Flathead Valley Community College for professional trainers to provide Superhost customer service seminars throughout Montana. The trainers are responsible for marketing the program to communities and businesses within their designated regions.

Based on the belief that every employee has an impact on the customer, this year’s interactive program – Passport to Service – will motivate and enable participants to:

By broadening the employee’s skill base, your business will benefit and so will our visitors.
To set up a Montana Superhost Customer Service Seminar in your community, contact:

Jodi Smith at:
Phone: 406-756-3374
FAX: 406-756-3351
Email: superhost@fvcc.edu
Mail:
Montana Superhost
Flathead Valley Community College
777 Grandview Drive
Kalispell, MT 59901

Complete and Email, FAX or mail this electronic Montana Superhost Seminar Scheduling Form. Set up your Montana Superhost Seminar NOW. The program is able to offer 150 training seminars around the state each year. Demand is high and the seminars are scheduled on a first come, first serve basis.

MONTANA SUPERHOST SEMINAR LOGISTICS

For each Montana Superhost seminar, a minimum of 15 registered participants is required. You can sponsor a seminar open to the community for up to 30 people for $300. As a seminar sponsor you can offer it free to the community or charge up to $25 per person. For $5 per student, we will bring the session to your local high school for our next generation of service providers.

Once the seminar’s minimum registration number is met (15), retired volunteer workers at local attractions, museums, chambers and other facilities are admitted free. The organization sponsoring the seminar is asked to provide the seminar location and assist with marketing the seminar to their community and region as well as help provide the audio/visual needs of the Montana Superhost trainer.

Each Montana Superhost Seminar offers an opportunity for the local chamber, convention and visitors bureau, tourism region or other tourism promotion organization to provide a 15 minute overview of things to do, see, places to go and people to ask in your community.

MONTANA SUPERHOST CERTIFIED COMMUNITIES

In order to become a Montana Superhost certified community, local groups or organizations must develop and initiate a plan to provide ongoing Montana Superhost customer service training, provide staffing for a local visitor center and develop tourism materials that list events, attractions and visitor services available in the area. Each certified Montana Superhost community receives "Montana Superhost Visitor Friendly" highway signs to welcome visitors and direct them to the local visitor information center.

MONTANA SUPERHOST BUSINESSES

In order to become a Montana Superhost business, at least half of a business' current managers and employees need to have participated in a Montana Superhost seminar within the previous year. Certified Montana Superhost businesses receive a Montana Superhost window/door sign. Travel Montana highlights the importance of Certified Montana Superhost Businesses, Organizations and Communities in several of its publications.