Photo courtesy of the Sunderland Echo
City ambassadors to mak’em smile
Sunderland Ambassadors to give visitors a warm welcome with a smile. Mak’em Smile is a new initiative created by the city’s Business Improvement District (BID) which will see staff from various service industries being recruited and trained as ambassadors to ensure visitors get a friendly reception. Staff from a variety of businesses including the city’s pubs, shops, restaurants, taxis and hotels will be given the opportunity to take part in a training course where they will be given information about how to get the best out of the city, covering things like where to eat, things to do, events and local history. Sunderland BID developed the training in the hope that it will see the city being viewed not only as being filled with positive people but showing it as somewhere with plenty to offer.
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Gemma Dishman, the BID’s Communications and Marketing Manager, said: “At a time when so much investment is taking place and with events that will put us on a national and international stage, we need to ensure that everyone who comes to Sunderland receives a warm welcome,” Gemma said. “Our ambassadors will be armed with the most up to date information about what is happening in the city, and will be able to use this to promote Sunderland and its businesses. “The training sessions are free so businesses will be able to reap the benefit of having knowledgeable staff who can showcase what the city has to offer.”
The sessions are being run by sales training experts, New Results, based at the e-volve centre, Rainton Bridge. Any city centre business interested in signing up for future sessions should contact Gemma at gemma.dishman@sunderlandbid.co.uk
MAK’EM SMILE