(KAIR)--The Atchison Area Chamber of Commerce has announced that it will now be offering a hospitality program that will be used to educate and train everyone on the importance of encouraging guests to the city in a positive way.
 
Chamber President Jacque Pregont says the program seeks to accomplish some important goals including “to be more welcoming and increase our friendliness and the way we welcome people to town. We work on that here at the Chamber all the time. I think sometimes they get tired of me saying 'smile before you answer the phone', that's a legitimate change in the tone of your voice when you smile before you answer a phone. We go over stuff like that all the time...just want to use this as an opportunity to maybe help employers train their employees to be more friendly, to be more welcoming.”

Pregont says the program involves a multi-step process, with the first step involving participation in an online state of Kansas hospitality training program, that Pregont says “is pretty basic, but yet it is some of those things that we don't stop and think about...we do it without thinking so this kind of brings it to the forefront.”
Those completing step one will be given a certificate of completion before moving on to the next step, which is participation in the Chamber's Historic Trolly Tour. Pregont says “....hits the highlights of what people want to see when they come to town...a lot of local people have just never done it.”

The final step will have participants attending a half hour session at the Santa Fe Depot that will cover important additional details about tourism in Atchison. There will also be a question and answer session offered that will cover any additional details.

Pregont adds that the first 100 people to complete the training will receive a $25 chamber gift card.

For questions or for any additional information, you can contact Pregont at 913-367-2427 or email her at president@atchisonkansas.net.