Georgetown: In full-day sessions held on August 20 and 21, 2020 a Successful Taxi Driver – Delivering Quality Service training programme was conducted with 13 members of local taxi service establishments.
Employees of Sure Taxi Service, Nigel’s Taxi Service and Rush’s Taxi Service all participated in the training, which was aimed at improving the level of service offered by taxi drivers specifically and of course, other members of the transportation industry in light of COVID-19.
Marlon George, CEO of Guyana Payroll Solutions, and no stranger to the service industry facilitated both days of training.
His practical yet seemingly ordinary method of delivery allowed for a thorough, yet relatable experience and engaging sessions. He guided the participants through the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) established ‘Delivering Quality Service’ curriculum where they were exposed to topics such as Understanding the Tourism Industry, Defining Customer Service Excellence and Understanding the Customer.
In addition, the GTA’s Hygiene and Sanitation Protocol was used to place emphasis on the importance of maintaining proper hygiene and sanitation protocols within their vehicles to safeguard the health and wellbeing of their customers and themselves.
In keeping with the COVID-19 guidelines, participants were housed within the Amerindian Heritage Village Benab located within the National Exhibition Centre, Sophia. Adequate social distancing, frequent hand-washing/sanitising, wearing of masks were adhered to at all times during the sessions.
Upon completing the training, the drivers were provided with a certified badge, valid for 2 years and were encouraged to take a refresher training every 2-3 years. This is something the GTA will be working towards becoming mandatory for all hire-car drivers to help raise the quality of service that they provide.
When asked about their experience during the sessions, Homesh Persaud, a taxi driver attached to the Guyana Marriott Hotel expressed that “the Guyana Tourism Authority is doing a remarkable job by training taxi drivers to be ambassadors of tourism. I would like to encourage other drivers to take advantage of this opportunity because I learned a lot within just a day and a half.”
“I thoroughly enjoyed the two days of training,” remarked Ann Maribelle Rickford of Nigel’s Taxi Service. “It was a great, interactive and beneficial experience which will allow us to improve the level of service we provide. We look forward to participating in much more of these workshops. I also think that this type of training should be made compulsory for persons within the taxi service industry. It would greatly improve the quality of service, especially for tourism during these times,” she concluded.
In these perilous times, it is imperative that the local transportation sector follow and maintain all the COVID-19 guidelines as provided by the Ministry of Health. They must ensure that all passengers are safe and comfortable, despite the circumstances. It is only through this that we will be able to keep ourselves and those around us as safe and healthy as possible as we strive to flatten the curve and prepare for reopening.
Interested persons/taxi drivers who wish to be a part of the next session of “Successful Taxi Driver’s training in Delivering Quality Service” can contact the Training & Tourism Development Officer, Chetnauth Persaud at chetnauth@guyanatourism.com for more information.
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