Business Insight – Best Practice Approach to Creating the Authentic NI Experience Business Insight – Best Practice Approach to Creating the Authentic NI Experience 21 st January 2010

Ivan Broussine 2

Agenda What makes a destination successful NITB’s work on best business practice How to identify a successful business Achieve market visibility and “stand out” Northern Ireland Tourism Awards 3

Successful Destinations (1) Product and services Quality Authentic– genuine experiences Distinctive - special features & flavours Pricing related to market opportunities Organisation and Structure: Role of public and private sectors – public policy/ investment and/or private sector leadership Integrated quality & management in all tourism functions (e.g. tourism, transport, retail) Sustainability – managing the impact of tourism Monitoring, research, benchmarking 4

Successful Destinations (2) Customer Focus How customers are welcomed and treated Understanding visitors’ needs Attention to detail Happy customers & positive word of mouth Effective businesses/operators Entrepreneurial & profitable Market realism – informed and realistic assessment of market potential Innovative Partnership Value staff and their role 5

NITB Work Programme NITB Set up new Industry Development Unit Review of best business practice International experience Look at award schemes and other business development processes Write up case studies of best practice – Newforge House, Slieve Donard Resort and Spa, Belfast Zoo Brand development and tie-in best business practice Update Northern Ireland Tourism Awards 6

Successful Businesses Over to you – How do you judge what is a successful business/tourism operator? What are the characteristics of success? (Alternatively, what are the characteristics of failure?!) List top 3 success factors 7

Best Business Practice 1.Visionary leadership & management effectiveness 2.Service excellence - customer centred standards 3.Operational standards – more than just quality assurance 4.Marketing and sales excellence 5.Networking and partnership 6.Staff - valuing, motivating & developing them 7.Quality and continuous improvement culture 8.Innovation and new product or service development 9.NI brand - specific behaviours to support the brand 10.Social responsibility – placed within the community 11.Environmental and/or sustainability criteria 8

Best Business Practice So, How do successful tourism businesses and operators contribute to NI’s success? Alternatively, how do poor businesses and operators detract from NI’s competitiveness? 9

Measuring Success Measuring Success (1) How do you measure success? How do you know you’re being successful? Is it happening? Is it being done systematically? Is it effective? 10

Measuring Success Measuring Success (2) BTS score card: 0. Absolutely no evidence offered 1. Limited irrelevant evidence provided 2. More evidence offered but it’s irrelevant 3. Evidence offered has limited relevance to operator 4. Evidence does have some relevance but incomplete (or lessons for business are not clear) 5. Evidence useful, but not enough of it to draw strong conclusions 6. Evidence is good (but could be better) 7. Good evidence and benefits for the operator drawn out and understood 8. Evidence and benefits for business well articulated 9. Very good evidence and implications for operator very well presented 10. Evidence exceptionally good and benefits for business very clear 11

Managing Success Managing Success Over to you – So that’s the theory, what about the practical application within your own operation? processes How do you check that you’re doing things right? What processes do you use to measure your performance/success? e.g. – Research}{Finance – Monitoring}  { Customers – Evaluating}{ Staff – Managing }{ Standards 12

Practical Barriers to Excellence What’s stopping you from being the very best? Time Skills or experience (“don’t know how to...”) People Pressure from customers IT Finance Personal energy

How to be Amongst the Best Motivating yourself: Using external advisors/ skills Using internal resources (staff? family?) Profit levels & personal income Excitement - redefining your processes and seeing success Working with others – partnering, networking, professional groups (like-minded operators) Seeing how others do it – benchmarking 14

Being the Best – Achieving “Standout Being the Best – Achieving “Standout” Key question – how to give your customers unique (positive) experiences NITB’s Insight Guide (“Authentic NI”) – Aim high – Maintain & check standards – Check customer experience – Learn from others – Unique NI characteristics – food, stories, welcome 15

Northern Ireland Tourism Awards (NITA) NITB listened to industry views about NITA Review of business and tourism awards elsewhere Lessons learnt for NITA – External industry judges – Balanced scorecard for judging – Online submissions – Industry or popular voting option – Harden up submission guidance - better briefing on evidence and tie this into brand and best practice – Tie NITA into other NITB events (continuous engagement and business messaging) – 2 stage assessment of entrants – Mystery shopping – Incentives e.g. entrants invited to briefing and “free” Insight day 16

NITA – Business Benefits Marketing Week Effectiveness Awards say: “All right, we can’t guarantee you everlasting fame, but we’re certain you’ll earn the esteem of your peers, the envy of your competitors and the loyalty of your staff. Not to mention the extra business you’ll generate ……” 17

NITA – Business Benefits An excellent sales and marketing tool Prestigious endorsement of the quality of your company Excellent for staff and management morale and pride in the organization Opportunity to boost sales, by boosting your profile A way to open doors.... to new suppliers, customers, partners Opportunity to: Benchmark yourself against your peers Review your business strategy and focus Engage key staff within your organisation Attend a business focused Business Insights event for free Get feedback to help your business. 18

NITA 2010 Categories 1.Excellent Events 2.Taste of Northern Ireland 3.Hotel Accommodation 4.Serviced Accommodation 5.Non serviced Accommodation (REVISED) 6.Best Visitor Experience (REVISED) 7.Visitor Inspired (REVISED) 8.Marketing and Sales Excellence (NEW) 9.Visitor Information (REVISED) 10.Northern Ireland Heroes (NEW) 19

2010 NITA Submissions- Supporting your case Consistent scoring across all categories Assess evidence provided, business results and impact on the business or organisation Some evidence - research, delivery, impact - consistent Presentation doesn’t feature in scoring (although more concise and relevant the information, the easier for judges to assess & score) Scoring not prejudiced by location, size of business or operation, nor size of budget for the project – it’s the rationale and the results that are important NITB want Awards to reflect the make-up of the industry - from micro and small businesses to larger NI operators 20

Northern Ireland Tourism Awards Over to you – Thank you Ivan Broussine