Welcoming the World

Every year, the UK really does ‘welcome the world’, with 30 million international visitors in our hotels, bars, restaurants, shops, tourist attractions and transport network.

Welcoming the World is a programme to help you provide outstanding customer service. It aims to give you the confidence, knowledge and understanding to go that extra mile when delivering services to customers who are from other cultures and speak other languages – and to make their stay memorable. Developed with support from the London Development Agency to boost the Capital’s reputation with international visitors for the 2012 Games, the programme can help you to:

• Learn about other countries and cultures and their expectations of customer service
• Understand cultural differences and the things that may cause offence or misunderstandings
• Adapt the way you communicate and behave to help your customers feel at ease
• Know how to communicate clearly in English
• Use your foreign language skills and learn key phrases in the languages of your customers

94% of delegates in over sixty businesses – including Marks and Spencer, Tate Britain, London Underground, Tie Rack and London City Airport – rate Welcoming the World training as  ‘good’ or ‘very good’.

Find out about Welcoming the World customer service training for people working with overseas tourists. Welcoming the World free online resources include twelve customer service cultural briefings and audio phrases in twelve languages.