GNBS, hospitality sector join forces
Partners in hospitality are from left, Roxan Bourne, GNBS Senior Information Officer; THAG President Mitra Ramkumar; GNBS  Head of Marketing and Communication, Syeid Ibrahim; and GTA Licensing and Training Officer, Davina Layne
Partners in hospitality are from left, Roxan Bourne, GNBS Senior Information Officer; THAG President Mitra Ramkumar; GNBS Head of Marketing and Communication, Syeid Ibrahim; and GTA Licensing and Training Officer, Davina Layne

–to help improve quality of restaurant services

RESTAURANTS across Guyana are set to benefit from a new agreement reached amongst the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS), the Tourism Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) and the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA).

This agreement, which was concretised on Wednesday as part of Tourism Month 2018, will result in the promotion and implementation of the National Standard for Restaurant: Code of practice for quality and management in the restaurant service (GCP17:2003). Through the implementation of the standard, it is anticipated that restaurants and other food establishments will generally improve the quality of service they offer to consumers.

Head of GNBS Marketing and Communication Department, Syeid Ibrahim said the Bureau will be embarking on a corporate marketing venture with GTA and THAG to promote and endorse the standard.

This, he said, will be done in a phased manner that will include reviewing the standard to fill the gaps, if they are any; making the standards available to all sizes and categories of establishments; offering technical support to establishments based on stipulated requirements; and the evaluation and possible certification of conforming establishments.

Ibrahim said that while it usually takes time for societies to adapt to standards and get used to them, restaurants here need to get their act together if they want to benefit from the coming economic revolution.

THAG President Mitra Ramkumar lauded the GNBS for taking this initiative, as he believes that it will yield the level of conformance businesses need to offer the best quality of service to their customers.

For that matter, he views the implementation of the Restaurant Standard as not only “making perfect Business sense” but something that will ultimately make customers happier.

Ramkumar also believes that conforming restaurants will benefit significantly when the oil-and-gas sector really takes off, and has already given his word that THAG will see to it that the standard is implemented as each and every one of its members will be provided with a copy of the document. He said, too, that eventually, the offer will be extended to non-members as well.

Speaking on behalf of the GTA, Licensing and Training Manager Ms. Davina Layne, said that having quality tourism offerings is critical for customers to have value for their money, and at the same time have them desire to return to a particular restaurant because of a great service they had experienced.

Ms. Layne said that quality is key for any visitor to a food establishment, and having a standard, which was specifically developed to enhance the quality of service offered by restaurants, will guide them in consistently providing a good experience for those who indulge in the local cuisines offered by these establishments.

By adapting to best practices and following quality control measures, restaurants will be able to gain customers confidence, realize return visits by customers, grow revenues, increase efficiency and productivity and reduce overhead costs.

The GNBS will be offering the restaurant standard for sale at a significantly reduced cost to encourage all categories of restaurants to get onboard the new initiative, so that by the end of 2019 a large majority of these establishments will be in conformance

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