Liberty Forbes-Luke, Grasmere Gingerbread® Customer Service Assistant, helping a customer with directions to Grasmere Lake
Historic Grasmere Gingerbread® has been hailed as a vital de facto visitor information hub as the Lake District prepares for the massive Easter influx of visitors and holidaymakers.
Alongside its role as a major national and international attraction, Gill Haigh, Managing Director of Cumbria Tourism, praised the 171-year-old business’s dedication to helping visitors navigate the valley and village of Grasmere plus the wider UNESCO Lake District National Park (LDNP) which attracts 18 million visitors each year.
“As an internationally renowned heritage brand, Grasmere Gingerbread® is instrumental in attracting tourists because of its warm welcome and quality offer,” she said.
But its “continued investment in additional staff training to ensure a world-class service that goes the extra mile is a fantastic example to businesses everywhere,” she added.
Since the closure of Grasmere’s Tourism Information Centre several years ago, all newly-appointed Grasmere Gingerbread® team members undergo an extensive ‘on the ground’ information training session involving a detailed recce of the village to find answers to more than 50 commonly asked questions.
Katie Duxbury, Grasmere Gingerbread® Customer Service Assistant during her ‘on the ground’ information training session
“It might sound prosaic but our lovely customers ask us everything from the cost of car parking and the location of public toilets to where they can buy a postcard, stamp or find an ATM,” explained Joanne Hunter, co-director of Grasmere Gingerbread®.
“Many people are also confused as to where the actual lake as it is not that obvious even when you are in the middle of Grasmere village.
“As the leading attraction in Grasmere it’s important that our team members know the answers to a multitude of queries to ensure that every visitor’s experience is positive and stress-free.”
Additionally, staff members undertake Blue Badge Guide training to improve their delivery of the ever-popular ‘Talk & Taste’ history talks outside The Grasmere Gingerbread Shop.
“They also meet our suppliers on familiarisation visits so they are able to explain to our customers the Cumbrian provenance of the goods they are buying from us,” added Joanne.
“It’s all about keeping visitors informed so they more fully appreciate why Grasmere Gingerbread® and our beautiful national park are so special.”
At a time when face-to-face interactions are increasingly being replaced by automation and self-service, keeping it real and personal is the modus operandi of Grasmere Gingerbread®.
“From hand-baking and hand-wrapping Grasmere Gingerbread® in-house to meeting and greeting our customers with a personable smile and a head full of useful local knowledge, we always believe in the human touch,” said Joanne.
Kyle Nesbitt, Sales & Merchandising Manager, at Bentham Pottery which supplies Grasmere Gingerbread® mugs and plates