Superior skills win gold for Dunedin Brewery

The very best service is on tap at one of Dunedin’s finest breweries. Top-rating Emerson’s Taproom took out the coveted ServiceIQ Excellence in Training and Staff Development Award at the recent NZ Hospitality Awards 2017 event held in Wellington.

Emerson’s Brewery Venue Manager Charlotte Janssen says hospitality is a profession and the goal is to have the most passionate, knowledgeable and engaged team around.  

Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach to training, Emerson’s strategy for success is focused on what each employee might like or where their interests and skills lie. 

“Their joy in sharing the amazing world of craft beer and food matching hopefully helps to create an outstanding customer experience,” she says.
Emerson’s has ten of their talented employees developing hospitality careers by gaining national qualifications on the job. One is on the way to becoming a professional chef with ServiceIQ’s Cookery Apprenticeship, while eight others are honing professional front-of-house skills with ServiceIQ’s Food & Beverage – Level 3 qualification programme.   

“The training increases engagement in the role. It also helps the team realise they are professionals and to treat hospitality as a career, which is an end-goal for the business,” says Charlotte. 
Winning the coveted award is proof the strategy and huge team commitment is working, says Charlotte. 

“We have really appreciated the support of Service IQ, particularly Clare Van Elst. Any achievement takes a village and we are incredibly lucky to have an amazing and dedicated team, a fantastic brand with an awesome Brewery crew and the support and back up of Lion.”