(Pictured above: Executives and staff at New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center)
The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center has been selected as one of the city’s top workplaces by The Times-Picayune|The Advocate. This is the fourth time the convention center has received the prestigious honor.
Top workplaces are determined based solely on the results of an employee feedback survey administered by Energage (formerly Workplace Dynamics), a leading provider of technology-based employee engagement tools. Several aspects of the workplace culture were measured, including alignment, execution and connection.
“It is truly a testament to all of our employees, whom we consider internal customers, in helping maintain a work environment where internal customer satisfaction is among our highest priorities,” says Michael Sawaya, president and general manager of the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. “We are indeed honored that the convention center has been recognized as a top workplace. When our SPICE customer service program was implemented 10 years ago, one of the goals was to make the convention center a place where our internal customers and employees would sincerely feel good about doing their jobs, and in turn create a positive experience for our external customers and patrons. Our employees truly understand and appreciate the role they play and the positive affect they have on the state and local economy.”
All 500 full-time and part-time employees are required to attend regular training on the five customer service standards that are the guiding philosophy of the program. These standards are reinforced during a daily SPICE Rack meeting. During SPICE Rack, employees are encouraged to recognize fellow employees for exceptional acts of service. The convention center also holds motivational, educational and team-building events for employees during the year, to reinforce the program.
The program was named “SPICE” to reflect the celebrated culinary heritage of New Orleans. The acronym SPICE stands for:
S—Serve with flexibility and a sense of urgency; P—Perform with pride and passion; I—Identify issues and provide solutions; C—Convey a positive attitude; and E—Exceed expectations always.
“Our efforts have been successful, and our external customers, our clients, have taken notice. The convention center has received numerous industry awards and letters from clients praising the heightened level of service. Our employees truly make a difference in our success,” Sawaya adds.
The freshly renovated New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center is an essential component of what makes the city’s major business events so successful. With 1.1 million square feet of contiguous exhibit space, the convention center is the sixth-largest convention facility in the nation, and it consistently ranks in the country’s top 10 of facilities that hold the most conventions and tradeshows annually. For more info, visit www.mccno.com.
