Building a Stronger Service Culture Across Texas

Since introducing the THLA Lone Star Customer Service Training last summer, the program has continued to gain momentum—helping prepare both today’s workforce and the next generation of hospitality professionals with the customer service skills that define Texas hospitality.

To date:

• 57 middle and high school teachers have completed the Lone Star Customer Service Train-the-Trainer program.
• 96 students have completed the training and earned their Lone Star Customer Service Certification.
• 25 customer-facing staff members have completed the program and earned certification.

The Ripple Effect: Reaching Thousands of Texas Students

The impact of training 57 teachers extends far beyond those individual educators. Each trained teacher has the potential to deliver Lone Star Customer Service Training to 50 or more students each year.

That means the teachers already trained have the potential to introduce more than 2,850 students annually to the customer service and employability skills emphasized throughout the program. As teachers continue using the curriculum year after year, that number can grow exponentially.

For THLA, this ripple effect represents an important investment in the future hospitality workforce. Students are developing customer service skills before they enter their first hotel job—and those same skills can benefit them in virtually any customer-facing career.

Five Modules Focused on Exceptional Service

Lone Star Customer Service Training consists of five interactive modules designed to help participants understand not only what exceptional customer service looks like, but how to put those skills into practice.

Be Memorable
Participants explore how first impressions, attitude, professionalism, and small personal touches can transform an ordinary customer interaction into a memorable experience.

Communication Excellence
This module focuses on effective verbal and nonverbal communication, active listening, tone, and the importance of understanding what a customer is really communicating.

Serving with Awareness and Respect
Participants learn how awareness, empathy, respect, and adaptability help them provide welcoming service to customers with different backgrounds, needs, expectations, and perspectives.

Mastering Southern Hospitality
This module explores the characteristics associated with genuine Texas and Southern hospitality and challenges participants to turn warmth, friendliness, attentiveness, and a willingness to help into consistent service behaviors.

Turning Setbacks Into Success
Not every customer interaction goes as planned. Participants learn strategies for responding to concerns, remaining professional during difficult situations, taking ownership when appropriate, and turning service challenges into opportunities to rebuild customer trust.

After completing all five modules, participants take a 50-question assessment to demonstrate their understanding of the concepts and earn the Lone Star Customer Service Certification.

Training That Translates to the Workplace

Feedback from customer-facing employees who have completed the program has been especially encouraging. 100% of the customer service staff members who completed the training reported that they were very likely to implement something they learned during the training in their customer-facing role.

Participants have also shared positive feedback about both the content and the training experience:

• “Everything was great. I was very pleased with the full training!”
• “It was all very informative and professional.”
• “Great presentation, upbeat, kept everyone engaged.”
• “Loved my trainer and all the energy she gave during our training.”
• “Nothing to add, it was simple and resourceful.”

The training is intentionally practical, engaging, and applicable beyond hotels. The skills participants develop can strengthen customer interactions in restaurants, attractions, retail, tourism, and virtually any business where employees interact with customers.

Hotel Leaders: Look for the Lone Star Certification

As more Texas students complete the program, THLA encourages hotel leaders to be on the lookout for applicants who have earned the Lone Star Customer Service Certification. These students have already invested time in learning the fundamentals of professional communication, memorable service, respect, hospitality, and service recovery.

THLA is committed to providing the training, tools, and resources that help prepare the next generation of hospitality professionals while also supporting the customer-facing employees serving guests today.

Bring Lone Star Customer Service Training to Your Team or Classroom

Interested in scheduling a Lone Star Customer Service Training session for your staff? Are you a middle or high school teacher interested in completing a Train-the-Trainer session so you can offer the program to your students?

Contact Debbie Wieland, Education Outreach & Foundation Director, Texas Hotel & Lodging Association, at dwieland@texaslodging.com to learn more.

57 teachers today. Thousands of students tomorrow. One stronger Texas hospitality workforce.