Customer-first focus pays off with award

Russell Top 10 Holiday Park co-managers Naomi Facey and Neil Bolton hope to continue raising the bar for customer service.

Russell Top 10 Holiday Park is top of the parks, winning the 2016 AA Traveller Spirit of Hospitality Award.

The national award was conferred at the Holiday Parks Conference in Rotorua last week.

Australian company Next Generation Holiday Parks took over the park last year. Chief executive Daniel Tilton said he and his family had been involved in the holiday park industry in Australia for more than 20 years.

"We made some investment into improving the facilities at the Russell Top 10 Holiday Park, but mainly we put a focus on customer service.

"It's always been our focus in the past and we encourage people via web, email and in person to review us after their stay. This gives us great insight into what our customers want and enables us to act on those wants and needs immediately," he said.

As part of the judging process, Mr Tilton had to provide real-life examples of how his staff had gone the extra mile.

There were 80 nominations for the award.

Facility co-manager Naomi Facey said she and partner and co-manager Neil Bolton were excited with the award.

"As the new park managers [since two weeks ago], Neil and I intend to continue raising the bar for customer service levels within our industry. Outgoing managers Becky Tilton and Troy Nicholson are a tough act to follow, and we are taking that responsibility very seriously."

Orongo Bay Holiday Park, also in Russell, won the PGG Wrightson Turf-Park Grounds Award which recognises parks that have made significant improvements to their grounds, and take pride in their overall appearance.

In five years, winners Don and Angela Armitage carried out extensive landscaping, planting, weed and pest control on what was once uninteresting, unloved and inadequately cared for grounds.

"We have created habitats for a thriving population of native bird life, including the North Island weka and kiwi."

About 46 species of bird life have been identified at the park.