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Wyboston Lakes wins gold

Written by Paula Devine | 10 Jul 2013

Wyboston Lakes Executive Centre is one of only 33 conference and meetings venues nationwide - and the only one in Bedfordshire - to achieve the highly prized ‘VenueVerdict Gold Standard’ accreditation in results published this month by BDRC Continental, the UK’s largest independent market research agency.
The accreditation, which covers the calendar year from July 2012 to June 2013, is based on the ‘Net Promoter’ measure of customer service performance. It measures how many customers of a particular venue are likely to recommend it to other potential users, and accreditation is only given to those properties recording a twelve-month Net Promoter Score of +70 or higher.


The measure underlines the power of excellent service in achieving positive perception for a venue. “The VenueVerdict programme is an exceptional process for capturing and interpreting customer response, and it is extremely gratifying that the Executive Centre has won a place in such an exclusive group,” said Mark Jones, Managing Director of Wyboston Lakes: “The venue has undergone extensive change over the past year, and it is an important testimony to our staff that they have provided such exceptionally high standards of customer satisfaction during a particularly challenging period.”

For the period covered by the accreditation, VenueVerdict surveyed around 375 participating meeting venues and hotels in the UK and Ireland, reviewing some 22,200 individual pieces of feedback. “To achieve a Net Promoter score in excess of 70 over twelve months can only be done by delivering consistently outstanding customer experiences," commented James Bland, Client Services Director at BDRC Continental’s Hotels and Hospitality Division, who heads up the division’s Customer Experience Management programmes.

Wyboston Lakes Executive Centre has for many years been one of the UK’s leading purpose-built residential venues, with an established reputation for providing premium facilities for conference and training. Its facilities have been substantially enhanced during 2012/13 as part of a £3.5 million investment by its parent company.

The investment has given the Executive Centre a sector leading position in terms of its technological/IT infrastructure, capitalising on Wyboston Lakes’ 200 mpbs broadband service. Investment has been made in AV equipment that is at the forefront of HDMI technology; central control for monitoring and adjustment; advanced techniques for troubleshooting connectivity problems remotely; and facilities for effective and totally reliable multi-broadcasting.

The broadband facility has brought a completely reliable WiFi service in all working, residential and rest areas within the Centre, which is free to all conference clients and delegates.  The system also opens up new horizons for internet based events.

The venue has a versatile range of 26 conference and syndicate rooms - with a maximum capacity for 270 delegates - and 120 bedrooms. The recent investment has substantially enhanced its meeting and relaxation facilities.
“The Executive Centre now offers more than ever to its customers and we are absolutely determined to capitalise on our investment by sustaining, and indeed enhancing, the customer service that has brought this latest recognition,” added Mark Jones.
Notes for editors

BDRC Continental (http://www.bdrc-continental.com/) is the UK’s largest independent market research agency. Established in 1991, the company has built an unrivalled reputation as a full service consultancy with specialist expertise across a number of sectors including business to business, financial services, hotels, meetings and hospitality, culture, leisure and tourism and travel and transport.

Wyboston Lakes has two specialist venues, the Wyboston Lakes Executive Centre and the Wyboston Lakes Training Centre, offering a spectrum of options in terms of facility, space, style and budget. The Centres together provide a total of 80 conference and training rooms - the largest of which has a capacity for 270 delegates - and more than 300 bedrooms.

Wyboston Lakes’ sector-leading 200 mbps broadband service is believed to be the fastest of any specialist UK conference and training venue. It helped Wyboston Lakes to win the HBAA award for Venue IT in 2012

A further venue on the site is the AA 3-star Wyboston Lakes Hotel, which has 103 en-suite bedrooms and an AA Rosette restaurant. The hotel also has a premium ‘Y’ Spa, opened in November 2012.

Wyboston Lakes’ central location is close to the A1, M1 and recently dualled A421 road networks and local railway links. The venue can be contacted on 0333 7007 666, email sales@wybostonlakes.co.uk

Topics: Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce, Wyboston Lakes

Paula Devine

Written by Paula Devine

Paula is Head of Membership and Global Services at Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce.

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