CUSTOMER service excellence - due to be the subject of a major Bolton campaign - was featured in a seminar at the Reebok Stadium.

Specialist lecturer Chris Daffy, who has spent more than 30 years in sales, marketing, management and consultancy roles, was the main speaker at an event which attracted about 60 leading business people.

He was supported by two Bolton contributors, Andrew Dickson of St Andrews Travel and Keith Harris of Eurodis HB Electronics.

The event was sponsored by Business Link Bolton & Bury and organised by Bolton Business Ventures.

Sylvia Philips, Operations Executive at BBV, said: "It was a stimulating and enjoyable day which put down some challenges for people trying to aspire to excellent standards of service in Bolton."

Plans are still being made for the launch of a town-wide initiative aimed at branding Bolton as THE place for service excellence in the North-west.

The scheme - originally due to be launched in January - was in the hands of Project Co-ordinator Graham Richardson until recently.

Mr Richardson, who was seconded to the former Bolton Bury Training and Enterprise Council from Bolton Council's Leisure Services Department, has now taken up a new appointment in Poole, Dorset.

Service Excellence is seen as a "flagship" programme for the new Bolton and Bury Chamber, the organisation now taking the lead role in the ambitious scheme.

But the sheer scale of the enterprise - it would involve the business community and the general public - means that the details have still not been fully worked out.

Mr Richard Lynch, the Chamber's Director of Marketing, said today: "Discussions are continuing with the Chamber and the local authority.

"Hopefully there will be a launch this year."

In the meantime "Bolton Altgether Better for Service" is sponsoring the Customer Service Excellence category in this year's Bolton and Bury Business Awards.

"Business Link offers advice on service excellence," Mr Lynch added.

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