International Information Discover America

Newsroom

Get a Free Vacation Guide
Start your Vacation - Book Online Now
Sign up for the Travelsmart e-Newsletter
Request a Free Vacation Guide Download Free Vacation Guides

Home > Newsroom

Newsroom

Great Customer Service Earns Businesses a STAR

12/5/2007
Print button Share
PIERRE, S.D. – The Office of Tourism has recognized 84 South Dakota businesses and organizations for their superior customer service efforts in 2007. Each received the Great Service Star designation which indicates a business is committed to outstanding service and has successfully completed the Office of Tourism’s three-step hospitality training program.
“The Star designation recognizes businesses and organizations that are dedicated to the success of the South Dakota visitor industry, and exemplify it through outstanding service and improved levels of customer satisfaction,” said Billie Jo Waara, director, South Dakota Office of Tourism. “The Star is an instant identifier for visitors who can be assured that businesses displaying the Star excel in customer service.” 
The Office of Tourism awards the Great Service Star to businesses that complete a set criterion of hospitality training which includes attending training workshops, offering vehicles for employee recognition and visitor comments, and applying for the George S. Mickelson Great Service Award. Each Star recipient can display the official Great Service Star symbol in its advertising and on the property. The George S. Mickelson Great Service Award is presented annually at the Governor’s Conference on Tourism in January to the year’s top service provider.
The following South Dakota businesses have received the Great Service Star designation for 2007:
Aberdeen
Best Western Ramkota Hotel
Foote Creek Bed & Breakfast
Wylie Park/Aberdeen Parks, Recreation & Forestry
Batesland
Wakpamni Bed & Breakfast, Gallery & Gifts
Carpenter
Possibility Farm Bed & Breakfast
Chamberlain
CedarShore Resort
Akta Lakota Museum/St. Joseph’s IndianSchool
Custer
Custer Area Chamber of Commerce
Custer State Park, SD Game, Fish & Parks
FortWelikit Family Campground
Rock Crest Lodge & Cabins
Deadwood
Black Hills Central Reservations
Cadillac Jack’s Gaming Resort & AmericInn Hotel & Suites
Comfort Inn at Gulches of Fun and Casino
Deadwood Gulch Resort
First Gold Hotel & Gaming
Four Aces Hotel Corporation
Strawberry Bed & Breakfast
Super 8 Deadwood
Faith
City of Faith
Ft.Pierre
Oahe Downstream Recreation Area, SD Game, Fish & Parks
HillCity
Black Hills Central Railroad 1880 Train
Pine Rest Cabins
Prairie Berry Winery
Hot Springs
Angostura Recreation Area
Best Western Sundowner Inn
Evan’s Plunge
Sojourner Inn
Hoven
Hageman’s Food Fair
Huron
Best Western of Huron
Keystone
Beautiful RushmoreCave
Big Thunder Gold Mine
Keystone Chamber of Commerce
Mt.Rushmore Presidents View Resort
Mt. Rushmore Washington Inn
Mt.Rushmore White House Resort
Xanterra Parks & Resorts, Mount Rushmore National Memorial
LakeAndes
North Point Recreation Area
Lead
Black Hills Trails Office
SpearfishCanyon Lodge
Mitchell
Hampton Inn
World’s Only Corn Palace
Murdo
PioneerAutoShow & AntiqueTown
Pierre
BestWesternRamkotaHotel & ConferenceCenter
FarmIsland Recreation Area, SD Game, Fish & Parks
Governor’s Inn
LaMinestra
West Bend Recreation Area, SD Game, Fish & Parks
Platte
Buryanek Recreation Area, SD Game, Fish & Parks
Platte Creek Recreation Area, SD Game, Fish & Parks
Snake Creek Recreation Area, SD Game, Fish & Parks
Rapid City
Alex Johnson Hotel
BestWesternRamkotaHotel & ConferenceCenter
Black Hills Caverns
Black HillsVisitorInformationCenter
Country Inn & Suites by Carlson
Double Diamond Ranch
Firehouse Brewing Company
Howard Johnson Inn & Suites
LakePark Campground & Cottages
Rapid City Convention and Visitors Bureau
ReptileGardens
Rushmore Shadows Resort
Sioux Falls
BestWesternRamkotaHotel & ConferenceCenter
Clubhouse Hotel & Suites
Great PlainsZoo & DelbridgeMuseum of Natural History
Sheraton Sioux Falls Hotel
Staybridge Suites
Spearfish
Best Western Black Hills Lodge
Fairfield Inn by Marriott/Spearfish
Spearfish Super 8 Motel
Yesterday’s Inn LLC Bed & Breakfast
Wall
Elkton House Restaurant
Wall Auto Livery
Wall Badlands Area Chamber of Commerce
Wall Drug Store
Watertown
Country Inn & Suites
Hartford Beach State Park, SD Game, Fish & Parks
LakeCochrane Recreation Area, SD Game, Fish & Parks
PelicanLake Recreation Area, SD Game, Fish & Parks
RedlinArtCenter
Sandy Shore Recreation Area, SD Game, Fish & Parks
Watertown Convention & Visitors Bureau
Yankton
BestWesternKellyInn
Lewis & Clark Recreation Area, SD Game, Fish & Parks
The Great Service Star program is part of Goal 1 of the 2010 Initiative to double visitor spending in South Dakota. The Office of Tourism serves under the direction of Richard Benda, Secretary of the Department of Tourism and State Development. 
-30-