Highlighting the importance of culture in building post-Covid 19 trust
Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre Reflects on 2023 Successes With Multiple Industry Awards Received
A new year often brings the inclination to reflect on achievements, challenges and opportunities for improvement. For the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre (PCEC) this reflective period to kick off 2024 was welcomed, with plenty for the venue to celebrate from the year that was.
PCEC’s General Manager Nigel Keen credits culture building as the main influence on the organisation’s award-winning run last year. “After a tumultuous two years in hospitality, it was important that trust and transparency became the core of our culture. We’ve always known that delivering excellence to our clients was about our people and our recent awards prove this fact.”
For the past 13 years, the WA Tourism Awards have recognised the achievements and commitment to excellence of businesses in Western Australia. PCEC is proud to have captured the judge’s attention with its innovative approach to people and culture. In particular, the judges singled out “The response demonstrates a thorough approach to customer service, covering pre, post and during visitor experience. The use of brand pillars, training programs and reward systems to support their [staff] commitment to service is commendable. ” Winning these awards recognises the vision that brings together hospitality’s best innovators, creatives and account managers to capture the essence of a PCEC event experience to create moments guests remember.
Along with silver in the Tourism WA awards, PCEC was honoured as one of WA’s best in the 2023 Gold Plate Awards. Nominated in the ‘Corporate Venue Caterer’ category, they won the coveted 2023 Gold Plate Award from the Catering Institute of Australia. PCEC is the perfect venue for clients looking for a venue with the space and creativity to bring their vision to life with a deep commitment to understanding the small details that matter.
The longest-running and most respected awards program in hospitality, each year the Gold Plate Awards is judged by a distinguished panel of industry experts.
“The pandemic was a defining moment for the industry. We were forced into a world of screens, with in-person events coming to a standstill. We had to adapt and evolve. This evolution continues today – and the one thread connecting the changes in hospitality is the need for human connection.”
-Nigel Keen, PCEC’s General Manager
With this ethos in mind, PCEC decided to focus on continuing to build a strong culture by creating a workplace that is inclusive, offers strong growth opportunities and is driven by purpose. This culture provides the kind of support that empowers its 600 team members to thrive each and every day, unifying team members under a common purpose: to create exceptional experiences for PCEC clients and their guests.
“Success isn’t measured only in space or facilities; it’s defined by the warmth of our welcome and the connections we foster. Being in the room with people matters – it’s powerful and it’s valuable.”
-Kendra Naidoo, General Manager of Venue Operations
PCEC’s newly developed Reward and Recognition program rewards employees who exceed expectations and embody one or more brand values – excellence in service being one of five criteria. For PCEC, the recognition in two of hospitality’s biggest awards is no surprise.
“The recognition in the Gold Plate Awards and WA Tourism Awards is validation that our culture and people are the reason we deliver exceptional experiences,” says Kendra Naidoo, General Manager of Venue Operations. “It is their dedication, hospitality and care for the guest experience that has made PCEC one of the best operators in the state.”
About Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre
Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre is a convention centre creating moments by delivering excellence in events in Perth, Western Australia. This venue is a place to connect with local and global communities. State-of-the-art facilities include dozens of meeting rooms, pavilions and thousands of metres that can be adapted to make ideas a reality. The Centre’s event experts, who deliver a personalised approach to event planning, include dedicated account managers committed to understanding and executing the details that matter.
