Staying Connected with the Membership Team
Visit Baltimore ’ s membership team regularly hosts events to provide an added benefit to our members such as quarterly networking events , destination update meetings and new member orientations . At the start of the pandemic , the team shifted their focus to online events and provided assistance to our valued partners who were suffering from the effects of the lockdown . In addition to sharing the latest updates on COVID-19 statistics in Maryland and Baltimore , recommendations from the city and state for social distancing and emergency orders , Visit Baltimore has shared resources for economic assistance and unemployment insurance .
The team arranged webinars for our members to help them adapt to the new world . Dr . Bryan Williams , a renowned motivational speaker , discussed ways members can develop service skills to meet the needs of customers in a changing hospitality industry . Another webinar taught members how to optimize their Google My Business profiles . Other events allowed fellow industry members to examine the short- and long-term effects of the pandemic .
Introducing GBAC STAR Accreditation
In preparation for in-person events to return to Baltimore , membership and sales and services worked closely together to instate the GBAC STAR accreditation program in Baltimore to position the city as a safe and clean destination . The Global Biorisk Advisory
Council ’ s ( GBAC ) STAR Accreditation is the cleaning industry ’ s only outbreak prevention , response and recovery accreditation for facilities . This performance-based accreditation program helps facilities demonstrate they have the work practices , procedures and protocols to prepare , respond and recover from outbreaks and pandemics to instill confidence in customers , staff and key stakeholders .
GBAC is a division of ISSA , the worldwide cleaning industry association .
We started this program at the end of FY20 and continue to work on getting as many of our members signed up as possible by offering frequent webinars to explain the benefits of the program and personalized assistance for those having trouble signing up .
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