Service Excellence Training for Creative Economy Actors in Serangan Tourism Village, Bali: A Community Engagement Approach

Abstract

Community-based tourism development requires not only attractive tourism products but also the capacity of local actors to provide consistent and appropriate services to visitors. This community engagement program aimed to introduce a Service Excellence approach to strengthen service communication practices among creative economy actors in Serangan Tourism Village, Denpasar, Bali. The program involved 25 participants, particularly tour drivers and souvenir vendors, who participated in Service Excellence training, practical service simulations, introduction of service standards, and initial mentoring. The program was implemented through five stages: needs assessment and preparation, training, initial implementation and mentoring, monitoring and participant evaluation, and follow-up planning. Program evaluation used a ten-indicator questionnaire measured on a five-point Likert scale and was analyzed descriptively. The results showed an overall mean score of 3.98, indicating generally favorable participant perceptions of the program. The highest mean scores were recorded for understanding of service Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and relevance to creative economy development, both at 4.32, followed by the usefulness of learning modules and supporting materials at 4.24. The lowest score was recorded for clarity of material presentation (3.60), indicating the need for more accessible instructional delivery and additional practice. Across 250 recorded responses, 76.4% were categorized as Agree or Strongly Agree. These findings provide preliminary evidence that a practice-oriented Service Excellence approach can serve as a useful mechanism for community capacity development in tourism villages. However, the findings represent participant perceptions rather than objectively measured competency improvement or economic impact. Further mentoring, monitoring, and endline evaluation are required to assess sustained changes in service practices and longer-term outcomes.