by Paula Werne, Holiday World
It’s no secret that the most effective form of advertising/ PR is word-of-mouth. When you make people happy, they talk. And when you make them unhappy, they talk even more.
The key to making park guests happy rests in one word: Value.
That’s not to say slash your prices, print up two-for-one coupons, or undersell your park in any way. It’s so much more than the admission price.
1. Value your guests
It’s a natural instinct – people want to feel valued. They want to feel important, not just one of the herd. At Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari we hold special Hospitality Training solely to teach our Hosts and Hostesses to cheerfully say, “Good morning! We’re so glad you’re here!” “Did you enjoy your ride? Which one is your favorite?” “Thanks for visiting us today – drive carefully going home!”
2. Value their time
Nobody likes to stand in line. Nobody. But if that line is moving and the employees are hustling, you’ll have far fewer complaints. And that doesn’t just go for the ride ops; it’s foods, admissions, merchandise and, especially, restrooms. When the lines are getting long, it’s time to look at adding capacity. (We’ve been doing a lot of that lately. Rides, restrooms, width of walkways.) And we have a “Tips for A Better Visit” page on our website, to give pointers how to visit specific rides, games and restaurants during their “off” hours.
3. Value their comfort
Nothing has impacted our customer satisfaction more than FUSD: Free Unlimited Soft Drinks. Sounds crazy, we know; but it has had a tremendous impact. Our guests absolutely love it! And our per-caps have not suffered; when the drinks are free, they purchase more food. They often stay longer and eat another meal before leaving. We keep our food prices reasonable and even post them on our website. Other ways to show our guests we value them: free parking, free sunscreen and inner tubes in Splashin’ Safari, and a smoke-free environment (there’s a spacious, shady Smoking Area provided in each section).
4. Value your employees
They are the ones out in “the trenches,” after all. They have lots of thoughts, opinions, and guest feedback to offer. Listen to them. Not every moment of every day, but have a procedure for submitting ideas and reporting feedback. They deal with the good and the bad out there, and they deserve more than just a paycheck. Employees who feel valued show loyalty in return. And once in a while, they come up with a crackerjack idea!
5. Value your industry
Of course there’s plenty of competition, but the camaraderie shown from park to park is gratifying. Whether it’s a park three states away, or across the world, there’s nearly always a friendly voice at the other end of the phone line. We all face the same challenges; sometimes chatting with your counterpoint at another park makes all the difference. When we were looking to modify our “boarding pass” policy for our guests with disabilities, all it took was a few calls and the ideas came pouring in via email, phone and mail.
We’re all in the business to make money. No one will argue with that. But we’re also in the business of making people happy. When we can tilt the scales so that our guests are overwhelmed with the value of their park experience, we will see them (along with the friends, neighbors and relatives) again and again.
These pointers are almost embarrassingly simple. It’s the Golden Rule. It takes work. And an occasional risk.
But it works!
Paula Werne is the Director of Public Relations for Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari in Santa Claus, Indiana. Her musings on all things amusing can be found on the first park-sponsored blog–Holiblog: A Walk in the Park–at www.holidayworld.com/holiblog/holiblog.html. She is also more than happy to talk about Holiday World’s new Thanksgiving section (see opposite page) via email at [email protected]. But watch what you say – she just might find it HoliBloggable!
Holiday World plans new Thanksgiving section and record-breaking roller coaster
The Gravity Group will build the world’s top “air-time” wooden coaster as part of Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari’s largest expansion in its 60-year history.
The Voyage, which will be part of Holiday World’s new Thanksgiving section, will feature three drops of over 100 feet, with the first drop’s angle of descent a steep 66 degrees. The top speed of the three-train coaster will be 67.4 miles per hour.
“The Voyage is going to be an air-time machine, with riders experiencing a feeling of weightlessness for a total of 24.2 seconds,” says Will Koch, the parks’ president. “We’re taking the traditional out-and-back layout to the extreme, with the steepest drop on any wooden coaster in the nation. The Voyage will be 1.2 miles long, placing it among the planet’s top three longest and fastest wooden coasters.”
Other new attractions for 2006 include Bahari River, an action river for Splashin’ Safari. The Thanksgiving section in Holiday World will also include a turkey-chase-themed interactive dark-ride from Sally Corporation, a new tilt-a-whirl, large restaurant, shop, games and more.
