Designing an experience that fully engages visitors with your offer is critical in maximising income and growth, and it doesn't have to be difficult.
No matter what size visitor attraction you are, creating a great experience is critical. It's the thing that will make people spend money, recommend you and return.
It might seem intimidating when you think about 'visitor experience design', but the building blocks are simple and can be applied to attractions of all shapes and sizes.
One of the biggest mistakes places make is that they fail to see their site through a visitor's eyes. When you start to do that, you notice things that you've learned to accept as being part of your place, or that you just no longer 'see'.
You don't have to spend a lot to create memorable experiences so simply improving what you already have can make a huge difference. And don't forget that so often great experiences are about the people you employ - so many Trip Adviser comments relate to staff and volunteers and their role in a day out.
Someone said to me quite recently that post-pandemic visitors will be "more forgiving". I don't think that's true. Visitors might be forgiving when communication is done well and there's an honesty to why something isn't as good as it could be, but rest assured, people still want value for money and the experience you offer is central to that.
But what people won't forgive are the basics not being right - tidyness, cleanliness and a warm welcome - and none of those need to cost a fortune.
Here's 10 tips to creating a great visitor experience:
Consider your end point and what I mean by that, is think about your business plan and your drivers. Be clear on what the experience exists to deliver for you.
Understand the motivations of your visitors and their feelings about your current offer. In short, take time to ask and listen.
Stop and look around. Walk your site with other people and see it as a visitor and make notes of the good, the bad and the ugly.
As a team, think about what needs to happen to enhance the good, change the bad and transform the ugly. You might not be able to do it all at once, so prioritise.
Agree your basic level of standards - the 'must dos' - and set up a programme that works for the level of resource you currently have. Get these right before you do anything else.
Set up a system to check these daily and ensure that these standards are always met.
Don't ignore visitor feedback, particularly if there are points that come up time and again. This kind of feedback needs addressing asap.
Once you've got the basics right, think about how you can enhance your existing offer. Make that your focus before you start adding new elements.
Invest in training and support your team to deliver great customer service that puts the visitor at the heart of your offer.
If you can't be at your best for good reasons, tell your visitors. A simple sign or better still, telling them yourself, will go a long way to ensuring they understand why something isn't up to standard - you can use this a positive message to return and see something new.
If you need help to improve your visitor experience, please get in touch and we can explore what could work for you.
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