I intend to consider specific problems with Customer Service delivery as well as more general issues. In this first Blog I consider the notion that Customer Service is not given the level of priority it deserves.

The Tourism business, despite being a major employer and income earner places its emphasis on the level of attraction to a site and the potential for income through entry and retail opportunities. Employees and providers of Customer service within this sector have been slow to recognise the importance of excellent service in a market place where the visitor is increasing in expectation and sophistication.

The very recently published Scottish Historic Environment Policy 1 recognises that "Tourism is one of the world's biggest and most resilient business sectors" it goes on to say that " (Scottish) Ministers have set challenging targets for growth over the next 10 years"

The Policy speaks richly of providing heritage attractions and of being a major employer in rural and urban settings, and how the sector should not overlook the importance of the Scots visitor within their own country.

All this is laudable and fine but not one mention of ensuring that the quality of the visit needs to match the quality of the attraction. In my mind these are symbiotic. Poor service delivery will ruin an excellent attraction, just as conversely, excellent customer service has often saved a weak attraction! Okay, perhaps the writers of this exalted paper feel that customer service is a matter for local decisions, at attraction level, but to make no mention of the vital importance of delivery of excellence might allow this feature of our Tourism Business to slide under the radar.

Take my word for it – or better yet don't, and speak to visitors about their experience to OTHER attractions (for they probably won't open up to you in your own attraction). I'm betting you get more gripes that plaudits and that it's the small problems that they the visitor will tell their friends about. I am passionate about the delivery of excellent Customer service – so should every provider.

Comments (2)

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TOUR OPERATOR
written by Ken McNab, July 22, 2007

STUART, I READ THROUGH A LOT OF YOUR SITE AND BLOG WITH RESPECT AND COMMON BELIEF IN WHAT YOU SAY, AND INTEREST IN YOU THEORY AND PHILOSOPHY. BUT CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY IT IS SO DIFFICULT FOR A SMALL, BUT EFFECTIVE TOUR OPERATOR LIKE MYSELF TO BOOK PEOPLE INTO ROSSLYN CHAPEL AND OFTEN WE ARE MET WITH AN ATTITUDE OF BEING A HINDRANCE RATHER THAN A PRODUCING SUPPLYING PARTNER? LET ME EXPLAIN. LAST WEEK WHILE TAKING THROUGH MY 15TH SMALL GROUP IN A YEAR, I MENTIONED THAT ON 24TH AUGUST THIS YEAR WE ARE HAVING 30 PEOPLE FROM CANADA AND WOULD HOPE TO BRING THEM TO THE CHAPEL ABOUT 3PM THAT DAY. THE RESPONSE WAS"YOU'RE UNLIKELY TO GET IN. IF YOU'VE NOT ALREADY BOOKED IT'S TOO LATE BECAUSE THAT'S FESTIVAL TIME. THEY'LL JUST HAVE TO COME AND STND IN A QUEUE".
1) WE HAVE NEVER DONE ANYTHING ELSE, THAN JOIN THE REGULAR THRONG.
2) WE ARE RECOGNISED BY SOME OF YOUR STAFF AS REGULARS.(BUT ONLY SOME)
3) WHILE NOT WISHING TO "TAKE THE BREAD FROM YOUR MOUTH" WE HAVE NOT SOUGHT COMMISSION OR GRATITUDE, BUT WOULD LIKE THE GRACE OF COURTESY.(IF NOT A LITTLE ASSISTANCE IN BOOKING GROUPS)
4) WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE WE HAVE DONE THAT SHOULD DESERVE SUCH AN ATTITUDE, GIVEN YOU SET UP THE SERVICE DELIVERY?

I understand your frustration
written by Stuart Beattie, July 22, 2007

Thanks for your comment Ken. Having been away since before Christmas I can
only speak for life the way it was then, and cannot comment on the effect
the £13m conservation work may be having on planning.

The Chapel's annual visitor number rose to 173,000 in my last year (from
9600 in my first year in 1996), and knowing the size of the Chapel (some 42
feet by 90 feet) you will recognise the difficulty in providing any sort of
service to guests let alone a good one. The Trustees, concerned about the
danger to the Chapel, as well as the experience offered, decided to target a
reduction of 50% in these numbers and in order to control numbers the
decision was taken that the easiest sector to manage were those booking in
groups. To be at saturation and confronted by 52 extra visitors, or indeed
multiples of this ruins the day for all. This decision related to August, of
course the busiest month, and regular groups were advised if contacts were
known, as well as indicated on the web site.

Part of providing a service is forward planning, and we did find, although I
hope that's changed, that the destination was the last place to be informed
about a planned tour.

Rosslyn is no different to any other public place in that it has Health and
Safety regulations to adhere to and cannot merely cram more people in. The
decision to improve the visitor experience during busy periods was brave and
expensive but essential.

Improvements to the experience are not always achieved by adding new guide
experiences but by ensuring those who can be accommodated are given the best
experience possible.

This is not a new problem and other attractions around the country react in
the same way.

I've no doubt that Rosslyn will cool down as a must-see destination and
numbers will be more easily accommodated. Equally I can see the problem
being made more difficult as the conservation work forces closures at
certain, and probably unpredicted, times.

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