How Tourism Businesses "Drop the Ball" ... And Destinations Suffer
Posted by D'Arcy McKittrick on Thu, Aug 20, 2009 @ 12:35 PM
At first I was embarrassed. This was followed in quick succession with disappointment and frustration as I watched two U.S. visitors to our community walk out the door with ice cream cones in their hands, but without smiles on their faces.
It would have cost about 50 cents for a different outcome.
You see, I live in an Ontario community where tourism is a key part of the regional economy. A lot of time, effort and money is invested every year to market this area as a tourist destination; to attract visitors from Ontario, other parts of Canada and the U.S.A.
The last time I checked, our regional economy -- especially tourism -- was suffering with fewer visitors spending less. Although none of the tourism businesses in this destination can hope to influence the macro-economic forces driving the current recession, all of them are capable of making a difference at the micro or individual visitor level. So when important opportunities to do just that are botched, it is disappointing and frustrating.
At issue was the exchange rate on U.S. currency.
When presented with a US$5.00 bill, the counter person was clearly unsure what to do. A nearby supervisor responded to her "what do I do with this?" question with a "we don't do exchange" response delivered over her shoulder and without acknowledgment of the bewildered customer. The result was that these U.S. visitors to our community were ripped off -- in money and hospitality.
When it was my turn to be served, I inquired about the way that the tendering of U.S. currency was handled. The counter person said, "Oh, I think ours is worth more right now" (it wasn't). The supervisor on hearing the exchange, repeated her earlier message, but now with an edge to her voice.
As a tourism industry consultant I am disappointed for two reasons.
First, the staff of the business did not seem to be particularly well-trained in dealing with customers. There was a distinct lack of hospitality on display. Second, it seems that the policy of the business was (probably still is) to increase profits by ripping off U.S. visitors. Neither the business nor our destination's tourism industry will benefit from operating a tourism business that way.
And, as a tourism consultant I am frustrated for two reasons.
First, this weak link in the destination's tourism industry chain (do they know that they are in the tourism industry?) undermines the efforts of many at a particularly vulnerable time. Second, it reminded me that customer service remains the soft underbelly of tourism marketing. I was hoping we were getting past that.
Maybe this was an isolated incident and I am overstating its importance. Indeed, it may well have been an isolated incident ... but given the powerful influence of "word of mouth" on the tourism industry in general and destinations in particular, I am not overstating its importance.
It is all about developing a tourism culture that makes visitors feel welcome throughout the destination, and how some destinations implement this concept better than others.