In today’s competitive hospitality landscape, it’s essential to deliver a consistent and exceptional customer experience. This begins with your on-site team and the culture you foster throughout your campground. Our business thrives not only on attracting new guests, but also on encouraging repeat visits. By providing outstanding customer service, you can ensure that guests choose to spend their hard-earned money with you, share their positive experiences with others, and create lasting memories. We’ve asked one of our Regional Operations Managers, Pete Blozis, to share his strategies from 30+ years of hospitality experience for creating and maintaining a positive culture.
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Creating a culture of hospitality at your campground can significantly enhance your guests’ experience and positively impact your business. Here are some strategies I’ve employed in my career that have fostered a culture of hospitality:
- Training and Empowerment: Ensure that your team, from front desk employees to maintenance workers to pool attendants, are well-trained in customer service and hospitality. Empower them to go the extra mile to ensure guests feel welcome and valued.
- Friendly and Approachable Staff: Encourage your team to greet guests with a smile and maintain a warm demeanor. A friendly and approachable attitude will make guests feel at home.
- Personalized Service: Train your team to address guests by name and be attentive to their preferences. This attention to detail makes guests feel valued and appreciated.
- A Clean and Welcoming Environment: Maintain a clean and attractive campground. A well-kept environment with tidy amenities shows that you care about your guests’ comfort. Many times, it comes down to the details.
- Feedback: Encourage guests and associates to provide feedback and take their input seriously. Use feedback as an opportunity to improve service and address any concerns.
- Consistency: Ensure that the culture of hospitality is consistently upheld across all team members and all shifts. Guests should experience the same level of warmth and care regardless of when they visit or whom they interact with.
Hotel vs Campground Culture
Reflecting on my 30 years in the hotel industry, I realize that many hotel stays are transactional. A portion of your guests visit for an event, a meeting, or other activities, creating a transactional relationship with the hotel and its staff. Depending on the type of hotel and its clientele, the staff may rarely interact with guests.
In contrast, the outdoor campground industry offers a unique opportunity. Our guests come to stay with us and often do not leave the campground until their visit is over. Everything they seek to experience and enjoy is within our boundaries. They are looking for an experience, and to create that experience, we must build connections and foster a sense of community through the campground’s culture.
- Creating Connections: Unlike hotels, where interactions can be minimal, campgrounds offer a unique opportunity to engage with guests on a personal level. From the moment they arrive, our team greets them warmly, offers assistance with setting up their site, and provides information about the activities and amenities available. These initial interactions set the tone for their stay and make guests feel welcomed and valued.
- Building Community: To foster a sense of community, we organize regular events and activities that encourage guests to interact with one another and our associates. Whether it’s a communal campfire, a group movie, or a themed weekend, these events create opportunities for guests to form connections and build lasting memories.
In the campground industry, we have the privilege of creating an environment where guests can truly immerse themselves in the experience. By creating connections and building a sense of community, we can transform a simple stay into an unforgettable outdoor experience. This approach not only enhances guest satisfaction and makes work fun for our team, but also fosters loyalty and encourages repeat visits.