I started planning for my visit to Dry Tortugas National Park in December, 6 weeks ago.
To put things in perspective, planning a trip like this usually takes about a year’s lead time, as I soon found out.
Coordinating a seat on the boat reservation, with a reservation for an RV camping site took things to a nearly impossible level.
Without going through all the twists and turns of the story, once I had a potential seat on the boat, the real challenge was finding the RV site on the same dates.
I called every RV camping location I could find to no avail. Then, as I was on the phone with my final lead listening to the usual polite rejection, the admin said the words I’ll never forget, “Wait, a cancellation just came in, but it’s on the water. This never happens.”
Excitedly I asked for details and I was shocked that the site would cost me over 10 times the usual rate because it was on the water.
I really wanted to be on the water and I had no other option for my trip so I wrote the check. This has proven to be a great decision.
Besides being on the water, the staff team here is among the best I have ever seen in any business. They have helped with every question or concern I have had.
The ultimate transaction in a service business is what happens between the team members and the customer.
It’s the same in every service business.
We can charge a premium for what we do, and we should. But we had better be able to back it up with service of greater value than the perceived value of the money the customer gave us.
The key is to train our people, not in a once-and-done setting, but routinely and constantly. Our focus should be on developing soft skills, the people skills.
If you haven’t already, create a 12-month training calendar. List the topic for each month and start now to pull in the resources you’ll need to make your training outstanding.
I have asked about reservations for next year at this location. They’re already booked solid, but there is one opening coming up 12 months from today, and I can go stand in line when the office opens today to give them a deposit, but if there is more than one of us, it’s a lottery.
Remember: You only get results if you act on your ideas. Do it now!
