informal visitor contacts final version

Informal VisitorInformal VisitorContactsContacts

Presented ByPresented ByBrandy A. BurkeBrandy A. Burke

15 Minute Ice Breaker15 Minute Ice Breaker

Fabulous prizes Fabulous prizes for winner!for winner!

OverviewOverview

• Goals & Objectives Goals & Objectives • Informal Visitor Contact?Informal Visitor Contact?• Interpretive ContinuumInterpretive Continuum• Appropriate TechniquesAppropriate Techniques• Customer ServiceCustomer Service• Assessing Visitor NeedsAssessing Visitor Needs• Knowing Our SiteKnowing Our Site• Review-What You KnowReview-What You Know

GoalsGoals

By the end of the course, you wil l have By the end of the course, you wil l have developed knowledge and skil ls in the following developed knowledge and skil ls in the following areas:areas:

• providing high quality informal customer service providing high quality informal customer service • reading visitor cues and meeting visitor needs reading visitor cues and meeting visitor needs • knowing how to answer basic and in-depth visitor knowing how to answer basic and in-depth visitor

questions questions • selecting appropriate techniques to provide selecting appropriate techniques to provide

interpretive opportunitiesinterpretive opportunities

ObjectivesObjectives

There are four tasks you wil l engage in to There are four tasks you wil l engage in to complete this course:complete this course: 1.1. gaining new knowledge by participating in gaining new knowledge by participating in

course activitiescourse activities2.2. reflecting upon what you are learning as it reflecting upon what you are learning as it

relates to your previous experiencesrelates to your previous experiences3.3. building skills by completing various learning building skills by completing various learning

activitiesactivities4.4. applying your knowledge and skills by applying your knowledge and skills by

describing a successful informal visitor contact.describing a successful informal visitor contact.

Examples include Examples include conversations:conversations:– on the trailon the trail– at a work stationat a work station– in a parking lotin a parking lot– at the market, at the market,

bank and post bank and post office. office.

What is an Informal Visitor Contact?What is an Informal Visitor Contact?

Any Any casualcasual and and unplanned unplanned interaction interaction

between a park between a park representative representative and a visitor.and a visitor.

Why are Informal Visitor Why are Informal Visitor Contacts important?Contacts important?

• Perhaps the visitor’s only opportunity to interact with a park representative.

• The “visitor-centered” approach communicates respect and helps build constituency.

• Well-crafted, responsive interactions offer visitors just what they need, just when they need it.

PROVIDING LEGENDARY HOSPITALITY!

Common To All Within the RangeCommon To All Within the Range::1.1. Providing Excellent Customer Service.Providing Excellent Customer Service.2.2. Anticipating Visitor Needs.Anticipating Visitor Needs.3.3. Knowing The Site You Represent. Knowing The Site You Represent.

A Moment for Reflection…A Moment for Reflection…

Is this a fair characterization of the kinds of Is this a fair characterization of the kinds of interactions you have with guests?interactions you have with guests?

OrientationOrientation InterpretationInterpretationInformationInformation

Interpretive ContinuumInterpretive Continuum

Interpretive ContinuumInterpretive Continuum::Orientation ContactsOrientation Contacts

Source: http://www.eppley.org/lms/mod/resource/view.php?id=134Source: http://www.eppley.org/lms/mod/resource/view.php?id=134

Signs a guest requiresSigns a guest requires this kind of assistance:this kind of assistance:

• WhereWhere questions. questions.

• Extended viewing of Extended viewing of park maps or guides.park maps or guides.

• Acting hesitant and Acting hesitant and looking around.looking around.

Interpretive ContinuumInterpretive Continuum: : Information ContactsInformation Contacts


Signs a guest requires this Signs a guest requires this kind of assistance:kind of assistance:

• WhatWhat, , WhenWhen or or How How questions.questions.

• Approaching a guest Approaching a guest service representative/ service representative/ making eye contact.making eye contact.

• A) What kind of cactus is that?• B) When does the Elk rutting season begin?• C) How was the canyon formed?


Interpretive ContinuumInterpretive Continuum::Interpretive ContactsInterpretive Contacts

Signs a guest requires Signs a guest requires this kind of assistance:this kind of assistance:

• WhyWhy questions. questions.

• Physical cues: leaning Physical cues: leaning forward, maintaining forward, maintaining eye contact, nodding.eye contact, nodding.

• Asking follow-up Asking follow-up questions requiring questions requiring deep insight. deep insight.

What’s Your Question?What’s Your Question?

At Your TablesAt Your Tables::– List 4 orientation List 4 orientation

questions encountered questions encountered each day.each day.

– List 3 information List 3 information questions encountered questions encountered each day.each day.

– List 2 interpretive List 2 interpretive questions you encounter questions you encounter ocassionally.ocassionally.

Harvey, I think It's time for a

break!

What are our discoveries?

Welcome Back!

Self-EsteemSelf-Esteem

Safety & SecuritySafety & Security

Physical NeedsPhysical Needs

Social ConnectionsSocial Connections

OrientationOrientation

InformationInformation

InterpretationInterpretation

The of the Interpretive ContinuumThe of the Interpretive ContinuumSelfSelf

ActualizationActualization

SenseSense

Our Thoughts?Our Thoughts?

Ways to Determine Guest Ways to Determine Guest Needs:Needs:

• Ask a question.Ask a question.

• Make a provocative Make a provocative statement.statement.

• Point out something Point out something which inspires which inspires curiosity.curiosity.

Interpretive ContinuumInterpretive Continuum::To Interpret or Not to Interpret…To Interpret or Not to Interpret…


Interpretive ContinuumInterpretive Continuum::Interpret? You Decide!Interpret? You Decide!

Match each visitor need to the appropriate level of the Interpretive Continuum.

1. Divide into groups

2. Choose the best level for each scenario given to your group.3. Could they be included in

other areas of the continuum?

___ Basic Need /Orientation

___Intermediate/ Information

___Growth/ Interpretation

Components of Components of ALLALL Visitor Visitor Contacts: Contacts:

• Customer ServiceCustomer Service

• Assessing Visitor NeedsAssessing Visitor Needs

• Knowing Your SiteKnowing Your Site

• Appropriate TechniquesAppropriate Techniques

What does this look What does this look like in practice?like in practice?

Inspirational HospitalityInspirational Hospitality

Guest Service Moment Activity:Guest Service Moment Activity:

Role Play:Role Play:•Let’s PretendLet’s Pretend

• Act out a guest service Act out a guest service moment.moment.

• What did you do to What did you do to provide your best provide your best guest service?guest service?

• How can we do more?How can we do more?

Customer ServiceCustomer Service: :

Aspects of customer service Aspects of customer service include professional: include professional:

• ImageImage

• BehaviorBehavior

• CommunicationCommunication

Xanterra’s mission is Xanterra’s mission is to be the industry to be the industry leader in park and leader in park and resort hospitality. resort hospitality.

We are committed to We are committed to practicing integrity and practicing integrity and quality, maintaining quality, maintaining positive relationships with positive relationships with our employees and clients, our employees and clients, leading in environmental leading in environmental stewardship, and creating stewardship, and creating unforgettable memories for unforgettable memories for our guests.our guests.

Our Guide in Customer ServiceOur Guide in Customer Service::Hospitality Standards Hospitality Standards

Customer ServiceCustomer Service::Professional ImageProfessional Image

Aspects of a Professional Aspects of a Professional Image:Image:

• Personal GroomingPersonal Grooming

• PosturePosture

• AttireAttire

• AccessoriesAccessories


Customer ServiceCustomer Service::Professional BehaviorProfessional Behavior

Aspects of a Professional Aspects of a Professional Behavior:Behavior:

• Courteous and HelpfulCourteous and Helpful

• KnowledgeableKnowledgeable

• Objective & PatientObjective & Patient

• SafeSafe

Customer ServiceCustomer Service::Effective CommunicationEffective Communication

Aspects of a Professional Aspects of a Professional Communication:Communication:

• Body Language SkillsBody Language Skills

• Verbal SkillsVerbal Skills

• Listening SkillsListening Skills

• Conflict Resolution Conflict Resolution SkillsSkills

BrainstormingBrainstorming

• Essential Elements to Essential Elements to good customer good customer service…service…

• Each table come up Each table come up with 5 essential with 5 essential elementselements

• Write them on the Write them on the chartchart

• Complete Best Complete Best Practice Activity SheetPractice Activity Sheet

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

How can you improve?

A visitor approaches you outside your office and asks, A visitor approaches you outside your office and asks, "Where is the best place to eat around here?" Although at "Where is the best place to eat around here?" Although at least five others have asked you the same question today, least five others have asked you the same question today, you smile broadly at him and say, "You can't beat the you smile broadly at him and say, "You can't beat the Market's Deli for affordable pizza, sandwiches, soups or Market's Deli for affordable pizza, sandwiches, soups or salads. Just follow the signs up to Market Plaza. Have a salads. Just follow the signs up to Market Plaza. Have a great day!" great day!"

knowledgeable, courteous and objectiveknowledgeable, courteous and objective knowledgeable and patient, but not objectiveknowledgeable and patient, but not objective impatient and unhelpful, but safeimpatient and unhelpful, but safe

An avid hiker approaches you about places to hike. You An avid hiker approaches you about places to hike. You inform her of one of your favorite day-hikes, after inform her of one of your favorite day-hikes, after determining the type of hiking she would like to do. A determining the type of hiking she would like to do. A group comes to the desk during this period. You continue group comes to the desk during this period. You continue to inform the first hiker of other hikes of interest while the to inform the first hiker of other hikes of interest while the group members approach, grab a few pamphlets, wait a group members approach, grab a few pamphlets, wait a minute for assistance, then leave. minute for assistance, then leave.

helpful, courteous and objectivehelpful, courteous and objective knowledgeable, objective, but unsafeknowledgeable, objective, but unsafe knowledgeable and helpful to one, but knowledgeable and helpful to one, but

discourteous to othersdiscourteous to others

Customer Service ActivityCustomer Service Activity::Pause for Thought… Pause for Thought…

√√√√

Assessing Visitor NeedsAssessing Visitor Needs

Ways in Which to Assess Ways in Which to Assess Visitor Needs:Visitor Needs:

• Verbal Communication Verbal Communication & Speech & Speech Characteristics.Characteristics.

• Body Language & Body Language & Direct ActionsDirect Actions

Characteristics of Speech:Characteristics of Speech:• Tone Tone • Volume Volume • Pace Pace • SilenceSilence

Assessing Visitor NeedsAssessing Visitor Needs::Verbal Communication / Speech CharacteristicsVerbal Communication / Speech Characteristics

Assessing Visitor NeedsAssessing Visitor Needs::Body Language / Direct ActionBody Language / Direct Action

Common Body Statements:Common Body Statements:• Crossed ArmsCrossed Arms• Eye ContactEye Contact• PosturePosture• Scratching the ChinScratching the Chin• Excessive BlinkingExcessive Blinking• Direct ActionsDirect Actions


How might our evaluation How might our evaluation of guests’ expressions of guests’ expressions confuse or limit our confuse or limit our interactions with those we interactions with those we serve? serve?

Visitor's body languageVisitor's body language: arms open, palms up, legs : arms open, palms up, legs uncrossed, looking at speaker, leaning towards uncrossed, looking at speaker, leaning towards speaker and relaxed posture.speaker and relaxed posture.

A) DisinterestA) Disinterest B) AngerB) Anger C) HappinessC) Happiness D) ReceptivenessD) Receptiveness

Visitor's body languageVisitor's body language: sweating, sudden : sweating, sudden movements, minor twitches of muscles (especially movements, minor twitches of muscles (especially around the mouth and eyes) fidgeting.around the mouth and eyes) fidgeting.

A) RelaxationA) Relaxation B) AnxietyB) Anxiety C) DefensivenessC) Defensiveness D) ThoughtfulnessD) Thoughtfulness

Assessing Visitor NeedsAssessing Visitor Needs::Pause for Thought…Pause for Thought…

Visitor's body languageVisitor's body language: no eye contact, repetitive : no eye contact, repetitive motions such as tapping toes or drumming fingers, motions such as tapping toes or drumming fingers, slouching, leaning against a wall, yawning.slouching, leaning against a wall, yawning.

A) BoredomA) Boredom B) AngerB) Anger C) AnxietyC) Anxiety D) ExcitementD) Excitement

√√√

Visitor's body languageVisitor's body language: arms and legs crossed, : arms and legs crossed, looking away.looking away.

A) FriendlinessA) Friendliness B) FearB) Fear C) OpennessC) Openness D) DisinterestD) Disinterest√

√

Visitor's body languageVisitor's body language: steepled hands, stroking : steepled hands, stroking chin or other parts of the face or intense gaze.chin or other parts of the face or intense gaze.

A) HappinessA) Happiness B) AnxietyB) Anxiety C) ThoughtfulnessC) Thoughtfulness D) RelaxationD) Relaxation

√


Knowing Your SiteKnowing Your Site

Knowledge of Your Knowledge of Your Site:Site:

• Orientation informationOrientation information ::Lodging and cafeterias, trails, Lodging and cafeterias, trails, daily activities and exhibits, daily activities and exhibits, restrooms, exhibits, etc. restrooms, exhibits, etc.

• Resource information: Resource information: Data about park resources and Data about park resources and history. history.

• Interpretive material:Interpretive material:Tangibles/intangible links and Tangibles/intangible links and use of appropriate techniques for use of appropriate techniques for constructing meaning. constructing meaning.


Knowing Your Site: Knowing Your Site: Have You Seen This?Have You Seen This?

SourceSource: GCNP's Div. of Interpretation and Resource Education: GCNP's Div. of Interpretation and Resource Education

Themes of Grand Canyon Themes of Grand Canyon National ParkNational Park

What do you notice What do you notice about the identified about the identified

themes?themes?

Knowing Your SiteKnowing Your Site::Gaining KnowledgeGaining Knowledge

Sources for Information: Sources for Information: • Xanterra Interp. Courses & NPS Xanterra Interp. Courses & NPS

Training OpportunitiesTraining Opportunities• GCNP Park DocumentsGCNP Park Documents• Park Libraries Park Libraries • Park resource managers, Park resource managers,

historians, archeologists, etc. historians, archeologists, etc. • Co-workers, Supervisors and other Co-workers, Supervisors and other

Community Members and AgenciesCommunity Members and Agencies• MediaMedia

Knowing Your SiteKnowing Your Site::Tangibles & IntangiblesTangibles & Intangibles

T I

TangibleTangible::resources of the resources of the park having park having physical qualities.physical qualities.

IntangibleIntangible::ideas or concepts ideas or concepts that physical that physical objects at our site objects at our site

represent.represent.

M

Go ahead and Go ahead and spli t for a brief spli t for a brief

break!break!Re-Assemble in Re-Assemble in

10 Minutes.10 Minutes.

Match the image of each tangible to an Match the image of each tangible to an intangible meaning. intangible meaning.

/ / // / /

Knowing Your Site ActivityKnowing Your Site Activity::Pause for Thought…Pause for Thought…

AdaptationAdaptation MobilityMobility HistoryHistory ConservationConservation

What intangibles would you link to What intangibles would you link to your site's resources?your site's resources?

An interpretive Informal Visitor An interpretive Informal Visitor Contact often references a Contact often references a central central Big IdeaBig Idea or or ThemeTheme linking resources to their linking resources to their overall meanings. overall meanings.

Knowing Your Site:Knowing Your Site:Expressing the Tangible & IntangibleExpressing the Tangible & Intangible

Medicine /Medicine /ShelterShelter

TANGIBLETANGIBLE

Sustenance /Sustenance /SurvivalSurvival

Sustenance /Sustenance /SurvivalSurvival

INTANGIBLEINTANGIBLE

Grand Canyon's wildness Grand Canyon's wildness has sustained people has sustained people materially and spiritually for materially and spiritually for 1000s of years.1000s of years.

THEMETHEME ++==

Appropriate Techniques:Appropriate Techniques:Interpretive TechniquesInterpretive Techniques

• ActivityActivity • AnalogyAnalogy • PhotographPhotograph• DemonstrationDemonstration • DescriptionDescription • DiscussionDiscussion• ExamplesExamples • ExplanationExplanation • IllustrationIllustration• Sense of Sense of

ExperienceExperience• Comparison/ Comparison/

ContrastContrast• Presentation of Presentation of

EvidenceEvidence• PropsProps • QuestioningQuestioning • QuotationQuotation

• MetaphorMetaphor • StorytellingStorytelling

What techniques apply What techniques apply to interpretive Informal to interpretive Informal

Visitor Contacts?Visitor Contacts?

Interpretive Opportunity:Interpretive Opportunity:

(( KRKR + + KAKA ) ) ATAT = = IOIO , where, where

KRKR = Knowledge of the Resource = Knowledge of the ResourceKAKA = Knowledge of the Audience = Knowledge of the AudienceATAT = Appropriate Interpretive = Appropriate Interpretive

Technique TechniqueIOIO = Interpretive Opportunity = Interpretive Opportunity

Knowing the AudienceKnowing the Audience

Audience Characteristics:Audience Characteristics:• Age (and Stages of Life), Sex, Gender, Age (and Stages of Life), Sex, Gender,

Race, Ethnicity, Religion, DisabilitiesRace, Ethnicity, Religion, Disabilities• Socio-Economic BackgroundSocio-Economic Background• Area of Residence (Rural, Urban, Area of Residence (Rural, Urban,

Suburban) Suburban) • Languages Spoken & UnderstoodLanguages Spoken & Understood• Group Composition (Size, Cultural Group Composition (Size, Cultural

Diversity and Influences, Dynamics and Diversity and Influences, Dynamics and Social Interactions, Communicative Social Interactions, Communicative Abilities)Abilities)

Knowing Your AudienceKnowing Your Audience

Role Play:Role Play:•Visitor CuesVisitor Cues

• What appropriate What appropriate technique did the technique did the interpreter use?interpreter use?

• Did you think more Did you think more knowledge of the knowledge of the resource was needed?resource was needed?

• What were the What were the strengths?strengths?

• What could we do What could we do different?different?

Final Review-Post-It!Final Review-Post-It!• Pick three points that we discussed that you will Pick three points that we discussed that you will

take away from this course.take away from this course.• Write them on 3 post-it’sWrite them on 3 post-it’s• Stick them to our easel paperStick them to our easel paper• Why were they important? Why were they important?

• Let’s Discuss!Let’s Discuss!• How can we use these?• What will you change?

Hope You Enjoyed The Show!Hope You Enjoyed The Show!

Before you go please give us your feedback, and make sure you picked up everything around you.

Thanks for Coming!