It is easy as small business owners to get tunnel vision or a jaded perspective on what our guests want, what is working well, and where we need to improve. It is also easy to get complacent in areas that are not our passions or areas of expertise and since they are working “well enough” they don’t get the attention they sometimes need. A fresh perspective from our guests can help us to see any blind spots that need our attention. The best way to do this is through a survey

This can be a tough one to navigate. Should you charge for the 85-year-old grandmother that is just there to watch her grandchild open presents at a birthday party? Should you charge for parents that are there to help with the field trip? What about someone that is physically handicapped and won’t be participating in any activities? These are all tough scenarios to navigate while keeping your customers happy but let’s talk through some of the options you have. Insurance F

Long lines are one of those things we consider a “good problem to have”. Unfortunately, long lines can be a frustration for your guests and not a good way to start their fun day at the farm. Here are some tips to keep those lines moving. 1. Good Signage Be sure you have easy-to-read signs at your check-in area. Not just at the cash register but in several places that can be easily seen from the lines so customers can be more prepared when it is their turn to pay. 2. Limite

Last week we talked about how to be intentional about customer service and we focused on being relational. I was thinking about how that skill is sometimes easier for some than it is for others. Some people come by it naturally when others have to work at it. We recommend instructing your staff and maybe even role playing how to implement this quality. Let’s face it. Some of our guests make it very difficult to be relational. Confrontational maybe, but not relational! But our

Let’s continue talking about your traffic flow and look at the layout of your venue. Safety is a crucial factor when it comes to evaluating our policies and procedures, so we need to evaluate any safety issues when it comes to how vehicles enter, exit and travel throughout your property. Traffic Flow As I shared before, at one of our locations we were looking for a feasible way to redesign the flow of traffic. One of the biggest drawbacks to the existing design forced our gue

In today’s post we need to deal with a tedious, but important part of any agritourism venture. It’s that part of your business that will cause you problems from day one and your guests will notice as soon as they arrive. It’s that area of your business that makes no money in itself, but allows for you to be very successful! It can be your greatest asset or the source of your downfall. Sounds serious right? It is your parking lot. One of the greatest stress factors for any gue

1. Clean & Plentiful Bathrooms The reality is that most Agritourism venues with heavy seasonal crowds don’t have enough indoor bathroom facilities to keep up with the demand. That means we have to resort to the dreaded Porta-Potty. This is the worst nightmare of germaphobes’. Your guests may be on their way to having an outstanding customer experience (see our blog post from last week) and a dirty bathroom or Porta-Potty may be the lasting memory that sticks longer that a