One of the most vocalized challenges we hear from sightseeing companies is product consistency. Despite having immaculate vehicles and vessels, friendly staff, and well organized and focused management teams, some of these tour operators continue to operate with an Achilles’ Heel.

We’ve all experienced lousy tours. They’re boring… irrelevant and sometimes… [at worst] offensive. We often hear about problems with off-color commentary. It's a huge challenge to control content. 

Many organizations provide comprehensive training, pre-scripted tours and additional information on Points of Interest. Information such as history, fun facts and anecdotes are included in this training. But the fact remains ...we’re all human - and sightseeing companies manage the human factor. Not all of us were born to be storytellers… or passionate about history and culture …or even comfortable speaking with a group… and that’s okay. So how do operators' overcome this challenge?

Ralph Waldo Emerson, an American essayist, philosopher, poet, and leader of the transcendentalist movement in the early 19th century said ”consistency is THE most crucial key to success”. Ralph Waldo Emerson was right. Consistency in the delivery of tour products, consistency of service, and consistency of experience is critically important for a sightseeing company's success.

So… how do you address consistency issues? Traditional wisdom says spend more money on training and emphasize the importance of fun and entertaining passenger experiences. Monitor customer satisfaction by creating feedback loops. While this may work for some, this isn’t always the easy answer. So how do you create consistency of experience?

  • This is a cultural change and requires buy-in from everyone on the team;
  • Involve your best drivers in the process of either rewriting or editing your tour scripts and ask for their opinions on what works and what doesn't;
  • Have a clear plan of action and ask drivers to be accountable to each other for providing the best possible passenger experiences;
  • Focus on results – put measurements in place (reduction of complaints for example) and track the effectiveness of your team. Openly discuss the difficult issues and work together to overcome them.
Our writers always create their best material when there is an active dialogue with our clients. We don’t view constructive feedback and criticism as a negative part of the script writing process, but rather, an opportunity to create more memorable tours. We work through (internal and external) creative conflicts by having open and constructive conversations about the direction we're taking and why. Conflict is a healthy part of the process. For some companies conflict can be paralyzing. Others lead - creating open relationships and trust while working through conflicts and gaining buy-in from their teams. The result – better tour experiences. Do you have an Achilles’ Heel?

If so, here are some articles about consistency you may find of interest:

Consistency – the Key to Success – Travel Industry Wire

Consistency is Key - American Journal