b'MODERN MARKETINGThinking About the Future and Customer SatisfactionThere are intangibles that your customer sees as valuable. It might be some-thing that requires an investment, like the space, planning and landscaping of your registration parking and welcome center. Or it might be something asEvanne Schmardersmall and detail-oriented as raking a site in preparation for a guests arrival.Lovehimorhatehim,Jeff BezosValuemembersatXYZparkwere,onthemusthaveasafetycorridoraround (andthebusinesshestartedinhisEven Jeff Bezos, to whom money iswhole, rude and uncaring. They did notthem.Emergencyplansmustbein garage) is a monster success. So, its nono object, wants a fair exchange for hisknow how to do their job, and I was anplace. wonder that hes often asked questionsdollar.Everysinglecustomerthatobvious bother. Five stars!! I cant waitWhenaguestchoosesyourpark, about it and business in general. In acrosses your registration desk wants theto return!!!they are trusting you with the safety 2012 AWS Live Fireside Chat he saidsame: good value for their hard-earnedOurs is a service business throughand security of their loved ones and this: I very frequently get the question:cash. That will never change. So whatandthrough.Thatsnotgoingtotheir property. Very rarely will someone Whats going to change in the next 10does good value look like? In a nut- change, even with the advent of auto- choose to endanger themselves to save years?Andthatisaveryinterestingshell,whentheproduct/serviceyoumatic check-in tools and self-driven ac- a buck or because an ad was effective. question; its a very common one. I al- offer is considered worth the cost, its ativities.ServicemightlooklikeaIts a perpetual given. most never get the question: Whats notgood value. People are willing, evenroaming maintenance person, a well- Delivering on your brand promise going to change in the next 10 years?eager to pay your site fees, providingstockedbrochurerackorareaderWhatdoesyourparktout?Easy-ToAmazonsfounderandformerthey feel what they receive in return isboard with local, up-to-date informa- on/easy-off overnight parking? A full CEO, thats the more important of theof equal or greater value.tion, a helpful and prompt reply to aroster of family fun? Fast Wi-Fi connec-two, a business bread and butter, theThere are intangibles that your cus- customercontact,orawell-trained,tivity, sparkling restrooms, peace and foundationthatallowsanownertotomer sees as valuable. It might befriendly staff available to answer ques- quiet? None of that matters in the con-build and grow. By recognizing yoursomethingthatrequiresaninvest- tions and solve problems.text of this discussion. What does mat-customers core needs and wants ment, like the space, planning, andIdentifying the level of service ac- ter, is that you deliver on your promises. thosethatareunlikelytofluctuatelandscaping of your registration park- ceptable to your guests and bumping itFamilies expecting a boisterous activi-based on fads, ebbs, and flowsyoulling and welcome center. Or it mightup a notch or two is, and will always be,ties schedule will never be happy to be able to consistently fulfill their ex- be something as small and detail-ori- abusinessdifferentiator.Askyourfind a quiet retirement park that only pectations, now and in the future. Thisented as raking a site in preparationguests. Theyll gladly tell you what serv- allows children in the pool from 10 a.m. is not to say that how you present thesefor a guests arrival. On the dollar-to- ice means to them.to 11 a.m. Overnighters will never ap-fundamental ways of doing businessworth side, your caf might offer aSafetypreciate having to shoehorn their rig cant be improved upon; they most cer- two-for-oneicecreamconehappySafety is a basic human need and ainto a tight back-in site. Communicate tainlycanandwillchangewiththehour or an extra handful of chips withmodern, first-world country expecta- what your business does and be true to times. But the heart of the matter willburgersanddogs. Value,bothhightion. RV parks and campgrounds arethat vision. Thats an expectation set in always remain, the bedrock of our busi- and low, is a concept that continues tonot exempt and never will be. Whenstone. ness, customer satisfaction.unfold in every interaction through- guests stay at your property, they expectTaking It Online An Unbreakable Horizonout their stay.they will be free from violent crime andThe same concept of expectations Lots of things do change. AmenitiesUsing Bezos line of thinking, Id likepredators. They also expect equipmentthat will never change also applies in and facilities follow trends. New con- to pull into a cramped registration areato be maintained, dog-leash rules madeterms of digital marketing. Your fans, cepts, products and attractions are un- then dodge and weave my way to anand enforced, interior roads to be well- followersandsubscriberswillnever veiled every year at state and nationalunkempt site, said American camperskept, and trees trimmed and lookedlook forward to a poorly executed email trade shows. But conveying a feeling ofnever.after. If you have a water attraction, at- message, a non-relevant social media welcome, fostering good choices andServicetentionmustbegiventoeveryonespost, a droning YouTube video or unin-providing value are the underpinningsYoud be hard-pressed to see a cus- safety, from proper chlorination to res- spiring Instagram images. of long-term success.tomerreviewthatreads,Thestaffcueequipment.BonfiresandBBQsWhilewebsiteswillcontinueto morph, lookers and bookers will never tire of seeing true-to-life images of your park, honest reviews, and up-to-date rate schedules. Well always see new and improved versionsofonlinereservationplat-forms and processes. However, poten-tialguestswillneverrejoiceatan incomplete or incorrect availability cal-endarthatrequiresaphonecallto straighten out. Build On the Basics The savvy modern marketer works to identify customer essentials that re-main static across the years. They cre-atealong-termplantohonetheir business core strengths for sustained success,includingaformaltraining program, checklists, and routines. In the final analysis, regardless of who your park serves, every individual wants to feel like theyve made a smart decision, spent their time and money wisely, and that they and their business areappreciated.Itshumannature. Take it from Bezos, some things never change.Evanne Schmarder, a longtime WCM ModernMarketingcolumnistand principal at Roadabode Productions, will soon be releasing the second book in her Marketing Your RV Park/Camp-ground Online series. Details to follow at roadabode.comWCM10 November 2021Woodalls Campground Magazine'