I dont know why the original post was closed. It seemed to me it was just actually getting to the heart of the topic. I also dont think it was "too personal" Considering WRVPO's choice of handle and his often provocative customer service views. WRVPO has his view and his view of things went right to the heart of the matter under discussion. His business philosophy was what was in question. Not him personally.And this is a topic of great interest to so many as we all use these parks at one time or another. I think it is also good for WRVPO to hear what his potential customer base thinks. Whether he heeds that or not is up to him.But as a representative of the RV Park side of things on this forum and by choosing his "handle" as "Western RV Park Owner" he has really set himself up for spirited discussions and should expect some flack now and then. If he didnt want this he would have chosen a different name.As for customer service: The VERY FIRST WORD out of a staff or owners mouth when confronted by a customer complaint/problem or issue MUST be "I am Sorry". No excuses. No reciting of Policy. Then they should say: What can I do to make it better? Additionally being a smart customer service person...you will LISTEN...your customers can often teach you alot. And it gives them a chance to vent their frustration which in some cases is all they need. When followed by an immediate apology they, in many cases in my experience, are satisfied and will be happier and feel that you have actually "done something about their problem" when in fact all you did was listen.

Great customer service trumps a lot, that is for sure

WRVPO: "......First and foremost, deliver the best product possible."IMHO, part of the "best product possible" is customer service.

I checked in to a campground last year. No one in the office, please call this number. 6-7 minutes later an elderly couple comes out of the adjoining house. Had to boot the computer, probably took 10 minutes to check in. Then the gentleman shows us to our pull through site and INSISTS on helping me into the site. I said no thanks, I got it and he got all huffy and wasn't listening to me. He was literally standing 2-3 feet in front of my truck so I could hardly look into my mirrors without fear of hitting him. I stopped and yelled to him, please move out of the way and he screamed at me that this was his job. That was the most stressful check in I have had in 150 campgrounds.I like a campground with as little human interaction as possible. Be in the office, show me where my site is on a map and accept my money. That's all I need and you won't see me again.

On long stays customer service is important. On 1 or two night stays as long as they have the type of site I asked for, keep the place clean and follow their own rules I don't care about anything else. The biggest thing that is determined by customer service is whether or not I ever return.

Mr Camper said " keep the place clean and follow their own rules I don't care about anything else. The biggest thing that is determined by customer service is whether or not I ever return. "Then stay away from Cal-am 'resorts". Seems like staff are blocked, by upper management, from enforcing any rules!!Disconcerting to say the least!!

The Value of a Friendly Staff - V 2.0 | Good Sam Community

Roy_Lynne
Explorer
Jun 30, 2015
Great customer service trumps a lot, that is for sure
korbe
Explorer
Jun 30, 2015
WRVPO: "......First and foremost, deliver the best product possible."

IMHO, part of the "best product possible" is customer service.
lbrjet
Explorer
Jun 30, 2015
I checked in to a campground last year. No one in the office, please call this number. 6-7 minutes later an elderly couple comes out of the adjoining house. Had to boot the computer, probably took 10 minutes to check in. Then the gentleman shows us to our pull through site and INSISTS on helping me into the site. I said no thanks, I got it and he got all huffy and wasn't listening to me. He was literally standing 2-3 feet in front of my truck so I could hardly look into my mirrors without fear of hitting him. I stopped and yelled to him, please move out of the way and he screamed at me that this was his job. That was the most stressful check in I have had in 150 campgrounds.

I like a campground with as little human interaction as possible. Be in the office, show me where my site is on a map and accept my money. That's all I need and you won't see me again.
Mr__Camper
Explorer
Jun 30, 2015
On long stays customer service is important. On 1 or two night stays as long as they have the type of site I asked for, keep the place clean and follow their own rules I don't care about anything else. The biggest thing that is determined by customer service is whether or not I ever return.
cruiserjs
Explorer
Jun 30, 2015
Mr Camper said " keep the place clean and follow their own rules I don't care about anything else. The biggest thing that is determined by customer service is whether or not I ever return. "
Then stay away from Cal-am 'resorts". Seems like staff are blocked, by upper management, from enforcing any rules!!
Disconcerting to say the least!!
Allworth
Explorer II
Jun 30, 2015
Some seem to assume there has never been an RVer who presented himself at the office as a self-important "what I want and nothing else" A$$ Hole.
Crowe
Explorer
Jun 30, 2015
Customer service does go a long way, but as another poster said it still can't make a lousy campground a good campground. And vice-versa, lousy customer service can make a good campground, well, lousy! Small transgressions can be overlooked if handled properly-large ones are a little more difficult. However, I wonder how much our perception of a campground changes due to our initial greeting? For example, you pull into the cg of your dreams, price is right, everything looks perfect but the front desk clerk is snippy. Does that trigger us to look for imperfections? Flip slide-campground isn't that great but staff is exceptional. Does our mind tell us it's not that bad? As the old Head and Shoulders ad says: "You only have one time to make a first impression". How much does that first impression alter our perception of the campground I wonder.
westernrvparkow
Explorer
Jun 30, 2015
Well over half of our customer issues concern policies. Why would I start out apologizing for the fact we require people to clean up after their pets or apologize that we charge a fee to cancel a reservation? Of course we apologize and attempt to make right any issue that is our fault. But I am not going to apologize for rules fees or charges that are clearly spelled out.
Lantley
Nomad
Jun 30, 2015
4X4Dodger wrote:
I dont know why the original post was closed. It seemed to me it was just actually getting to the heart of the topic. I also dont think it was "too personal" Considering WRVPO's choice of handle and his often provocative customer service views.

WRVPO has his view and his view of things went right to the heart of the matter under discussion. His business philosophy was what was in question. Not him personally.

And this is a topic of great interest to so many as we all use these parks at one time or another. I think it is also good for WRVPO to hear what his potential customer base thinks. Whether he heeds that or not is up to him.

But as a representative of the RV Park side of things on this forum and by choosing his "handle" as "Western RV Park Owner" he has really set himself up for spirited discussions and should expect some flack now and then. If he didnt want this he would have chosen a different name.

As for customer service: The VERY FIRST WORD out of a staff or owners mouth when confronted by a customer complaint/problem or issue MUST be "I am Sorry". No excuses. No reciting of Policy. Then they should say: What can I do to make it better?

Additionally being a smart customer service person...you will LISTEN...your customers can often teach you alot. And it gives them a chance to vent their frustration which in some cases is all they need. When followed by an immediate apology they, in many cases in my experience, are satisfied and will be happier and feel that you have actually "done something about their problem" when in fact all you did was listen.

I agree with most of your comments, however the customer is not always
right and the complaint is not always valid. There are 2 sides to every story. Good customer service is about more than just lip service.
There are times that the customer is correct and the appropriate action/apology is required. There are times when the customer is incorrect and the appropriate action/ explanation is required.
There is no one size fits all approach.
Good customer service requires a balance of tact and technique, politeness,friendliness and firmness.
Stefonius
Explorer
Jun 30, 2015
westernrvparkowner wrote:
Well over half of our customer issues concern policies. Why would I start out apologizing for the fact we require people to clean up after their pets or apologize that we charge a fee to cancel a reservation? Of course we apologize and attempt to make right any issue that is our fault. But I am not going to apologize for rules fees or charges that are clearly spelled out.
I agree with you in principle, but I have found that proper Customer Service still requires some sort of "apology" on your end. When a customer is complaining about some fee or policy that they should have been aware of, my phrase isn't "I'm sorry", it's "I'm sorry you feel that way", followed usually by a "however, the policy states..." A lot of folks just want the illusion of sympathy and understanding and they feel mollified.

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