While our neighbors in Southern Utah are enjoying warmer temperatures the snow fell this past weekend in Northern Utah and temperatures dropped below seasonal average. A few of our ski resorts are open for the winter season with the rest opening during Thanksgiving and soon thereafter. Where did this year go?
You now only have a few more weeks left to become part of the 2010 edition of the Utah Vacation, Lodging & Adventure Guide. Distribution will begin the first of the year.
Getting the Point Across
Many have already secured a photo listing or placement advertising but there are still a few of you who want to be part of this guide but haven’t found a moment to talk to us about it.
We have extended the deadlines so you still have that opportunity:
Deadline to secure your property, restaurant or guide & outfitter photo listing space: December 1st 2009
Deadline to secure your placement advertising: December 1st 2009
Artwork submission deadline: December 11th 2009
The guide is in production and it will be one of the best editions yet, thanks to you. More and more businesses have taken advantage of the opportunity to be part of the guide and showcase their business to the millions of visitors that come to Utah every year. We have received a great welcome letter from Governor Herbert that will be printed in the guide for all our visitors to read.
The Utah Vacation, Lodging & Adventure Guide is distributed worldwide to those wanting information about our great State including key markets in Europe, Asia and South America, travel groups and agencies on the East and West coasts who make Utah a key destination, travel and welcome centers in the surrounding states and in numerous outlets throughout all of Utah.
The Utah Office of Tourism confirmed at the beginning of the month that the State was looking at alternative methods to produce their guide and the timeframe for their publication would be summer of next year. The Utah Vacation, Lodging & Adventure Guide is the only statewide publication being produced in 2010 that allows you to showcase and market your business with distribution beginning in January 2010. Leigh von der Esch stated in November’s UOT newsletter “We are happy to place this guide in welcome centers and our office on Capitol Hill.”
Make a Point of It
It’s up to you make sure that you are part of the guide. Every lodging property, campground, RV Park, guide and outfitter in Utah is listed in the guide for free and we need to know that the information we have for you is up to date. Secure your photo listing, placement advertising and update your information now by calling (801) 392 7778 or email hello@2thepoint.com.
SPECIAL OFFER – Valid November 18th – December 1st 2009
Contact us now to secure your photo listing or placement advertisement and pay nothing until January 2010. You can also take advantage of our extended $50 discount promotion on all regular and oversized photo listings.
Customer Service
These two words can be the deciding factor on whether someone books a room, eats at your restaurant, buys from your business or comes back to your town, or our State. These two words are so important that you should make it a number one priority to make sure your staff members who come in contact with a customer has been trained in the basics of customer service.
Customers demand excellent customer service and those businesses that do not recognize the importance of this are left behind. Good and bad experiences of customer service spread like wildfire through word of mouth or the internet and this can either win or loose you customers.
What do you do? First of all you have to remember customer service basics:
Listen
Understand
Make sure the customer is happy and satisfied
Listen - sounds easy but this can be difficult. When you try to juggle a million tasks at once and are not completely listening to your customer you could misunderstand them, which could lead to an unhappy experience for them.
Understand – people visit Utah from all over the world and sometimes there could be a language barrier. Having patience and putting yourself in their position can often break down these barriers. What would you want to know if you were visiting Utah?
A happy and satisfied customer – while the customer may not “always be right” it is important to make sure that your customer leaves your business happy and satisfied. Go the extra mile, that’s how business grows and thrives in any economy. If a situation arises where a customer is unhappy and you do not have staff available that can make decisions to make a situation better then you are almost guaranteed an unhappy customer and that affects the bottom line.
These three key basics of customer service are also important when you are dealing with customers on the phone. When you are not face-to-face with a customer it is even more important to implement great customer service techniques. This is, a lot of the time, the first impression a customer has of your business and can leave a lasting impression. Take into consideration the following:
Who answers your phone?
Are they polite?
Are they easy to understand?
Do they have a good knowledge of your business and the surrounding area?
Will the person answering the phone go that extra mile for your business?
Does a person or an answer machine answer the phone for you?
Do you return your phone calls?
If you answered “yes” to questions 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 then you are right on track to great customer service but if you answered “no” then customer service is something that you have to take a look at and improve so that your business grows. A little training can go a long way to make sure your customer is enjoying their experience with your business.
There is great information available about customer service and we would be more than happy to sit down with you and look at affordable ways to help you improve this in your business. To schedule a time to discuss this with you please call (801) 392 7778 or email hello@2thepoint.com.
Pointing It Out - Quick Travel Facts and Updates
U.S. Travel Industry to Add 90,000 American Jobs in 2010 – November 5th 2009
Modest Increases in Travel Volume, Spending Demonstrate Industry'sUnique Ability to Quickly Create Employment Opportunities
WASHINGTON, DC -- The U.S. Travel Association today announced that projected modest 2010 increases in leisure, business and international inbound travel will enable the industry to add nearly 90,000 American jobs. Leisure travel is expected to rise 2.0 percent, business travel is projected to increase by 2.5 percent and international inbound travel will increase by nearly 3.0 percent. These job gains come on the heels of 400,000 combined travel industry job losses in 2008 and 2009.
"The travel industry shares President Obama's goal of putting Americans back to work. Our industry is uniquely capable of adapting to economic upswings and quickly adding tens of thousands of jobs," said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. "What we announce today is based upon modest increases in travel. Given its immense potential, we call on the Administration and Members of Congress to build a plan for economic recovery that drives significant increases in travel."
A federal economic recovery plan to significantly increase travel and create jobs would include: Passage of the Travel Promotion Act to encourage millions of travelers to visit the United States;
Improvements in the visa and entry processes that have largely driven the decline in overseas travel to the United States post-9/11;
Funding for a "NextGen" air traffic control system that will limit flight delays, cancellations and negative impact on the environment; and,
Encouragement of meetings, events and incentive programs through tax deductions and other mechanisms.
The travel industry employs 7.7 million Americans, supporting one out of every eight non-farm jobs in the United States.
Domestic Travel Overview
Domestic leisure travel is expected to increase 2 percent in 2010, with a corresponding increase in leisure travel spending of nearly 5 percent. Domestic business travel volume will grow 2.5 percent next year and business travel spending will increase 4 percent.
"Projected growth in leisure travel is an indicator of rising consumer confidence and disposable income," said Dr. Suzanne Cook, senior vice president of research for the U.S. Travel Association. "Following a difficult 2009, businesses have a heightened focus on the value and bottom-line benefits of travel. We expect to see a slight increase in business travel next year based in part on pent-up demand for face-to-face meetings that drive growth and productivity."
International Inbound Travel
International inbound travel will increase nearly 3.0 percent in 2010; however, growth in overseas travel (excluding Canada and Mexico) will remain stable at about 1 percent. Overseas travel visitation in 2010 will remain below 2000 levels (23.5 million versus 26.0 million, respectively). The concern about the lack of substantial growth next year from this market is that overseas travelers contribute significantly more to the U.S. economy, spending an average of $4,500 per person, per trip compared to about $900 per person, per trip for Canadian and Mexican travelers.
