Keeping Cool Through the Dog Days

For some, August is the most dreaded month of the summer. Staff leaves by the dozen and the guests and lifeguards are cranky from the heat. As an industry consultant for 20 years, I have heard countless park managers bemoan the frustrations that come with the final weeks of the season—even some from waterparks that pledge to be happy and friendly places. However, there’s relief for the dreaded dog days, and it comes in the form of training.

When your employees are unprepared to do their jobs, their lack of knowledge leads to waning enthusiasm, which starts a domino effect that will impact the entire park. This leaves you with the high cost of turnover and the effect of unhappy guests.

Here’s the scenario: It’s late in the season, your staff starts thinning out, but a young lady applies for a job. You hire her because you’re in desperate need of help. She’s excited about her job and she seems very capable. You figure she’ll catch on quickly and there’s really no time for midseason training when the park is so busy. The new staff member tries her best, but she doesn’t know the ins and outs of the park or the procedures she should follow. She begins to feel stupid and dreads being there. Her frustration surfaces, usually in the form of laziness, which makes the guests uneasy. They complain to guest relations, which makes the manager unhappy.

Training is well worth your time. Even if you teach your employees to work just one position effectively, he or she will be a positive addition to your team. Throw them to the wolves and you and your guests will pay the price.

Guests don’t need to know who is new, inexperienced, or tired. First-timers and regulars expect a consistent level of service throughout the season. Those guests who can only make one trip to the park during the summer may choose another park next year if they have a poor experience. There’s not a waterpark operator among us who wouldn’t agree that all guests deserve the best the park has to offer, all day, every day of the season. Accomplishing that task can be tricky in the sweltering heat, but there are ways to encourage and motivate your staff effectively, even in the heat of summer.

• Train Consistently. No matter when a new employee is hired, it is only fair to the guests and your staff that everyone is properly trained and ready for their job. Create a checklist for each department to ensure everyone gets the same training.

• Conduct an upbeat mid-summer refresher training. Make sure it covers the important park issues for them to keep in mind. Follow it with an employee party or activity to let them know that you care about them.

• The environment your management staff creates will have an effect on the staff the entire season. If you hire and train great people but don’t provide a supportive and upbeat environment, they will loose patience sometime in July.

• Analyze your guest complaints daily or weekly for the causes of their discontent. Are the underlying causes due to park policies, employee attitudes, or a breakdown in service delivery?
• Track the payoffs that training provides. You should see that it is an investment worth your time, energy, and resources. Well-trained employees feel good about themselves and may return as experienced pros next season.

You’ll sleep more soundly in August, knowing your staff is on top of their jobs and your park will be the coolest place in town.

Carla Clark is an independent consultant based in Arlington, Texas. She has more than 20 years experience working as a consultant to parks and resorts in the U.S., Europe, and Asia.