FESTIVALS WITHOUT BORDERS

WITH ROBERT BAIRD

THE DREADED NEGATIVE GUEST EXPERIENCE

One of the most dreaded factors at festivals is the Negative Guest Experience. I have capitalized this phrase because it tends to loom large in the minds of those responsible for running a festival and trying to ensure that every guest experience is positive. A positive guest experience is a plus for any organization – it can lead to glowing referrals and more business. On the other hand, a negative guest experience may have the opposite effect and, perish the thought; if it should go viral it will have serious consequences for any organization.

So, what are some of the Negative Guest Experiences that patrons abhor and produce great dissatisfaction with them?

The first and most dissatisfying Negative Guest Experience is rudeness, both in organizational staff or volunteers and other patrons. If a guest encounters rudeness in a staff person or volunteer, that interaction tends to reflect badly on the whole organization. Rudeness is generally defined as “a display of disrespect, a breaking of social norms or expectations, a breach of etiquette, or ignoring ‘accepted’ behavior.” It can also mean someone behaving inconsiderately, aggressively or deliberately offensively. We’ve all encountered people having a “bad day”, but in terms of staff and volunteers dealing with patrons, personal feelings must be subjugated to the need to treat every guest with respect and consideration. That old aphorism regarding customers is simply the best rule of thumb.

Rule number one: the customer is always right.

Rule number two: If the customer is wrong, please refer to rule number one. In other words, the customer will always be right, no matter what.

In terms of rudeness from other patrons, new sensitivities postCOVID seem to be operative. People are much more sensitive to the people around them and much less willing to tolerate rude behavior of any kind: talking at inappropriate times, exaggerated noises while eating or drinking, allowing cell phones to intrude by ringing or buzzing and annoying others – all of these can create a Negative Guest Experience.

Another factor contributing to the Negative Guest Experience relates to the physical organization of the festival. Is there adequate parking? Is it near the main event? Is it easy to access activities? Is it easy to get information either from customer service representatives or through available printed material on site? These are important considerations for people who are re-emerging from a time when going out was perhaps not easy or even possible. If we are going to leave the comfort of our homes to attend an event, we expect that every effort will be made to ensure that our experience is a positive one.

One final consideration for the Negative Guest Experience is that perceptions have changed in recent years. We no longer feel comfortable in large groups and we can feel crowded in smaller groups than before. What being crowded means has changed and organizations need to alter their spaces to provide more comfort for patrons who no longer wish to be surrounded by what they consider a “crowd” of people, even though their perception may be skewed.

Understanding changing perceptions for our patrons is important and underlines the indisputable fact that, if we want people to patronize our events, we need to enhance their satisfaction and do our utmost to prevent any and all Negative Guest Experiences. After all, a completely satisfied customer typically believes that whoever excels in understanding and addressing his or her personal preferences, values, needs, or problems has created a positive experience. Let’s make every experience positive for our patrons and have as our goal no Negative Guest Experiences – ever.

Robert Baird is President of BAM! Baird Artists Management Consulting in Toronto, Canada and an acknowledged expert in international touring including visas, withholding and taxation. He offers free advice to artists, agents, managers and venues and has an international clientele. He served for many years on the Executive Board of Festivals and Events Ontario (FEO) and is a former Vice-President of that organization. He can be reached at: P: 1-800-867-3281 E: robert@bairdartists.com or for more information go to: www.bairdartists.com