A2.4 Do you know where else your customers are buying?

A2.   Understanding Customer Expectations: Why this is important

Satisfied customers are more likely to return and recommend your business to their family and friends. Customer satisfaction means meeting and exceeding the expectations of your customers. In order to do this, you and your staff first need to understand what is important to your customers and what they are expecting. Then you need to determine if you are meeting these expectations. If not, determine what needs to be done. It's also important to know your competition, locally, provincially, nationally and globally. Look at waht other businesses and destinations offer your customers in terms of experiences, quality and unique features and consider how your business compares.

What’s Involved

• Talk to your customers informally
• Research the competition
• The web is a great tool for looking at what other businesses and destinations are offering. 
• Survey your customers
  • Ask them a few questions when they make a reservation, when they arrive or as they depart
  • Send them an email or phone them after they leave (you need their permission to do this)
  • Give them a link to an on-line survey
  • Read articles and magazines to gain perspectives on what today's markets expect
  • Ask your customers to complete the Canadian Tourism Commission's Explorer Quotient (EQ), available on the CTC Website, and advise you of their "type".
  • Google your business - what are they results.  Check other sources as well, like Trip Advisor to find out if you are meeting your customers expectations.

For More Information - Resources

Nova Scotia's Tourism Development Guides
http://www.gov.ns.ca/tch/tourism_devguides.asp

Nova Scotia’s A Guide to Marketing Your Nova Scotia Tourism Business http://www.gov.ns.ca/tch/tourism_guides/Marketing.pdf

Atlantic Canada On-Line Visitor Satisfaction Program http://www.visitorsatisfactionatlantic.ca/
This program, open to all fixed roof accommodations and campgrounds in Atlantic Canada. Guests of participating businesses receive a survey after they leave the property, or can access the survey independently. Participating businesses have access to a private reporting site detailing the results of their surveys. The survey explores visitors’ perceptions about the property, their experiences, its facilities and services.

Canadian Tourism Commission - Explorer Quotient http://www.canada.travel/eq