I recently took the hour drive from Tucson to Benson, Arizona to
enjoy my second visit to Kartchner
Caverns. This trip was a lesson in providing superior customer
service.
(Full Disclosure: I am acquainted with a grandson of the
Kartchners as well as several members of their extended
family.)
The caves are still "living" in the sense that calcite
formations continue to form and grow. You may even be lightly
struck by a "cave kiss", a drop of mineral-rich water, during your
visit. Also, the caves are a summer home to a colony of bats.
The Park came to be because of the cooperation among the
original discoverers of the caves, the Kartchner family, and the
State of Arizona. Here is a link to the park's
history. As a result of vision and this cooperation, the
delicate ecosystem of Kartchner Caverns is preserved, while
simultaneously, thousands of visitors are able to enjoy this
geological wonder each year.
Here are just a few examples of superior customer service at
Kartchner Caverns:
- It is easy to purchase tickets for a given tour, either online
or via telephone.
- You are encouraged to arrive one hour before your tour start
time. (This is so that people like me who arrive "late" (less than
60 minutes before tour time) can still make their tour.)
- The front desk is well staffed with friendly people ready to
assist you.
- There is a video presentation before the start of your tour.
(This is also so that people like me who arrive "late" can still
make their tour. Hint: You can see the video presentation AFTER the
tour if necessary.)
- The rules you
must follow are carefully explained.
- Both tours are 100% wheelchair accessible (This is quite an
engineering feat.)
- The tour guides clearly enjoy what they do.
Another example of superior customer service is found at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
in Tucson. Where else can you find a world-renowned zoo/natural
history museum/botanical garden open 365 days a year that dispenses
free sunscreen (SPF 30)?
The key to providing superior customer service is in knowing
your customer's needs better than your customer knows them.
