Real-Life Communication
Ski resort managers need to be good communicators. "Reading, writing
and arithmetic are important," says Aaron Liswood. He is the director of ski
business and resort management at a college.
Resort managers need to
be able to write and analyze reports. They also need to be able to communicate.
"I
always say that we don't have customers. We have guests," says Liswood. "You
have to be able to treat them right. You want to make them feel that they're
a member of the family, make sure they have a good time on the hill and make
sure they want to come back."
Your ski hill has been working to promote
itself as a new high-class destination resort. It has updated its equipment
and runs, renovated its lodges and is hoping to attract new skiers locally,
nationally and internationally.
To promote this new image, you have
worked with a TV station to give away a prize package of a weekend trip for
an entire family.
When the winning family comes up to the hill, you're
there to personally greet them and welcome them to the ski village. You want
them to have a good time because that's your business, and also because they
will be interviewed on TV the following week, telling viewers how they enjoyed
their experience.
This is what you tell them:
Welcome to Great
Powder Mountain! We have booked you a large room in our five-star lodge, The
Chalet. In your room, you'll find a fireplace, a sleeping loft for the children,
a TV and DVD player, game system and complimentary movies and video games.
You'll find the full-service kitchen fully stocked with snacks and drinks.
Please note the complimentary passes to the sauna and outdoor hot tub.
With
the prize package, we offer you lift passes and your choice of ski, snowboard,
snowshoe or cross-country ski rentals daily. As well, please feel free to
use the ski hill's supply of skates, toboggans and tubes.
You've picked
the perfect weekend to visit our resort. The temperature is 28 F at the base
of the mountain and 27 F at the top. There is no wind, sunshine and unlimited
visibility. The base is 90 inches, with four inches of fresh snow.
Please
enjoy your weekend. If there's anything else we can get for you or if you
have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.
The family has a few questions
for you:
- The daughter wants to know if she'll be able to play video games. What
do you tell her?
- The dad doesn't like to downhill ski. What other sporting options are
there for him?
- The mother is excited about hitting the slopes and wants to know if any
fresh snow has fallen in the past 24 hours. What do you tell her?