You’re in the business of making people happy and getting the basics right to support the main attraction can lead to the standing ovation you all deserve.
The great news is that the basics don’t have to be boring and there’s no need to break the budget with the latest high-tech fad or by sending the team off for trapeze lessons. Here are some tips and ideas to put the crowd-pleasing, feel-good factor into the routine elements of your visitor experience this season.
Find out how to:
In out-of-home leisure and entertainment, the big top begins and ends where visitors arrive and leave the entire grounds. That includes car parks, walkways and streets which lead to the main entrance too.
It’s widely cited that we form our first impression of another person within 7 seconds of meeting them. In fact, 55%* of that first impression is determined by visual cues so the extra 45% really does have to work very hard!
The first impression is critical to shaping the visitor experience that follows and tackling those annoying, let’s call them ‘hecklers’, will definitely set their journey with you off on the right foot.
Tackling the Heckler... Litter
Just like hecklers, litter and overflowing bins are eye-catching and attention grabbing for all the wrong reasons.
Always aim to ensure you have plenty of litter bins placed in readily accessible areas for your visitors to use to deposit their waste. Indoor litter bins are ideal for siting near to queues, restrooms and by entrances and exits to encourage your guests to dispose of their waste responsibly.
Outdoor litter bins should be placed within car parks and near to food stalls, to help keep your premises clean and tidy at all times. A litter bin with a larger capacity such as the Combo Delta™ Litter Bin features a large funnel aperture designed to encourage users to easily dispose of their waste – even from the comfort of their car!
Personalise your Litter Bins
As well as ensuring your litter bins look smart, sanitary and are well positioned around the area, have you thought about adding a creative touch?
It could be brightly coloured graphics, clear messaging or branding to attract attention and ensure all litter is disposed of correctly without any excuses.
Find out more about how to personalise your litter bins.
A well-designed litter bin should work with and enhance its surroundings. If you find you are hiding them from view, it may be time to look at a new design that you will want to bring out of the wings.
Take a look at some of our litter bin designs for inspirations.
Add the Novelty Factor
A great way of encouraging younger visitors to dispose of their litter in a responsible way, is with a cute, novelty character.
Novelty litter bins are fun and attractive while also providing a helpful distraction where you might need it.
The Froggo™ animal shaped litter bin is bound to catch the eye and raise a smile, even on the rainiest of days!
View more of our novelty litter bins here.
Turn Your Litter Into Gold
More of us now expect to see separate recycling bins to dispose of our single-use plastic bottles, aluminium cans and more when we are out and about.
Providing highly visible recycling bins and recycling stations for different waste streams will definitely give you gold stars in the minds of your customers. Helping them to dispose of their recyclable waste responsibly will make them feel good - and demonstrate that you care about the environment too!
Save space with versatile and compact duo, trio and quad recycling bins and stations such as the Electra™ Duo Recycling Station. We provide recycling bins for all budges and waste streams – including food waste!
Your big top needs to be a litter-free eco-friendly zone, so educate and remind visitors to look out for and use the litter and recycling containers available.
You're Going to Need a Bigger Bin
If outdoor litter bins are filling up too fast and overflowing, especially in areas of high footfall, there are now solutions available which house up to 360-litres of litter.
Wheelie bin housings are designed to look like standard litter bins but can cleverly conceal a large capacity wheeled liner, making manual handling of large quantities of waste much safer for your team.
You can also arm your team with the right tools such as the Litta-Pikka™ litter collector and the Skipper™ Multi-Purpose Cleaning Trolley, to help back up your litter-free mission.
Become the Ringmaster of Queues
Queues are sometimes unavoidable at peak times and so the way to keep your audience with you is to employ techniques which bring the waiting time into the customer journey.
We've got some handy tips and advice to help you make your queues more customer-friendly.
Illusion and Distraction
Disney are undoubtedly the forefathers of effective queue design, but even without a Disney budget and the space for hidden themed switchback queues, you can make your visitor waiting line a happier place to be.
- Use TV screens or place activities along the queue to provide entertainment. You can even use this opportunity to promote any deals or bonus activities on offer.
- Provide free “Wi-Fi” access so visitors can easily fill any ‘empty time’ themselves. Why not link this to your promotions? Could your guests participate in a competition or activity on their mobile while they wait?
Connect Through Empathy
Give your customers the all-star treatment by making their experience as enjoyable and stress-free as possible.
- Reduce anxiety by providing clear and simple information about waiting times at the beginning and during the queue line. Under promise and over deliver by giving longer than expected queue times, so their actual wait is shorter than they expected.
- Look out for visitors who may require further assistance or the use of accessible facilities. Provide additional signage and have a member of your team on hand ready to help if needed.
Your All-Star Cast
The personal touch goes a long way and a smiling, helpful and naturally enthusiastic team are the key.
- Do you have a mascot or historical character linked to your main attraction? If so, provide photo opportunities with this character to create a buzz and break up the empty time.
- Build rapport by providing visitors with helpful information. This could include providing programme times or recommending ‘star attractions’ that customers should make time for during their visit.
So, here’s to your next blockbuster season and crowds of very happy customers too.
We’re here to help you make the best first impression.
We design, manufacture and directly supply a wide range of litter and recycling bins, smoking control products, seating, winter safety equipment and more.
Visit products for leisure for a selection of our products or LiveChat with us on our website.
*Harvard Study of Communications
