It’s Our Business

As a small town that relies on tourism, identifying and removing customer friction is crucial for our local businesses and overall economic success. Let’s explore some key areas where we can improve the visitor experience and keep our town thriving.

Understanding Customer Friction

Customer friction refers to any hiccups or obstacles or frustrations that visitors encounter during their journey with us. The journey I’m referring to begins with their planning for the trip all the way through their return home. These “pain points” ranging from minor irritants to major breakdowns can lead to just as broad of a range of responses from silent disdain for a business to negative reviews, to widespread complaints on social media. Any or all of these can result in lost business.

Here are some common friction points and solutions:

Reservation Process

Many travelers abandon their plans due to complicated reservation systems. To address this:

• Simplify online booking processes;

• Ensure websites are mobile-friendly;

• Provide clear, detailed information about accommodations and activities.

Customer Service

Poor service can significantly impact the visitor experience. To enhance service quality:

• Have a set of core service standards that all staff can easily follow;

• Strive for customer service experience excellence with effective hiring and training;

• Encourage a welcoming attitude throughout the community;

• Implement efficient systems for handling complaints and feedback.

Gathering Feedback

To identify specific friction points in your business: • Conduct surveys with customers — sometimes an informal chat with a customer can yield important information;

• Analyze online reviews and social media comments; • Talk with other businesses about the feedback they get from customers to identify common issues.

Community Involvement Reducing customer friction is a community-wide effort. Let’s work together to:

• Hold regular meetings to discuss tourism challenges and solutions — an example is the Chamber’s Main Street Retailers committee; • Hold “town hall” style meetings with our local customers and supporters to learn about their experiences with our business community and ideas for improvement;

• Develop partnerships among local businesses to create seamless experiences; • Identify infrastructure improvements that benefit both residents and visitors.

By addressing these friction points, we can create a more welcoming environment for tourists, encourage repeat visits, and strengthen our local economy.

Remember, every positive interaction counts toward maintaining our town’s reputation as a must-visit destination.

Mikula is the president and CEO of the Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce. jim@fbgtxchamber.org.