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AttractionPros brings you into the room with the top leaders, executives, and influencers in the attractions industry, to gain the widest possible perspective of all areas of the industry. Most people are only exposed to the practices of their own organization without seeing how the rest of the industry operates. By following AttractionPros, you will gain the skills and knowledge needed to succeed and learn from the best of the best, whether you are the CEO or just beginning your career.
Episodes
Tuesday Jul 12, 2022
Tuesday Jul 12, 2022
Bob Pacanovsky is Chief Hospitality Officer of The Black Tie Experience. Bob’s background includes nearly three decades as an entrepreneur in the hospitality industry, owning restaurants, event companies, and catering companies, where the uniform consisted of a black tie tuxedo. Today, Bob is a keynote speaker and trainer, and helps organizations elevate their service and experience to the black tie level. In this interview, Bob talks about The Black Tie Experience, service excellence vs. hospitality, and third party relations.
The Black Tie Experience
“No one remembers ordinary service.”
Bob shares examples that he has experienced personally where staff members went above and beyond by recognizing him as an individual and showing a dedicated commitment to his experience. One example includes a casual chain restaurant where the cashier introduced herself and learned Bob’s name, and served him with enthusiasm that exceeded expectation; in another example, a rental car employee indiciated that the car that Bob would receive did not meet her standard, and offered to treat him to lunch while he waited for a better car.
To truly deliver The Black Tie Experience, the level of service and hospitality must be above average and beyond guests’ expectations, but does not require extravagant productions or significant costs. These examples are intangible and cost very little to the business to exceed guests’ expectations, yet they create a long-lasting impression on how the guest feels about the brand.
Service Excellence vs. Hospitality
"Hospitality is you how make your customers feel while delivering your service excellence."
What is so important to you as a company that you involve your staff in training and onboarding? The answer to that question drives your service excellence. These are the tactical elements that go into the individual interactions that the guest or leader can observe directly. Bob recommends that if you want to implement service excellence, it requires practice, role playing, and task-oriented training.
The hospitality component indicates how you make people feel. It is the spark that is driven by the culture, leadership, and through the service excellence that is delivered. By recognizing the difference and effectively combining the two, guests walk away with a positive experience that was delivered organically by the staff.
Third Party Relations
“Our brand is associated with the brand of that venue.”
With Bob’s catering business, he states that he “never played a home game,” because their work was being done in a venue that was not his own, which brings a new level of responsibility to the service that is delivered. On one hand, the catering team is serving the guests of the venue, whether they are day guests or event attendees, and on the other hand they are serving the venue in a client-vendor partnership.
If guests have a positive experience with the catering team, it will reflect positively on the venue. However, if a guest’s experience with the catering team is poor, it will drag down the brand of the venue because most guests won’t know the difference between the two - nor should they, as it should be seamless. This guidance is applicable to all third party concessionaires in the attractions industry, whether it is food and beverage, retail, souvenir photo, security, artists, or anyone else who works at the attraction but not for the attraction.
To get ahold of Bob, visit www.bobpacanovsky.com. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn, as well as follow The Black Tie Experience on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
This podcast wouldn't be possible without the incredible work of our amazing team:
- Scheduling and correspondence by Kristen Karaliunas
- Branding and design by Fabiana Fonseca
To connect with AttractionPros: attractionpros@gmail.com
Tuesday Jul 05, 2022
Tuesday Jul 05, 2022
Brad Collins is the President and COO of Uptown Jungle Fun Park. Based in Phoenix, AZ, Uptown Jungle currently has eight locations that are all corporately owned, with a ninth currently in development. Those around Brad say that he will do whatever it takes so the team can win and that he is an optimist, firmly believing that everything is “figure out-able.” Brad says that Uptown Jungle is a fun, crazy place for kids between 2 and 10 years old, with a high-energy atmosphere featuring trampolines, climbing walls, obstacle courses, and play structures. In this interview, Brad talks about innovating the guest experience, betting on your people, and having fun at work.
Innovating the guest experience
"We are constantly innovating the guest experience."
Keeping the business internally owned and operated versus taking a franchise approach enables Uptown Jungle’s management to maintain full control over the business at each location and to continue innovating the guest experience.
Recent innovations to the guest experience include launching a membership program, a YouTube series, and a mascot named Uppy. These innovations come with significant intentionality by aligning the initiative with improvements to the guest experience, rather than doing it for the sake of doing it. For example, the Uppy mascot was in development for approximately one year before being introduced to Uptown Jungle’s audience so that it could be refined and fully ready for release.
Betting on your people
"You have to bet on your people sometimes, and you have to trust them."
With the innovations made to the guest experience, it required trusting the people involved to utilize their skillsets to complete the project to a high standard of quality. When betting on your people, you have to put a plan together on how that person’s strengths can add to the business.
In many instances, there may not be a direct dollar return on the investment. When Uppy was introduced and the YouTube channel was launched, the measurement was not about dollars being added to the business, but rather the long-term enhancement of the brand and the impact that it makes on guests and fans, along with the experience it creates in the parks.
By putting a plan together, you can project that the end result of what that person can do will pay off financially and in other ways. Brad also states that if there is a person who is not doing their job, it’s often the leader’s fault, so it is important to look introspectively to see how you can support them to accomplish the goal.
Having fun at work
"I do not think there's much of a difference between the guest experience and employee experience."
Brad stresses that he is big about having fun, so employees should feel comfortable having fun and being themselves. If you are creating a good culture and work environment, employees should not be scared to discuss additional talents with their leader and suggest using them within the business. In one example that Brad shares, an employee used his talents to dress up as a pirate and lead a group of toddlers around the facility on a treasure hunt. This type of empowerment leads to improvements to both the guest experience and the employee experience.
When an employee comes to work, they should be able to leave their struggles at home, and while they’re working, they should be able to forget any troubles in their lives that they may be having. The concept of escapism goes hand in hand for both guests and employees, and from the employee standpoint, if they are having fun while they’re working then they can put other issues away and focus on having fun while working.
To connect with Brad, connect with him on LinkedIn. To learn more about Uptown Jungle, visit www.uptownjungle.com, or visit one of their locations.
This podcast wouldn't be possible without the incredible work of our amazing team:
- Scheduling and correspondence by Kristen Karaliunas
- Branding and design by Fabiana Fonseca
To connect with AttractionPros: attractionpros@gmail.com
Tuesday Jun 28, 2022
Tuesday Jun 28, 2022
Hal McEvoy is the President & CEO of IAAPA (International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions), the leading association for the global attractions industry for 104 years. After getting a taste of the industry as an operations Cast Member at Walt Disney World in 1972, Hal joined Busch Gardens Tampa as an accounting clerk in 1975, kicking off his career in finance and accounting, as well as his passion for the industry. After spending more than 38 years with SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, Hal initially became involved with IAAPA in 2005, and later became CFO of IAAPA in 2017 and swiftly became President & CEO 10 months later. In this interview, Hal talks about endless opportunities, the importance of rolling up your sleeves, and making meaningful connections.
Endless Opportunities
"The association, to me, is like a 104 year old infant."
In an industry centered around ambition and innovation, doors are constantly opening. Technology spreads like wildfire, and guests from around the world travel even further to experience things that were only ideas years ago. Given this world where change is the only constant, IAAPA has embraced the endless opportunities of the industry.
In an international association, there’s opportunities to see the industry thrive in certain locations as well as help other locations recover from the impact of the pandemic. Endless opportunities also means endless challenges, and every day presents a chance to help solve these challenges to help improve the future of the attractions industry.
Rolling Up Your Sleeves
"I'm the type of person who likes to roll up his sleeves and know what's going on."
It’s important to know what's going on. Rolling up your sleeves and getting your hands dirty not only improves your daily operation, but it also gives you a chance to see all the turning gears of a company and how everything fits together in a constantly changing puzzle.
In a worldwide association like IAAPA, there are so many aspects of the operation that it takes over 25 directors to help manage the operation. By getting your hands dirty, you can find all the pieces and how they fit together, solving problems at the source and making you a more valuable asset.
Making Meaningful Connections
"Having fun and making memories is what this industry is all about."
In an industry where so many people are involved and passionate about what they do, meaningful connections are one of the most important and fun aspects of the attractions industry. Making memories and making friends is the most enjoyable part of life, and it’s one of the core aspects of IAAPA.
When walking across the IAAPA trade floor, it often takes much longer than anticipated sheerly due to the amount of meaningful connections that are made and maintained throughout the industry. In an environment where it’s so easy to connect, it takes a short time to have memories with nearly everyone you see at the conference. It’s often mentioned that one of the greatest things about this industry is the people, and IAAPA tries to embody that ideology beyond the trade floor.
To learn more about IAAPA, visit their website. To connect with IAAPA, email any of the team members found in their directory.
This podcast wouldn't be possible without the incredible work of our amazing team:
- Scheduling and correspondence by Kristen Karaliunas
- Branding and design by Fabiana Fonseca
- Summary by Mason Nichols
To connect with AttractionPros: attractionpros@gmail.com
Tuesday Jun 21, 2022
Tuesday Jun 21, 2022
AttractionPros LIVE comes BACK to the Florida Attractions Association! As you’ll hear in this episode, if it wasn’t for Matt and Josh having dinner prior to the FAA conference in 2017, the AttractionPros podcast may have never been born. But it was, and this marks the 250th episode! We couldn’t be more excited that it lined up with our 4th installment of AttractionPros LIVE at an FAA event.
In this episode, you will be a fly on the wall as Josh, Matt, and the attendees of the FAA Annual Conference explore the intersection of guest and employee experience in real time. Along the way you’ll hear great suggestions about attracting, engaging and WOWing your guests and employees.
We would like to thank Bill Lupfer and the staff and members of the Florida Attractions Association for being amazing partners.
The Intersection of Guest and Employee Experience
Over the last five years, many podcast guests have spoken about the finer points of creating great guest experiences and engaging employees. For the last few months, Josh and Matt have been using the AttractionPros platform to test the hypothesis that the techniques used to produce high levels of guest loyalty and employee retention are actually the same.
By listening to the responses from FAA Annual Conference attendees, it would appear that the hypothesis is on track.
The conversation covered a wide range of topics including social media engagement, acting on feedback and attracting new guests and employees. In each case, attendees were challenged to think of typical guest or employee processes from the other perspective.
For example, it was discussed that the guests' experience should be frictionless… buying tickets, entering the facility, finding their way around, making a reservation, etc. The same can be said of an employee. Filling out an application or trying to find information or resources to do their job should be equally frictionless. Most agreed there was work to do on both sides of the equation.
Other elements of the guest and employee journey were also covered including when things go wrong. As humans, we all need to be acknowledged, heard, and treated with respect. This should not waver based on your guest or employee status. Again, similar techniques can be applied to all.
So while neither Matt nor Josh have an extensive background in science, the testing of the hypothesis seemed to work. By engaging professionals from across the industry, there appears to be a consensus that because we are all human, driving guest loyalty and employee retention are not that far away from each other. In fact, they are more similar than most of us realize.
The big takeaway from the conversation is that we don’t have to reinvent the wheel, and the resources we use on “both sides of the gate” are actually quite similar.
This podcast wouldn't be possible without the incredible work of our amazing team:
- Scheduling and correspondence by Kristen Karaliunas
- Branding and design by Fabiana Fonseca
To connect with AttractionPros: attractionpros@gmail.com
Tuesday Jun 14, 2022
Tuesday Jun 14, 2022
Don White is the President & CEO at Satisfi Labs. Coming from an algorithmic training designer background with Bloomberg, Don and his colleagues now use their talents to make information more accessible for places people like to go. Since 2016, Satisfi Labs has been working to optimize digital relationships with guests while maintaining a great guest experience by allowing for personalization, but avoiding the repetitive transfer of information. In this episode, Don talks about the benefits of optimizing labor through AI, the answer engine, and role-based assistants.
Optimizing Labor through AI
"We look at the roles that people can't potentially fulfill."
Some tasks are just impossible to do. Luckily, there’s a unique advantage to using artificial intelligence technology to assist staff in completing these intense tasks. By using a system that is designed to learn, an ever-improving system can be implemented to help take on these immense challenges. Not only will this system already provide meaningful results, it will also help improve the performance of employees by assisting them in a way that could never be reached before.
By answering simple questions to teach the AI, an AI can create a solution for a question that can be asked in 13 million different, unique ways. This creates a new opportunity in the world of guest service efficiency, allowing for simple questions to be answered in a way that maintains a fantastic guest experience while also enhancing the employee experience. It does this by avoiding the repetitive transfer of common information.
The Answer Engine
"The guest experience is optimized if they get the information in real time."
In a world where information is constantly fed to us, whomever gives us the information we like the quickest wins. It’s important to recognize that this day and age requires real-time, quick responses, as the expectation for immediate answers is on the rise. Don and his team have already seen a benefit to the guest experience by using AI within the attractions industry.
The guest experience is the most optimized when the guest gets the information accurately, in real time, and always finds it available. By making ‘The Answer Engine’ accessible to guests in as many ways possible, whether it be via phone or computer, guests will find it easy to get quick answers to questions while simultaneously leaving the door open for specific personalized experiences where needed.
Role-Based Assistants
"People like to ask, and just get."
AI Assistants can be very valuable, and one of the core ways to utilize them is to have them play a guest-facing role. By implementing these virtual assistants into your operation, not only will it come with real-time, quick information, but it will also be accessible 24/7, something guests would greatly appreciate.
Many people find themselves planning a vacation or having a question at an odd time where there may not be an employee to help them in the office. By having these assistants play guest service roles, it can not only provide important and direct information, but it can also keep guests satisfied even outside of office hours. Not only this, but a role-based assistant could assist an employee with a simple task while the employee handles a more complex and unique situation.
To learn more about the Satisfi Labs, visit https://satisfilabs.com/. To reach Don, connect with him on LinkedIn.
This podcast wouldn't be possible without the incredible work of our amazing team:
- Scheduling and correspondence by Kristen Karaliunas
- Branding and design by Fabiana Fonseca
- Summary by Mason Nichols
To connect with AttractionPros: attractionpros@gmail.com
Tuesday Jun 07, 2022
Tuesday Jun 07, 2022
Bill Moore is the President and CEO of the Zoo Miami Foundation. As a public-private partnership, the Zoo Miami Foundation “fosters community pride and involvement with Zoo Miami and secures financial support for the zoo.” After spending more than 30 years with Six Flags, Bill’s experience in the attractions industry transcends for-profit and non-profit leadership roles. Throughout his career, Bill has observed shifts in trends related to engaging guests, influencing action to save the planet, as well as managing employees in innovative ways. In this interview, Bill talks about inspiring the next generation, changes in employee engagement, and conservation through storytelling.
Inspiring the next generation
“If we take care of animals, we take care of the planet. And if we take care of the planet, we’re creating an environment for those who come after us.”
The way in which the Zoo Miami Foundation reaches its audience is shifting, largely due to technological changes. Nowadays, people can easily socialize while sitting on their couch and never leaving their homes for the entire day. This leads to challenges related to encouraging people to take action in their daily lives toward supporting conservation and sustainability initiatives.
When people say that the animals should be returned to the wild, there isn’t a lot of “wild” left to go to. Bill stresses that our planet is in peril, and that future generations have the responsibility to take better care of it than those in the past. Solving these challenges requires efforts both in the zoo as well as beyond the zoo’s gates. This includes initiatives such as creative learning and immersive volunteer opportunities. By creating these opportunities, an inspirational outreach is made to help encourage future generations to take much better care of the planet, an impact that goes far beyond the gates of the zoo.
Changes in employee engagement
“There is value to having the same people under one roof.”
According to Bill, the way we managed before is not how we manage today. In particular, the popularity of working from home presents issues in productivity and agility that aren’t as prevalent when the entire team is within close proximity. However, it does require more flexibility than it did before. Employees with infants or small children, or those who may have needs that come up throughout the workday should be able to take care of their individual needs while still being a productive member of the team. Even if it is not a rigid 9am-5pm and timed lunch break, Bill stress that a team working together is more productive than a team working remote.
Even with the popularity of working from home, there is still a substantial advantage in working within close proximity. Problems always tend to be solved sooner, and the team is encouraged to bond and grow closer, therefore increasing employee engagement and activity. Although both methods have their benefits, working while actively engaging with each other is what really matters.
Conservation through storytelling
“At the end of the day, we’re storytellers.”
The way the Zoo Miami Foundation encourages people to take action on conservation is through the unparalleled power of storytelling. Something as simple as how the zoo started using aluminum cans instead of plastic bottles to help improve their recycling efficiency and protect the animals can engage people and bring light to important subjects like conservation.
Ultimately, people come to places because they want to have fun. By capitalizing on the natural beauty of the zoo and the engaging the nature of storytelling, an impact can be made on guests that will bridge the gap between humans and nature. This perfect intersection between education and entertainment can not only bring guests back, but help change the course of the world by promoting conservation and inspiring the next generation.
To learn more about the Zoo Miami Foundation, visit www.zoomiami.org. To reach Bill, connect with him on LinkedIn or email him at bmoore@zoomiami.org.
This podcast wouldn't be possible without the incredible work of our amazing team:
- Scheduling and correspondence by Kristen Karaliunas
- Branding and design by Fabiana Fonseca
- Summary by Mason Nichols and Josh Liebman
To connect with AttractionPros: attractionpros@gmail.com
Tuesday May 31, 2022
Tuesday May 31, 2022
“AttractionPros LIVE!” has come to New England! Every year, The Northeastern Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (NEAAPA) holds a spring leadership seminar to prepare leaders for the upcoming season. This year, AttractionPros was invited to deliver this seminar to leaders across a wide range of attractions in the Northeast, including amusement parks, water parks, zoos, and family entertainment centers. Hosted at historic Canobie Lake Park, the full-day workshop focused on the best ways to deliver “wow” moments, both to their guests and the employees they serve, along with resolving complaints, using feedback, and bringing their ideal experiences to life. In this episode, seminar attendees share their key takeaways related to the intersection of guest and employee experience.
Key Takeaways
Guests and employees are both people. By understanding the intersection between these two worlds, approaches can be made to make them feel heard, understood, and have a much better experience. Creating “wow” moments for both guests and employees can go a long way, as even something simple can be remembered for a long time and make positive reviews grow.
By avoiding the typical ‘employee-customer’ relationship, guests can feel valued and leave with an incredibly positive experience, even if they had a complaint or issue, and team members can feel more comfortable sharing concerns to their leaders.
Utilizing feedback is incredibly important in shaping the future of your experience. Even negative feedback can be turned into a positive experience by making the person feel understood, appreciated, and important. Feedback is everywhere, and you can always keep looking to find places where you can improve.
In addition, finding solutions to negative feedback isn’t always by implementing the opposite of the problem. You always have to dig deeper to find the root cause and create even more great experiences.
When it comes to employee burnout, make sure you’re talking to your team throughout the entire day, not just at opening and closing. By creating great experiences for your employees, you also create great experiences for our guests. Try to make “wow” moments every day. Not only for the people visiting your park, but the people who keep it operating. Not only does this increase retention, but it benefits every part of your operation.
To conclude, the industry is in good hands. So much of our industry is centered around creating positive guest and employee experiences, and so many people who are working their way up understand the value and weight of this idea. There’s an indescribable amount of passion in these leaders, and that will go a long way in the approaches of the guest and employee experience.
This podcast wouldn't be possible without the incredible work of our amazing team:
- Scheduling and correspondence by Kristen Karaliunas
- Branding and design by Fabiana Fonseca
- Summary by Mason Nichols
To connect with AttractionPros: attractionpros@gmail.com
Tuesday May 24, 2022
Tuesday May 24, 2022
Breaking into the attractions industry is no simple task, especially if you have built your professional career in a non-related industry. However, for those who change careers into the industry, they find that there are both benefits and challenges to bringing an outside perspective into an industry that historically has promoted from within. This also may require those who have always worked in the industry to reframe their mindset to embrace and welcome individuals who leave a different industry to join a new network of AttractionPros. In this “mailbag” episode, Matt and Josh discuss the value of transferable skills, methods of breaking into the industry, and the three keys to networking.
Transferable Skills
Every industry has its own unique, uncomparable skills that are required to get the job done. In the attractions industry, there is a place for every skill imaginable! Whether it’s figuring out how to rig chairs onto a robotic arm, tricking guests into thinking they teleported into a spaceship, or finding a new way to go about guest situations, there are so many ideas and skills required to further improve our industry.
Expertise leads to a foot in the door. Few people come into this industry blind, as many people have the experience as a consumer and also their previous scope of work. By capitalizing on those previous experiences, your transferable skills can bring you into the industry and break you in. After you get started, you’ll need to learn the terminology along the way and stand on the strong shoulders your previous experiences have given you.
Breaking Into the Industry
The attractions industry has a strong history of valuing new ideas. Being able to take certain ideas or technology from previous experiences and collide them with the established technology of the industry can create unparalleled attractions that pull guests from every corner of the world. By marketing your unique skill set with these new ideas, breaking into the industry can be very simplified.
Innovation only occurs when someone brings about change. By using your transferable skills and new ideas to your advantage, you can find that breaking point to put yourself in the industry. However, this must be exercised with caution, as the mark made must be made properly in an industry like this. Show patience and be friendly, and you’ll find out that the people you talk to always know somebody that can help you out, whether that be in the lens of networking or your new job.
Three Keys to Networking
To build a career in the attractions industry, networking is extremely important. Even today, if you don’t connect yourself with the people who are creating these experiences, you will struggle finding a place where you can release your talent to its fullest potential. The secret to networking involves being known, liked, and trusted..
These three keys are what people define you by, and when you fill all the criteria, people will want you on their team. When it comes to being known, you’ll need to initiate conversations. By having a unique trait or scheduling meetings, it will get those talks started. This will help you stand it in a crowded space and get you recognized. When it comes to being liked, being personal and making the conversation about who you’re talking to can make a great first and lasting impression. By creating that relationship, people will want to talk to you again, and that opens up doors for the future. As for trust, make sure you’re not just networking for personal gain. It’s crystal clear when people come up and are talking to somebody just to get use out of them. By showing your genuine self, it increases the likelihood that people will trust you and will want to talk to you again.
There is so much more to talk about when it comes to breaking into the industry and networking, and we want to hear your thoughts! Feel free to share on Twitter and LinkedIn, and tag @AttractionPros.
This podcast wouldn't be possible without the incredible work of our amazing team:
- Scheduling and correspondence by Kristen Karaliunas
- Branding and design by Fabiana Fonseca
- Summary by Mason Nichols
To connect with AttractionPros: attractionpros@gmail.com
Tuesday May 17, 2022
Tuesday May 17, 2022
Transformation to reach the next level is one of the most delicate processes throughout the attractions industry. In the current state of the industry, we’re dealing with a time where people feel different than they’ve ever felt before. The only answer to help adapt to this new era is transformation to enhance the employee and guest experience. Challenges await behind the door we’re approaching, and in this episode, Matt and Josh discuss methods and ways to transform both the guest and employee experience to help combat arising issues and ensure stability in a time where it isn’t guaranteed.
Pandemic Recovery (Showing Appreciation)
Throughout the past 2 years, the world has shifted drastically. As a result, the ideologies of people have also shifted within the guest and employee worlds. For example, showing appreciation has become one of the most key elements in both of these worlds due to these changes in ideology. Not only should guests feel appreciated for visiting your location, but employees who help create these experiences should also be recognized for the work they do.
Guests could be doing anything else other than visiting an attraction, so it’s important that their presence is recognized. The same thing goes for employees, as they could be working at a different location or working from home. Showing appreciation and recognition has become practically essential after the reset the world recently went through, and people will no longer visit or work for a place that doesn’t show them the gratitude they deserve for going out of their way.
How to go about Transformation
Going about transformation is not an easy task. Guidance and critical thinking is essential to develop a meaningful transformation that will give positive results. Following a tailored criteria to help develop transformation will be a ‘North Star.’ Although the end goal may be vague, using a structured method to transform one emotion to another can lead to a transformed audience, who may not even know they’ve been transformed. In addition, using resources is a key element to transform experiences. Companies often have multiple departments, and creating joint efforts can really help attack pressure point elements of transformation.
Measuring transformation can be a difficult task. Guests and employees are very different, yet incredibly intertwined. Overall, seeing how behavior changes in a person is the greatest indicator of transformation for all types of people. If a guest begins to become a consistent visitor, that may show that the changes you made transformed that guest. If an employee begins to refer more of their friends, that may also be a big indicator that your methods of transformation have been successful. By recognizing these changes in behavior, transformation can be altered to achieve the behavior you want.
Removing barriers
One of the biggest obstacles in transforming somebody's behavior is limited vision they have to the bigger picture. Getting someone to say “I’ve never thought of it that way” is one of the key gateways into transformation. Whether it be for the guest questioning why a restrictive policy exists to an employee wondering why the call-out system exists, helping people see the bigger picture can help change their behavior and lead to a positive transformation. Everyone only sees what is in front of them, and helping them see what goes around policies or experiences can help transform that person.
The same way works when moving up the corporate ladder. As you slowly move up, you begin to see the land below you and how it intertwines with each other. Moving from an hourly position to an operations team leader transforms a person sheerly by how much more they’re seeing. By spreading that knowledge, the dots can connect and more people can understand that they’re no longer a cog in a machine but rather a unique individual contributing to the operation, far beyond the job description. Overall, by giving more pieces of the puzzle and connecting it for someone, they can be transformed and have their behavior changed.
There are many more ways that transformation can occur, and we are eager to further explore this conversation and hear your opinions on the topic.
Feel free to share your thoughts on Twitter and LinkedIn, and tag @AttractionPros. Tell us what you’re going through and tell us how you’re transforming your experience, or even tell us how you’re struggling.
This podcast wouldn't be possible without the incredible work of our amazing team:
- Scheduling and correspondence by Kristen Karaliunas
- Branding and design by Fabiana Fonseca
- Summary by Mason Nichols
To connect with AttractionPros: attractionpros@gmail.com
Tuesday May 10, 2022
Tuesday May 10, 2022
Brian Knoebel is a Co-Owner/Co-Manager of Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg, PA. Brian began his career at Knoebels before he can even remember; at three years old Brian and his older brother Rick would separate ride tickets by color for the staff to count and add up how much revenue was made that day. Since then, Brian has held nearly every role one can have at the park, from mowing grass, picking paper, ride operations, games, food & beverage, ticket sales, and blowing up balloons for the dart game. Brian’s educational background is in food and hospitality management, and takes immense pride that Knoebels is family first, then a business, rather than the other way around. In this interview, Brian talks about recreating the past, family first, and prioritizing value.
Recreating the past
“What’s our niche? It’s recreating the past.”
Knoebels is the throwback, traditional quintessential amusement park of yesterday. Knoebels has no gate and offers free admission, free parking, free entertainment, and a free picnic area. While there is an option for a wristband, everything is a la carte. If grandparents are taking their grandchild to the park, they don’t have to pay to park or pay for admission for anything they do not partake in.
The property also includes farmland, and the Knoebels family used to make and sell charcoal, farm Christmas trees, and people would come in on horseback on the weekends, swim in the swimming hole, and have a picnic. Brian’s grandfather, Henry Knoebel built a picnic pavilion and began building amusement rides shortly thereafter.
Knoebels’s rich history can still be sensed by park guests today.
Family first
“We are family first. We don’t have board of directors meetings, we have family meetings.”
Brian shares stories about growing up at the park and playing kickball in front of the guest services office, and how the park was his backyard. Today, everyone has their own individual roles, but no one looks over each other’s shoulders. Even job titles are rarely used within the Knoebels family.
Within many family businesses, there often comes a time when the family has to determine if they are a family or if they are a business, due to the challenges that can arise from running a business with close relatives. The Knoebel family has never had to have this discussion. The Knoebels have always operated with the understanding that they are a family first and business second.
Prioritizing value
"The business model has always been value, and it works."
Knoebels has a business model that differs from the majority of gated amusement parks. With no gate, no admission fee, no charge for parking, and free entertainment, the park presents immense value for its guests. Brian references Sam Walton multiple times in the interview, stating that if guests perceive value then they will want to do it again and tell others.
When relocating the Phoenix to Knoebels in 1985, the park hired an accounting firm to determine the most optimal price per ride to charge guests. While the firm recommended $3 per ride, Pete Knoebel made the decision to charge $1 instead. Despite the data from the study, Pete wanted guests to ride multiple times.
During family meetings, Buddy Knoebel regularly brings value into the conversation. This commitment is maintained even during economic fluctuation and inflation, or even when their utilities and cost of goods rise.
To learn more about Knoebels, you can visit knoebels.com, and follow on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat. New this year, Knoebels has an app that guests can download to improve their experience at the park.
This podcast wouldn't be possible without the incredible work of our amazing team:
- Scheduling and correspondence by Kristen Karaliunas
- Branding and design by Fabiana Fonseca
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