AttractionPros Podcast

Episode 186 - Linda Rose Hayes talks hospitality, guest service lessons and allowing people to make mistakes

Linda Rose Hayes serves as Operating Partner at Hospitality Connect of Florida.  They generate best-fit concierge service, activity ticketing, housekeeping, maintenance, vacation marketers, and transportation providers for hoteliers and management companies in Orlando, Florida. 

In addition to all that, both Josh and Matt had the pleasure of working with Linda while they all worked at Universal Orlando Resort. In fact, Linda was Josh's manager and in this episode, we get a glimpse of what a young Josh Liebman was like as an employee!

Linda also talks about her guest service and leadership philosophies (get ready to take notes), the relationship between hospitals and hospitality and why it's so important to let your employees make mistakes. 

For more on Hospitality Connect: https://hospitalityconnectflorida.com/

To connect with AttractionPros: attractionpros@gmail.com

#weareallattractionpros

 

Episode 185: Adam Sandy talks about roller coaster sales, new ride concepts and serving all guest profiles

Adam Sandy has one of the coolest titles ever... Roller Coaster Sales & Marketing Director at Zamperla. Adam loves sharing the newest innovative coasters from Zamperla and is a frequent contributor at Blooloop.com. 

This conversation has lots of twists and turns and we get to share our nerd-level love of all things roller coasters and amusements. Adam talks about the roller coaster sales process and how listening to his clients and having boots on the ground is one of the most important aspects of getting it right.

For more on Zamperla:

• Website: https://www.zamperla.com/
• Twitter: @zamperlarides

For more on Adam:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-sandy/
• Twitter: @Adam_F_Sandy (Roller Coaster Sales Guy)
• Instagram: rollercoastersalesguy

 

To connect with AttractionPros: attractionpros@gmail.com

#weareallattractionpros

Episode 184: Debbie Evans talks about crisis communication, following her own advice and being authentic

Debbie Evans provides boutique marketing service and attention to detail with big brand corporate experience. Sound strategic counsel, honest feedback, and superior results.

During this conversation, Debbie discusses how being authentic is the best way to "sell" anything, why it's important to take your own advice and what to do to get started with a crisis communication plan.

To connect with Debbie or to learn more:

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/keymessagepoint/
• debbie@evansmarketingpartners.com

To connect with AttractionPros: attractionpros@gmail.com

#weareallattractionpros

Episode 183: Rick Hunter talks about innovation, career development and being hot as a pistol

Rick Hunter is the Chairman and CEO of ProSlide Technology, who has pioneered nearly every major water ride innovation in the industry for the past 30 years. ProSlide is committed to continual innovation in the water ride industry, helping clients stand out and stand apart. 

In this exciting discussion, Rick takes us through his history as a competitive skier and how he became the leader of a truly dynamic and innovative company. This conversation is "hot as a pistol," so buckle up!

For more on Rick and ProSlide: https://www.proslide.com/

To connect with AttractionPros: attractionpros@gmail.com

#weareallattractionpros

 

 

AP Podcast - Episode 182: Scott Swenson talks about immersion, storytelling, and what Josh needs to be a voice over actor

Scott Swenson is the Owner/Creative Director at Scott Swenson Creative Development LLC. For over 30 years, Scott has been bringing stories to life as a Producer, Director, Writer and Performer. His work in Theme Park, Consumer Events, Live Theater and Television has given him a broad spectrum of experiences. After over 20 years working with SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment, Scott has formed Scott Swenson Creative Development LLC to provide entertainment and development consultation for clients around the world. 

 

In this exuberant conversation, Scott reveals what it takes to be a great haunter, why story is critical to drive the guest experience and "guardrails" one needs to remain on an authentic path. 

 

For more info on Scott and his projects: http://scottswenson.com/

If you have ideas for guests or topics, email: attractionpros@gmail.com

#weareallattractionpros

AP Podcast - Episode 181: AttractionPros Interns talk about networking, staying connected, and new career paths

Step right up and meet the Interns!!  Five of the eight AttractionPros Interns join us to discuss what it's like being a young professional today.

Kate, Paige, Fabiana, Megan and Sam all join us for a fascinating look at the struggles and opportunities facing young professionals.  You'll hear about their ups and downs and their best advice for others who are pursuing a career in the attractions industry.

To learn more about the amazing AttractionPros Interns on this episode:

• Kate Kujawa - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-kujawa/
• Megan Gannon - https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-elizabeth-gannon/
• Paige Reiter - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paige-reiter-71594a160/
• Fabiana Fonseca - https://www.linkedin.com/in/fabiana-fonseca-ab1b58135/
• Sam Bercik - https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-bercik-2b18581b3/

Interns to be featured on a future episode:

• Abby Giganan - https://www.linkedin.com/in/abigailgiganan/
• Emily Page - https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-page/
• Kristen Karaliunas - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenkaraliunas/

If you have a topic or guest idea, please contact us at attractionpros@gmail.com.

#weareallattractionpros

 

 

 

AP Podcast - Episode 180: AttractionPros LIVE at Show Up 2021

We LOVE collective wisdom! And we got more than our fair share when we hosted AttractionPros LIVE at the ShowUp, The Virtual FEC Convention that took place February 1-3, 2021.

We once again took questions AND answers from the audience. This time we talked about staff engagement, the impacts of COVID on manufacturers and the pros and cons of a signature food item.

For more on ShowUp: https://showup.events/

For more from AttractionPros: http://attractionpros.com/

To contact AttractionPros with content ideas, guests or questions: attractionpros@gmail.com

#weareallattractionpros

AP Podcast - Episode 179: Tim Murphy talks about revamping guest demographics, driving new revenue streams, and reinforcing cleanliness standards

Tim Murphy is the CEO of Boomers Parks, where guests are encouraged to unleash the fun!

If you are a leader, a manager, or a CEO-in-the-making, Tim delivers some incredible insight and great practices to lead by. Tim takes us on a journey from working at his parents' mini golf course to today, and generously shares his philosophies on keeping parks clean, walking in the guests' shoes and of course, increasing revenue.

For more on Boomers Parks: https://boomersparks.com/

For more on Tim: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timmurphyceo/

If you have any idea for topic or a guest, or if you would like to connect with Matt or Josh, email attractionpros@gmail.com.

#weareallAttractionPros

AP Podcast - Episode 178: Josh and Matt get granular with a guest service experience

In the weeds... Granular... Dive into the details... whatever you want to call it, that's what happened on this episode inspired by real life events!

Matt was hoping for a simple fix for his glasses, but what he got was a lesson in guest service and experience (and maybe even about emotional triggers).

Josh and Matt go deep on this and pull out some pretty epic lessons any business can use.  

1. Either you have the solution, or you have the way to get to the solution.
2. Your employees must be the expert to resolve all kinds of situations that will serve their guests to the best.
3. If the guest walks away still needing to figure out how to solve their problem, that's your problem.
4. If you go above and beyond, you must do it consistently, because you've set a new standard.
5. A service failure will have a larger magnitude when the standard is set higher.
6. The combination of resources, along with the desire to solve a problem is just as important as having the solution itself.

If you know of someone who would be a great guest on the show, or have an idea fo a topic for us to explore, email attractionpros@gmail.com.

#weareallAttractionPros

 

AP Podcast - Episode 177: Kathryn Woodcock talks about human factors, accessibility and not making assumptions

Dr. Kathryn Woodcock is a professor at Ryerson University and was named to Blooloop's Top 50 Theme Park Influencer List 2020. Her work and research on human factors engineering is a fascinating study that we get to dive into on this episode.

Kathryn walks us through some key design factors that could enhance the experience for everyone, and sheds light on how to play on a guests intuition when trying to influence their behavior. Ultimately, it's about keeping people safe AND preserving the incredible experience that the designers intended. 

For more on Dr. Woodcock:

• https://www.ryerson.ca/woodcock/about/

 

If you know of someone who would be a great guest on the show, or have an idea fo a topic for us to explore, email attractionpros@gmail.com.

For more on Josh and BackLooper:

https://www.backlooper.com/

josh@backlooper.com

 

For more on Matt and Performance Optimist Consulting:

http://performanceoptimist.com/

Matt@performanceoptimist.com

#weareallAttractionPros