measure the success of a brand image program


Measure the success of a Brand Image Program

Survey of guests visiting Latvia

Mike Johnson, Riga


Food for the Mind

Provocative thinking


A clear vision that clearly places in the minds of our visitors

what Latvia is all about

We need


Does this – do it?


We needMore than just a pretty

research document prepared by some

“experts” in their office


to be a simple mental image of what Latvia

is all about

It needs


to reflect what they will actually

experience

It needs


What is Latvia’s Product ?

• Compared to other countries

• Art Nouveau

• Old buildings

• History

• Pure nature

• Lovely parks


To understandWhat is Latvia’s product

• What are we really selling ?

• Why is it different ?

• What are features and benefits ?

We need


Which would you buy and why?

• Coke or Pepsi

• Compare to other European destinations


A clear vision that is understood by all

persons that will come in contact with our

visitors

We need


What is the “big picture” goal ?

• Make more sales to existing visitors

• Make more sales to new visitors

• Save money on expenses

• Become more productive (do more with less)

• Make more profit

• Provide better paying jobs for our employees

• Increase our budgets for doing more programs


Old Money

• Local commerce• Buying & selling

goods and services• Value Added Tax is

charged and hopefully collected

• Money stays in Latvia• Budgets stay the same

size

• Visitors come to Latvia• Visitors buy goods,

services, rooms, food and, and, and …

• More money stays in Latvia

• Value added taxes are collected

• Budgets may get larger

vs New money


How do we do all that ?

• Make our visitors feel welcome!• Listen to what they want to have?• Provide them with what they want• Do it on a consistent basis - each visit the

same or better• Thank them when they leave• “Delight them” so they will tell their friends

and they come back as well


Simply make the effort to ask them ?


a measuring program to know first hand

what people are perceiving


Perception is reality


The Survey – why do it?

• We all know Riga is a wonderful city. The question is ? What do our visitors think? What will they tell their friends and family when they get back home?

• We don’t go back to cafes we don’t like and if Riga did not “WOW” our visitors, they won’t tell their friends ....


Yes, but …..

Would anyone really say something negative

about Latvia ?


What do you think ?

• Nobody smiles – no eye contact – did not feel welcome

• Customer service inconsistent

• Service too slow

• Wait / beg to get “bill”

Riga shop clerkAgree ?


Newspaper article 21 October 2003


Riga, on the other hand, where the next night’s show took place, felt like a hassle right away, and never stopped feeling like one. Vanek, back on his old stomping grounds, had an extra bounce in his step, but I felt jostled and harried, and never more than a few feet away from getting run over by something. …..Riga felt too big and all wrong, a huge city with chaotic traffic to match, and all of it jammed right between us and those parts of the city to which we needed to get. There was lots to do and see, but I didn’t feel like doing or seeing much of it.


Perception – is reality

They will tell their friends and as they are closer to the

situation, the friends will tend to believe the story as true


i think there should be a briefing from the government tourism office to the police department how to treat the tourist to avoid any kind of unnecessary rude act. After all, Riga is supposed to be a fast growing, civilized ancient capital marching towards modernization, not a police state from the dark age.


Other recent headlinesA Baltic Striptease?As Latvia joins Europe, corruption becomes an issueBy Frank BrownNEWSWEEK INTERNATIONALNov. 3

The city’s (Ventspils) streets may be clean—but its politics clearly are not. When it comes to corruption, Latvians view themselves as having a more corrupt government than the people of either Lithuania or Estonia, the Baltic neighbors also set to join the EU and NATO next year. In this year’s Corruption Perceptions Index, compiled by Transparency International in Berlin, Latvia ranks between Jamaica and Colombia at No. 57. Lithuania comes in at 41, while Estonia gets 33, with their northern neighbor, Finland, grabbing the No. 1 spot as the least corrupt of 133 countries surveyed.


Other recent headlinesLithuania leads, Latvia lags in Baltic EU entry preparations

www.eubusiness.com -- 5 November 2003

Of the three Baltic states in line to join the European Union next year, Lithuania emerged in an annual EU scorecard Wednesday as the leading pupil and Latvia as the dunce, with Estonia in the middle.


• A clear vision that is understood by all persons that will come in contact with our visitors

• Training to assist our service providers to interact with our guests to create an

“delightful customer experience”

more please


Survey process

Ask questions

Training & Implement changes

1

23

4Circle of your &

our future!

Analyze visitor

comments

Make a plan


Visitor Assessment Survey Questions• How did you arrive in

Riga?• Rate quality of that

journey?• How did you travel to

your accommodation?• Rate that trip?• Where did you stay in

Riga• Rate quality of

accommodation• What was nature of visit

to Riga?

• How long did you stay?• Expectations of visit?• Where they met?• Quality of tourist

Information?• Would you recommend Riga?• Overall rating of customer

service you experienced?• Where did you eat in Riga?• Specific recommendation for

improvement


I loved Riga

Wow !


But !If only those few

things would have been better

I would have spent more money there


Why is it so hard ?• The concept is simple – is the customer

satisfied? • Is it possible the customer might think differently

than you?• Come on now ask yourself, could it really be

better? What does the customer think?• Who is paying for the goods, service, meal, etc?• The customer is – not you – so let them have it

their way!


Why is it so hard – Just ask ?

• If that makes sense, then why not ask?• If you never ask, you will never know?• So ask the tough probing question • Afraid of the answer? Go ahead and ask!• So now you have asked & they they tell you

what they think.• Is it possible that maybe they have a valid

point and it could be better?


Its WIN – WIN – WIN ?• Do you think you can easily make it better like the

customer asked?• Some things – many things don't cost a lot of time

or money to change – right?• So if it doesn’t take much time or cost much

money, why not change?• If it was changed and the majority of the

customers were more happy, perhaps they would spend more money – right?

• So it’s a WIN – WIN – WIN situation for all!


Responses by Country ?

• Portugal• Canada• Check Republic• Estonia• Spain• France• Italy• Lithuania• Denmark• Belgium• Switzerland• Japan• Norway• Russia• Sweden• Holland

• Finland 5

• Germany 7

• USA 7

• UK 15

• No Response 10

1 to 3 responses


Number of Room-Days Stayed in Riga?

• 80% less than 8 days



0

5

10

15

20

25

1 3 5 7 9 11 NR

Days

80%

30%

60%


Survey results ?

• I could have walked all over Riga it was wonderful!• Staff of Hotels are very kind – many comments• Good local beer• Impressed with Riga airport except bathrooms smelled• Lovely buildings• Buses on time• LIDO staff – Staburags very unfriendly different than other

LIDO locations• Very lovely parks – our complements to the mayor, but;

where are the good public toilets?


Survey results ?• Road police asking for bribes

• Need more rooms with handicap (wheelchair) access

• No one to help at airport after midnight. Police were very nice and arranged taxi

• Better sheets and blankets. Blankets too narrow for 2 persons

• Better security and police on streets that speak English

• Riga is a very expensive city

• Very noisy outside of hotel window in Old City late at night

• Need street and road direction signs that can be read from car

Elizabetes Iela

Elizabetes


Survey results ?• Overcharging by taxis from bus station – meter off• 5% will not recommend Riga -- “himmmm!”• Museums closed some days – shops closed sign says open• Food too salty - food served too cold• Customer service inconsistent• More English language menus• More information on museums in all languages• Tourist information hard to find• Hotel walls too thin – even new deluxe hotels


Survey results Old Riga Tourist Office?

• Tourist office staff not friendly & helpful• Need more information available in English and

other languages• Information provided was basically too simple. Need

much more information• Bus tour was too long and half was not interesting• Need more information on hotel reservations


Survey results Riga Airport Tourist Office?

• Ground floor tourist office closed much of the time• No information available on hotel reservation• Information on bus to city center very limited• Bus stop signage needs much improvement• English language skills very limited• Staff not experienced so not very helpful


Survey results Bus Station Tourist Office?

• No information available on hotel reservation• English language skills very limited• Staff not experienced so not very helpful• Need better quality information not just black &

white copies


Survey results Train Station Tourist Office?

• No tourist information available• Information desk just for OREGO shopping center


Survey results - Tourist Information?

• Around the Old City and some city center area there are metal racks with Riga 800 signs on them. Most are damaged and not attractive.

• Racks are empty of any information


What next ?• Establish working committee with members

from hotels, cafes, shops, tourist offices and City.

• Brainstorm and develop specific action steps• Build relationships with hotels, shops, cafes

and restaurants about importance of collecting customer survey data and improvement process

• Work with administration of tourism schools to influence their program and to provide guest lectures based in industry reality

• Be ready to survey again for December holiday season


What next ?

• Look for new products and ways to encourage people to stay longer in Riga and in Latvia


Some specifics ?

• Hold working task group meetings in September• Develop seminar for hotel, shops and restaurants

staff on basics of customer service.• Special seminar for mid and another for upper level

management• Work with taxi companies that serve the bus station

to charge by the meter• Build relationship with city sign department• Implement survey collection points at airport and

ferry departure points


Some specifics ?

• Schedule meetings with tourism school administrators to invite them to the working task group meetings

• Volunteer to be guest lecturers at the tourism schools. Make this presentation at the schools

• Hold a meetings with a cross section of shop, café and restaurant owners.

• Work through Hotel Association and key hotel directors to build understanding with hotel staff


A clear vision that clearly places in the minds of our visitors

what Latvia is all about

We need


And, we needMore than just a pretty

research document prepared by some

“experts” in their office


A clear vision that is understood by all

persons that will come in contact with our

visitors

We need


Yes we can !

Latvia

Riga

Latvija

Rīga

Mēs to varam !


Paldies !

Thank you


[email protected]/brandimage/

www.latviaphoto.com/rigasurvey/

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