Recently, a colleague was talking about her experiences related to
college campus visits with her child, a prospective student. She was
firm in her belief that the tour guides you get make or break the campus visit
experience. How much you like the college or university is totally
dependent on the tour guide you get. Just think about this.
Your experience of that particular school is mediated by this stranger,
much the same way museum guides or docents represent your site. If
they don't hit the mark with you, because of their training, their
presentation, or their knowledge, or if it's just that their interests and
passions are too different than yours, then the tour/experience is diminished.
This is a powerful reminder for any of us. All of the touches
and interactions we have with the public are our opportunities to shine -
websites, voice mail greetings, mobile apps, collateral materials, retail
stores, Facebook pages, you name it. But, perhaps the person to
person interaction with our guides and docents is the most personal and most
direct. Are these experiences all you want them to be? Are they
consistent with your mission and vision? It's never too late to
review & revise. The how and when are challenging, but you'll
never regret taking the steps in the right direction.