In just two short years, the Rivershore Resort in Southeast Queensland has become a park renowned for its customer service and great value. The family-run business has amassed an impressive amount of reviews in its short tenure, most in the four or five-star range.

Will McGovern, one part of the McGovern family unit that runs Rivershore, spoke to me on the latest episode of That Bad Review to discuss his resort’s amazing success and what advice he has for new park owners. Here’s what he had to say:

Realise The Power of Word-of-mouth

Will and his family have a mantra: they tell staff that ‘We don’t want to see one person leave here unhappy.’

I think most resorts don’t want their guests to be unhappy. But do they realise the power that each unhappy guest has? If you have a good time somewhere, you might tell some friends. But if you have a really, really bad time somewhere? You can bet that you’re going to tell the next five people you see.

Find Ways to Leverage Local Businesses

Rivershore brings in local businesses to provide more services for their guests — all without charging commission. They bring in hairdressers, laser tag, arts and crafts professionals and other services sourced from the surrounding area.

The point of this isn’t just to scrape money from the local economy. It’s to provide an entire microcosm of events and fun things to do for your guests. Even if they don’t take advantage of them, they will feel great knowing that they had the opportunity to do so many things while visiting your property.

Don’t Forget Your Staff

Staff make your resort go round. For some owners, it can be easy to forget how hard staff work and see them as numbers on a spreadsheet. But this is a critical mistake. Unappreciated staff leads to lackadaisical performance and high turnover — and your guests will notice.

If your staff feel like they’re a part of a family, they’re going to be happier and help your guests to have a better time. It’s an all-encompassing attitude that you need to have, one that treats everyone inside your park like family.  

Take Time For Yourself

Hospitality is a brutal business — we all know that. We often work 15 days straight without a break before realising that our brain has turned to mush and we can’t think straight.

They key is to realise this is happening before it actually happens, says Will. If you go too long without some time off, your performance is going to weaken. You can’t make good decisions, and you lack the critical thought processes that make you a good owner in the first place.

Handle Bad Reviews With A Good Attitude

Sometimes you get bad reviews; it’s just part of the hospitality business. But rather than letting them ruin your week, find ways to turn them into opportunities.

If you noticed one guest had a bad time, give them a ring after they’ve gone home to see how they’re doing or if there’s anything you can do to make them feel better. Oftentimes, the guests that go from negative to positive will become your best form of word-of-mouth.

Other times, you just have to let some bad reviews go. You can’t please everyone, after all.

Listen to my entire conversation with Will here.