CONNECTIONS , OR . . . “ CAN I KEEP IN TOUCH WITH YOU ”? Landbased establishments provide opportunities for their staff to interact with guests , yet the cruise experience takes this to another level . The captain ’ s cocktail party is a favorite way for passengers to meet crew members ( and other guests ). A popular guest activity is the behind-the-scenes tour of the ship ’ s facilities . Are land-based guest experiences designed to optimize interactions with staff and would the guest experience be enhanced if additional opportunities were provided in an organic way ? Promoting more interactions could be achieved through creating brand-aligned “ surprise and delight ” moments , entertainment , revenue , education , meet and greet and other programs delivered by the staff .
Further , cruise lines generally encourage interactions between the guests and crew . Conversations onboard often cover personal matters such as family and living away from home . This can raise empathy and other emotions that create stronger connections in an authentic way , leaving guests with positive feelings and increasing their desire to return to the brand . Would more meaningful and emotion-based connections between land-based staff and guests result in the same ?
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HAPPY STAFF , OR . . . “ THE CULTURE HERE IS GREAT ” Focusing on the happiness and engagement of all employees and stakeholders is the single most important work an organization can undertake . Imagine if a staff member tells a guest that they are desperately unhappy working for the company , the management is unkind , or the staff are not cared for . In this case , either the company has not properly expressed a culture , or the culture program itself is not effective . All companies need to define and embed their authentic culture in the workplace . Enjoying the workplace can make a meaningful impact on people ’ s lives , reducing stress and making them happier - something desperately needed in these disrupted times . While that is reason enough , it also will result in the staff being passionate
“ TONY , TONY , I AM SO GLAD I HAVE A CHANCE TO SEE YOU ON THIS VISIT !”. SUCH WAS THE REFRAIN FROM COMING FROM DOWN THE HALLWAY FROM A WONDERFUL CREW MEMBER I HAD GOTTEN TO KNOW FROM MY TIME SPENT ONBOARD . about their work . Guests will feel and appreciate this , and it is likely to translate into high customer satisfaction and brand loyalty .
Happy crew , happy passengers .
I look forward to sharing more thoughts in the next issue .
About the author Tony Kaufman is a trusted consultant and senior executive with a distinguished career in leading business , legal and crisis management strategies . He is recognized for envisioning and executing complex commercial plans , managing new and difficult challenges , and establishing ethical , inclusive cultures of care , openness and trust .
As a former Executive Vice President and General Counsel within the Carnival Corporation group , Tony led strategies and teams in finance , human resources , information technology and legal , ethics and compliance . He also led the international business operations of Princess Cruises , including expansion into Asia . Tony oversaw supply chain , onboard revenue and worldwide shore operations and began his career as an attorney managing large-value commercial transactions , including shipbuilding contracts and ship sales .
Currently , Tony is principal of his consulting firm ( www . anthonykaufmanconsulting . com ) and leverages his broad experience to thoughtfully provide clients with : strategic and operational advice and insights within the cruise , hospitality , maritime and related industries ; crisis management strategies and advice ( based on his personal experience as the Incident Commander for the COVID-19 outbreak onboard the Diamond Princess , in Tokyo , Japan ); and risk mitigation strategies for senior executives , in-house legal departments and law firms , based on creating a positive culture and system of governance that drives the behavior of an organization and its stakeholders .