SETTLING DOWN
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6. PERSONNEL • Take stock. Staffing for the following season is a commonly overlooked consideration while in the process of closing up. However, this is a critical time to take stock of how many ex- perienced staff will be returning and how many newbies you’ll have to drum up in the month prior to opening next spring. • Evaluations and reviews. Typically, we use this time to do staff evaluations for those who have served the entire season, and discuss their intent to return the following year. We also discuss promotions or pay raises if it’s appropriate to the situation. Some companies have incentive programs that pay bonuses at the end of the season, so this is a great oppor- tunity to have those conversations and maybe even have an end-of-season party. • Engage staff in the shut-down process. If you’ve already taken care of evaluations and incentives, keep your best staff around for an extra week anyway and engage them to help with the process of closing up properly. It’s a good way to not only lighten the load on management, but also build rapport and get some valuable feedback from them about the season. • Schedule spring job fairs and postings. While you’re think- ing about staffing for next year, be sure to put an event on your calendar for at least six weeks ahead of opening that reminds you to post your job listings so you’re not scrambling to assemble potential staff for training. ZipRecruiter.com is a great site that has borne a lot of fruit for us. (Ed. note: consider the classifieds at adventureparkinsider.com, too.) 7. PR, MARKETING, MERCHANDISING • Evaluate PR/marketing spend and effectiveness. Your marketing should be something that you keep track of and make necessary adjustments to throughout the summer, but at the end of the season you can add it all up. Review your PR/marketing spend and evaluate what worked, what didn’t, and what makes the most sense for the following season. If you don’t already have a system that quantifies the success of your marketing efforts, establishing such a system should be at the top of your winter to-do list. • Inventory, order promotional items. Do a thorough inven- tory of leftover logo items and other merchandise to see what sold, what didn’t, and determine purchasing needs for the upcoming season. If you do this early enough and have time to make the merchandise order before the end of the year, you can stock up for next year on this year’s taxes. In the end, it’s really all about resisting the strong (and well- earned) temptation to just close the door and run when the busy season is over. By finding the energy and focus to cross everything off your list before turning the lights out, you’ll make the opening process in spring so much easier. And that extra peace of mind will make your long winter’s nap a whole lot sweeter.
Ditch the Paper and move to Digital – Mobile based applications for Checklists & Inspections, Waiver & Release data collection and Digital Forms Management. • 1Waiver – Digital Waiver Management 1Waiver provides a full suite of tools for managing digital waivers. Eliminate paper and capture waivers anywhere on any device, even offline. • 1Forms – Digital Documents and Forms Go paperless by using 1Forms for any of your data collection challenges. Groups, Camps, HR, Guest Follow-ups, Repair and Rental shops. 1Forms can be used in combination with Waivers or integrated with POS systems. • 1Check – Checklist & Inspections Collect data and report on any reoccurring business item. Geo-Track responses, notifications alert or remind you of critical items. Use Offline where wi-fi is unavailable and view reports and dashboards in one location.
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