CAPTURING CUSTOMERS
“The problem we found is that everyone thinks they want a picture of them- selves zip lining,” says Outdoor Ven- tures founder and CEO Bahman Azarm. “But when they are zip lining, they’re not in a great position. The person doesn’t look great.” Initially, Azarm utilized professional pho- tographers in his eight parks, but found an inconsistency in photo quality as well as many unpurchased prints. He tried several automated systems but didn’t see much of a return on the investment. And with most of the experiences being self-guided, even a combination of automated systems and guides shooting photos didn’t quite meet his needs. In the end, he settled on a large, $500 branded banner in front of which guests take “selfies” at each of his locations. “Most people still have all the gear on—the harnesses and clips and ev- erything—and they feel excited about doing the activity,” says Azarm. “They
success using Fotaflo software that taps into the park’s booking system to send photos taken by guides to the guests. The software automatically sends peri- odic reminder emails to guests, driving them back to the website and encour- aging them to re-share photos from their experience for years to come. Fo- taflo removes itself from these emails, so the interaction is only between the guest and operator. While having guides add photography to their daily to-do list can seem like a cumbersome task, Lori Pingle, owner of Ohio’s ZipZone Outdoor Adventures, which uses Fotaflo software, has found an upside to this approach. “The generation of people who now work for us sometimes has a bit more trouble creating conversations and relating to guests on the tour,” says Pin- gle. “But having staff take the pictures gives them a tool for conversation. They can say, ‘hey, you guys get together so we can take a picture.’ And that’s a few moments less that they need to make small talk.” This interaction, and the opportunity for guides to show their guests the photos, creates a rapport that can ultimately result in better tips, adds Pingle, which helps with staff buy-in. “Not only does it improve the experi- ence for guests and make them happi- er, but our staff gets better tips because they’re also the personal photogra- pher,” she says. “It’s a win-win.”
The initial investment for Fotaflo software is minimal when compared to automated systems, with several different plans available ranging from $89 per month to $11,868 per year depending on features and number of locations. Other than smartphones for the guides, no hardware or infrastruc- ture is required, and only a one-hour remote meeting is needed to get every- thing set up. Selfie stations. Some operators haven’t found success with either of these solutions, opting instead for a simple “selfie station” in which guests can take their own photos in front of a branded banner.
A mounted, automatic camera from Action Photo Systems at Mount Hermon Adventures, Calif. ^
The Fotaflo platform sends photos to guests’ mobile devices for easy sharing.
Guests scan a printed QR code to reach a Viewpoint Videos landing page where they can preview and buy their video.
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