Terrain Expansions Change Management EV Charging Guest Recovery
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MEET MIKE: AN IN-DEPTH Q&A WITH THE NEW NSAA CHIEF 68 FINE-TUNING THE RENTAL BUY 72
2024 LIFT CONSTRUCTION SURVEY 62
Banff Sunshine president and CEO Ralph Scurfield (left) with COO and senior VP Dave Riley, showing off Super Angel, the resort’s new Leitner-Poma six-pack with direct drive, heated seats, and bubbles.
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CONTRIBUTORS
Sarah Borodaeff Jordyn Bremer April Darrow Hilary DelRoss Evelyn Kanter
Peter Landsman Josh Laskin Halley O’Brien Kendra Scurfield
ADVERTISING/MARKETING OFFICE 70 Pond Street • Natick, MA 01760 Tel. (508) 655-6408 Advertising Director Sharon Walsh sharon@saminfo.com Marketing Director Karolyn Towle karolyn@saminfo.com Marketing & Social Media Mgr. Jordyn Bremer jordyn@saminfo.com Digital Partnerships Dir. Karolyn Towle karolyn@saminfo.com CIRCULATION / SUBSCRIPTIONS P.O. Box 1776 • McCormick, SC 29835 Audience Development Karolyn Towle karolyn@saminfo.com Subscription rates: One year (6 issues), $65; two years $110 (12 issues). Offer good in U.S. only. In- ternational subscriptions include additional cost for shipping. Discounts available on group orders from the same organization. Back issues: $8.00 plus postage. Subscribe at www.saminfo.com/subscribe. SKI AREA MANAGEMENT — (ISSN No. 0037-6175) — Vol. 64, No. 1, January 2025. Published bi-monthly by Beardsley Publishing Corp., P.O. Box 644, Wood- bury, CT 06798. Copyright 2025 Beardsley Publish- ing Corp. All rights reserved. Periodicals postage PAID at Woodbury, CT, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Beard- sley Publishing, P.O. Box 1776, McCormick, SC 29835.
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62
ON THE COVER Banff Sunshine Village (Alberta) president and CEO Ralph Scurfield (left) with COO and senior VP Dave Riley in front of the Super Angel Ex- press with Mount Assiniboine, “Canada’s Matter- horn,” in the far background. Super Angel is the resort’s new Leitner-Poma six-pack, one of nine lifts installed in Canada last year, many of which are big machines with premium features. Read more in the “Lift Construction Survey,” p. 62 62 2024 LIFT CONSTRUCTION SURVEY Fewer lifts were built in 2024 than in banner
2023, but it was still one of the busiest construction seasons of this century. By Peter Landsman
86 LEADING THE CHARGE
The growing popularity of electric vehicles drives resorts to navigate investments in charging infrastructure. By Hilary DelRoss
68 77
90 BIGGER AND BOLDER
68 MEET MIKE
77 SKIING DOUBLE: DEER VALLEY EAST
A look at the pros, cons, and logistical considerations of terrain expansion projects from the perspective of experienced operators
New NSAA CEO Mike Reitzell sits down with SAM for an in-depth interview covering his experience, values, and forecasts for the future. By Katie Brinton 72 FINE-TUNING THE RENTAL BUY The where, when, and why of rental equipment purchasing best practices—plus a look at what’s new in alpine, snowboard, and XC for 2025-26. By Rick Kahl
and planners. By Josh Laskin
Deer Valley’s staggeringly large expansion, once part of the original plans for the resort more than 50 years ago, comes to life. By April Darrow
82 CHANGE MANAGEMENT
90
Seasoned operators share insights with up-and- coming leaders on how to manage change in an industry where change seems like all we do. By David Meeker
DEPARTMENTS
PUBLISHER’S MEMO
14 NEWS AND VIEWS
Evergreen, Ever Evolving Production for this issue happens as we wrap up another year, making it a natural time for reflection. Like my father before me, I like to surf through back issues of SAM to see what has changed. What I am struck by, though, are the things we keep returning to over 60+ years of the magazine. Take, for example, environmental concerns. In the early ’70s, we proclaimed in SAM that tackling environmental issues would be paramount in the decade ahead. Now, decades later, the existential threat of climate change has increased the urgency for ski resort operators to do all they can to responsibly manage and mitigate their environmental impact. Our industry’s future depends on it, just as it did 50 years ago. Today, we prioritize clean energy, among other things, as part of our carbon emission reduction efforts—and as such, we frequently cover the topic in SAM . In that vein, geothermal energy and fleet electrification (“Off the Grid in Alaska” p. 56) as well as EV charging infrastructure (“Leading the Charge,” p. 86) are all topics covered in this issue. Another reoccurring topic: purchasing and maintaining a rental fleet. The rental landscape—where, how, and when purchasing decisions are made—has changed in the last decade, but the importance of a strong rental program has not. It’s often a top revenue driver, and, “Rental gear could be the difference between someone having a great experience or a poor one,” said Joe Yasis, who manages the SARA rental buying program, in “Fine-Tuning the Rental Buy” (p. 72). We’ve also long discussed the idea that to survive financially, operators can’t rely on skiing alone. A “broad mix of recreational activities, cultural events, and commercial services [is] necessary to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse year-round visitor market.” That common wisdom, shared in a 1997 issue of SAM , holds true even more today. Gain ideas and data on this critical aspect of resort operations in our “Summer Operations” supplement, shipped with this issue. Other evergreen topics that persist from one generation to the next: Is skiing too expensive? If I had a dollar for every time we’ve written about that (which we do, again, on p. 14). Yet another important one: Why are people dropping out of the sport? We’ve covered this a lot, and do again on p. 16. Should we really pad lift towers? (OK, we didn’t cover it in this issue, but we do every few years. And just so you know: do or don’t, but either way, be consistent.) Quite often on our SAM planning calls, someone will say, “We should cover [insert topic],” and someone will reply, “no, we just covered that,” but “just” ends up meaning two, five, or 10 years ago. “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” (That constant is pointed out on p. 82.) We have changed a lot, but history can teach us about the present and the future. So, we’ll keep writing about topics that are important to you.
The rich are getting richer, boomers are still skiing, the newcomer pipeline issue, Terrain Park Contest winners, and more.
22 ROUNDUP
Staffing, sustainability, and the guest drive a menu of food and beverage tweaks and improvements.
28 GUEST SERVICE
Strategies to recover negative customer experiences.
36 MOUNTAIN SPY
“I’m going to teach my partner how to ski. Do you have any tips?” Hint: They did not.
38 MARKETING
Best practices in snow reporting, as told by an OG snow reporter.
48 RACING PROGRAMS
Logistical considerations for running effective race programs.
56 SUSTAINABILITY
Insights and inspiration from an off-the-grid geothermal-powered resort in Alaska.
95 CLASSIFIEDS
Industry job listings and equipment for sale.
HILARY DELROSS manages transportation electri- fication at the Vermont Agency of Transportation. She has experience in commerce, community development, and marketing, including roles with the Vermont Ski Areas Association and regional publications, emphasizing the connection between outdoor recreation, climate, and community vibrancy. » 86 EVELYN KANTER is a NYC-based writer specializ- ing in travel, automotive, skiing, and environmen- tal issues. She is managing editor of SeniorsS- kiing.com and president of the International Motor Press Association. In what she describes as a previous life, Evelyn was an investigative consumer rights reporter for ABC News and CBS News. » 56 HALLEY O’BRIEN started her ski industry career as a snow reporter at Mount Snow, Vt., and has since gone on to become an award-winning media personality, hosting “The Snow Report Show with Halley O’Brien” and the “SnoCountry Snapshot,” and earning a SAMMY Leadership Award. She now serves as COO of SNOW Studios, leading the creation of the children’s cartoon series “Big the Yeti.” » 38
Olivia Rowan, Publisher olivia@saminfo.com
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that growth consolidated in the top 1 per- cent of earners. The remaining 80 percent of Americans saw their share of wealth decline, according to Federal Reserve data. The 60 percent of earners between the top and bottom quintile—i.e., the mid- dle class—have seen their total share of wealth fall from 37 percent to 26 percent in the last three decades. What does that mean for the ski industry? Rowan asked the same ques- tion in 1996. “It is hard to say definitive- ly,” he wrote. “If truth be known, the sport was probably always fueled by the participation of people enjoying incomes in the top quintile, or 20 percent, of the spectrum. … As pointed out, skiing has always been expensive. But there may have been an attitudinal difference when the middle class was alive and well.” We know the economy affects con- sumer confidence. Rising costs, driven by inflation, were top of mind for voters in November. And while the consumer con- fidence index (CCI) has been mostly on the rise after taking a dive early in 2024, consumers remain wary about the future and their economic prospects, according to the most recent (at press time) Consum- er Confidence Survey . With looming economic concerns, will folks still spend money to ski and ride? It’s true that our high-income partic- ipant is better insulated than most against economic flux, people still spend on luxu- ry items even in a downturn, and, usually,
snow plays a bigger role in our skier visit numbers than the economy. The risks. But, as Rowan noted, “… there are probably some downsides to becoming so dependent on the super- rich.” The super rich, he said, often prefer work to play, and have many choices com- peting for their cash. “Our industry will also have to be alert to whatever downside there may be to having the sport increas- ingly identified as an elitist sport,” he IF WE ARE RELYING ON THE 1 PERCENT TO FILL THE TILL AND OUR PARTICIPANT PIPELINE, THERE ARE SOME RISKS TO THAT STRATEGY. warned. “It is a gnarly image to manage.” Are we managing it? That’s up for debate. Visit any snowsports-obsessed corner of the internet to find a litany of consumer complaints and talking-head thought pieces about the cost and acces- sibility of U.S. skiing and riding. (Is this one of them? It’s sure looking that way.) While Covid gave us an opportunity to increase spending ( interestingly, wealth for the typical U.S. family surged during the pandemic, although that growth has since reversed, according to the Pew Research Cen- ter ), the rising cost of a day ticket is pricing out the everyman. And if we are relying on the 1 percent to fill the till and our par- ticipant pipeline, well, as Rowan suggest- ed, there are some risks to that strategy. Signs of change are on the horizon, with some operations making moves that might indicate a growing concern about pricing as a barrier to entry. Jay Peak, Vt., froze or rolled-back pric- ing on hundreds of products this season. “There’s something to be said, we think, to acknowledging the problems our guests are facing and responding in a way we’d want a business that we consider part of our lives to act,” said GM Steve Wright. Jay Peak-owner PGRI has also done a price freeze for Ragged Mountain, N.H.,
1
MIND THE WEALTH GAP
By Katie Brinton
In a 1996 issue of SAM , founding pub- lisher David Rowan opined, “As we struggle to understand our industry’s future—the mandate for NSAA’s con- vention ... in May—we must grasp more than the mechanical projection of eth- nic and other demographic statistics. We must also come to grips with the things that are shaking up a lot of the comfort- able assumptions we grew up with and assumed almost as our birthright.” The comfortable assumptions he refers to are those that have long under- pinned the middle class: “the surety that you would earn more next year, that your kids would do better than you, just as you had done better than your parents.” The gap. Only, the middle class, which boomed in the post-war period (1947-1973), has been in decline since the ’70s. From 1973-1994, the rich got richer while everyone else got poorer: only the top one-fifth of the population saw their share of wealth grow in that period. And, well, here we are again. Or rath- er, here we remain. The wealth gap has continued to grow. From 1990-2022, the top 20 percent of Americans saw their share of wealth increase, with much of
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and offers a “Mission Affordable Pass” at all its areas. In Colorado, Loveland and Ski Cooper also implemented price freezes. Sugarbush, Vt., offered a deeply dis- counted, unrestricted all-mountain lift ticket for $99 that included a bonus day later in the season. Red Lodge Mountain, Mont., launched Any Pass Days, two-for- one lift tickets for passholders from any ski area, worldwide, on select days. Alterra offered a “kids ski free” week in December. It was a mostly midweek offer in early season and, of course, a tick- eted adult would need to accompany the 12-and-under crowd. Nonetheless, we hope it was widely successful. Antelope Butte, Wyo., went all-in on kids this winter with free season passes for anyone under 18. While the success of these efforts has yet be measured, the effort is there. And that’s reason for optimism. “Despite what some may see as the underlying gloom of my concerns in these musings, I would say the ski industry can be well positioned for the future—if we learn to change and adapt,” said Rowan. It’s a good sentiment, so we’ll leave him with the last word. 2 THE ENDURING IMPACT OF THE BABY BOOMERS
ICYMI: Headline News (from saminfo.com)
true, in the past few years, they have done more than that: they’ve kept them- selves on the slopes, and with greater fre- quency. According to NSAA’s Kottke End of Season & Guest Experience Report , boom- ers accounted for 15 percent of visits in 2023-24, up from 12 percent in 2020-21 and on par with 2018-19. At some point, boomers—the oldest of whom will turn 80 in another year— will finally drop out of snowsports. They have postponed their departure far lon- ger than many observers expected 10 or 15 years ago. But time catches up with all of us eventually. Then what? Indy Pass Acquires Black Mountain in New Hampshire, Plans For a Co- op Model October 5 Homewood Suspends Operations for this Winter October 14 Mountain Towns 2030 Climate Solutions Summit Calls for Collective Action October 24 Blue Mountain Resort Assists Crews Fighting Nearby Wildfire November 7
losing youth and teens in our sport.” The under-25 group comprised 40 percent of skiing and riding visits in 2013-14, but just 34 percent in 2023-24. This demographic is, by far, the larg- est source of newcomers to snowsports. It would seem that future-proofing our sports by feeding the pipeline with these newbies should be a major focus of the Growth Committee. Another key sign: Lesson volume is down nearly 25 percent from 2013-14. Children’s lessons, a key part of the pipe- line, are down nearly 20 percent. The short story is that lessons dropped near- ly 50 percent during the pandemic, and have not fully rebounded. In speaking with operators anec- dotally, another concern is determining what portion of the 2022-23 ski/ride pop- ulation (which NSAA estimates at 11.6 million) dropped out in 2023-24 (down to an estimated 10.6 million). Was it just a regional thing tied to snow, particularly the lack of it? Was it lower-level skiers/ riders and beginners? The latter might help explain the drop in snowsports school customers. Given the importance of this total-par- ticipants data point, the Growth Com- mittee is exploring how to get this metric moving in a positive direction again. Incoming NSAA president Michael Reitzell said part of his focus will be to take the data NSAA produces and dig into why we are seeing declines (total participants, especially younger partic- ipants, should be atop the agenda), and Western Resorts Start Spinning Lifts November 8 Alterra Mountain Company Closes on Arapahoe Basin Acquisition November 19 Gold Medal Snowmaking Effort Helps Killington Pull Off 8th World Cup December 4 Vail Reports Season Pass Sales Decline, First Quarter Results December 11
By Rick Kahl
3 A PARTICIPATION CLIFF?
Wonder who’s been keeping the lift lines full? Look no further than the baby boomers, as has been the case for most of the past 50 years. Initially, the boomers were introduced to skiing in the 1960s and their sprawling numbers helped fuel the industry’s rapid growth. By the 1980s, they were introducing their Gen X and millennial kids to snowsports. Back in 1996, SAM predicted that boomers “will dominate population growth in the twenty-first century, espe- cially among the most affluent segments. ... The future of skiing depends on keep- ing baby boomers on the slopes while introducing their children to the sport.” Well, mission accomplished. Recent thinking was that boomers had remained important for bringing their grandkids into snowsports. While
By Rick Kahl
The Growth Committee, set up during Kelly Pawlak’s tenure as president of NSAA, had the right idea. Get smart peo- ple in a room and figure out how to keep a healthy pipeline of future skiers and snowboarders. The pandemic sidelined their efforts for a while, but there is renewed interest to get back to the task, and there are pressing reasons to do so, namely troubling data trends. Growth Committee co-chair Dave Belin told SAM , “The data is clear, we are underperforming in the under-25 demo- graphic, and we need to fix that—or at least start by understanding why we are
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[News & Views]
SUPPLIER NEWS Italy-based DEMACLENKO named Diego Facchinetti as the new general manager for Demaclenko North America, which serves the Canadian and U.S. markets. Sweden-based HESTRA GLOVES appointed James Hampton president of its North America division. Dino Darda- no retired after 20 years in the role. SNOW PARTNERS promoted Jack- ie Cerra to marketing blazer and Doug Olson to executive director of the Hes- sion Foundation. Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe, Nev., hired SNOWBALL EFFECT to engage local youth year-round and make a positive impact in northern Nevada. PEOPLE In the West, Chris Ingham was appointed VP of operations for Breckenridge Resort, Colo. … JD Critchon is now VP and GM of Crested Butte Mountain Resort, Colo. ... Steamboat Resort, Colo., hired Josh Miller as lodging operations director. ... Big Sky Resort, Mont., promoted Tom Marshall to general manager, mountain experience. … Jeff Schmidt has retired as Red Lodge Mountain, Mont., GM. … Tam- arack Resort, Idaho, named Kara Fin- ley as COO. … at Brundage, Idaho, Todd Armstrong is now CFO, Rachel Wessel is director of employee services, Rebecca Repp is F&B director, and Lilly Davies is mountain sports school director. In California, Northstar Califor- nia named Tara Schoedinger VP and GM. … Mountain High promoted Katie Hartnell to chief technology officer and Rose Reinhardt to director of risk man- agement. … Troy Cohee was promoted to China Peak GM. … Dodge Ridge pro- moted Bret Rimmer to lift operations supervisor, Kevin Liljedahl to vehicle maintenance manager, and Lisa Sand- berg to F&B manager. … Bear Valley pro- moted Fred Ackerman to patrol director, Max McCormick to director of retail and rental, Emily Kay to ski and snowboard school manager, Kaylie Diaz to rental supervisor, Alec Barberi to head of facil- ities, parking, snow removal, and shut- tles, Josiah Camacho to director of F&B for the village and resort, Jeremy Rode-
Favorite Crew: Eldora Mountain, Colo.
Favorite Feature: Loon Mountain Resort, N.H.
Favorite Edit: Crotched Mountain, N.H.
Favorite Event: Tamarack Resort, Idaho
then determine what we can do about them (see “Meet Mike” on p. 68). This makes a lot of sense. Data is just numbers until you understand the why and how to apply it to your business.
and kids-only competitions. We also had nine park edits and 14 crews in the mix. Creativity, ambition, progression, and community were themes in all. Again this year we enlisted the help of The Summit at Snoqualmie (Wash.) terrain park groomer Jess Goucher, who utilized her aptitude for the written word to ready many of the submissions for publication. Prinoth provided the prize package for category winners, plus a free registra- tion to Cutter’s Camp for a crewmember at the resort that garnered the most votes across all categories. More than 1,700 votes were cast online during a roughly 30-day voting period. This year’s category winners truly highlight the incredible work hap- pening across the industry. So, without further ado, here are the winning entries in each category: • Feature: The Volcano, Loon Moun- tain Resort, N.H. • Event: Urban Air, Idaho Potato Drop, Tamarack Resort, Idaho • Edit: “Crotched Parks, January in Review,” Crotched Mountain, N.H. • Crew: Woodward Eldora Park Crew, Eldora Mountain, Colo. Congrats to our winners and to all who entered. We look forward to an even bigger showing in 2025. Check out all the 2024 entries online at saminfo.com/ terrain-park-contest.
4
2024 TERRAIN PARK CONTEST WINNERS
By Jordyn Bremer
The SAM Terrain Park Contest started back in 2005 as “What’s in Your Park?” and included only terrain park features. It has since evolved to also celebrate ter- rain park events, videos, and the crews doing the work. The goal of this annual contest is to showcase the innovation and creativity of park builders, offering fresh ideas and inspiration for terrain park programs around the globe. It also gives the entries valuable exposure throughout the pub- lic voting period and beyond. While votes play an important role, they’re just one way to evaluate what makes a stand- out feature, event, edit, or crew. The 13 features submissions includ- ed a “Jibstrument” where riders can play their own tune each time they ride over it, and a satellite dish turned into a rou- lette wheel. There were 24 event entries ranging from rail jams, banked slaloms, fundraisers, women-only gatherings,
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[News & Views] ris to VP of communications. … Bo Bige- low was named executive director of the Midwest Ski Areas Association. … The Vermont Ski Areas Association hired Becca Munkelwitz as marketing and partnerships manager. ... Ski California named John Rice president and CEO. Internationally, Josh Elliot was
gard to vehicle maintenance manager, and Brad Cumberland to GM. … Kevin Somes was promoted to director of com- pliance for California Mountain Resort Company. In the East, Mike Giorgio is now VP and GM of Stowe Mountain Resort, Vt. ... Deirdre Riley was named GM of Crotched Mountain, N.H. … Mt. Abram, Maine, hired Josh Thompson as GM. … Attitash GM Brandon Swartz is now also
ners with its inaugural Crankbrothers Riders’ Choice awards. Among the ski areas recognized were, Mt. Bachelor, Ore. ; Timberline Lodge, Ore .; Tamarack Resort, Idaho ; Angel Fire, N.M. ; Wood- ward Park City, Utah ; Woodward Tahoe, Calif. ; Spirit Mountain, Minn. ; Mar- quette Mountain, Mich. ; Bryce Resort, Va. ; Burke Mountain, Vt .; Bolton Valley, Vt. ; and Killington Resort, Vt.
named CEO of the Australian Ski Areas Association. … Hanazono Resort, Japan, hired Justin Downes as president.
OBITUARIES
AWARDS Wes Kryger , president of Greek Peak Mountain Resort, N.Y., was inducted into the SKI NY Hall of Fame for his contribu- tions to the SKI NY association and the New York ski industry. John Fagan , an attorney who has worked with every California and Nevada ski resort, was honored with the Ski Cal- ifornia Bob Roberts Award of Excellence for outstanding service to the industry. Loam Pass recognized MTB pass part-
Wachusett Moun- tain, Mass., co-own- er and ski industry leader David Crow- ley died Nov. 20. He was 69. Crowley succumbed to a rare degenerative neurological dis-
Bo Bigelow
Lea Gabrielle Potts
general manager of Wildcat Mountain, N.H. … Lea Gabrielle Potts is the new VP and GM of Mount Snow, Vt. In Canada, Dave Morrison was named as CEO of Mica Heliskiing. Boyne Resorts promoted Stacie Har-
David Crowley
ease called progressive supranuclear palsy, or PSP. He was diagnosed several years ago. There is no known cure.
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ROUNDUP
Staffing, the guest experience, and sustainability drive a menu of ski area food and beverage tweaks and improvements. F&B INSIGHTS
By Linda Goodspeed
Fresh ingredients are a priority at Lake Louise, Alberta.
options without needing to stock addi- tional items or make substitutions on the fly in the kitchen.” Revamped Menus Other resorts are also expanding their dining and menu options, with an emphasis on quality and variety. At Boyne Resorts, SVP of food and bever- age Fred Barbier said the company will implement company-wide “fresh, nev- er-frozen” beef patties for all burgers, and forge new partnerships with local baker- ies for fresh-baked breads. Fresh burgers are also important for Lake Louise Resort in Alberta, said director of sales and marketing Emmett McPartlin. “Over the past couple of years, we have made careful adjustments to suppliers to prioritize freshness and qual- ity, ensuring every burger is homemade and that, wherever possible, ingredients come from local farms and ranches.” The resort is also factoring in “con- textual fit with the environment and activities that guests are here for,” said McPartlin. “Our partnerships with local breweries and distilleries not only sup- port the community but also give our guests a taste of the unique flavors our region has to offer.” Weigh in, check out. Elsewhere, Bear Valley, Calif., will open “Base Camp Pizza” inside the existing day lodge, open a new food and drink cart on the deck at the base area, and unveil a new menu at the main cafeteria featuring soups, chilis, and a “weigh” menu, composed of a vari- ety of items that are charged by weight as the guest exits the line. The weigh menu was a “huge hit” when Bear Valley tested it in early season, said Tim Cohee, presi-
dent of California Mountain Resort Com- pany, which owns Bear Valley. Kirkwood, Calif., is revamping and expanding the offerings at its quick serve restaurants: Monte Wolfes will offer new options like hot honey chicken tenders, pulled pork sandwiches, chipotle chick- en rice bowls, chimichurri grilled chick- en sandwiches, and BBQ pork mac and cheese; Timber Creek is adding cinna- mon roll “Alpine Bites;” and Jets Hangar will bring back its taqueria menu. The General Store, which offers quick serve and grab-and-go options, will have new breakfast offerings, plus an enhanced espresso and coffee selection. Blue Mountain, Pa., has revamped a number of eateries: The Waffle Cabin has been replaced with the Waffle Hut; Beers & Buns on Burma will replace Beers & Brats on Burma; First Chair Cof- fee will replace Rise & Grind; and the Cluck Truck is replacing Street Sweets. Sister resort Camelback will offer Raku- da Ramen, authentic Japanese flavors in steaming grab-and-go bowls. Menu trends. Despite many choos- ing to expand menu items, Ireland said chicken nuggets/tenders remains the top seller for ski areas, followed by grilled food and then pizza. “You can’t get by without selling those,” he said. “They sell, it’s easy. It’s so challenging to create unique items. Resorts fall back on what’s easy, what sells.” In addition to longtime favorites, many facilities create a “signature” item that is unique and sold in only one loca- tion, said Ireland. “It has the effect of drawing people from around the resort.” Other trends are small, container outlets that sell only one or two items,
Staffing issues—exacerbated during the Covid-19 pandemic—continue to affect food and beverage operations at North American ski resorts. “It’s a unique challenge,” said Ross Ireland, a partner at Vancouver-based Hospitality Arts, which consults on ski resort F&B strategy and design. “Resorts have to basically hire new F&B peo- ple every season. Many come back, but many are new. It’s a real challenge keep- ing staff, training new staff.” As a result, Ireland said many resorts are switching to more grab and go items in their high-capacity restaurants, and condensing cooking to a central kitch- en. “Day cafes are quite small and put things together. It saves on staff. They’re bumping out a lot of items and feeding a lot of people.” Case in point: Big White’s new (last season) Spuds outlet in one of its central day lodges, which, as its name suggests, serves iterations of the potato. Trevor Hanna, vice president of hospitality for the British Columbia resort, said limited staff was a key reason behind the popular new concept. “The menu is relatively small and uncomplicated. Staffing this outlet is simple with only a few front counter staff and a few cooks in the kitchen need- ed to operate at a fairly high volume. We made this decision in the face of a limit- ed number of available staff accommoda- tion beds and the need to maximize the return on each staff bed,” said Hanna. The low cost of ingredients and fewer dietary restrictions with pota- toes were also factors in adopting the concept, Hanna said. “We can easily offer gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan
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such as waffle or specialty pretzel shops, and more outdoor dining, including food trucks on skis that are hauled part way up the mountain. “Some places have a long ski run down to get to the lodge, so resorts are bringing food up the moun- tain,” Ireland said. Technology Integration “Menus have all gone digital,” asserted Ireland. “It all goes back to staffing. Staff- ing is such a big issue, if you can avoid going through a cashier, it helps.” He said some resorts have tried surge pricing (raising prices on weekends and busy times) with mixed results. Others are experimenting with on-hill ordering— skiers and riders order on their phones and pick up at the lodge. “It works real- ly well at some resorts; not so much at others,” he said. “It’s all evolving. They’re trying to integrate [on-hill ordering] into their existing technology systems.” Eyes on efficiency. At Boyne Resorts, Barbier said the company is expanding
self-service kiosk ordering. Brighton Resort, Utah, added a third kiosk this year; kiosk ordering is included in the design of the company’s new Tennessee Sky Park restaurant, and self-service technology will be in any future venue design. Big White has invested heavily in Toast, a cloud-based point-of-sale, across all seven of its outlets. “The new tech- nology comes with the added versatil- ity of handheld tablets that our servers can use directly at the table to speed up the process of sending orders to the kitchen, picking up the next course, or taking payment,” Hanna said. “All this is expected to translate into fewer mis- takes, quicker bill times, and faster turn- over.” Big White’s coffee shop will also implement a printed label for each cup ordered to streamline the process and “reduce the wastage on drinks that cus- tomers mistakenly take as their own.” Inventory controls. In the back of the house, Hanna said Big White will utilize Optimum Control this season, an auto-
mated goods-tracking platform that will give the resort real-time data on the cost of goods per outlet. McPartlin said Lake Louise has also been refining inventory controls and exploring for future implementation technology solutions like kiosk ordering and online reservations. The resort treats each outlet independently to improve service and efficiency. “From a marketing perspective, in summer in particular, we approach our F&B outlets as their own attractions in and of themselves,” he said. Waste Management Sustainability is another top focus with- in ski resort F&B operations. Kirkwood, which diverted 12 tons of food waste last season through its food digester, will continue to expand those efforts this season, said senior commu- nications specialist Carly Mangan. “New guest-operated sorting stations will be introduced in the Village to replace regular trash cans this season, and our
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employees will continue to manage waste sorting in dining areas. Enhanced recycling programs for snack wrap- pers and soft plastics are now in place, and smart dumpster sensors have been implemented to refine waste data and improve collection efficiency.” Serviceware. In addition, she said the resort will increase energy and water effi- ciency with new dishwashers at Monte
Wolfes and Wall Bar and use more dura- ble serviceware. Hanna said Big White is also switching to new serviceware, including wooden cutlery and more compostable takeaways. Lake Louise, which conducts com- prehensive waste audits each year, has introduced several eco-friendly practic- es, including biodegradable cutlery, com- postable items, can and box recycling
and paper straws. “Our cafeteria now uses reusable cups and baskets, reducing single-use waste across the mountain,” McPartlin said. Barbier said Boyne Resorts has expanded composting programs across multiple properties and entered new part- nerships focused on comprehensive food waste reduction. “We are transitioning away from single-use serviceware to reus- able options, with Cypress (B.C.) and Sun- day River (Maine) leading this initiative.” Staffing Staffing remains the lynchpin in suc- cessful food and beverage operations, and several operators reported improved staffing levels. Housing gains. A new $12 million, 128-bed employee housing facility at Big White enabled the resort to successfully staff for winter earlier than ever this year. “More international candidates travel- ling on work visas were hired during the summer months than in past years, and most managers were excited to report that their winter rosters were full at the close of summer operations,” Hanna said. “We’ve also noticed that by increasing the supply of beds in our local economy, the availability of private accommoda- tion seems to be higher and the price per bed is decreasing.” In the resort’s food operation, Hanna said about 75 percent of the staff are internationals, with about 65 percent from Australia, and the rest from New Zealand, the UK, and the rest of Europe, in that order. Barbier noted that Boyne Resorts was also experiencing its strongest staff- ing levels in recent years. He attributed this to the company’s focus on employ- ee housing initiatives, including a new housing facility at Big Sky, Mont. “We have a successful mix of domestic and international staff, with high retention rates among visa workers,” he said. Lake Louise also uses a balance of domestic and international workers. “Middle management kitchen roles remain a challenge given our remote location, so we’re focused on promoting from within whenever possible,” McPar- tlin said. “Additionally, our affordable and nutritious staff meal program has helped to improve the staff experience.”
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GUEST SERVICE
THE SERVICE RECOVERY PARADOX
Strategies to recover negative customer experiences, turning potential naysayers into loyal customers.
BY KENDRA SCURFIELD, VP of Marketing, Brand, and Communications, Banff Sunshine Village, Alberta
I immediately received a reply from a guest service manag- er apologizing for the frustrating experience. As an act of good- will, the manager offered me three dinner vouchers and three complimentary all-ages island train ride tickets. Having felt heard, my anger and frustration melted away. The simple gesture shifted my overall satisfaction with the company. To this day, I consider myself a promoter of the attrac- tion, praising the guest experience. GOING FROM FOE TO FAN The shift in brand affinity I experienced is called the “service recovery paradox.” This is the idea that a guest who experi- ences an issue with a business (brand, product, or service) will become a promoter of the business if they feel that the business has solved their issue. In other words, when a guest complains to a business about its service going awry, the company can use it as an opportunity to thoughtfully rectify the situation and win the guest as a lifelong fan. Why is it important for ski areas to prioritize customer recovery? As ski resorts, we grow participation in our sport by keeping our current guests engaged and by welcoming newer participants who are more likely to have a less than perfect impression. From a number’s perspective, the cost of losing a customer far exceeds the cost of recovering the experience. We all know the most effective form of marketing is word of mouth, and through the act of a thoughtful and timely recov- ery of a dissatisfied customer we can transform dissatisfied cus- tomers into ardent supporters. » continued
When was the last time you had a truly remarkable experi- ence as either a guest or client? Take a moment and think about it. The last time I raved about an experience came in the after- math of a frustrating interaction with the same organization. Sounds odd, doesn’t it? I’ll explain. My family and I were on a warm-weather holiday traveling with multiple generations—from toddlers to grandparents—and we wanted to make memories together. In that vein, we booked a safari tour assuming the activity was accommodating for both our youngest family member (my son, age 2) and our oldest (my grandma, age 92). Prior to booking, we may have failed to read the small print because, upon check-in, we were informed that due to liability concerns, neither my son nor my grandma was eligible to participate—thus, by default, neither was I. At that moment, I was frustrated. The young staff member working check-in apologized politely and, per their training instructions, stated that we had missed the cancellation win- dow and the company had a no refund or exchange policy. Having grown up in the hospitality industry, I knew the team member was performing their job as they had been instructed. Instead of raising my voice or pushing back on what I believed to be an archaic operating policy, I expressed my understanding before asking if I could have the manag- er’s contact information. Equipped with the name and email, I promptly strapped my son into his stroller and fired off an email explaining my frustrations while enviously watching the rest of my family board the open-air safari vehicle.
GUEST SERVICE _>>
In my day job as the vice president of marketing, brand, and communications for Banff Sunshine Village in Alberta, I am often the recipient of guest complaint emails. I believe that when guests choose to reach out, they’re seeking a proverbial olive branch. Most complaints are rooted in a solvable issue, and how a company chooses to respond can either create a life- long advocate of the business or a lifelong detractor. For our industry, an example of the service recovery par- adox in action could be a family of new skiers missing their group lesson because they underestimated the amount of time required to travel to the mountain on a busy Saturday, get their winter gear situated, and organize rentals. Upon arriving at the meet-up location, they’re informed they’ve missed their lesson. Worst-case scenario: The family is told that they have missed their lesson, and no refunds will be provided, but they can book a private lesson for an upcharge if they’d still like a lesson. The result: Even if the family pays extra for the private and likes the instructor, the bad taste lingers since no effort was made by staff to resolve their issue. They either don’t return to skiing or, if they do, they go elsewhere. Either way, they’re now detractors for your resort.
they have missed their lesson. The agent says she’ll try to con- tact the instructor to see if the family can meet up with the group and gives the family a phone number and email address to reach out to the ski school director to find a solution. The result: The family doesn’t feel completely dejected because staff tried to help, but their issue isn’t completely resolved in a timely manner and they are required to do some legwork. The resort did not immediately recover them as fans. Best-case scenario: The agent understands the circum- stances and apologizes for their frustrations. Before escalat- ing the scenario, the agent checks the lesson availability. If an instructor is available for the remainder of the morning lesson or there’s space in an afternoon lesson, the agent rebooks the family for the same day without question. The result: Feeling heard and having been guided through a resolution quickly and without much effort on their part, the family went from being frustrated to delighted and are now promoters for your resort. FAILURE RECOVERY FRAMEWORK The best-case scenario in successfully recovering a dissatisfied customer only happens consistently when a team is trained
Better-case scenario: An apologetic agent explains that
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