TECH PLANNING
Choosing the right software and other technology for your operation requires thorough planning and a thoughtful approach. To help with this process, Adventure Park Insider compiled two easy-to-reference lists of questions aimed at 1) pinpointing your internal needs and goals, and 2) assessing the capabilities of potential technology suppliers. We hope you’ll find this to be a good resource. BY THE EDITORS
• Have we included frontline staff who interface with cus - tomers and existing software? • Have we solicited appropriate input from guests about wants and expectations? • Will all staff understand why we want to implement new tech? How do we want to improve our processes? • What are things we cannot live without (i.e., true depen - dencies for safety, security, finance, CRM, etc.) in our new technology solution? (Needs) • What items would be nice-to-have but aren’t essential? (Wants) • How do we establish priorities for the functions and features we’ve identified as needs and wants? • Is there duplication of data entry that can create more opportunities for error? • What do we currently have in place for hardware? (Know this before speaking with a provider.) • What hardware limitations and boundaries do we have? How much money and resources can we invest in an implementation? • Is it preferable to pay for the change through commis - sion structure fees or a flat fee? • When it comes to ROI: Are we going to sell more? Spend less on labor? Retain guests? Make employees more productive or satisfied? • When do we want to see an ROI? Are the non-monetary benefits greater than the financial investment? • Will our current financial infrastructure (credit card ven - dor, banking, etc.) be compatible with the new solution? • What are our financial constraints? • Are there grants or low interest loans available? • Who can lead this implementation and at what cost? Is he or she available? • How will our investment age?
INTERNAL ASSESSMENT A list of questions to help you conduct an internal as- sessment of your operation’s tech trajectory and prepare for engaging with potential suppliers. Every operation is different, so these questions aim to get you started and you’ll get more granular from there. What is our current process for X (ticketing, inventory, group reservations, waivers, etc.)? • Are there gaps in our process that cause friction for guests or staff? • Can we build a flow chart of each process? Why do we want to improve this process? • Are we looking to improve the guest experience, improve efficiency, save money, and/or make things easier for staff? • Are we looking to grow (add more activities/profit centers, increase sales, etc.) beyond what our current solution can handle? • Would a new solution help with staffing shortages? • Are there certain pain points that need to be addressed? • Are we currently using a system for something other than intended (i.e., using a spreadsheet for accounting software)? • What happens if we don’t change? Will staff be angry/ happy? Will customer expectations be unmet?
Who should be involved in this conversation? • Do managers/frontline employees think a change is
necessary? If yes, what would they like to see changed? In their ideal world, how would this process be operated? • Who will be the project lead or decision-maker? Who will be responsible for the request for proposal (RFP) process?
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