The Brown Sign Project: Recent Episodes
Carly Straughan and Carlton Gajadhar
Carlton Gajadhar and Carly Straughan host The Brown Sign Podcast, focusing on the bits of the tourism industry that don't normally get much coverage. From careers in tourist attractions to visitor service excellence, we love to share stories from tourism professionals and hear about their experience of the wonderful, and sometimes weird, world of visitor attractions.
Sandra Lynes Timbrell has worked in the cultural sector for over 20 years, holding senior roles at some of the UK’s most recognisable sites, including Shakespeare’s Globe and several English Heritage properties. She is Director of Visitor Engagement at St Paul’s Cathedral, where she leads several teams including commercial, visitor experience, security, collections and marketing. She is responsible for creating and delivering operational models that enable attractions to be financially secure whilst simultaneously creating a welcoming environment for visitors.
Sandra has mentored young people starting out in the heritage industry, and delivered numerous talks and training sessions for Museum & Heritage Show; Women in Leadership and SOLT; the leading membership organization for the performing arts in the UK. She holds an MA in Heritage Management.
You can find more out about Sandra here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandra-lynes-timbrell-3a59ab8/
You can find out more about your hosts here...
Carlton - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cgajadhar/ and https://www.carlton-gajadhar.com/
Carly - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlystraughan/ and http://qlineconsulting.com/
With huge thanks to our sponsors, StaffSavvy and Retail Integration without whom this would not have been possible.
Absolute huge respect and thanks to our great editor over at Joe Shmo Productions who you can find over on Twitter at... https://twitter.com/joeshm0
Mark Lofthouse is a seasoned themed attraction specialist with a wide range of expertise in marketing, operations, creation, and development of location-based entertainment. Mark excels in developing captivating experiences that transport guests to immersive worlds. With a passion for delivering exceptional entertainment experiences, Mark Lofthouse is a trusted professional in the world of themed attractions.
You can find more out about Mark here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miloft/
You can find out more about your hosts here...
Carlton - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cgajadhar/ and https://www.carlton-gajadhar.com/
Carly - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlystraughan/ and http://qlineconsulting.com/
With huge thanks to our sponsors, StaffSavvy and Retail Integration without whom this would not have been possible.
Absolute huge respect and thanks to our great editor over at Joe Shmo Productions who you can find over on Twitter at... https://twitter.com/joeshm0
Jennifer Kennedy is the founder of JK Consulting, a retail consultancy specialising in tourism and heritage.
Over the past 20 years she has worked with numerous global organisations and currently works with a range of clients from start-ups to multi-nationals. Her career spans across business/brand strategy, retail, commercial product development and tourism development. Prior to establishing JK Consulting, Jennifer served as the Head of Retail at the Guinness Storehouse for a 12 year term.
Clients include, Fáilte Ireland, Irish National Stud, Athlone Castle, Game of Thrones Studio Tour, Native Denim, Trinity College, Slane Whiskey Distillery, Christ Church Cathedral, EPIC-The Irish Emigration Museum, Shannon Heritage, The Medieval Mile Museum, Tayto Park, The Irish Whiskey Museum, Loftus Hall, Burren Smokehouse, Tullamore D.E.W., St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Kylemore Abbey.
You can find more out about Jennifer here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-kennedy-aba75712/
You can find out more about your hosts here...
Carlton - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cgajadhar/ and https://www.carlton-gajadhar.com/
Carly - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlystraughan/ and http://qlineconsulting.com/
With huge thanks to our sponsors, StaffSavvy and Retail Integration without whom this would not have been possible.
Absolute huge respect and thanks to our great editor over at Joe Shmo Productions who you can find over on Twitter at... https://twitter.com/joeshm0
Phil Royle is the Divisional Director of LEGOLAND Global Experiences & Standards. Royle also oversees all Guest Experiences within the 10 LEGOLAND Resorts around the world advising on industry best practice and Operations. Continuous Improvement, Transformation and Global Entertainment are the Divisions that sit without Royle’s scope allowing the parks to utilize technology to improve processes and systems within the theme parks and hotels.
Royle has over 22 years of experience with Merlin Entertainments Group PLC, the parent company of LEGOLAND Korea Resort and is a native of the UK although holds dual US & UK Citizenships. Previously holding senior roles within LEGOLAND Resorts, LEGOLAND Discovery Centers, Madame Tussaud’s, SEA LIFE Aquariums and the London Eye before joining LEGOLAND Florida Resort. His experience covers a wide variety of disciplines including Operations, Health & Safety, Brand Management and Corporate Events.
His studies have included Business Management, IT, Project Management and Health & Safety.
Royle lives in Winter Haven, Florida - USA but has previously resided in South Korea, Texas - US and California - US after moving from the UK 14 years ago. When not working, Royle enjoys archery, spending time road biking and kayaking with his wife Charlotte.
Board & Community positions held:
- Board Director - ACE Architecture Construction Engineering Mentoring Program, NY - CURRENT
- Board Director - New York State Tourism Industry Association (NYSTIA), NY - CURRENT
- Board Director - Pets Alive Animal Sanctuary, NY - CURRENT
- Board Director - Orange County Chamber of Commerce, NY - CURRENT
- Board Director - Goshen Chamber of Commerce, NY - CURRENT
- Board Director - BOCES Educational Advisory Board, NY - CURRENT
- Advisory Committee Member - Give Kids the World, FL
- MAPS (Mentoring & Peer Support programs), UK
- Board Director - Hollywood Business Improvement District, CA
- Board Director - Humane Society of Polk County, FL
You can find more out about Phil here: linkedin.com/in/phil-royle-0803a17
You can find out more about your hosts here...
Carlton - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cgajadhar/ and https://www.carlton-gajadhar.com/
Carly - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlystraughan/ and http://qlineconsulting.com/
With huge thanks to our sponsors, StaffSavvy and Retail Integration without whom this would not have been possible.
Absolute huge respect and thanks to our great editor over at Joe Shmo Productions who you can find over on Twitter at... https://twitter.com/joeshm0
At the age of 30, Ted Yeatts “accidentally” (and almost overnight) became the general manager of a small, struggling, ten-year-old hotel in Fort Myers, Florida. With no hotel experience, Ted figured out how to turn the hotel around and led it from one of the lowest performing properties in the brand, to one of the top in his area.
Through the next 10 years, Ted transformed multiple hotels and resorts. Now, as a hospitality consultant, he uses those experiences to help other businesses create a customer experience that results in significant improvements in their bottom line.
You can find more out about Ted here: linkedin.com/in/tedyeatts
TedYeatts.com
You can find out more about your hosts here...
Carlton - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cgajadhar/ and https://www.carlton-gajadhar.com/
Carly - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlystraughan/ and http://qlineconsulting.com/
With huge thanks to our sponsors, StaffSavvy and Retail Integration without whom this would not have been possible.
Absolute huge respect and thanks to our great editor over at Joe Shmo Productions who you can find over on Twitter at... https://twitter.com/joeshm0
Sarah is the founder of ReWork Consulting, a Ticketing and Business Development Consultancy that helps technology partners and attractions to grow.
Aside from running a successful consultancy business, she is heavily involved in the industry, through events like the Ticketing Professionals Conference and Ticketing Business Forum. She's a life coach, a mentor and also an inspiring artist.
Sarah has been working in the hospitality, leisure and tourism sectors since she was 15. At 23 she held her first management position with Oneills Irish bar chain, part of the Mitchells and Butler group. Since then she has held senior roles at Chelsea Football Club, Vinopolis Wine World Wine tasting and events company, The Visitor Attractions Company and more recently ticketing partner TOR Systems.
Sarah led two capex museum redevelopment projects, in excess of £7million whilst at Chelsea Football Club, she has managed multidisciplinary teams with in excess of 100 staff and led pre-opening planning and recruitment for new ventures under the Visitor Attractions Company.
She lives in the city of Brighton and Hove, and runs ReWork from a coworking space to add value to the business, but also to support her own mental health and aspirations.
When she 'grew up' she wanted to be a children's book illustrator.
You can find more out about Sarah here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahbagg/
You can find out more about your hosts here...
Carlton - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cgajadhar/ and https://www.carlton-gajadhar.com/
Carly - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlystraughan/ and http://qlineconsulting.com/
With huge thanks to our sponsors, StaffSavvy and Retail Integration without whom this would not have been possible.
Absolute huge respect and thanks to our great editor over at Joe Shmo Productions who you can find over on Twitter at... https://twitter.com/joeshm0
Paul is currently the Director of Painshill Park Trust, an independent charity, a post he has held since November 2018. Painshill is a beautifully restored 18th Century landscape which was designed by Hon Charles Hamilton. It was the English Landscape garden which inspired so many others in England and all over Europe. Painshill's visitor numbers have grown from 80,000 to over 200,000
In 2019 is was appointed as a Director of Visit Surrey, which drives tourism and related industries throughout the county. In 2020 Paul joined the Board of Trustees at the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre, in and currently Chair’s the charities finance committee and in 2023 was elected as Vice-Chair of the Museum.
Prior to joining Painshill, Paul was with the Mary Rose Trust from June 2012 as the Head of Operations for the new Mary Rose Museum which opened to the public in May 2013 and was also Managing Director of Mary Rose Trading Ltd. Before that he held the senior post of Head of Visitor Operations for the London Historic Properties at English Heritage and managed a Portfolio of 14 sites.
In July 2018 Paul was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Business by Solent University for services to Tourism, Heritage and Conservation.
Paul been a guest on a number of webinars and podcasts including ALVA, Association of Cultural Enterprises, Skip the Queue, Attraction Pros, The Leaders Council and Surrey Matters.
You can find more out about Paul here: linkedin.com/in/paul-griffiths-63432763
You can find out more about your hosts here...
Carlton - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cgajadhar/ and https://www.carlton-gajadhar.com/
Carly - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlystraughan/ and http://qlineconsulting.com/
With huge thanks to our sponsors, StaffSavvy and Retail Integration without whom this would not have been possible.
Absolute huge respect and thanks to our great editor over at Joe Shmo Productions who you can find over on Twitter at... https://twitter.com/joeshm0
Across four corners of England Jon has been lucky to work with places of immense beauty, fascination and popularity. There have been gardens, houses, galleries, museums, coastline, parklands, villages, woodlands, a railway and even an island. Some have been occupied since the Bronze Age, others were established within his lifetime.
Before becoming a business development consultant Jon worked as a conservation assistant, a guide, an assistant head gardener, a visitor experience and marketing manager, an operations manager, a head of public engagement, an analyst, a project manager and a commercial director.
Each of the places Jon has worked with has had a particular combination of problems and opportunities, and his work has been to help them grow. This might be in profitability, in appeal, in standards of conservation or in efficiency. The foundation for any growth has been understanding the distinctiveness of each place - its stories, its challenges, its richness. There’s always something, however intangible, which is the seed for sustainable growth.
Jon wants Eagle & Oak to treat places authentically, to build sustainability and apply my creativity and inspire it in others. It’s my opportunity to work with even more places to keep them special well into the future.
You can find more out about Jon here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonodon/
You can find out more about your hosts here...
Carlton - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cgajadhar/ and https://www.carlton-gajadhar.com/
Carly - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlystraughan/ and http://qlineconsulting.com/
With huge thanks to our sponsors, StaffSavvy and Retail Integration without whom this would not have been possible.
Absolute huge respect and thanks to our great editor over at Joe Shmo Productions who you can find over on Twitter at... https://twitter.com/joeshm0
George is the Director of Training and Development for Complete Works. After training as a professional Actor, he went on to perform around 2000 times in professional theatre across 32 countries in the world, mostly in Shakespeare.
George now helps businesses and organisations get their mission and vision on the front line by raising confidence and improving communications skills. This results in formidable revenue streams and high satisfaction scores. It’s all about creating strong connections. They do this through three avenues 1) staffing – adding actors to your front line to do the communicating for you. 2) training – courses in storytelling and communication/ Sales/ and Visitor Experience. 3) Theatrical Events and experiences – adding a touch of magic.
They are delighted to have partnered with some exceptional organisations such as The National Gallery, Kew Gardens, Blenheim Palace, Wembley, Historic Environments Scotland, The Scotch Whiskey Experience, The Macallan, Ian Macleod Distilleries and many more.
You can find more out about George here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-mclean-0879546b/
You can find out more about your hosts here...
Carlton - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cgajadhar/ and https://www.carlton-gajadhar.com/
Carly - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlystraughan/ and http://qlineconsulting.com/
With huge thanks to our sponsors, StaffSavvy and Retail Integration without whom this would not have been possible.
Absolute huge respect and thanks to our great editor over at Joe Shmo Productions who you can find over on Twitter at... https://twitter.com/joeshm0
Richard has just ended his last job as Manager of Operations and Visitor Services at Expo 2020 Dubai. He’s back in London now working for ABBA Voyage, a concert series at Queen Elizabeth Olympic park. He has a lot of managerial experience (also was an operations manager at the Tate briefly) and seems to be a people person that also loves volunteering for charity events.
You can find more out about Richard here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rich-neville/
Richard mentioned this charity during his interview. If you would like to find out more, click here: https://www.hokh.org/
You can find out more about your hosts here...
Carlton - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cgajadhar/ and https://www.carlton-gajadhar.com/
Carly - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlystraughan/ and http://qlineconsulting.com/
With huge thanks to our sponsors, StaffSavvy and Stephen Spencer + Associates without whom this would not have been possible.
Absolute huge respect and thanks to our great editor over at Joe Shmo Productions who you can find over on Twitter at... https://twitter.com/joeshm0
Hannah is the Top Banana (aka Park Manager) of the BeWILDerwood Cheshire site. A 70 acre WILD woodland home to the literary characters from owner and creator Tom Blofeld’s books, the park centres its offering on nostalgic, technology free play. With slides, treehouses, zip wires and rope bridges, alongside daily interactive storytelling and craft sessions it is a full family day out for families with children between the ages of 2-12. Leading the management team and ensuring that visitors have the best day, along with the commercial success and strategic development of the business are Hannah’s key focuses.
You can find more out about Hannah here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-monteverde-456475aa/
You can find out more about your hosts here...
Carlton - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cgajadhar/ and https://www.carlton-gajadhar.com/
Carly - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlystraughan/ and http://qlineconsulting.com/
With huge thanks to our sponsors, StaffSavvy and Stephen Spencer + Associates without whom this would not have been possible.
Absolute huge respect and thanks to our great editor over at Joe Shmo Productions who you can find over on Twitter at... https://twitter.com/joeshm0
For over 10 years Alistair has been trusted by major venues and visitor attractions to deliver world class experiences. Having worked at a major UK National Museum Group and across a large number of national and international sporting events, at iconic venues, I am a proven leader who can be trusted to deliver against ambition.
You can find more out about Alistair here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alistair-otto-6b8a4914/
You can find out more about your hosts here...
Carlton - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cgajadhar/ and https://www.carlton-gajadhar.com/
Carly - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlystraughan/ and http://qlineconsulting.com/
With huge thanks to our sponsors, StaffSavvy and Stephen Spencer + Associates without whom this would not have been possible.
Absolute huge respect and thanks to our great editor over at Joe Shmo Productions who you can find over on Twitter at... https://twitter.com/joeshm0
Lucy Handel is an aquarium specialist and H&S professional with extensive experience in aquarium and visitor attraction operations, visitor experience management, safety, security, and risk management. I work on leading asset protection strategies alongside managing high investment capital expenditure to drive cost saving and safety.
You can find more out about Lucy here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyhandel/
You can find out more about your hosts here...
Carlton - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cgajadhar/ and https://www.carlton-gajadhar.com/
Carly - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlystraughan/ and http://qlineconsulting.com/
With huge thanks to our sponsors, StaffSavvy and Stephen Spencer + Associates without whom this would not have been possible.
Absolute huge respect and thanks to our great editor over at Joe Shmo Productions who you can find over on Twitter at... https://twitter.com/joeshm0
Anthony has worked in the Leisure and tourism industry for around 30 years. Starting in Newcastle upon Tyne at World Headquarters Limited and then moving to London to work in the Olympic Stadium for the 2012 games, at the O2 and latterly at Royal Albert Hall. Welcoming around 1.5 million visitors per year and hosting some of the most well known events of any year from the BAFTAs to the Festival of Remembrance and artists from Kano to Kacey Musgraves, the Royal Albert Hall has the richest performance history of any venue in the world. Anthony is currently the Head of Visitor Services and Security.
You can find more out about Anthony here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-lynch-13701b55/
You can find out more about your hosts here...
Carlton - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cgajadhar/ and https://www.carlton-gajadhar.com/
Carly - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlystraughan/ and http://qlineconsulting.com/
With huge thanks to our sponsors, StaffSavvy and Stephen Spencer + Associates without whom this would not have been possible.
Absolute huge respect and thanks to our great editor over at Joe Shmo Productions who you can find over on Twitter at... https://twitter.com/joeshm0
Ash co-owns and has been directing Harbour Park amusement park for 22 years! He comes from an accounting and finance background. On the board of Directors at IAAPA (International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions) and holds executive status there. Studied International Security at King’s College, London.
You can find more out about Ash here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ash-s-b9279143/
You can find out more about your hosts here...
Carlton - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cgajadhar/ and https://www.carlton-gajadhar.com/
Carly - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlystraughan/ and http://qlineconsulting.com/
With huge thanks to our sponsors, StaffSavvy and Stephen Spencer + Associates without whom this would not have been possible.
Absolute huge respect and thanks to our great editor over at Joe Shmo Productions who you can find over on Twitter at... https://twitter.com/joeshm0
Hatti Simpson is the Ticketing & Digital Manager for Woolwich Works, a brand new venue in South East London that opened in 2021. Having been in ticketing for nearly ten years, Hatti has worked across music venues, theatres and arts centres. Her current role covers all things ticketing, digital marketing and data analysis for Woolwich Works, including audience engagement, social media and website content creation, and being really enthusiastic about seating plans. She loves a conference, and is usually easy to spot with her brightly coloured hair!
You can find more out about Hatti here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/hatti-simpson/
https://twitter.com/HattiSimpson
You can find out more about your hosts here...
Carlton - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cgajadhar/ and https://www.carlton-gajadhar.com/
Carly - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlystraughan/ and http://qlineconsulting.com/
With huge thanks to our sponsors, StaffSavvy and Stephen Spencer + Associates without whom this would not have been possible.
Absolute huge respect and thanks to our great editor over at Joe Shmo Productions who you can find over on Twitter at... https://twitter.com/joeshm0
Customer Journey Mapping Episode 6 - How do we create and maintain strong relationships with your visitors? with Joshua Liebman and Mark Locker
We've had a bit of a break but are back with a new series and this time we're looking at customer journey mapping. What is it? Why is it useful? When should I be working on it? All the important stuff gets discussed as we follow our customers through their journey to having a great experience in an attraction.
From buying tickets online and joining the queue to signing up for your newsletter and leaving a review, we look at all stages of the customer journey and what they meant to the wider business.
In this episode we are joined by Joshua Liebman and Mark Locker as we discuss the overarching ideas of Customer Journey Mapping as we attempt to answer the question - How do we create and maintain strong relationships with your visitors?
Joshua Liebman
Josh Liebman specializes in guest experience, including hospitality standards, complaint resolution, and guest feedback. Josh’s experience in the industry includes attractions operations, guest service communications, retail management, quality assurance, consumer analytics, and guest experience training. Josh is co-host of the AttractionPros Podcast and host of ROLLER Software's The Guest Experience Show.
You can find out more about Joshua here...
www.linkedin.com/in/joshualiebman/
twitter.com/Joshua_Liebman
Mark Locker
Mark Locker is the founder and CEO of Attractions.io, the leading mobile app provider to the attractions industry. Mark is passionate about leveraging technology to enrich guest experiences and currently supports the likes of Merlin Entertainments, San Diego Zoo and Butlin’s with their guest-facing apps.
You can find Mark here...
www.linkedin.com/in/mark-locker/
twitter.com/marklocker
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With huge thanks to our sponsor for this series Stephen Spencer + Associates without whom this would not have been possible.
Absolute huge respect and thanks to our great editor over at Joe Shmo Productions who you can find over on Twitter at... https://twitter.com/joeshm0
Customer Journey Mapping Episode 5 - Why do we exit through the gift shop? with Jonathan Ping and John Barford
We've had a bit of a break but are back with a new series and this time we're looking at customer journey mapping. What is it? Why is it useful? When should I be working on it? All the important stuff gets discussed as we follow our customers through their journey to having a great experience in an attraction.
From buying tickets online and joining the queue to signing up for your newsletter and leaving a review, we look at all stages of the customer journey and what they meant to the wider business.
In this episode we are joined by Jonathan Ping and John Barford as we discuss the overarching ideas of Customer Journey Mapping as we attempt to answer the question - How do I leave the attraction satisfied in the money I have spent?
Jonathan Ping
Jonathan Ping is a senior Commercial Operations professional with over 20 years experience in the Retail, Museums & Institutions and Attractions industries, and is currently in the role of Director Commercial & Visitor Experience at Courtauld Institute of Art. You can find more about Jonathan here...
www.linkedin.com/in/jonathannyp/
John Barford
John’s business journey started with Harrods and progressed through the Royal Academy of Arts, where he quadrupled the retail business, and the Science Museum Group where he delivered an integrated commercial strategy across five museums and doubled the net contribution from hospitality in one year.
As founder of John Barford Consultancy, John has over 20 years’ experience in Business Strategy and Commercial Development across culture, heritage and charities. The company works in the belief that commercial propositions should act as drivers to visitation of cultural and heritage sites through the creation of great experiences for visitors and commercial partners that lead to repeat visitation and long-term relationships.
John has led projects to transform food concepts targeting different customer segments ranging from a tuck shop to fine dining in a railway carriage. Retail projects extend from a strategic retail review of The Queen’s palaces to the development of merchandising and buying plans for a shop on the Antarctic Peninsula.
You can find John here...
Email: john@johnbarford.com
Website: johnbarford.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/john-barford-954803
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With huge thanks to our sponsor for this series Stephen Spencer + Associates without whom this would not have been possible.
Absolute huge respect and thanks to our great editor over at Joe Shmo Productions who you can find over on Twitter at... https://twitter.com/joeshm0
Customer Journey Mapping Episode 4 - How important is the attraction content itself? with Rachel Mackay and Joe Lavery
We've had a bit of a break but are back with a new series and this time we're looking at customer journey mapping. What is it? Why is it useful? When should I be working on it? All the important stuff gets discussed as we follow our customers through their journey to having a great experience in an attraction.
From buying tickets online and joining the queue to signing up for your newsletter and leaving a review, we look at all stages of the customer journey and what they meant to the wider business.
In this episode we are joined by Rachel Mackay and Joe Lavery as we discuss the overarching ideas of Customer Journey Mapping as we attempt to answer the question - How important is the content to the overall customer journey?
Rachel Mackay
Rachel Mackay manages Historic Royal Palaces at Kew, looking after four historic sites including Kew Palace. In 2020, she created The Recovery Room (therecoveryroomblog.com) to share research and resources as the museum sector recovers from the impact of the pandemic. She was recently named one of Blooloop’s top 50 museum influencers.
You can find Rachel on Twitter @RachMackay and at Aquariums Explained podcast and also co-founder of The International Zoo & Aquarium Review
You can also find Joe on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/laveryj/
...
With huge thanks to our sponsor for this series Stephen Spencer + Associates without whom this would not have been possible.
Absolute huge respect and thanks to our great editor over at Joe Shmo Productions who you can find over on Twitter at... https://twitter.com/joeshm0
We discuss a number of books in this episode which we found useful and pertinent to the discussion.
Available in all good books shops but trying not to point you to purchasing from a global supervillain unless absolutely neccesary so here goes...
The Anarchists Guide to Historic House Museums
The Experience Economy
The Art of Relevance
The Infinite Game
Customer Journey Mapping Episode 3 - They've bought their tickets, they are on the way, are you ready? with Lois Honeywill and Karen Richardson
We've had a bit of a break but are back with a new series and this time we're looking at customer journey mapping. What is it? Why is it useful? When should I be working on it? All the important stuff gets discussed as we follow our customers through their journey to having a great experience in an attraction.
From buying tickets online and joining the queue to signing up for your newsletter and leaving a review, we look at all stages of the customer journey and what they meant to the wider business.
In this episode we are joined by Lois Honeywell and Karen Richardson as we discuss the overarching ideas of Customer Journey Mapping as we attempt to answer the question - The visitors are on the way, are you ready?
Lois Honeywill
Lois is Head of Visitor Operations at the V&A Museum, South Kensington welcoming over 4 million visitors each year.
Lois has held several senior positions in large scale operational roles combining her love for fashion design and history, with a professional interest in visitor attractions. Lois is passionate about developing and delivering exceptional experiences to a large and diverse audience (and shoes).
You can find Lois on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lois-honeywill-55859532/ and on Twitter @LoisHoneywill
Karen Richardson
In her role at Tensator, Karen advises clients on how to guide people safely and efficiently from point A to point B in diverse sectors from retail to hospitality and leisure & tourism to religious buildings. Good customer guidance helps to create great customer experience. Done correctly, it can also save and make the space operator money, delivering payback within months not years, through efficiency gains and increased impulse selling and advertising opportunities. Karen lives with her pampered cat and loves to travel, please help her get out of the office more by asking her to help with your entrance and admissions way finding systems!
You can find Karen on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-richardson
You can find out more about Tensator here www.tensator.com or follow them on Twitter @Tensator
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With huge thanks to our sponsor for this series Stephen Spencer + Associates without whom this would not have been possible.
Absolute huge respect and thanks to our great editor over at Joe Shmo Productions who you can find over on Twitter at... https://twitter.com/joeshm0
Customer Journey Mapping Episode 2 - You've got their interest and possibly their money, what now? with Kelly Molson and Joe Robinson
We've had a bit of a break but are back with a new series and this time we're looking at customer journey mapping. What is it? Why is it useful? When should I be working on it? All the important stuff gets discussed as we follow our customers through their journey to having a great experience in an attraction.
From buying tickets online and joining the queue to signing up for your newsletter and leaving a review, we look at all stages of the customer journey and what they meant to the wider business.
In this episode we are joined by Kelly Molson and Joe Robinson as we discuss the overarching ideas of Customer Journey Mapping as we attempt to answer the question - You've got their interest and possibly their money, what now??
Kelly Molson
Founder and MD of Rubber Cheese, a web development agency developing revenue building websites for visitor attractions.
Host of Skip the Queue Podcast, for people working in or working with visitor attractions.
Rubber Cheese partners with global brands such as Pernod Ricard and Chivas Brothers, alongside ambitious visitor attractions like Eureka! The National Children’s Museum, Plymouth Gin Distillery and Aberlour, Scapa, Strathisla and The Glenlivet Whisky distilleries.
We achieved a 316% increase in tour bookings and product sales within 3 months for a distillery visitor centre, and saved one visitor attraction over 972 staff hours on average each year.
I deliver workshops and presentations at various national conferences and universities including the VAC, ASVA, Nottingham Trent University and ARU.
You can find Kelly here... https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellymolson/ https://www.rubbercheese.com/ https://twitter.com/TheChiefCheese https://www.skipthequeue.fm/ https://twitter.com/skip_the_queue Joe Robinson
Joe brings fifteen years of tourism experience as the Chief Growth Officer at RocketRez. Joe started in the tourism industry while serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nicaragua. Joe then dove deep into tours and as a tour guide with Intrepid Travel. Eventually moving off the road to leading global sales & marketing teams for travel companies. In 2015 he launched a multimillion-dollar bus tour operation for Big Bus Tours in Chicago. Joe lives in Nashville, TN with his wife and 2 sons.
You can find Joe here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcrob/
https://rocketrez.com/
With huge thanks to our sponsor for this series Stephen Spencer + Associates without whom this would not have been possible.
Absolute huge respect and thanks to our great editor over at Joe Shmo Productions who you can find over on Twitter at... https://twitter.com/joeshm0
Customer Journey Mapping Episode 1 - Why is Customer Journey Mapping Important? with Stephen Spencer and Jerry Angrave
We've had a bit of a break but are back with a new series and this time we're looking at customer journey mapping. What is it? Why is it useful? When should I be working on it? All the important stuff gets discussed as we follow our customers through their journey to having a great experience in an attraction.
From buying tickets online and joining the queue to signing up for your newsletter and leaving a review, we look at all stages of the customer journey and what they meant to the wider business.
In this episode we are joined by Stephen Spencer and Jerry Angrave as we discuss the overarching ideas of Customer Journey Mapping as we attempt to answer the question - Why is Customer Journey Mapping Important?
Stephen Spencer
Stephen’s business journey started in the High Street at age 15 and took him to Regent Street, via the Tower of London, to Buckingham Palace by age 30. A combination of luck, curiosity and thinking differently enabled his contribution to the cultural retail revolution of the early 1990s. Since then Stephen has worked with, studied, learned from, and helped some of the brightest stars and most prestigious brands in the retail, leisure, and tourism sectors. His journey features milestones such as creating the Buckingham Palace Shop, launching London’s cable car, revitalising a confectionery-themed visitor attraction, and turning a national conservation charity inside-out, from property- to customer-focus.
Stephen is a Trustee of Abbotsford, the former home of Sir Walter Scott, and now a five star-rated visitor attraction, and is also a visitor attractions quality assessor for Visit England. He keeps his optimism muscle in shape by supporting Tottenham Hotspur.
You can find Stephen here:
https://www.stephenspencerassociates.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/customerexperiencespecialist/
Jerry Angrave
Jerry is a Customer & Passenger Experience practitioner and consultant. Previously in-house, Jerry now consults to help companies develop their CX vision, strategy and culture underpinned by CX programmes, Customer Journey Mapping, Disability Experiences, Customer Insight and Employee Engagement.
Jerry works with organisations globally to develop the operations, strategies and culture that sets up a lasting and beneficial focus on the Customer Experience.
You can find Jerry here:
https://empathyce.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerryangrave/
With huge thanks to our sponsor for this series Stephen Spencer + Associates without whom this would not have been possible.
Absolute huge respect and thanks to our great editor over at Joe Shmo Productions who you can find over on Twitter at... https://twitter.com/joeshm0
They have been unleashed. Here is a little cheeky interview of your two brand new hosts at the Brown Sign Project. They talk about their first ever jobs, how to get into the tourist attractions industry if it's your first time and some top tips on working within the industry!
You can find out more about your hosts here...
Carlton - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cgajadhar/ and https://www.carlton-gajadhar.com/
Carly - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlystraughan/ and http://qlineconsulting.com/
Ella Baskerville is Business Development Manager for the leading news site in the attractions industry, Blooloop, where her role includes lead generation and sales, client relationship management, social media management, events management and trade show attendance.
Ella graduated in Natural Science from the University of Bath and took part in the 2014 International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) Ambassador program where she found her passion for tourism.
You can find more out about Ella here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellabaskerville/
You can find out more about your hosts here...
Carlton - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cgajadhar/ and https://www.carlton-gajadhar.com/
Carly - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlystraughan/ and http://qlineconsulting.com/
Elizabeth Pilliere is a Senior Visitor Experience Manager working for a high profiled attraction in London. She dives into her experiences of working within a tourist attraction industry and what she loves about it. She gave some helpful top tips on getting into the industry and examples of opening a Christmas Grotto and what can go wrong!
Elizabeth has worked in the tourist attractions industry for nine years, studied environmental biology, and has a Masters in Science Communications and humanity studies.
You can find more out about Elizabeth here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-pilliere-97005725/
You can find out more about your hosts here...
Carlton - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cgajadhar/ and https://www.carlton-gajadhar.com/
Carly - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlystraughan/ and http://qlineconsulting.com/
Allan Foy is CRM Transformation lead for National Museums Liverpool, leading projects to transform the way the museum group works with its guests and customers. Allan joined National Museums Liverpool in 2018 during a period of change and is continuing to improve and progress their reach and mission.
Allan began his career as a professional dancer, travelling the world on cruise ships, before an injury changed his path and took him to a career in arts management and tourism projects.
You can find more out about Allan here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/allan-foy-a533a814a/
You can find out more about your hosts here...
Carlton - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cgajadhar/ and https://www.carlton-gajadhar.com/
Carly - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlystraughan/ and http://qlineconsulting.com/
Dominic Wong is an award-winning creative and innovative marketeer bursting with ideas and he joined us on the podcast to discuss his interesting career path and why he loves the day to day weirdness of the tourism industry!
With a specialism in theme parks, visitor attractions, travel and tourism, Dom is best known for creating and delivering new innovative tourism experiences, creating award-winning education programmes for attraction school trips and being the first Marketing Director at the Harry Potter Studio Tour, overseeing the build, launch and first three years of opening.
You can find out more about Dom here...
https://www.dominicwongmarketing.co.uk/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominicwongmarketing/
You can find out more about your hosts here...
Carlton - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cgajadhar/ and https://www.carlton-gajadhar.com/
Carly - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlystraughan/ and http://qlineconsulting.com/
Kingston Myles is a commercially minded and data driven manager. He works to inspire teams to support change and grow the ‘business’ behind the institution. Kingston is passionate about seeing delivery and is motivated by the happiness success brings to the team.
Kingston shares with us his KNOW, DO, REVIEW approach to getting stuff done.
You can find out more about Kingston here...
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kingston-myles-080088118/
You can find out more about your hosts here...
Carlton - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cgajadhar/ and https://www.carlton-gajadhar.com/
Carly - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlystraughan/ and http://qlineconsulting.com/
Joe Lavery is a marine biologist with a passion for science & engineering. Previously with Merlin Entertainments, Joe lead new developments to improve aquariums whilst working as Global Curator of research & development for 57 SEA LIFE aquariums worldwide.
Joe's experience curating attractions and working on more than twenty-five public aquarium projects across seven time zones, including 12 new builds and 11 major capital projects gives him a unique insight into how tourism and conservation overlap.
Joe is co-host of the Aquariums Explained podcast - https://anchor.fm/aquariumsexplained
and also co-founder of The International Zoo & Aquarium Review - https://www.internationalzooaquariumreview.com/
You can find more out about Joe here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/laveryj/
You can find out more about your hosts here...
Carlton - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cgajadhar/ and https://www.carlton-gajadhar.com/
Carly - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlystraughan/ and http://qlineconsulting.com/