While there are many factors to building a successful tour or event business, City Wine Tours' success stems from one simple concept: employee and customer happiness.The company, which was founded in Boston in 2011 and expanded to New York City in 2013, provides walking tours that give an insider's look at specific neighborhoods. Along the way, guests also visit upscale wine destinations where they sample and learn about premium wines.The company's happiness approach is two-fold: ensuring customers know their satisfaction is important to you, and creating an environment where employees enjoy working. This philosophy seems to be working, as, according to City Wine Tours CEO and co-founder Dan Andrew, over a 2 year period the company saw 25% and 60% revenue growth respectively from the year prior.Here's how City Wine Tours promotes employee and customer happiness (which often seem to go hand in hand), and how you can too.Delight customers with unique experiences through partnerships.City Wine Tours partnered with local businesses and online marketplaces to create a truly unique experience customers couldn't find elsewhere. These partnerships fall into two groups: Third-party vendor websites that help sell their tickets and market their product, and restaurant and wine shop partners. “We drive marketing value and real revenue to our partners, and we're really thankful to the restaurants and wine shops that have supported us," Andrew says. By working together, City Wine Tours and its partners can achieve their mutual goal — to better serve the local community and make customers happy.

Action tip:

Gauge what your market is missing, and identify the critical partnerships that can help you best serve customers to create a truly unique experience that attracts and retains customers.

Give customers personal attention, and let them know you value their input.

Andrew says his staff makes it a point to always answer the phone when it rings. “It's a small thing, but it goes a long way. We've gotten great feedback on this. We employ a similar strategy with email replies," says Andrew. "Our No. 1 company value is putting our customers at the center of everything we do. Our COO obsesses about the quality of our product and the experience of our customers, often to the detriment of short-term revenue gains." To ensure they know what's working — and what isn't — they ask customers to provide honest feedback about their experience, and then use that input to guide changes or future decisions.

Action tip:

Encourage your customers to share input about what they liked (or didn't like) about their experience, and then use that feedback to guide future improvements. With an online reservation software like Peek Pro, you can easily include a link to a feedback survey in every thank-you email your customers receive.

Make your company a place people enjoy working.

When employees love what they do — and where they work — it shows, and that happiness tends to radiate to customers

When employees love what they do — and where they work — it shows, and that happiness tends to radiate to customers. At City Wine Tours, all internal communications tools are cloud-based, allowing employees to work from home 50% of the time. Full-time employees get health benefits and a 401k option, but there are perks even for part-time workers. “We have a lot of part-time managers and part-time tour guides who have full-time jobs but are looking to pick up 'passion' work when it comes to wine," says Andrew. "This allows us to pull from a wider and deeper talent pool without over-committing on salary lines. Our employees are happy because we've created a concept that pays them for something they are passionate about — teaching people about wine."

Action tip:

Invest in employee benefits and perks for both part-time and full-time employees if you can. But while perks will help improve employee happiness and loyalty, remember that happy workplaces start with the hiring process. Make sure you hire people who are truly passionate about their jobs and the industry. Their positive attitude will be contagious, resulting in improved customer service and productivity overall.

Scale your business with the help of your most seasoned employees.

When expanding to New York, City Wine Tours initially hired a NYC-based general manager to try and recreate its Boston business model. That tactic failed — twice. “In hindsight, it was unreasonable to expect a brand new employee to build something in NYC that had taken our team three-plus years to get right in Boston," Andrew says. Instead, they used some of their veteran Boston employees to get the new branch established. They discovered that loyal and seasoned employees are willing to go the extra mile in order to help the company grow and better serve the customers.

Action tip:

Don't expect new employees to be the silver bullet. Empower loyal employees by allowing them to step into new roles. If they're happy and fill fulfilled, they'll be invested in your company, and do all they can to help it grow and thrive.The best tool for both customer and employee happiness? An online booking system.An online booking system will save your staff hours in their day, while also giving customers a great first impression of your business. “These days, customers buy your products on dozens of different websites. Streamlining all of these different sites and companies into a single online booking process is an ongoing challenge," Andrew says. "Finding a platform that works perfectly for your small business is the holy grail." This not only makes things easier for customers, but it also alleviates considerable stress for employees by saving time and reducing potential mistakes or confusion.

Action tip:

Look into finding the best online booking system that's easy for customers to use and efficient for your business. If you're looking for a solution that will drive quality customers to your business in addition to managing your reservations, check out Peek Pro here.By following City Wine Tours' example, you will likely find that happy employees in turn lead to happy customers—and both are essential for growing a thriving business.

At the San Diego Zoo — where animal tours run all day, every day — there's one tour guide who generates rave reviews: Chris Clobber, better known as “Zooman." If Google him, you'll find comments calling him “hilarious," “fabulous," and “amazing." He's so loved that he's even earned his own show at a local comedy club.People describe Zooman's tour as “the best they have ever had" — words that carry significant weight for tourists who are planning their next weekend adventure. In creating a name for himself, Zooman brings one-of-a-kind marketing value to the San Diego Zoo.And with 74 percent of consumers identifying word of mouth as a key influence in their purchase decisions, it's critical for all businesses to create incredible experiences. Tour and activity operators, especially, are uniquely positioned to create an emotional connection with customers.Luckily, you don't need to be a stand-up comedian to make a lasting impression. Whether you’re running a thriving local business or just getting started, we’re ready to help.See Also: 5 Strategies to Generate Customers Before Peak Season

Offer a unique perspective no other business can replicate.

The best way to stand out from your competitors is to identify what differentiates your business, and make it a core part of the experience you provide.

The best way to stand out from your competitors is to identify what differentiates your business, and make it a core part of the experience you provide. For example, take the Chinatown Ghost Tour, a walking tour that dives deep into San Francisco's history by taking groups through the lesser known streets of Chinatown. What makes the tour truly memorable is the tour guides' own supernatural experiences and references to folklore. Their captivating stories of Chinatown’s history has earned the tour coverage in local media like The Examiner and the San Francisco Bay Crossings.For more inspiration, take a look at Bhagavat Life's vegetarian cooking class in New York. In addition to teaching culinary skills, the class offers new perspectives on how people can think about food in making healthier life choices. Participants learn about Ayurveda, a 5,000-year old system of natural medicine from India, and how to apply its principles to any type of cuisine.This depth of education that extends beyond cooking skills leaves a lasting impression among customers, which in turn generates strong referrals and word-of-mouth. Offering a unique experience like this will help you build an organic growth engine for your business

ASK YOURSELF:

How can you give your customers a more personal, behind-the-scenes look into your world? What are the most interesting stories or unique lessons you can share?

Give customers a way to relive and share the best part of their experience.

It's not every day that a person gets to climb a mountain, try a flying trapeze or take a cheesecake-making class. The thrill of a new life experience is something that happy customers will want to share with their friends and family.You can capture your customers’ experiences with a GoPro camera, and later, upload their photos and videos to your website. By doing so, you create a platform where customers can easily share content with their friends and family — in other words, a low-touch system for free word-of-mouth marketing.Skydive Taft is a California-based skydiving school that features videos of customers' free falls on its YouTube channel (with permission). This not only encourages those customers to share the videos, but allows prospective customers to preview what their experience would be like.You might also like:The Essential Ingredient for Building a Successful Tour BusinessIf you're looking for a solution that will both save you hours in your day and give you that extra marketing edge to attract quality customers, check out Peek Pro here. You can request a free 15 minute demo to see if Peek Pro makes sense to you.

Most of your customers expect to be able to book online these days, and the thought of adding online payment options to your website may seem overwhelming. But streamlining the process for your customers can create more revenue and let you focus on other things - and it can be one of the best things you do for your business. It's also a lot easier than you may think.See Also: The Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Booking SystemsConsumers are more confident with buying online and they enjoy the convenience of booking from their computers and mobile devices. If you're not offering online booking options to your potential customers, you could be missing out on a lot of potential sales.

If you're not offering online booking options to your potential customers, you could be missing out on a lot of potential sales.

Top 7 Concerns and What to Do About Them

Here are some common concerns activity rental business owners have about accepting bookings online, along with the benefits of pushing past the roadblocks and taking action.

• What I want to offer online is too complex. Simplify your offerings. Too many choices leads to indecision in consumers, so providing too many products could be working against you. Whether you're building a new site or starting fresh, use this as an opportunity to simplify and package your tours and activities for more profit. While changes require some upfront work, keep your eye on the long-term benefits. Tools that allow customers to book online can help manage your business more efficiently, which can lead to more business opportunities and revenue.
• I've always done things by hand – it's what I'm used to. Doing things by hand can give you a false sense of control. If everything is mostly stored inside your head, that means you're the only one who can "do it right." This makes hiring painful and training difficult because there are no repeatable processes or systems in place to ensure consistency. If you're planning on selling the business one day, remember that it's not a business unless it runs when you're not there. Who would buy the business if you are the entire business?
• I have an online contact form so that counts – right? An online form is a step in the right direction, but if you're accepting payments and bookings online, it can help with managing time, providing a consistent customer experience, and automating processes to help you be more productive in less time with less staff.
• We rely on a lot of walk-ins and phone calls for business, so doing business online isn't really necessary. Opening your rental activity business for online bookings doesn't mean you're going to neglect walk-ins and phone reservations. But it does mean that these customers will have the option to book online and free up more of your time. The right online tools can also allow you to schedule calls and walk-ins with less confusion and more accurate visibility. You can also scoop up additional customers who prefer to transact online and not over the phone.
• I'm worried about the costs. The right activity rental booking and management platform can pay for itself many times over by allowing you to generate more business and minimize mistakes. It may cost more upfront, but it could save - and generate - more revenue in the long run.
• I'm worried about the credit card processing fees. Transaction processing fees are a very low percentage overall, but they can add up if you're not careful. If you haven't reviewed your prices lately, it might be a good time to consider adjusting for the costs of doing business online. Accepting credit cards has additional costs, but the benefits of a faster cash flow and a quicker booking process for your customers usually outweigh the fees.
• Our competition doesn't do it, so we don't need to bother. This is all the more reason for you to accept online booking and payments. If your competition isn't doing it and you are, that means you'll have all the online buyers, and they’ll only have traditional methods to rely on. Take it as an opportunity to beat the competition.

Picking the Right Online Booking SystemThere are three key ingredients to a successful system for your business.

• Make sure the platform you choose is industry-specific. Generic solutions usually have to be customized and can have large gaps in functionality that’s specific to your industry. This missing functionality can force you to change the way you do business and negatively impact the customer experience.
• Pick a technology partner that has lots of know-how. This will help you grow and avoid costly mistakes because your technology partner will have the experience from many different implementations and can provide lessons already learned - with the software and in your business.
• Choose a solution that addresses many challenges. The software you choose shouldn't just accept bookings online. It should also make your job easier by communicating with clients more efficiently, managing your activity schedule, and tracking analytics that will help you see where your customers are coming from. This way you'll learn what’s working and what isn't.

Doing business online is a lot easier than you think these days, and well worth the trouble. You can benefit greatly from investing in technology and new processes that increase your revenue and customer base. But even if you don’t completely overhaul your website, you should strongly consider implementing booking and payment options online.

Repeat customers don't just help keep your calendar filled, they also help your bottom line: 70 percent of companies report that it's much cheaper to retain a customer than it is to acquire a new one, according to econsultancy's Cross-channel Marketing Report. So it's easy to see why "relationship marketing" — activities that help you stay connected to existing customers and help you maintain a positive relationship — is more important than ever.Here are 10 ways tour and activity operators can get more repeat customers throughout the year.

1. Deliver Exceptional Customer Service

You want every customer to have an unforgettable experience and talk positively about your company. Research from NewVoiceMedia reveals 93 percent of customers will take action following inadequate service, and 34 percent would go as far as taking revenge by posting a review online. Take the time to train staff to handle all types of customer issues or guest complaints effectively so that you aren't working extra hard to do some damage control after a customer is upset or disgruntled. This might be something as offering a complimentary upgrade if the guest had problems booking their reservation.To prevent customers becoming disgruntled during the booking process, put yourself in the customer's shoes as you walk through the booking process. Make sure they have everything they need to confirm a booking — a reservation confirmation and "thank you" email leading up to their trip can open up the lines of communication and help a guest feel like they are being taken care of. If you offer online booking options, make sure the checkout process is as seamless as possible so that you don't lose guests because of technical issues.

2. Offer Referral Bonuses

Encourage guests to be loyal customers by offering a discount for referring a friend. You can either extend a discount on a reservation for bringing a friend on the next visit, or ask guests to share who referred them to your business and send a handwritten "thank you" card or email to the referring guest with an exclusive discount or complimentary upgrade offer for their next visit. Upgrade offers might include an extended kayaking rental, for example, or an invitation to a class or workshop after a foodie tour. Make sure guests know that they can earn a referral bonus before they leave for the day and follow up with an email reminder to prompt them to share their experience with friends, coworkers, and acquaintances. Guests who know they are going to get a gift or upgrade in return for referring you may be eager to re-book.

3. Host Private Parties and Exclusive Events

Even though many visitors will be one-time guests just trying out a new experience or activity because they were in the area, others may be locals or interested in coming back each season. Consider hosting a private party or other exclusive events for loyal customers. Locals, especially, may be interested in socializing with other like-minded travel and adventure enthusiasts or taking part in a group outing led by one of your lead guides. These types of events build rapport and may create a sense of community around your business.

4. Extend Exclusive Offers for Returning Guests

Segment your customers for a separate email list so you can send them an exclusive offer as a loyal guest

Maintaining digital records can help you identify which customers are most loyal and what their favorite activities are. Using an online booking software program, such as Peek Pro allows you keep track of all customers in your database with details about their past purchases and number of visits throughout the year. Segment your customers for a separate email list so you can send them an exclusive offer as a loyal guest — not just those who refer a friend or bring someone along. You could offer a 10 to 25 percent discount on their next booking for a certain time period to fill up empty spaces in your calendar. Or, you could create a special seasonal package or offer to encourage them to book on their next visit.

5. Connect with Guests on Social Media

Maintaining an active presence on social media sites and making the effort to reach out to fans and followers, in the form of contests or by promoting a return guest discount, can encourage non-traveling guests to keep in touch with your company.Make sure to share or retweet posts by guests that mention your company or photos of your activity — this not only generates goodwill between you and your customer but also allows you to subtly market and promote your business to both your fans and followers — and the guest's fans and followers. For example, Doolin Ferry, which offers cruises to The Aran Islands and Cliffs of Moher, shared a guest's photo on Instagram and thanked them for the photo and visit within the comments. This is a great way to acknowledge a guest publicly and promote the company. Pro tip: Tag or mention the guest's username or social media handle to get their attention.

6. Send Postcards in the Mail

Allocating some of your marketing efforts, such as sending postcards, to existing guests can keep you top of mind with previous guests.According to the Direct Marketing Association, more than 52 percent of customers report that they will read a postcard in the mail and more than 23 percent ill respond to the postcard if it is relevant to them. If you are putting together your marketing budget for the year, consider sending postcards to existing customers as a way to lure them back for another visit. You could attach a coupon or promo code to the postcard to prompt a booking or simply send a postcard about some of the latest tours and activities of the season.

7. Send Emails throughout the Year

Nurturing existing customers via email can be a very effective way to generate repeat customers. According to research by Gigaom, 56 percent of marketers found email marketing to be the most effective for customer retention in 2014. If you're using an online booking software program that automatically captures the guest's email address and contact information for its database, you can set up customized email blasts specifically for returning guests that invite them back for another tour or activity, share information about new packages, or to issue a discount code or coupon for their next visit. The goal is to keep the guest interested in all of your offerings so they think of you first when making their travel plans.

8. Offer Customization Options

No matter how unique your tour or activity experience may be, you want guests to walk away with the intention of coming back again soon. Customizing the guest experience can make you stand apart from the competition and keep guests interested in trying something new next time.The experts at Fusion, a team dedicated to optimizing customer experiences, point out that customers want to buy more but will refrain to do so when it's inconvenient — your job is to present an offer that appeals to your guest and is also easy to take advantage of. Give guests the option to customize their experiences at every opportunity, whether that's by providing the option to purchase add-ons at checkout or upgrade to a premium experience.You can set up this level of customization by using an online booking software program, such as Peek Pro. Peek Pro allows you to create add-ons for different tours and activities which get displayed to people as they move through the check out. You could also create custom packages for guests that may be celebrating a special event, such as a birthday or an anniversary during their visit.

9. Keep an Eye on the Competition

Whether your company specializes in boat tours and excursions or you offer ghost tours, keep tabs on what your competition is offering and their pricing strategy. Staying up-to-date on your competitors can help you stay one step ahead of the game when creating special packages and offerings for the upcoming season. Even if you are in a position where you can't offer exactly what they offer, you can take steps to emphasize the value you provide and focus on creating personalized experiences for all your guests.For example, you could personalize your marketing efforts by sharing testimonials and reviews from recent guests. You could share a few words from the captain or owner in the form of a short video, or put together a gallery of behind-the-scenes footage from one of your tours to share on social media sites. This sets you apart from the competition and can pique the interest of former customers who are planning their next trip.

10. Send a Thank You Card by Mail

Even though it's easy to connect with guests via social media and email in the digital age, stand apart from other businesses with an old-fashioned approach — sending a "thank you" card via snail mail. Saying thank you is a simple way to show your appreciation for the guest and you don't eve have to extend an offer or promote anything at this stage. The Leaky Bathtub points out that handwritten cards have maximum impact. The goal is to show you care and sincerely thank the guest for their visit. It's a personal touch that many travelers will appreciate and most importantly, will remember you for.From offering a referral bonus to connecting with guests on social media, there are several ways to generate more repeat customers for your tours and activities business. Use these tip and strategies to keep your booking calendar full season after season.