StaffCentral
Managing Customer Interactions Simply put, some situations at camp — with parents and campers — require a camp director’s perspective and authority
By Marc Hoberman
into pressures that will necessitate spe- cial deals for certain people and not others.
4. STICK TO YOUR PRINCIPLES: You have put certain camp policies in place for a reason. Either for safety rea- sons or logistical reasons, you have decided on certain rules and regulations. Do not compromise your beliefs when dealing with parents or campers.
A Bryan Ezako
lthough most of the dealings with campers are handled by the coun- sellors or their designated group
leaders, camp administrators are also needed to deal with certain campers directly. Additionally, parents often wish to speak to the directors because they feel they want the extra attention from the “head people in charge.” It is important for directors/adminis-
trators to deal with parents and campers in an effective manner. Below are some strategies that you can utilize to make sure that you are successful in your com- munications with both parents and campers.
1. STICK TO YOUR PHILOSOPHY: The message you are sending to your staff must be the same message that you give to parents and campers. It is a mistake to change the message just to satisfy a diffi- cult child or parent.
2. BACK UP YOUR STAFF: All people make mistakes and your camp staff is no exception. It is imperative, however, that you back up your staff and explain the reason for the actions they take. Even when you realize a staff member made a mistake, promise to investigate the situa- tion and then report back to the parent. You can always speak to your staff mem- ber and change unwanted behaviours, but try to avoid “throwing them under the bus” when you speak about them to parents and campers.
3. DON’T MAKE PROMISES YOU CAN’T KEEP: Often times, we want to offer whatever we can to make the pay- ing customer happy. This sometimes manifests itself by saying yes to things we really can’t or shouldn’t offer. Your job is to keep children safe and offer them an environment where they can grow emo- tionally, as well as physically. Don’t give
5. EXPLAIN YOURSELF: When talk- ing to either parents or campers, it is more than acceptable to explain why cer- tain actions must be taken. In fact, it would be considered rude to say, “Those are the rules and that is it!” People have a right to know and learn why things are done a certain way at your camp.
6. SUGGESTIONS FOR CAMPER MANAGEMENT: Never meet with a camper alone. Even if you are to do most of the talking, make sure another staff member is present. Sit down at the camper’s eye level and don’t sit behind a desk. If you are standing up or behind a desk, it is sometimes intimidating to a child. Make sure your vocabulary is not too advanced for the camper to under- stand what you are saying. Most impor- tantly, do not ask if the camper under- stands. A simple yes from the camper proves nothing. Ask the camper to repeat what you talked about and ask if the camper has any further questions.
It is imperative that campers and par-
ents feel that they can communicate safe- ly and effectively with the administrators of the camp. As long as you are consis- tent in dealing with parents and campers alike, you can help all those with issues and maintain your camp philosophy at the same time.
CC
Marc Hoberman is the owner and direc- tor of Grade Success (
www.grade-suc-
cessinc.com), a premier camp training service provider that has been facilitating workshops, seminars and courses since 1985. Its services include local and long- distance camp consulting on the phone, in person and in webinar. Marc can be reached at
info@gradesuccessinc.com.
6 Canada Camps Spring 2010
Photo: CampWenonah
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