Agritourism is growing throughout the United States. Many farmers are incorporating agritourism into their operations to increase revenue, expand their product offerings and services, and educate consumers about agriculture and food production. According to the 2017 census, a total of 130,056 U.S. agricultural producers (6.4%) sold $2.8 billion of edible agricultural goods directly to consumers. Additionally, $949 million was earned by 28,575 U.S. agricultural producers for “agritourism and recreational services.” Combined, U.S. agricultural producers earned $3.8 billion. As agritourism continues to evolve, attracting repeat customers is not just good for business; it is critical for long-term success. Fostering customer loyalty allows for the steady growth of an operation. One of the most important factors in developing customer loyalty is a commitment to quality customer service (Jahmani et al., 2020; Chai et al., 2009). This fact sheet shares information on the best practices in developing a customer-service plan for agritourism operations.
Outstanding customer service is an important factor in sustaining the success of agritourism operations. Keeping up with the ever-changing culture of customer service is not easy. Studies show that successful operations are the ones that plan, execute, and consistently meet or exceed customers’ expectations (Almossawi, 2012). Research has found that small operations can gain a competitive advantage and differentiate themselves from larger, more established companies by offering unique customer services (Haynes et al., 2007).
A successful customer-service plan includes your products, location, physical facilities, and reliable operations. Customers expect high-quality products, a desirable location, and physical facilities that wow, as well as a consistent experience with every visit. (Pham, et al., 2021). Every interaction with a customer is an opportunity to make a lasting impression, either good or bad, that shapes the future of your agritourism operation. In this age of social media moments and viral tweets, every positive or negative customer experience is a story waiting to be shared. Every interaction with a customer helps define your brand and resonates well beyond the immediate transaction. In an era where social media amplifies every customer’s experience, whether a rave review or a concern, it resonates on a heightened scale, influencing the decisions of prospective clientele (Dimensional Research, 2013).
Breaking down the process of creating an outstanding customer-service plan for your agritourism business includes four discernible steps:
- Prepare
Understand customer expectations and perceptions of your brand. Align your products, mission, and vision with the experience you want to deliver. Develop a proactive customer service plan that considers every touchpoint and why you do what you do (Sinek, 2009), ensuring consistency across all customer interactions. - Respond
Empower all employees to deliver exceptional service at every touchpoint. Provide training, foster a culture of ownership, and reward behaviors that enhance the customer experience. Every employee should understand their role in shaping the brand. - Recover
Mistakes are inevitable, but how you respond defines your brand long term. Plan for potential customer service failures. Establish clear protocols for handling service failures, communicate openly, and prioritize preserving long-term relationships. Recovery is not just about fixing a problem; it is about reinforcing trust. - Improve
Use real-world experiences and customer feedback to improve your customer service strategy. Update your training with actual scenarios, monitor trends, and anticipate future challenges. Continuous improvement helps your brand remain relevant.
The customer-service plan should be dynamic and adaptable to help agritourism businesses safeguard and adapt to changing customer expectations and interactions.
Prepare
Developing a customer-service plan is a critical step in ensuring a successful and sustainable agritourism operation. A comprehensive plan begins with identifying and documenting all customer touchpoints—any moment a customer interacts with the business. These touchpoints go far beyond the point of sale; they are opportunities to create lasting impressions that influence customer satisfaction and loyalty. Key touchpoints include the business’s web presence, telephone interactions, entrance experience, product offerings and pricing, signage, staff appearance and behavior, physical facilities, and the overall ambiance of the location. Each of these elements should be carefully designed and consistently maintained to reflect the quality and values of the business. Attention to detail at every stage of the customer journey is essential to delivering a memorable and positive experience.
Equally important is a deep understanding of the business’s products, mission, and core values. This foundational knowledge should inform the design of the customer experience, and the messaging delivered at each touchpoint. A consistent and authentic message that aligns with the business’s identity helps reinforce its purpose and build trust with visitors. Once the desired experience and messaging are clearly defined, the business can implement its plan by developing engaging farm experiences, setting clear behavioral expectations for staff, and aligning hiring and training practices with the intended customer experience. This values-based approach ensures that every interaction supports a consistent brand image and promotes an authentic, positive connection with customers.
Respond
Hiring the right employees is fundamental to delivering high-quality customer service in agritourism. The hiring interview process plays a critical role in identifying candidates who not only possess the necessary technical and interpersonal skills but also align with the business’s customer-service culture. Customer satisfaction in agritourism depends heavily on employee interactions, making it essential to select individuals who can build strong relationships with guests and effectively represent the brand. A well-structured interview process allows businesses to assess a candidate’s compatibility with their values and service expectations, while also allowing candidates to evaluate their fit within the organization.
Research from The Ohio State University identified staffing as a significant challenge for agritourism operations, with many businesses struggling to recruit and retain enough qualified workers. One effective strategy to address this issue is offering competitive wages and performance-based bonuses, which can help attract and retain top talent. Given the direct impact employees have on the customer experience, investing in a high-quality hiring process is not only beneficial but essential.
Equally important is employee training. Studies show that only a small percentage of dissatisfied customers voice their concerns directly to businesses, making proactive customer-service training vital (Goodman, 2019). Furthermore, 96% of customers are willing to switch brands based on customer-service experiences, underscoring the importance of well-trained staff (Hyken, 2020). Training should be aligned with the business’s core values and designed to empower employees to handle customer interactions confidently and effectively (Wu & Gao, 2019). Consistent coaching and development not only enhance employee performance but also foster a sense of commitment and professionalism. A well-trained, values-driven workforce is a cornerstone of success in the agritourism industry.
Recover
Even with an ideal team that is well-trained, mistakes happen. Agritourism businesses need to have a plan in place for addressing customer-service failures. Fixing issues quickly to the satisfaction of both the business and the customer is vital.
Effectively handling customer-service issues can significantly improve customer loyalty and satisfaction, ultimately ensuring a long-term relationship. This relationship makes it easier for customers to forgive occasional mistakes (Hess et al., 2003). Training and empowering employees to address issues directly and resolve them swiftly is crucial for maintaining high levels of loyalty and satisfaction. Providing employees with the freedom to act and solve problems is vital to addressing issues effectively. For example, a child who is too short to ride the slide or zipline can lead to disappointment. Train your employees to empathize with the family and offer an activity tailored to the child’s age, maybe even a voucher to make the child feel appreciated. Clearly explain the safety policy while maintaining the experience's special feel.
If an employee cannot meet a customer’s request, good training helps the employee explain why clearly and honestly. Open communication usually leaves customers more satisfied than just saying no. While many issues can be resolved by frontline staff, it is essential to have a plan in place for escalating problems that cannot be addressed immediately. However, it is better to let employees handle complaints directly, as involving managers can slow down the process and frustrate customers. Empowering frontline staff to resolve issues quickly is crucial to addressing customer-service concerns in an agritourism business.
Improve
An agritourism customer-service plan should be used to train employees, guide decision-making, and be regularly updated with actual customer experiences. When issues arise, they should serve as opportunities to improve the plan and be used for future employee training. Using real-life examples when training employees equips them with the skills needed to better handle similar issues in the future. Thinking through actual customer-service challenges enhances the plan and provides management and employees with valuable insights on how to respond effectively. Thinking through real challenges helps the plan stay useful and relevant and helps everyone learn how to handle similar situations better.
Examples
Prepare
Scenario: Families with young children may not be aware of height restrictions for certain attractions.
Strategy: In preparation for this issue, clearly post height requirements online and at the entrance to each attraction. Support your employees' guest interactions by strategically offering alternative, age-appropriate activities nearby so families can easily find a new activity. Train staff to empathize with families while kindly explaining restrictions and offering suggestions to reinforce a positive experience.
Respond
Scenario: A guest asks a staff member where to find shaded seating or water on a hot day.
Strategy: Ensure all employees are familiar with the layout and amenities of your agritourism location. Provide quick-reference maps so staff can guide guests accurately and warmly. Encourage staff to go the extra mile by offering to walk guests to their location, provided it is not a safety concern.
Recover
Scenario: A customer posts a negative review online about unclear directions to the farm and outdated event information.
Strategy: Respond promptly and professionally to the review, thanking them for the feedback. Review and update the website and social media with clearer directions and update event details if needed. You may offer a small incentive for a future visit to show appreciation and rebuild trust.
Improve
Scenario: Guests frequently comment on long lines at activities during peak hours.
Strategy: Analyze visitor flow and peak times. Analyze the throughput of activities and adjust them for better traffic flow if possible. Place entertainment options or farm-themed photo ops near the line. Use data to refine planning for the strategic deployment of future activities and events and train staff to guide guests to less crowded areas.
Summary
Agritourism operations that use a systematic approach to examine, adjust, and evaluate business procedures to address changing customer expectations are better positioned to provide outstanding customer service. A systematic approach to customer service is essential for fostering customer loyalty and maintaining competitiveness. Returning customers spend more over time than new customers. This highlights the importance of focusing on customer retention strategies to increase revenue (Reichheld, 1990). Using business values as the foundation for agritourism helps customer service grow naturally with the business.
Excellent service in agritourism is the product of a proven customer-service system:
- Prepare
- Respond
- Recover
- Improve
This system teaches employees how to handle issues, recover from mistakes, and maintain good customer relationships. It also allows employees to learn and improve based on their experiences. The goal is to deliver outstanding customer service, which is crucial for building and maintaining customer relationships and ensuring long-term success. This approach makes customer service a core business strategy, resulting in positive customer relationships and overall business success.
References
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