Hartford Business Journal

24 Hartford Business Journal • May 4, 2020 • www.HartfordBusiness.com OPINION & COMMENTARY OTHER VOICES Tourism industry builds customer loyalty even while closed By Randy Fiveash T hroughout this COVID-19 pandemic, many industries have stepped up to support their communities. Tourism businesses — particu- larly hard hit by the quarantine — have also responded in ways that offer inspiration for suspended businesses still eager to remain connected to their patrons. Some resi- dents may not realize how much tourism, our 8th largest employment sector, contrib- utes to Connecticut's economy. Our many hotels, B&Bs, restaurants, bars, wineries, breweries, arts and culture organizations, theaters, museums, ca- sinos, parks and attractions of all sizes support a total of 123,500 jobs. The latest economic impact study showed that the tourism industry drove $15.5 billion in business sales. Those sales generated $2.2 billion in tax revenues, including $960 million in state and local taxes — which in turn support many other services in our communities. Unfortunately, the pandemic has now forced those same tour- ism businesses to shut their doors. That's triggered furloughs, layoffs, even permanent closures. Despite their own challenges, tourism busi- nesses are still finding ways to serve their communities. Here's how. Start with the right question Even as tourism businesses were closing their physical doors in mid- March, they began asking "how can I be of service now?" It's not surprising that tourism busi- nesses would prioritize the needs of their customers. That's just part of the tourism and hospitality industry's DNA. But what's truly impressive is their ingenuity in finding new ways to be of service. Innovate new ways to serve The key to developing new offerings is to reconsider what you do best — and rethink how you can do it differently. Following Gov. Ned Lamont's ex- ecutive order, some lodging proper- ties pivoted to offering housing to healthcare workers, first responders, essential workers and the homeless. Restaurants across the state revamped their operations to offer takeout and delivery services. Oth- ers are giving free meals to front- line workers. Some have created family friendly meal kits, or are now offering groceries and supplies. As detailed on the state's tourism website, www.CTvisit.com, attrac- tions have also posted many learn- ing resources and virtual experi- ences for families at home. We can now watch live animal webcams from the zoo and aquariums. We can take in virtual tours of many museums. Our children can watch fun and educational videos from an array of attractions. And we can re- live streaming musical and theater performances from our state's arts and culture organizations. Some businesses, like a few of our distilleries, have even put regular production on hold to make much- needed products like hand sanitizer. Adapt now for what's next When it's deemed safe, tourism businesses that have been able to weather this crisis will reopen their doors to a new normal. They've already begun preparing for their visitors' return — imple- menting enhanced safety protocols, adapting venues, spacing out exhib- its and rethinking events. And our residents are already looking forward to returning. In an April poll of Connecticut residents, nearly 65% of respondents said they were looking forward to traveling within the state as soon as possible, or within a few weeks of the stay-home order being lifted. National research indicates that most Americans will want to travel, but opt to stay closer to home. That could serve Connecticut's economy well, particularly considering that we're within 500 miles of 30% of the entire U.S. population. As we emerge from our homes, the tourism industry will play a major role in the recovery of our state. Not only will the industry put people back to work quickly, it will refresh our spir- its, reconnect our communities and reignite our state pride. Yes, our tour- ism businesses will need our support more than ever. But we'll also need them more than ever as well. Randy Fiveash is the director of the Connecticut Office of Tourism. Randy Fiveash BIZ BOOKS Three secrets to building strong leaders By Jim Pawlak "Cracking the Lead- ership Code: Three Secrets to Building Strong Leaders" By Alain Hunkins (WILEY, $27). "Leadership isn't about what goes on in the mind of a leader; it's about what goes on in the minds of the people he/she wants to lead." The point: Au- thority makes you the boss, but that doesn't make you a leader. Influence does. How do you influence others? Hunkins's three secrets of creating influence are: Connection, communica- tion and collaboration. He learned them the hard way: 1. Connection — Hunkins was hoping to become the executive director of a nonprofit. The staff elected the leader. He had been with the organization several years and assumed he'd be a shoo-in because Gary, his opponent, had been onboard less than a year. Hunkins lost 38-6. Over lunch with Gary, he found that the reason he lost was directly related to lack of connection with those with whom he worked. Gary explained that he met with people and asked about what they liked about the organization, what they'd change and their hope for the organization's future. He shared his vision with the staff, invited input and indicated he wanted them to be part of his team. The basis for mutual trust and credibility was estab- lished from the get-go. 2. Communication — Gary found out what mattered to others by asking open-ended questions. "Only after Gary made others feel under- stood did he seek to share his point of view." He used their comments to focus his response, which cre- ated commonality. This "similarity attraction effect" created shared understanding — "the foundation for all future action." 3. Collaboration — Gary didn't ask for their votes; he asked for their help. He "recognized that real motivation comes from commitment, not compli- ance." Engagement follows naturally when people see themselves as part of the bigger picture. Gary helped the staff see the opportunity to become an integral part of building the organiza- tion, and their roles. The bottom line: You can become the leader they need. Jim Pawlak

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