New horizons for Sprague and Ritzville seen at workshop

Change as fresh as spring air was on the minds of attendees at the Horizons Workshop for Sprague and Ritzville, held Wednesday, March 19, at the Sprague Community Center.

Led by marketing consultant Sue Price of Medford, Ore., the workshop centered around the question, “What does success look like in Ritzville and Sprague?” The discussion engaged the audience in ways to enhance customer service experiences at local businesses and to promote repeat tourism.

Sue Price presenting the Horizons workshop. (staff photo)

“Ritzville and Sprague need to learn how to attract people,” Price said.

There are so many events happening in the West Plains, but many people – especially in the tour and convention promotion business – don’t know the whats, wheres and whens. “Every place in town should have city brochures,” Price said.

“In Ritzville, they have a brochure that says, ‘Small Town – Big Fun.’ What is the ‘big fun’ in your area?” she asked. Sprague Days and the Ritzville Blues Festival both get some publicity, but there are other events that aren’t being promoted as much. The upcoming Centennial Celebration in Lamont, tentatively scheduled for July 12, and the Save Our Shire Open-Air Arts and Music Festival in Lancaster (near St. John), May 8-12, are examples of events that need to gain more visibility.

Price also recommended each town print up their own postcards with the “Must Sees” for their area.

Some local businesspeople brought up the issue that Sprague has had difficulties getting cooperation from the community. “This is the same issue that’s been here the 37 years I’ve been here. They will never work together,” one attendee said.

The message from the expert presenter was clear: small towns must learn to get their businesses to work together or face extinction. “Change happens even if you do nothing. The change is, the town dies. Bringing tourists into town and treating them well will bring more money to the town and create repeat business, and all towns could use that. Every town has boarded up storefronts. If every one of those buildings was occupied, all businesses would benefit.”

Price expounded on the meaning and necessity of superior customer relations skills, bringing to the customer not just a satisfactory experience, but one that makes the visitor think, “Wow! This is a great business. I’ll tell my friends to visit when they’re in town.” She also pointed out, “It takes the same amount of time to give great service as it does to give lousy service.” The rewards prove the effort is worth it.

Statistics show that when we receive lousy service, we tell up to 20 people. If the service is really poor, 91% of customers will not go back. When we receive good service, we may tell 9-12 people on average, if we are asked. When we receive superlative customer service, we tell the same amount as if we had bad service: 20 people.

Attendees at the Horizons workshop. (staff photo)

Attendees from Ritzville pointed to Coast Hardware as an example of a business that goes the extra distance. They offer car window service to their elderly customers, bringing items on their list out to the parking area to choose from and buy without going in the store. Price pointed out her experience with the Ritzville Chamber of Commerce, receiving excellent instructions on where to dine, even while the chamber was closed for a meeting. An attendee from Sprague mentioned how she had seen the clerk at Kathy’s Family Foods help a patron who was using a cane get her groceries to her car.

Price also emphasized the importance of creating a unique identity and pointed to her motel stays for illustration. “The Best Western in Ritzville is nice, but I really felt at home at the Purple Sage [in Sprague] last night,” she said. She was offered a free DVD to watch and a box of popcorn, among other nice touches.

Domino Effect - Pay It Forward. (staff photo)

People are becoming more attracted to rural communities and taking the back roads, but they demand the higher quality service they have come to expect in the very competitive metro areas. By engaging those customers more effectively, and by communicating event and recreational opportunity information to convention bureau staff, chambers of commerce, tour operators and the public through better promotional materials, our local communities can look forward to a brighter and more prosperous future.

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