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June 25, 2009
Ocracoke Island Business:
Care and attention keeps visitors coming back
By B.J. OELSCHLEGEL
The unfolding of so many economic failures in our country this past
fall and winter produced a lot of fear in the general population.
Locally, the concern was for how our summer season would play out.
Would a vacation on Ocracoke be considered in the budget of our
clientele? If the vacation was taken, would there be
discretionary spending?
The chatter in my circle was that this was a year to redefine our businesses and pay closer attention to the expenses.
There was an extension of that conversation which is the focus of this
article. One of my friends made me think more about the type of
commerce on which Ocracoke relies. We are service industries. Our
livelihood is dependent not only on the service that we provide but the
delivery of that service.
Once we find a niche with our business, it is the care and attention we
pay to our customers that keeps them coming back. Our economic system
on the island can be compared to a grand party occasion. You invite
people to attend, provide refreshments, choose the music, and clean the
house. Your intention is to make sure that your guests feel welcome and
have a good time. Imagine how unsuccessful a party would be if the host
is on the couch watching TV as the guests arrive and simply points to
the kitchen to indicate the direction of the food and drink. Folks
would have no reason to return.
This concept of service is important not only with our individual
businesses but also when we attempt to work with our county and the
state ferry division. We need to be clear with the “powers that
be” that such things as easy access to the island, parking in the
village, disposal of trash and bathroom facilities are integral to our
hospitality efforts. The village can’t throw a good party if
there are too many antagonistic issues. (That sounds like another
article in itself.)
In this troubled economy, we especially need to capitalize on the
strengths that this island has to offer. I have spoken many times about
the resources that I believe we have at our disposal. Our most
beneficial characteristics would be our history, fishing, pristine
beaches, prolific wildlife, an abundance of the arts, and a
self-contained, highly motivated and intelligent community. These
attributes create our greatest asset -- the passion that our guests
feel about coming to the island.
This love for Ocracoke is being served to us on a silver platter. We
need to see it as a resource and treasure it. If visitors want to come
to our party, we should be honored. We should never lose sight of this
asset. It continues to feed our economy. In every opportunity for
business but especially in these questionable economic times, we should
be fostering our hospitality skills. We should be doing everything in
our power to be of service to our guests. We should be working to
guarantee that our employees present the same attitude.
I hear myself telling employees that they are my face to the public and
their behavior reflects on my business. Ultimately, it is their
livelihood, as well, that is at stake. My thinking is that it takes as
much energy to show some generosity as it does to be a grump. Keep in
mind the times when you were a traveler and someone took the time to
show you the way or suggested a site that you should not miss. The
kindness of a stranger can melt the icy feeling of being in a new
place. That small gesture can make a trip into a memorable event.
I know that it is difficult to keep the game face on day after day. It
is taxing. Having to make a year’s living within a six-month
period, is always a strain. As I move through this “place of
not-knowing” about the economy, I try to see the interest in the
island and this love for Ocracoke as a gift rather than a burden. This
passion for the island is a gift that can keep on giving. We are lucky
to be living and working in a place that people want to visit as
opposed to towns that are losing their community to a lack of economic
integrity.
A little kindness can go a long way, not only for this season but in a lasting memory of the island.
(B.J.
Oelschlegel has lived on Ocracoke Island for 30 years and has worked in
the real estate business for 26 years. She is a broker with
Ocracoke’s Lightship Realty and a real estate columnist for The
Ocracoke Observer. You can reach her by e-mail at
bj@ocracokelightshiprealty.com)
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