Camp Host Humor: Funny Sayings to Keep Grump Customers Happy
11-16-2017
Author: in Henley's Happy Trails
A good friend of ours, who happens to have many decades in the entertainment business, once told us that the key to comedy involves the elements of surprise and timing. He also said to incorporate comedy on a regular basis, as much as possible. Life is too complex and fleeting to miss a good laugh.
One of our most prevalent workamping gigs is at campgrounds or RV parks. As seasonal camp hosts, we are interacting with visitors from all over the country and beyond on a daily basis. Many customers are excited to reach their destination and settle down for some relaxation time. Others are a bit on the sour side from long hours behind the wheel or cooped up with a nagging spouse or rambunctious kids. They aren’t happy and not in the mood for check-in procedures.
We do our best to make the check-in process as quick and seamless as possible, but sometimes that isn’t possible in certain circumstances. If a traveler did not make a reservation prior to arrival or is planning on staying for an extended amount of time, inputting customer data, completing paperwork, and reviewing park information may take some time, time that the customer does not wish to spend.
To lighten the mood, we throw in a couple of jokes with our check-in spiel. About 90% of the time, customers spark a smile and a little chuckle and leave to their site a lot less peeved. For the most part, these sayings were conjured up on the spot. A few were borrowed from fellow co-workers:
“After the paperwork, we’ll be taking blood samples.”
Some RV parks require guests, especially those staying long term, to provide certain pieces of information for their account. Part of my check-in duties have been to make copies of driver’s licenses and insurance cards of occupants, retrieve plate numbers, and collect signatures on campground paperwork like agreements to rules and regulations. This exchange can become quite cumbersome and cause a weary traveler to become more irritable.
I make sure to throw in the blood samples line at the tail end of the paperwork. I usually get a split-second look of confusion and then a chuckle. One customer chimed in with, “When do I get X-rayed?”
Would you like your receipts stapled together? That will be a quarter.
Campground fees vary immensely and to some RVers, the price is just too steep for what’s provided. Nevertheless, they decide to stay at the park and grumble and mumble the whole way through check-in and transactions. Sometimes two receipts are printed if a credit card payment is made.
Before handing them over to the customer, I’ll ask if they want both receipts stapled. I usually get a “yes” and then follow it up with a charge. Customers usually smile or play along and gasp, “a quarter?!” I reply, “Inflation. It was a nickel last month.”
Make sure to familiarize yourself with the park rules and regulations. We’ll have a quiz tomorrow morning at 8:00. Bring a number 2 pencil.
Every park has their own set of rules. These stipulations are handed out with park maps upon check-in for a reason, to keep all occupants safe! After quickly noting the most important rules, I’ll throw the quiz and number 2 pencil line.
One couple responded, “Oh darn! We’ll be out of here before then.” Another said, “What happens if I don’t pass it?”
Mind the speed limit. No donuts in the park, please.
From our experience, speed limits are one of the most ignored property rules. Customers will speed in and out of the park with no notice to kids playing about or folks walking their pets. This is one rule that I always mention first and make sure to emphasize with an exaggerated statement like refraining from erratic driving.
Customer: How far away are the bathroom and laundry facilities? Host: I don’t know your speed or stride but…
Once in awhile I will receive a call from a potential customer wanting to know minute details about the property like where certain facilities are located in relation to sites. They may want to reserve a spot that is close to the restrooms and far from the dog walk or near the clubhouse but not too close to avoid pedestrian congestion.
They’ll want to know how long it will take to walk from their rig to a particular facility. My response warrants a chuckle as I can’t speak for their speed and stride but as for mine, it doesn’t take more than x-amount of seconds/minutes however if they run, the time is much shorter.
Bonus from Levi: Follow me, I’ll be in the golf cart. When you hear the crunch, that’s me.
As part of a courtesy to customers, some RV parks will have an employee escort RVers to their site via golf cart. Since Levi is typically hired on as outside crew, this responsibility is assigned to him. While most customers appreciate this service, there are some that find the assistance overkill and feel like they are perfectly capable of finding their site and parking alone. Levi attempts to cut the tension with this light-hearted remark.
One of our most prevalent workamping gigs is at campgrounds or RV parks. As seasonal camp hosts, we are interacting with visitors from all over the country and beyond on a daily basis. Many customers are excited to reach their destination and settle down for some relaxation time. Others are a bit on the sour side from long hours behind the wheel or cooped up with a nagging spouse or rambunctious kids. They aren’t happy and not in the mood for check-in procedures.
We do our best to make the check-in process as quick and seamless as possible, but sometimes that isn’t possible in certain circumstances. If a traveler did not make a reservation prior to arrival or is planning on staying for an extended amount of time, inputting customer data, completing paperwork, and reviewing park information may take some time, time that the customer does not wish to spend.
To lighten the mood, we throw in a couple of jokes with our check-in spiel. About 90% of the time, customers spark a smile and a little chuckle and leave to their site a lot less peeved. For the most part, these sayings were conjured up on the spot. A few were borrowed from fellow co-workers:
“After the paperwork, we’ll be taking blood samples.”
Some RV parks require guests, especially those staying long term, to provide certain pieces of information for their account. Part of my check-in duties have been to make copies of driver’s licenses and insurance cards of occupants, retrieve plate numbers, and collect signatures on campground paperwork like agreements to rules and regulations. This exchange can become quite cumbersome and cause a weary traveler to become more irritable.
I make sure to throw in the blood samples line at the tail end of the paperwork. I usually get a split-second look of confusion and then a chuckle. One customer chimed in with, “When do I get X-rayed?”
Would you like your receipts stapled together? That will be a quarter.
Campground fees vary immensely and to some RVers, the price is just too steep for what’s provided. Nevertheless, they decide to stay at the park and grumble and mumble the whole way through check-in and transactions. Sometimes two receipts are printed if a credit card payment is made.
Before handing them over to the customer, I’ll ask if they want both receipts stapled. I usually get a “yes” and then follow it up with a charge. Customers usually smile or play along and gasp, “a quarter?!” I reply, “Inflation. It was a nickel last month.”
Make sure to familiarize yourself with the park rules and regulations. We’ll have a quiz tomorrow morning at 8:00. Bring a number 2 pencil.
Every park has their own set of rules. These stipulations are handed out with park maps upon check-in for a reason, to keep all occupants safe! After quickly noting the most important rules, I’ll throw the quiz and number 2 pencil line.
One couple responded, “Oh darn! We’ll be out of here before then.” Another said, “What happens if I don’t pass it?”
Mind the speed limit. No donuts in the park, please.
From our experience, speed limits are one of the most ignored property rules. Customers will speed in and out of the park with no notice to kids playing about or folks walking their pets. This is one rule that I always mention first and make sure to emphasize with an exaggerated statement like refraining from erratic driving.
Customer: How far away are the bathroom and laundry facilities? Host: I don’t know your speed or stride but…
Once in awhile I will receive a call from a potential customer wanting to know minute details about the property like where certain facilities are located in relation to sites. They may want to reserve a spot that is close to the restrooms and far from the dog walk or near the clubhouse but not too close to avoid pedestrian congestion.
They’ll want to know how long it will take to walk from their rig to a particular facility. My response warrants a chuckle as I can’t speak for their speed and stride but as for mine, it doesn’t take more than x-amount of seconds/minutes however if they run, the time is much shorter.
Bonus from Levi: Follow me, I’ll be in the golf cart. When you hear the crunch, that’s me.
As part of a courtesy to customers, some RV parks will have an employee escort RVers to their site via golf cart. Since Levi is typically hired on as outside crew, this responsibility is assigned to him. While most customers appreciate this service, there are some that find the assistance overkill and feel like they are perfectly capable of finding their site and parking alone. Levi attempts to cut the tension with this light-hearted remark.
Comment
No comments found! Be the first one to write a comment!
Author: Levi and Natalie Henley
