If a museum is trying to improve visitor satisfaction, grow and diversify their audience, or engage with their community, they must focus on the experience visitors have inside the museum. Unfortunately, some people don't visit museums because they have had a previous negative experience, or they simply don't feel museums are for people like them. Not only do we need to win back those who we haven't welcomed properly in the past, we need to be sure we don't turn off any more potential visitors.
Once you've decided to prioritize the visitor experience, you may discover that you don't have the tools you need to truly implement change for your visitors. An Executive Director may support the concept but doesn't have the time or specific expertise to implement a new program. A Visitor Services Manager may have been promoted from the front line and has great customer service and coaching skills but doesn't have experience crafting institutional change.
Creating Great Visitor Experiences: A Guide for Museum Professionals can help these museum professionals design a program that is specific to their institution. Its Table of Contents shows how the book offers a step-by-step guide to doing just that:
Chapter 1: Focus on the Visitor Experience
Chapter 2: Understanding Museum Visitors and the Impact of the Visitor Experience
Chapter 3: Learning About Your Visitors
Chapter 4: Visitor Mapping: Charting Visitor Routes Through Your Institution
Chapter 5: Start with the Basics: Making the Museum Itself Welcoming
Chapter 6: Articulating What Service Means to You
Chapter 7: Determining the Structure of Your Front-Line Team
Chapter 8: Merging Security and Service
Chapter 9: Hiring Your Dream Team
Chapter 10: Training to Develop a Dynamic Service Team
Chapter 11: Building Strong Morale and a Professional Front-Line Team
Chapter 12: Developing a Culture of Service Throughout the Museum
Use this authoritative, practical guide from the American Alliance of Museums to help your museum create great visitor experiences.