THE OFFICIAL VOICE OF PRESERVATION
HERITAGE RAILWAY ASSOCIATION CHIEF EXEC STEVE OATES TACKLES STEAM’S BURNING ISSUES
INEEDED A bit of info. The platform porter looked at me. No smile. A dour, disinterested expression. But I’ve been around heritage railways – and plenty of other volunteer and enthusiast-centred organisations – long enough to know that not everyone is a great communicator. Not everyone is a great ‘people person’. Not everyone sees volunteering as anything more than pursuing their hobby – regardless of whether they’re ‘front-of-house’ or out of the public gaze.
So I asked my question and, on receiving the briefest of responses, gave a smile and thanked him and went on my way towards the train hoping that, even though my earlier enthusiasm for the visit ahead was somewhat dented, maybe I’d just caught him at a bad moment.
But it reminded me of a viewpoint I’d heard recently that some in our sector may still cling to the idea that ‘their’ railway simply exists to provide them with a hobby for which the visiting public will pay!
And… does it really matter? After all, visitor numbers are booming and the post-Covid staycation is certainly helping many heritage railways enjoy record figures with lots of visitors pouring in day after day through the peak summer months.
Well, yes, it does matter, especially when realising this was not an isolated incident.
And what about the hundreds of other visitors to the railway on that day? Did they feel welcome, or did they feel like they were a bit of an inconvenience?
And what about that very point that heritage rail is (thankfully!) doing pretty well at the moment. Why risk spoiling someone’s day? Why risk encouraging a potentially shortened visit and reduced spend? Why risk a negative review?
Like it or not, if we’re open to the public we’re in the leisure and entertainment business. For a heritage and cultural attraction, that doesn’t mean glitz and showbiz. It simply means a friendly welcome, courtesy and ensuring visitors – our customers – feel valued.
And sometimes all it takes is a simple smile.
Smiling is one of those very small actions with disproportionate effects. It helps build rapport and trust with strangers. It immediately breaks down barriers with people with whom you may be interacting with for the first time. It is something we can all use to affect others positively. And, importantly, smiling sets the tone for the day.
In his book How to Win Friends and
Influence People, the American author Dale Carnegie devoted an entire chapter to smiling, and he penned that famous line ‘A smile costs nothing’.
In fact, it’s derived from a poem The Value of a Smile…
“It costs nothing, but creates much. It enriches those who receive, without impoverishing those who give. It happens in a flash and the memory of it sometimes lasts forever.” Perhaps this verse from Spike Milligan will help set the tone …
Smiling is infectious,
You catch it like the flu,
When someone smiled at me today, I started smiling too.
I passed around the corner and someone saw my grin. When he smiled, I realised, I’d passed it on to him.
I thought about my smile and then I realized its worth.
A single smile like mine could travel right around the earth.
If you feel a smile begin don’t leave it undetected. Let’s start an epidemic quick and get the world infected.
Ironic, given the global situation, but you understand the sentiment!
LIKE IT OR NOT, IF WE’RE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC WE’RE IN THE LEISURE BUSINESS