We’ll go right to the point: the Quality Counts program our industry is trying to get off the launching pad is important. At a time when other hospitality industries have already gotten the message — airline, cruiseline, hotel/motel industries — ours is in danger of being left behind, our lift-off paralyzed by cautionary signals from our legal counsel.
Our message is simple: We are not so reckless that we would ignore the counsel of those we pay to alert us to minefields, but we are bold enough to caution against paralysis from over-caution.
The Quality Counts program is our industry’s well-conceived, sophisticated, systems approach to giving ski areas a tool for improving the total quality of the skier’s total experience. Think of it as a checkoff list of all the things you and your employees must be aware of that might detract from the pleasure you want your customer to have — the things that you might or might not know about that will bring or not bring that customer back — the things that will result in favorable or unfavorable word-of-mouth. (See May SAM, page 42, and numerous write-ups in USIA communications.)
Quality Counts was the star of the Orlando convention; its presentation even got a spontaneous ovation. USIA — and understand that in this context we mean NSAA — officially endorsed the project and funded its development. An agreement was reached with Sno-engineering, the project originator, to develop the materials and manuals. It remains an NSAA program even now. But there is a danger it will be gutted.
Our learned and savvy counsel, David Cleary, is paid to keep us out of trouble. He does a superb job of it. But there are times when management must listen to counsel, take counsel’s cautions into account, and then use judgment. Sometimes judgment may persuade you that the benefits outweigh the downside risks. Such may be the situation with Quality Counts.
We’ve been there before. Historically, if our industry had blindly heeded all the legal advice given to us, we would a) not be padding our lift towers (remember, “if you pad one yer gotta pad ’em all!”); b) still be using retaining straps instead of brakes on our skis; c) probably have no bullwheel loading or unloading; d) have no rental shop standards. The list could go on.
The trouble with Quality Counts is with the written list of things you should do. They could be translated by plaintiff’s attorneys into standards, and standards are the anvil on which your litigious customers and their lawyers beat you up.
All very true. But ultimately, as we said, there is a judgment call to be made. And remember, the benefits may include a rise in operational standards that would almost certainly result in a highly positive risk management move. Furthermore, if we don’t start fashioning our guest operations to match the expectations of today’s recreational market, we may not have a whole lot of business left to protect.
Quality Counts is clearly a program the membership wants, so the job is to find the ways to make it happen, not to authenticate the reasons for it not happening.
We do not express these opinions in a vacuum. Some of our industry’s soundest, most tried-and-true leaders have urged us to express these opinions. We don’t oppose our learned friend, Counsel Cleary; we just ask our leadership to find ways to accommodate this important program, especially at this time of NSAA’s rebirth. It could be a vehicle for renewing our collective excellence and pride.
And profits. — A SAM editorial
