![]() “We are using some incredible technology, integrating it with the traditional theming, so it’s going to be extraordinary,” he said. Later this year it will re-open as a dark ride, enhanced with technology that involves projection mapping. The Scooby Doo Spooky Coaster is a case in point. Nevertheless, Kirby is still looking at ways to enhance existing attractions. All these things are coming to the park in the next year.” “Guests can plan their day, book their rides and have the photos from the day delivered directly to their phone. Not just to sell tickets, but to enhance the customer experience. We see technology as having a far better digital potential. “We continue to look across our group at different virtual reality concepts and how to integrate them into the experience. “It’s a challenge to find that balance, and to resist going too far down the virtual reality side of things,” he said. ![]() However, Kirby is adamant that technological innovation should serve a purpose, rather than being an end in itself. The Accesso Passport ticketing suite goes live this spring at the majority of Village Roadshow parks. He added: “We have a whole new ticketing system coming in through Accesso, which will allow us to have a much deeper conversation with our customers, to know them a lot better and to respond to and personally tailor the day’s experiences for our customers.” Kirby said that the plan is to roll similar apps out across all parks. Technology is another area where innovations have made a difference. The company has launched a new app for Sea World that helps guests plan their day at the park. It is all about finding what the pain points are, and what is impacting the day’s experience for our customers and reacting to it quickly.” “We are removing charges for the lockers around our rides. “As part of this project, we are removing things like our credit card booking fees,” Kirby said. The feedback from visitors has caused more wide-ranging changes to Village Roadshow’s business practices as well. “This is something that is incredibly impactful for our guests, and for the children seeing and interacting with the characters.” The company has also increased the number of performers in its parks. “We’ve introduced concierge service, so as you walk in, staff and team members are coming up to our guests and talking to them about their day, helping them find areas or plan their day,” he added. This helps create a sense of excitement and theatre, Kirby said. They include ensuring all outlets in parks are open from the first moment a customer enters in the morning. ![]() Some of the changes made due to this feedback have been simple. To get the opinions of guests, Kirby’s team is monitoring online forums and conducting surveys in an effort to understand what will impact the customer experience in the strongest way. The company set up forums to give employees a space where they can air ideas and suggestions. ![]() It is recognition that our customer is central to everything we do, and the customer experience is really the reason we are in existence.” “To take one step back, Project Voice is all about the voice of our customer, and the voice of our employee. ![]() “Part of this Project Voice is putting in place the structures and the forums to allow us to listen to our employees, and listen to their ideas, and hear what they are seeing around the park,” Kirby said. It enables both visitors and staff at the parks to have their voice heard. Project Voice is the key strategy underpinning Kirby’s vision. “What I think that I have brought to the company, with my senior executive team, is an initiative called Project Voice, which is all about listening to our customers and listening to our employees.” That was a great nod to our former management,” Kirby said. “I came into the business with the assets being in a great condition. Its properties include Warner Bros Movie World, Sea World Gold Coast, Paradise County and two Wet ‘n’ Wild locations. Village Roadshow is Australia’s largest theme park operator. Since then, it has been a process of bringing people back into the parks and reminding them what an incredible experience theme parks do offer.” “Four lives were lost, and it really shook the foundations of the whole theme park industry, both in Australia and worldwide. A raft on the Thunder River Rapids ride flipped over after colliding with another raft. At the time the parks were struggling due to an accident at Ardent Leisure owned Dreamworld the previous year. Kirby has been CEO of the theme park division of Village Roadshow since April 2017. Video can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Get all the feels! () Village Roadshow Theme Parks ![]()
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