Anticipation, or Managing Expectations

Avid readers of this blog may remember that I am going on a writer's workshop cruise at the end of September. Said cruise has shore excursions, and the cruise line has been busily sending out emails saying "book your excursions now." At the same time, the writers workshop has been saying we will have the option to go on excursions as part of the group, but until recently we've not had the opportunity to sign up for those. This has caused some frustration with the group.

I think the problem is one of managing expectations and communicating. The writers workshop is working with a travel agent who specializes in these group outings. I think she's not communicated clearly to the people putting out the writing workshop of when things should happen. We are, after all, two months out from a cruise during the off-season, so it shouldn't fill up too fast.

This apparent lack of communication is being hampered by the fact that the people putting on the workshop have day jobs (writing, duh!) and in at least one case just got off a book tour. Meanwhile, most of the attendees are sitting at home wondering what's going on - and getting emails from the cruise line to "book now!"

Managing expectations is an important part of business. Things don't happen automatically, and what may appear to the customer a simple process may have lots of hidden steps in the back room. (I just got done explaining to a user that their "simple" email problem involved wiring, switches and servers.) In the case of the cruise, shore excursions involve picking the ones that the writers want / can incorporate into the trip as well as leaving some in-port time for various writerly activities.

Or shorter - tell your customers up front when things will or can happen.