Actual Scripts to Use When You Follow Up With Facility Visitors

When we think about creating a good experience for office visitors, our first instinct is to focus on what happens when visitors are actually inside the building.

It’s true that the bulk of visitor management does happen in the office. However, just a little extra effort before and after office visits can go a long way.

As we mentioned in our post on how to prepare for a VIP visitor, if visits are expected ahead of time, you can make visitors feel more comfortable by doing things like sending a welcome email with directions and itineraries.

But what you do after they visit might be even more important.

Following up after an office visit does a few important things: It shows visitors that you care, and it gives you a valuable chance to gather important feedback about your facility and your operations.

Here are a few actual scripts you can use to follow up with office visitors, depending on what kind of visit they had.

If the Visitor was Upset

If the visitor to the facility made a complaint while they were on site or seemed upset when they left, a prompt follow up is essential.

In these cases, a phone call can be nice, but a written follow up is also a great option.

Following up promptly can prevent the visitor from spreading the word to their friends and online followers about the bad experience they had, which can be very damaging to your brand.

Here’s a script to use.

Dear [insert guest’s first name],

I just wanted to follow up and apologize again for your experience at our facility today.

I know how [description of their experience: unpleasant, inconvenient, etc.] it can be when [insert problem], and we understand that it must have been really [insert emotion: frustrating, upsetting, confusing etc.] for you. We would certainly have felt the same way in your position.

We are [insert plan of action: updating our employee manual, reporting this incident to senior management, refunding your purchase, etc.] so that we can [insert intention: make things right, ensure that this doesn’t happen in the future, etc].

At [insert Company/Organization Name], we really do strive to [insert values statement], and we want to prove that to you.

Please reach out to me personally if you have any other problems while you’re on site and I will [insert action: prioritize them right away, take care of the issue personally, etc.].

Sincerely

[insert name — signing as an individual person and not as the business in general makes the message more personal.]

If the Visitor was Happy

There’s no need to reserve your follow-up efforts for damage control.

In fact, reaching out after a visitor has a positive experience can be especially valuable, because the visitor will be particularly willing to spread the word about their experience or leave a positive review.

As we mentioned in our blog post How (and Why) to Respond to Critical Views Online, visitors are much more likely to leave reviews about negative experiences than they are about positive ones. It’s important to get proactive about eliciting positive reviews from your customers in order to make sure review sites reflect the reality of how people feel about your business.

Beyond just good publicity, knowing when visitors were happy means that you can praise and reward the staffers who are responsible for the good experience, which can be great for morale and retention. It can also show which systems and processes are working to achieve good results.

Here’s a script to follow up with office visitors when customers seem satisfied or happy with their experience.

Hi [insert guest’s first name],

It was really nice to see you today at [insert Company/Organization Name].

Helping [people/customers/visitors/clients/patients] like you reminds us of why we love to [insert business mission].

We’re so happy that you had a good experience. We made sure to [insert action taken as a result of the good experience, such as commending employee responsible for good service, or making a note of the event or product that the visitor loved so that it’s available in the future].

Finally, if you wouldn’t mind leaving a review for us on [insert suggested review platforms, and consider adding links], it would really help us spread the word about what we’re doing.

Thanks again for coming in. See you next time!

[insert signature]

If the Visitor Didn’t Leave Any Feedback

Anonymous, quiet visitors deserve attention, too. Run-of-the-mill visits can also yield valuable insights into how your organization is running.

Plus, just because they didn’t seem outwardly thrilled or upset doesn’t mean that those emotions weren’t boiling below the surface. Reaching out to them proactively will give you a better idea of how they really felt about the visit.

If they’re upset, a proactive effort to reach out might also prevent them from posting a negative review online. If they’re happy, you can share that positive feedback with the rest of your team and boost morale.

Hi [insert guest’s first name],

We noticed that you checked into [insert Company Name] today for a [insert visit type].

We just wanted to thank you for coming in, and to follow up and see how it went. We’re always trying to improve, and feedback from our [customers/clients/supporters] is the best way for us to do that.

Would you mind replying to this email with any thoughts, suggestions, or feedback?

We appreciate it!

Thanks,

[insert signature]

To Check in on Visit Milestones

Acknowledging milestones in your organization’s relationship with a visitor can be a nice way to show them you appreciate them.

This is especially applicable for industries where visitors are paying per visit (such as with a stylist or massage therapist).

However, these acknowledgements can also be nice for contractors (such as the people who come in to repair your equipment or clean your facility), regular visitors (such as the people who regularly make deliveries), or volunteers.

Optionally, if your guests do spend money each time they come in, consider sending them a small token of appreciation, such as a coupon or a piece of branded merchandise.

These are the kinds of small efforts that can make a big impression.

Sometimes, small efforts can make big impressions on office visitors. #receptionistapp Click To Tweet

Try using a script like the following:

Dear [insert guest’s first name],

Can you believe it? As of today, you’ve visited [insert company name] [insert milestone, such as “X times” or “for X months/years”].

We just wanted to let you know that we appreciate you and hope to see you for many years to come.

To celebrate, please enjoy a [insert discount, coupon, gift card] [insert timeframe: the next time you’re in, for the month of June, etc.].

Sincerely,

[insert signature]

How to Make Visitor Follow-ups Easier

Visitor check-in apps like The Receptionist make the process of signing in pleasant and easy for visitors. But they also open the door to a wide variety of insights about your visitors.

Dynamic reporting systems can show who visited your facility, and when. These reports can make visit follow-ups much easier.

Administrators can also customize the system’s settings to prioritize visitors’ privacy, depending on your organization’s needs and preferences.

In addition to these benefits, visitor management systems also help office administrators check off other boxes for office safety, security and compliance.

Ready to learn more about The Receptionist? Check out our full list of features.