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地元の「しんきん」銀行のニュースレターの為にインタビューされました。旅館の業界でどういう変化があったかと言うテーマの記事だそうです。
色々と考えました。私たちが３年半前に引越しして来ました。その間だけでも、色々な変化がありました。
＊お客様は「飛び込み」（当日にいきなりお部屋を認めに来る事）がほぼなくなり、代わりに皆様がインターネットで調べて、予約してくる事が多くなりました。
＊亀清旅館のハードの面ではロビーに薪ストーブを設置し、露天風呂を造り、所々の庭を綺麗にしたりして、お客様の喜びが増えるように努力してきました。
＊亀清のソフトの面では、そろぞれお腰になるお客様に何かプラスアルファのサービスを既に目指しています。駅からの送迎で宿へ行く途中で眺めのスポットにより、お子さんに特別なアイスクリームのデザートを作ったり、夜は姨捨夜景・伝説ツアーにご一緒に行ったり、朝５時の座禅に連れて行ったり、なるべく何かエクストラするようになりました。
＊町興しの方では、足湯が出来、飲食店の「頑張っている店」地図が出来、芸者サミットも行い、沢山のプロジェクトがありました。私自身がそれぞれのに参加でき、嬉しいです。そして、例えば、飲食店組合は今度、自分達で「頑張っている店」地図IIを出した。そういう成長が大事です。
その感じで、この３年間で１年に１つの通りで商店街を立ち上がるプロジェクトもありました。一番目が「銀座通り」でした。上山田温泉と戸倉温泉のそれぞれの本通をつないでいる道で、昔は買い物が何でもできたなので「銀座通り」と言う名前だそうです。このごろは錆びてきて、川魚屋さんとまんじゅ屋さんと味噌屋さんしか残ってなかった。商店街が最初に立ち上がった時に、これじゃお客さんに紹介したら、がっかりされるだけだと不安でした。しかし、この３年間で、手彫りの看板や提灯を入口に付け、それぞれの店にアンティークを展示し、時期の飾りをし、そして空き店舗が改造されてプレサーブ・フラワー/喫茶店がオープンした。この間は外国からのお客さんを連れて歩きました。川魚の甘露煮やお味噌の造り方の見学で大喜びでした。信州味噌のお土産をお買いになりました。３年半前にこの喜びは恐らくなかったかもしれない。こういう進化があって、私は非常に嬉しいです。

そして、女将社長が更に長い目から見た変化のお話をした。一番は昔のお客さんで団体が多かった。ほっとけば大丈夫だった。今は個人客が多くて、個人・個人の「おもてなし」が必要だと。不満があれば、直ぐにインターネットで悪いクチコミだと。

私は上記の「ソフト」で書いた様にそれぞれのお客様に何かプラスアルファを提供しているので自然に個人・個人のお客様の喜びにつながるのではないかと思います。従って、良いクチコミにもつながる。
時代は時代、経営は経営で、経営が時代と共に変化・進化しないと駄目ですね。

Our local bank, Shinkin, came to interview us for their newsletter. They wanted to write an article about how the ryokan business environment has changed. It really made me stop and think -- I've only been here at Kamesei for 3-1/2 years, yet there has already been significant change:

*Customers -- When I first came, it was quite common for people to show up at 4 in the afternoon and ask for a room. In the past, ryokans used to rely on a certain percentage of "walk-in" guests. Now, most travellers plan ahead of time and book their rooms over the internet.

*Kamesei's infrastructure -- We've made several improvements since I've been here, including putting a wood stove in the lobby, building the 2 outdoor baths, and making several gardens. These and other improvements were done to give the guests an even more enjoyable experience during their stay.

*Kamesei's customer service -- My policy has been to try to give each guest a little something "extra". When picking them up at the station, stopping by a view point on the way to the inn; making an icecream dessert for guests with kids; giving moms corsages for Mother's Day; taking guests to Obasute for the night view after dinner; waking up at 5am to go to zazen meditation with a guest, etc. An unexpected surprise for every guest.

*Civic Improvements -- Togura Kamiyamada Onsen has been working hard at making our onsen town more enjoyable for individual guests. Last October we got our first footbath; we've made a map highlighting shops that are developing new menus or products; new projects with the town's geishas and the chefs of the inns, etc. One exciting new development is the town's restaurant association has now taken it upon themselves to make a new edition of the shops map featuring even newer menus. It's great to see the development continue.
One other civic improvement that has taken time, but is starting to pay off is, we had a project to take one street at a year for 3 years and form a business association for the street. The first was "Ginza-Dori". Our Ginza used to be the main connector road between Togura Onsen and Kamiyamada Onsen's main streets. You used to be able to buy anything there, hence the "Ginza" name. It had become run down, however, and at the start of the Ginza biz assoc. movement, I was embarrassed to suggest it to our guests. Since then, the street's merchants have done a great job of making their facades livelier, adding decorations, and there's even been a new preserved flower / tea shop that moved in to a renovated store front. I recently took some guests from overseas down our Ginza. They enjoyed seeing how river fish 'kanroni' marinates are done, and how miso is made, and ended up buying some miso as souvenirs. I doubt that would have happened 3 years ago.

Kamesei's boss (my mother-in-law) has been running the inn for 58 years. She mentioned the biggest change she's seen is in how guests have gone from being in groups to being individuals. That's had a big impact on customer service, as you have to properly "entertain" each individual, and if you don't, you get nasty feedback written up on the internet.

I think that ties into what I mentioned above about Kamesei's customer service, and trying to provide a little something "extra" for each guest. The individual guests tend to appreciate the little surprises, and tend to write better feedback on the internet.
The business environment has evolved, and as innkeepers, we have to evolve, too!