Daily Journal
When visitors to Greenwood’s new aquatic park commented about a lack of discounts, perks for season-pass holders and other issues, the city’s parks and recreation leaders responded.
Guests at Freedom Springs Greenwood Aquatic Park shared concerns through social media, including not being allowed to leave the park and come back. Season-pass holders felt they should have more benefits than those buying a day pass.
The department responded by making changes, including a discount for active military members and a hand stamp that allows visitors to come and go for the day.
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“That’s our job. That’s my job, to listen to the public,” Greenwood Parks and Recreation Director Rob Taggart said. “The entire department is addressing and compromising to meet public needs for all patrons coming into the park.”
That’s exactly the right attitude. No business can expect to thrive if it doesn’t listen to its customers, especially its core. And this is doubly so for a public entity such as the pool. Meeting the needs of residents and visitors should be at the top of the list of priorities, and that appears to be the case with the new pool.
The suggestions and opinions received through social media were expected. Complaints, suggestions and concerns are all a normal part of operating a facility the city has never managed before, city officials said. Expectations have been exceeded and the look on visitors’ faces when they enter the park is uplifting, they added.
Greenwood officials said parks department employees and pool staff will continue to monitor attendance and pay attention to customer feedback at the park and on social media. That, too, is good practice for business and government.
Not every complaint or suggestion will result in a change. For instance, some will increase the pool’s operating costs. Those expenses must be covered, and it’s not certain pool users would be willing to pay more. But when they can responsibly and appropriately respond, that’s good customer relations.
As with any new enterprise, pool staff and parks department leaders can’t anticipate every problem, issue or question that comes up. The measure of success comes in how they respond to those matters. In this first round, it appears they aced the test.
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Visitors to the new Greenwood pool raised concerns about several issues in the days since its opening.
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While not every comment or complaint can or should result in a change, pool staff and parks department leaders appear to be keeping their customers in mind.
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