TOEIC ETS

Planning a Tour of Your Facility by Didiane Lessard Plant tours are commonplace in many factories, but not all tours are as effective as they could be. Too many companies make the mistake of adopting a one-size-fits-all approach rather than tailoring tours to maximize their usefulness. A potential investor and a casual tourist will probably not be impressed by the same things, so it is best to be clear about the tour's purpose early on. Here are some guidelines to make each tour as effective as possible. Be selective. Unless your tour is for a safety inspection, your guests do not need (or want) to see every part of your factory. Choose a few sections that will interest your guests and give them a better sense of your product. For example, journalists will want to create a story about your plant, so show them the parts of the plant that have historical significance, such as a room with the company's original production equipment. Timing is everything. Always be mindful of the physical demands of the tour. Even the hardiest guest will tire of standing or walking for long periods. It is a good idea to schedule breaks in tours lasting longer than an hour. The time spent in a single section matters also. If you allow guests only five minutes in an area, they will soon forget it. On the other hand, even the most impressive room gets boring after half an hour. Personality is NOT everything. While having a personable and friendly tour guide is essential, your guests are coming to see what goes into making your product. Tour guides get asked a variety of questions, some unexpected, so a comprehensive knowledge of the production processes is important (and absolutely vital during inspections). You also want someone who will keep the tour moving-visitors will appreciate a tour that begins and ends on time. ===== To: Masumi Toda <mt978@vidatechsystems.com> From: Ana Miftaroski <am680@vidatechsystems.com> Date: May 1 Subject: Upcoming plant tour Attachment: Lessard_article Hi, Masumi, I have attached an April 15 article by Didiane Lessard to help you plan the tour we will be giving later this month. I especially agree with the section on timing. Since the tour, by necessity, will have to cover the entire plant, it must be conducted as efficiently as possible. As for a guide, I would have recommended Nathan Zarate, but he will be traveling on May 21. Perhaps Maja Clausen could do it. She has also worked here for procral yes. she is feden thalede wile de aut to acidie any questions lies tors might ask. Ana Miftaroski, Vice President of Operations

What is one problem mentioned about factory tours in the article?