Need to know what they’re doing right and wrong. Need a way measure quality of service that they provide. Need to organise operations to maximise their experience. View that zoos are one of the problems rather than solution of animal conservation. Measure if they’re giving customers what they want. To ensure service is as wanted and expected; or exceeds expectations – halo effect – spread positive reputation, resultant increase in visitors. Info: Good view of Regents Park. Can see visitors arriving and walking to main entrance from car park or tube station.
Started off small; then expanded rapidly to reach present size of 36 acres. Collection expanded as did mass building work from 1830 – 1930. Listed buildings can’t be demolished and must be renovated within strict guidelines. Severe lack of capital investment in infrastructure in 1960 – 1970. Children’s & Petting Zoo rebuilt late 1980s (society) Awarded i?? 2m, to build an education centre (society) Wildlife attractions showed lowest consistent absolute growth, fall in percentage terms. Decreasing market size, increasing number of new entrants and competitors, other visitor attractions expanded rapidly.
Last 25 years lack of investment, new attractions, facilities, educational, conservational development or its image. Major deficit in mid 1970. Following one off government grant and a number of strategy reports; major changed announced. 80% of revenue produced from gate receipts but due to private donations received ramined open. 1992: Focus on conservation of animals with breeding programmes for endangered species. Change from “good day out” to focus on “peoples intelligence”. Large infrastructural changes and reorganisation required / finance and the consequences of these.
Developments include: childrens zoo, education centre, restoration of terraces and reintroduction of bears. Staff redundancies and size of animal collection reduced. Emphasis on cost cutting evaluation of species in the collection. Reorganisation in 1994: into departments with definied roles and responsibilities. Largely decision to visit was at request of children. Strongly influenced by the weather on the day. Apes, Monkeys, big Cats, Elephants, Penguins were most popular. Operation of the Zoo: 8 Departments; heads report to Director (Dr Jo Gipps). 161 Staff; Catering and Other Franchise staff employed by outside contractors.
Recording Attendance: Watch stream of people on pavement; busy days – queues at ticket kiosks. Huge Fluctuation in Daily Numbers: Busiest times weekends, summer holidays (attendance between 4000, 6000). Easter and August bank holidays (10,000). Christmas Eve (anticipated 48). Fashion and public interest increased and introduction of new exhibits and developments, car ownership, growth of foreign travel. Declined due to: lack of investment, socio-economic changes; inflation, leisure preferences, increased competition. Society’s attitude to animals, questioning the role of zoos in society; animal rights and welfare and conservation.
LZ has always dedication to animal welfare and conservation but in past had no need to emphasise this as society did not care. Many people worried about animal happiness, wellbeing and their conservation. Effect of caging animals on helath, behaviour, psychology. Morality, function and need for zoos questioned. Perceived quality by customers: where expectations compared to perceptions. Expectations ; Perceptions (Poor); Expectations = Perceptions (Acceptable); Expectations ; Perceptions (Good). Might be due to gaps; ensuring consistency between internal quality specification and the expectations of the customers (resp..
marketing, operations, product/service development); ensuring internal spec meets its intended concept of design (resp.. marketing, ops, product/service dev. ); ensuring actual product or service conforms to internally specified quality level (ops), ensuring that promises made to consumers concerning the product or service can really be delivered (marketing). In the case of London Zoo it has been recognised the importance of ensuring customers expectations are satisfied or less than the actual experience of the attraction.
They must ensure they remain consistent between their internal quality specification and the expectations of customers. After recent market research, and questionnaire they have identified areas that customers have prioritised and through alterations to London Zoo’s marketing, operations and service development the gap between expectation and perception will close; thus more guests leaving with a smile on their face, and likely to tell their friends or repeat visit, thus increasing visitor numbers.
