RVers Give Ocean Lakes Family Campground An 'A'

Myrtle Beach, SC, December 10, 2008 -- Ocean Lakes Family Campground was one of 21 campgrounds and RV resorts across the United States to earn an all around "A" grade in the nation's first consumer satisfaction survey of privately owned campgrounds and RV parks.

The 3,447 site park, located on 310 oceanfront acres in Myrtle Beach, SC received an "A" grade in overall guest satisfaction for the year 2008. "Customer service is so important - after all, we are in the hospitality industry. More than 80% of our guests are repeat visitors, so we need to know if there is a problem." explains Barb Krumm, Director of Marketing and Public Relations. "We believe there is always room for improvement."

Ocean Lakes produces a magazine for its guests annually with park information such as amenity details, hours of operation, park policies, event information, TV cable listings, area attractions and more. "We have incorporated a postage paid guest survey into our magazine for years to encourage guest feedback. The ratings and comments are compiled and displayed near all of our time clocks for our teammates to read. It has helped all 170+ teammates see what our guests really think about us and has helped our team identify and address any problems. The addition of the online survey provides a user friendly tool with qualitative results, over time I believe we will rely more on those results," comments Krumm. Not only has the campground surveyed its guests for years, but it also surveys its employees every few years through an outside consultant regarding its quality as a place of employment.

Nearly 13,000 camping and RV enthusiasts participated in the 2008 online survey, which evaluated guest experiences at independent campgrounds and RV resorts affiliated with the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds.

"Camping and RV enthusiasts didn't hold back when it came to telling us which parks they liked and which ones needed improvements," said Bob MacKinnon, president and CEO of GuestRated.com, the Murrieta, California based company that conducted the online survey.

MacKinnon added that GuestRated.com provides guest satisfaction surveys for more than 4,000 parks affiliated with the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC), or roughly half of the nation's private parks.

"The results of these online surveys will go a long way toward helping consumers identify the nation's finest campgrounds and RV resorts," MacKinnon said, adding, "The surveys are also helping private park owners identify and prioritize their improvements, based on their guests' perceptions."

Consumers are invited to submit their own reviews of the private campgrounds and RV resorts they have recently visited by logging on to www.gocampingamerica.com and clicking on the "Review a Park" tab. Survey results for many parks are posted on the GoCampingAmerica website. Ocean Lakes Family Campground encourages guests to complete the online survey with a "Review this Park" icon and hyperlink on their home page, www.oceanlakes.com. Survey participants rate Overall Experience, Service Quality, Facilities Condition, Campsites, Rental Units, Restrooms and Amenities. Ocean Lakes has maintained an overall 4.7 out of 5 rating for 2008.

The GuestRated.com national online survey program was launched in February 2008 in collaboration with the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC).