A chat with tour operator Ernesto Mora on how LiveVoice enhanced their guided walking tours in Venice and beyond.
Ernesto Mora moved to Venice for his studies and has called the city home ever since. After graduating, he and his friends started a tour guide company to share their love for this mesmerizing city. Today, his company “Citiesing Tours” is showing tourists not only the sights, but also offering them a taste of the culture. But being a guide in one of the most touristy places in the world has its challenges. Here are Ernesto’s insights into the innovative role LiveVoice plays in improving their operations.
LiveVoice: Hi Ernesto, thank you for joining us today. We are excited to hear more about your tour guide company and your experience with LiveVoice. Could you start by giving us a brief overview of your company for those who may not be familiar with it?
Ernesto: Sure. Our tour guide company started as a passion project among friends who shared a love for music and art. We began by offering tours in Venice, catering mainly to Spanish-speaking tourists from South America and Spain but we also offer tours in English and Italian. Over the years, we’ve expanded our offerings to include not just traditional sightseeing tours, but also immersive experiences like learning to make typical Italian pasta or crafting your own Venetian mask. By connecting with artisans, locals, and markets, we ensure that our clients not only capture moments through photographs but also carry a piece of the destination within themselves back home.
LiveVoice: That sounds fascinating. Venice must be a captivating city to explore. Could you tell us more about what it’s like to be a tour guide there, particularly compared to other places?
Ernesto: Venice is like a scene from a movie or a page from a storybook. It’s a city of canals, devoid of cars, where time seems to have stood still for centuries. The experience of being there, surrounded by such unique beauty, is truly breathtaking. You’re immersed in a place where history comes alive. Knowing that Mozart, Casanova, and Vivaldi once walked the same streets you’re walking now is incredibly moving. If you’re attuned to it, you can almost feel the echoes of their presence. It’s a gift—a profound experience that touches you deeply. Besides that, every day brings new discoveries and encounters with fascinating people. That’s one of the most rewarding aspects of our job—the constant interaction and connection with others.
“With LiveVoice we can give new tour guides the opportunity to learn and improve without requiring them to be on-site every time. This has been incredibly beneficial for us because it allows them to learn from the experiences of more seasoned guides, enhancing their skills over time.”
LiveVoice: It sounds like an incredible experience. Now, let’s talk about your use of LiveVoice for audio transmission during tours. What led you to explore the use of such a system, and how has it impacted your operations?
Ernesto: I came across LiveVoice a couple of years ago while seeking a more efficient audio transmission solution for our tours. Traditional radios were cumbersome, and I sought a user-friendly option for both our guides and clients. LiveVoice provided the ideal answer, enabling us to utilize our clients’ personal smartphones and headphones for seamless audio transmission.
Especially with the onset of COVID-19, the flexibility to utilize our own devices became crucial. The audio quality is exceptional, impressing our clients when they first experienced the app. Your system stood out as they hadn’t encountered anything similar before. Moreover, the direct communication with your team is invaluable to us. Knowing that I can reach out and receive prompt assistance is incredibly reassuring. We’re thrilled to have LiveVoice as part of our operations.
LiveVoice: That’s great to hear. When you mentioned “they,” were you referring to the tour guides who were impressed?
Ernesto: Yes, both the tour guides and the clients were impressed. Just yesterday, I had an interview with someone who might join our team in the future. I mentioned to her that we use LiveVoice for our tours, and she was thrilled. In the past, without this technology, she had to speak loudly for extended periods to ensure everyone could hear her explanations, especially in large groups. This was physically taxing and not ideal.
But with LiveVoice, all she needed was her cell phone, which she already had. I assured her that setting up was simple – just download the app and connect with the provided code. It’s convenient for both us guides and the clients because everyone typically travels with their own cell phone and earphones. There’s no need to acquire additional equipment; it’s just a matter of downloading the app and connecting.
LiveVoice: Great. Could you elaborate on the integration process of LiveVoice into your existing operations? How seamless or challenging was it?
Ernesto: Integrating LiveVoice into our operations required us to inform our tourists about the app’s availability. We coordinated with our travel agencies, the ones that send visitors our way, to include instructions in the vouchers. These instructions emphasized the importance of downloading the app from Google Play or the Apple Store and bringing along their earphones for optimal audio experience during the tour. While a few people overlook these details in their purchase, most do pay attention, ensuring they are prepared to connect seamlessly.
LiveVoice: How are you managing the situation with those who did forget their earphones?
Ernesto: We usually tell them to come to the front, close to us tour guides so they can hear us properly. But they can also listen without earphones – not in loudspeaker but by bringing their phones to their ears as you would do when on a phone call.
LiveVoice: Apart from the advantages for guides and guests, what other advantages did a system like LiveVoice bring to your operations?
Ernesto: A great benefit the system brings for us is that we can now remotely monitor our own tour guides, ensuring the quality of the tour experience. Sometimes, I can’t physically be present at the location where the tour is happening, but I can still connect as a listener. This allows me to provide feedback and suggestions for improvement.
In addition to that, we can give new tour guides the opportunity to learn and improve without requiring them to be on-site every time. They can simply connect and listen to the current tour guide from anywhere. This has been incredibly beneficial for us because it allows them to learn from the experiences of more seasoned guides, enhancing their skills over time.
“Before LiveVoice, managing large groups was challenging due to the city noises and distractions. With LiveVoice, people can listen to the explanations while taking pictures or observing surroundings without missing out on any information provided by the tour guide.”
LiveVoice: How has LiveVoice contributed to the overall success of your tour guide company?
Ernesto: A lot. It’s a tool that has been instrumental in our growth. As I told you, we want to keep growing, and with LiveVoice, we’re able to accommodate more people. It elevates the quality of our tours because we can connect with many people at the same time. Everyone can listen to us, ensuring a high-quality experience for all participants.
Before LiveVoice, managing large groups was challenging due to the city noises and distractions. With LiveVoice, people can listen to the explanations while taking pictures or observing surroundings without missing out on any information provided by the tour guide.
LiveVoice: Do you have any recommendations or advice for other tour guide companies considering the adoption of an audio transmission system like LiveVoice?
Ernesto: Absolutely. For tour guide companies looking to enhance their operations and improve the visitor experience, I highly recommend exploring the use of an audio transmission system like LiveVoice. It not only simplifies communication during tours but also opens up new possibilities for engaging and immersive experiences. Additionally, maintaining strong relationships with travel agencies and clients is key to success in this industry, as their satisfaction ultimately drives business growth and success.
LiveVoice: Thank you, Ernesto, for sharing your insights and experiences with us.
Ernesto: Thank you for the opportunity to share our story. I’m very pleased with LiveVoice; it has been a fantastic discovery for us, and we’re fully committed to leveraging it to connect with more people. Our goal is to continue providing exceptional service to everyone joining our tours, whether in our current cities or any new locations we may expand to in the future. We eagerly anticipate continuing our partnership with LiveVoice and delivering exceptional experiences to our clients.
