Guest Services Associate (Seasonal: November-December) in Belmont, North Carolina at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

Position Title: Guest Services Associate

Accountability: Guest Services Associate reports to the Guest Services Manager

Job Classification: Part-time, hourly, seasonal, non-exempt

About: Daniel Stowe Conservancy (Stowe) inspires a love of nature and its beauty through unforgettable outdoor experiences. The nearly 400 acres of Stow provides visitors with a chance to reconnect with nature in all seasons. The property welcomes guests to spectacular gardens, a conservatory dedicated to the display of tropical plants and orchids, sparkling fountains, nearly 6 miles of trails and a dog park.

The Guest Services Associate serves as the first point of contact for guests, providing a welcoming, engaging, and seamless experience for all guests. This position focuses on driving admission, ticket, and membership sales while ensuring high-quality guest interactions and seamless transactions. The ideal candidate is a friendly and enthusiastic ambassador of Stowe, with strong sales skills, excellent customer service abilities, and a passion for engaging with guests to enhance their visit and encourage membership.

** Must be available to work weekends, evenings, and some federal holidays. **

Responsibilities:

• Understands the importance of each guest to Stowe and drives excellence and membership sales to ensure an optimal experience in every way.
• Processes admission, membership, and ticket sale transactions in the system, both in person and over the phone, including accurate cash handling and payment processing.
• Utilizes Altru (Blackbaud) CRM software to process memberships, manage guest records, enter guest information, and ensure database accuracy.
• Verifies membership status for members, effectively communicates expiration dates, member benefits, and membership promotions to drive renewals and upgrades.
• Knowledgeable on all membership options and benefits; communicates those effectively to guests to promote and encourage new memberships.
• Engages with guests by answering questions and making recommendations on Garden events, exhibits, and seasonal highlights to enhance the guest experience.
• Identifies upselling opportunities and promotes add-ons such as programs, gift memberships, and exclusive events.
• Answers the admissions phone line, assisting guests with inquiries, ticket sales, information, and membership purchases.
• Directs guests, phone calls, and inquiries to the appropriate department while maintaining clear and professional communication.
• Assists with Garden tours, volunteer and private event introductions as needed.
• Communicate any facility needs, guest feedback, and process improvements to the relevant departments and Guest Services Manager.
• Performs opening and closing procedures, including cash drawer management, accurate payment reconciliations, and facility walkthroughs.
• Supports all Stowe programs and events.
• Exemplifies the Stowe Mission Statement and supports staff, departments and leadership in pursuing and achieving goals.
• Performs any other duties needed to help drive to our vision, fulfill our mission, and abide by our values.

Requirements:

• Exhibits a passion for the mission of Daniel Stowe Conservancy.
• Successfully pass a standard background review.
• Must be willing to wear a uniform and work outside as needed.
• Ability to work weekends, evenings, and some federal holidays.
• Desire to work in a fast-paced, change oriented environment.
• Must be willing to serve all guests equally regardless of their race, color, religion, national origin, age, gender, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, gender identity and/or sexual orientation.
• Physical Requirements: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.???
• Must be able to perform physical requirements of programs at the most rigorous level.
• Must be able to hear distress noises and hear and see distress signals in a variety of environments, always keeping safety in mind.
• Regular sitting, standing, squatting, kneeling
• Frequent walking, lifting, twisting, crawling, pushing and pulling, grasping

Experience & Education:

• A minimum of a high school diploma, associate degree preferred.
• Minimum of 1 year in customer service or sales.
• Experience in cash register operation.
• Computer skills including Microsoft Outlook and sales database program preferred.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to interact with a diverse audience.
• Ability to deal with problems and questions in a timely and professional manner.
• Excellent customer service and telephone skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work in a team yet also independently.