Organising factory tours in Johannesburg is an important exercise for South African businesses. They provide an excellent opportunity to showcase products, facilities and equipment, and introduce staff. Physical visits enable investors and clients to verify production capabilities, assess quality control systems, evaluate working conditions and build the strong personal relationships that are essential for doing business in South Africa.
All of this is only possible if the factory tour is successful. Factories in Johannesburg are not usually well-suited to tours as they tend to be noisy and busy. In such conditions, it can be difficult to give a good presentation that everyone in the audience can hear.
Whether you’re vetting a new supplier or strengthening an existing partnership, a well-prepared factory tour can prevent costly mistakes and lay the groundwork for a successful long-term relationship. The following key considerations for factory tour in Johannesburg will help companies create a memorable tour.
Map Out Logistics
Factory facilities in Johannesburg are designed to maximise floor space and create lean environments. They are not usually configured to accommodate large groups of people manoeuvring through aisles and around equipment.
The first step in avoiding bottlenecks is to map out your factory tour route. Also consider how and when you will tackle the following logistics:
- Informing staff and supervisors about the tour — consider having them wear company-branded clothing where appropriate
- Cleaning workstations and other areas from top to bottom
- Determining which areas will accommodate questions and answers with shop floor employees — equip them with the necessary audio equipment and training
- Identifying whether language interpretation services or assistive listening devices are needed for international guests
- Performing a practice run-through at least a day in advance to confirm timing and routing
- Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse
Promote Safety
Whether you have a group of 10 board members or an entire school classroom, guaranteeing a group’s safety is the first priority. Plan for the following:
- Informing guests ahead of time about recommended attire (no open-toed shoes, loose clothing, etc.)
- Providing personal protective equipment (PPE) for each guest (hard hats, safety glasses, etc.)
- Providing noise reduction rating headsets for loud environments
- Communicating safety reminders before departing on the tour
- Clearing all aisles
Create Memorable Guest Experiences
Consider how your guests can interact with the tour, your facility and your employees. Provide an engaging presentation that might include:
- A welcome message from senior leadership
- Hands-on activities or equipment demonstrations
- Samples of your products
- Question-and-answer sessions
- Short employee interviews
- Giveaways like company apparel, mugs, etc.
- Exit surveys to help you improve future tours
Ensure Quality Audio
All the planning and preparation will be in vain if guests can’t hear the tour guide or get answers to their questions. However, determining the right audio communication headsets isn’t always straightforward.
When you work with a tour guide rental company, they will ask you some questions to help them determine which tour guide system will help you reach your goals.
- How many guests do you expect?
- How many groups will your guests be divided into?
- Do you want guests to be able to ask questions?
- Do you need to create a premium experience? (For investors or board members vs. a school field trip)
- How loud is the environment, and will headsets be required?
- Do you need a language interpreter?
- Will you conduct hands-free demonstrations?
- Will you have multiple presenters at different stations?
- Which accessories will you need? (Hard-hat-compatible headsets, extra batteries, ear muffs vs. earbuds, hand-held microphones vs. hands-free microphones, etc.)
Support service for factory tours by Frenchside.
Frenchside Translation provides linguistic and technical support for factory tours of all sizes in Pretoria, Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town. We help our clients deliver professional multilingual support, eliminating the associated costs and logistical challenges of a large-scale setup. Our expert guidance and comprehensive range of interpretation and audio equipment solutions can meet all your conference needs in Pretoria, Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town. Contact us today to discuss your requirements.
Tel: 012 348 3134 | Mobile: 081 347 6060 | Email: info@frenchside.co.za