Just do an internet search of guest services and you will find hundreds of articles about the 5 pillars of customer service…the staple of guest services…companies need to stop trying so hard…the seven tricks…and so on. According to one article, the most important yet underrated customer service rule is providing prompt responses to customers. Everyone is treated equally. Time is valuable.

What is Guest Services? What does Customer Service do? At the Alameda County Fair, we listen to questions and find solutions. At the Fairgrounds, it is a year round job between managing the annual summer Fair and hosting up to 300 events annually. There is never a dull moment!

During the year, the Alameda County Fairgrounds front desk, cheerfully answers questions and directs calls to the correct contact. If we don’t know an answer, we will take down information and reply back when we do. During Fair alone, we yield dozens of calls an hour. Anything from, how do I buy a concert ticket to where do I redeem my carnival voucher ticket to is there VIP parking.

When the Fair’s summer Concert Series launches ticket sales, the phones light up and emails come flooding in. It is an exciting time as guests share their excitement for the shows on sale and want to make sure they have all the information to find the best seat or the best deal.

What you may not know is the Customer Services team moves from the front desk to the Guest Services office during the Fair where we coordinate the staff of five Information booths. At the booths guests can ask questions, find the daily Fair schedule, grab or snap an image of the Fair map, ask where to find a corn dog, nursing station, concert of the night, movie of the day, where they can refill their water bottle and so on and so on!

We are the last to leave at night making sure all guests exit the Fair safely. With the assistance of our Security team, we help tired guests with lost keys, lost children, lost cars, and one time, lost teeth!

There is never a dull moment, not to mention, never a dull question, such as:

“Do you rent baby pigs for parties?”

• No, we do not have animals on site outside of Fairtime. However, you can find people who rent pigs on Google.

“What was the name of the roller rink that was at the Fairgrounds in the 1970’s?”

• Roller Faire

“Did you have a National Guard Armory on the Fairgrounds?”

• Many Fairgrounds throughout the United States used a portion of the grounds to construct armories during the war. Alameda County Fairgrounds never had an Armory because it is not and never was owned by the state (or county).

“Can I bring my parrot to the Fair? It is quiet and sits on my shoulder.”

• No, unfortunately we do not allow pets on the Fairgrounds for the safety of other guests and the animals.

Next time you have a question or need help with an event on the Fairgrounds or at the annual summer Fair, know there is a team of Guest Services here to make your experience better! We’ve got your back.