Bass Harbor Lighthouse
The name of my company, “Bass Harbor Group”, and my logo, was inspired by a lifetime of wonderful experiences on Mount Desert Island, Maine, where the Bass Harbor Lighthouse once guided sailors safely into Bass Harbor. It is a blissful place to relax on the rocks of Maine’s rugged coastline, and as Billy Joel once sang, “forget about life for a while”. Bass Harbor Lighthouse is now a part of Acadia National Park, one of the original and most beautiful national parks in the United States.
I was 6 years old when I first visited Acadia National Park with my family for a two-week summer vacation camping at the Seawall Campground, one of two campgrounds that are in the park. We made our debut visit in a tan Dodge Pioneer station wagon carrying my parents, 3 brothers, 2 sisters and towing a small blue and white Pathfinder trailer complete with tent, tarp, folding chairs, an axe and lots of cans of Spam and Deviled Ham stowed onboard! All these years later I still regularly visit Mount Desert Island with my wife and two children.
Acadia National Park
At 3.5 million visits per year, Acadia National Park ranks in the top 10 national parks in the United States. That is a lot of visitors considering that it ranks 49th out of 62 national parks in total acreage. It is a small park and yet it delivers a customer experience that continues to draw millions of visitors every year to its rugged shoreline and mountainous interior. The admission fee to use the park for 7 days is only $30 per car or $15 per person should you choose to leave your car behind and be more adventurous. Cycling, mountain biking, sea kayaking, hiking, bird watching, trail running, rock climbing, horseback riding, boating, dining, shopping, sightseeing, swimming, beach-going and ranger programs are some of the activities offered in one of the most beautiful places in the northeast. The park rangers are always friendly, helpful, polite, and extremely knowledgeable about the park. Despite the crowds, Acadia National Park is pristine, with exceptionally clean facilities and well-managed crowd control. It is a place visited mostly by families looking to unwind, have fun and expose their children to the raw beauty and majesty that only nature can provide.
“…a sanctuary for mind, heart and soul.”
I have been visiting Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park for 56 years, my wife for 31 years and my children for their entire lives. It is my quiet place, a sanctuary for mind, heart, and soul. Sitting on the rocky shore by the Bass Harbor Lighthouse reminds me to live life in the moment, one experience at a time. I can say with passion that I am a loyal customer and would recommend Acadia National Park to a “friend or a colleague”. There aren’t many places in this world where you can buy peace of mind for a $30 admission fee. Thank you, Dad and Mom, for taking me to Acadia all those years ago. Despite the Spam sandwiches, it was the start of a lifelong, awesome customer journey!
Patrick Sandefur is the Founder and Managing Director of Bass Harbor Group / Customer Experience Solutions. His 30+ year career in Customer Service, Sales, Marketing, Product Management and Business Development has given him a unique perspective of what customers want and expect when interacting with a brand.
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