Page 85 - Microsoft Word - Guiding lights final version 0841 1007 big print.doc

After qualifying, I opted to take a turn as a Director on the STGA Board, with a remit for marketing - that had been my primordial career - and it soon became apparent that the ’technology gap’ was, understandably, an even greater problem for many of the existing guides who had been in the business for many years, if not decades.
Even by 2010, it was quite jaw-dropping - seen with some hindsight - that such a high proportion of STGA members did not possess mobile phones or email addresses. In future, this would make guiding ‘on the road’ almost impossible for these guides, but the urgent issue, as I found out from office and committee staff, was not being able to communicate with ’pre-electronic’ members. For one thing, postage costs had rocketed upwards (in tandem with email and messaging being ‘free’) as had the costs, and inconvenience, of land-line telephony.
So my time on the Board, working with office staff and other Board members, was preoccupied with persuading our members to come up to date with email and mobiles, and preferably with their own websites - although even providing digital photographs of themselves for the STGA website proved to be - and still proves! - a challenging hurdle for many. I’m glad to say that by the middle of this decade, the situation had vastly improved with virtually all STGA members using modern technology, at least to a workable end. The STGA has even managed to dispense with using paper cheques, which I would hazard is ahead of the game in terms of small organisations.
But the most interesting thing, for me, has not been about modernising basic communication but about staying in line with the latest major advance which is in social media. Through the office staff and marketing committee, the STGA (and many members) keep themselves ‘out there’ on social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram but the surprise success has been Facebook. Along with most other of our ‘mature’ guides, I recall being extremely skeptical about joining Facebook but this modern form of communication has proven to be exceptionally appropriate to the needs of tourist guides. Nearly 300 guides now use Facebook as a vital resource for not only exchanging crucial information - is that road closed? is that restaurant any good for groups? been to that exhibition? - but to pick up jobs from guides (and tour operators) who need a qualified replacement and, vice versa, to find our own replacements, when needed (often at the last minute).
Within ten years, then, I have seen the STGA going from being a member organisation which was way behind the times in terms of modern communication to one which, in some ways, is at the frontier of information exchange for a professional organisation of disparate individuals.
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