At insight6, we believe exceptional client experience (CX) is more than good service—it’s a critical business driver. Discover how, for over a decade, we have collaborated with Hertfordshire Zoo to guide business development and enhance staff training, resulting in increased visitor numbers and membership.
In this case:
The Challenge
CX Solutions
Results
Hertfordshire Zoo: Project Overview
Embedding customer insight at the heart of exceptional CX
For over a decade, Hertfordshire Zoo has partnered with insight6 to gain consistent, actionable feedback that drives lasting improvements.
Through regular reviews and a clear understanding of the visitor experience, the team has been able to inform business decisions, enhance staff training, and foster a culture where excellent service is the responsibility of everyone.
The results speak for themselves: visitor numbers have increased, and teams are working more collaboratively, recognising that exceptional customer experience (CX) isn’t just good practice, it’s key to long-term success.
About Hertfordshire Zoo
Hertfordshire Zoo offers outstanding wildlife experiences, educational opportunities and family-friendly entertainment. Home to over 800 exotic animals and a diverse range of attractions that appeal to all ages, visitors enjoy immersive animal experiences, the World of Dinosaurs exhibit and the endangered Lions of Asia.
A favourite with locals and international tourists, the zoo is a place where visitors contribute to vital conservation work and share the wonder of wildlife. The zoo is based in Broxbourne and was voted the No.1 attraction in Hertfordshire by TripAdvisor.
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- Herts Zoo Guests
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- Herts Zoo Demonstration
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- Herts Zoo School Trip
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- Herts Zoo Leopard
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- Herts Zoo Talk
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- Herts Zoo Map
The Challenge
Understanding the reality behind the customer experience
Identifying gaps and inconsistencies across a growing, dynamic visitor attraction.
Hertfordshire Zoo has always taken pride in offering excellent service, but as the business grew, so did the need for a clearer, more consistent picture of what visitors were experiencing. With multiple customer touchpoints—from restaurants and kiosks to keeper talks and train rides—the zoo recognised that even minor inconsistencies could impact overall satisfaction.
The team also faced the challenge of onboarding and supporting a high volume of seasonal staff, many of whom were younger and new to customer-facing roles. While a basic induction was in place, the zoo wanted to take it a step further, embedding a culture of service excellence across every team and interaction.
To achieve this, they partnered with Paul Saunders of insight6. The goal is to gain an honest and professional view of the customer journey and identify areas for improvement. Through regular CX reviews, tailored staff training, and one-on-one mentoring, insight6 helped the zoo develop a stronger, more connected approach to delivering exceptional experiences every day.
Our Approach
Tailored support built on genuine customer insight
How we designed a programme to reflect the zoo’s evolving needs and priorities.
Our CX Director, Paul Saunders, and the insight6 team work closely with Hertfordshire Zoo to fully understand their specific needs and challenges.
They implement a programme of regular mystery shopping, focusing on key visitor touchpoints throughout the zoo’s peak season (April to October), with an additional visit in December to ensure year-round consistency. Each month, the team also conducts phone and online assessments to evaluate the entire customer journey across all channels.
In parallel, they deliver a comprehensive customer service training programme across every level of the organisation. Our approach not only raises service standards but also instils a shared understanding of what excellent customer experience (CX) looks like—and how each team member contributes to it.
CX Solutions
Turning insight into action, every day
Equipping teams with the tools and feedback to deliver consistently excellent service.
Using detailed customer experience reviews (mystery shopping), insight6 delivers touchpoint-specific reports that provide department managers with clear, actionable insights. These reports form a framework for managers to work directly with their teams to enhance the customer experience in tangible, measurable ways.
The zoo now takes informed action with confidence, supported by a growing appreciation for the value of tracking and measuring customer experience (CX) outcomes.
Crucially, this programme isn’t a one-off initiative—it’s an ongoing commitment. insight6 regularly updates the reports to reflect changes on the ground and uses them to support continuous training and development.
What began as a focus on day-to-day service interactions has evolved into something more powerful: helping employees understand how their behaviour influences buying decisions. Through coaching and support, team members feel genuinely connected to the zoo’s financial success and take pride in their role in delivering exceptional experiences.
Project Outcomes
Driving measurable results through better experiences
The clear link between CX improvements, team performance, and business growth.
Hertfordshire Zoo now actively measures and manages its customer experience using a straightforward, structured approach. With detailed insight6 reporting, the leadership team makes informed decisions that directly influence investment, removing pain points and refining areas that matter most to visitors.
Managers use insight6 reports to guide 1-2-1 performance conversations, identify development opportunities, and celebrate outstanding service across teams. Throughout the partnership, analysis shows a marked improvement in service consistency and customer satisfaction. CX scores remain high, and teams continue to respond positively to raised expectations, especially with the shift in focus to behaviours that support ‘helping customers to buy.’
The impact is clear in the numbers:
Day ticket sales increased by 15%, averaging a 1.25% annual rise
Total visitor numbers grew by 61%, averaging a 4.5% increase each year
Membership numbers rose by 820%, an impressive 25% yearly increase
This growth underscores the significant connection between exceptional customer experience (CX), visitor loyalty, and business success.
Lynn Whitnall, CEO at Hertfordshire Zoo and The Big Cat Sanctuary
“Customer service and ensuring that our visitors have a memorable experience is so important for us at Hertfordshire Zoo. We want to make sure that our visitors leave with a big smile on their face and enjoy their family time together. We enlisted the help of insight6 over 10 years ago to help us achieve this and have used their services consistently ever since.”
Lynn Whitnall, CEO at Hertfordshire Zoo and The Big Cat Sanctuary
insight6’s end-to-end customer experience (CX) solutions have earned us a reputation as the partner of choice for many forward-thinking companies. Our network of local specialists provides on-the-ground support. Don’t let an inadequate customer experience ruin your reputation or impact your success. Get in touch today to schedule a no-obligation chat with your local CX specialist or a free demo of our total feedback solution—instant insight.