INTRODUCTION

The Company tour in activity is a practice born with industrialization (in the 19th century,
in France as in England, several “factories” and “manufactures” were already open to visitors
to promote their know-how, their technologies and their products).
Today, customers want to have experiences, whatever the area concerned : a visit to a store,
participation in an event, going to a restaurant... Faced with strong digitalization, they also want
privileged contacts. Preserving human relationships remains important. Well organized, a
company tour will provide your customers with a unique experience. While favoring face-to-
face human interactions, a major benefit of events!
However, what can we know about the following topic: Showing directions/company
tour.
We will deal with this theme by defining it first. Then, we will present the progress of the
Company tour. Finally, we show the importance of company tour.

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 I. A DEFINITION OF COMPANY TOUR
The essential characteristic of the company tour is to open up to visitors the “behind the
scenes” of an active company (or public facility) (workshops, machine rooms, etc.) in order to
show them, live, all or part of the production process (of a product or service).
To this minimum requirement is added the “discourse” of the company, namely the
explanations provided by the guide (sometimes the head of the company or establishment) or
by the employees in place, concerning the history of the company, its development, its markets,
its products, its technologies, but also its culture and its values. Different mediation tools
(videos, brochures, etc.) can be used to introduce or complete this speech.
To make an impression, the visit can also be punctuated with anecdotes and interactive
or fun “scenario” sequences soliciting the participation of visitors.

Finally, a shop sometimes offers them the opportunity to purchase a souvenir, whether
products made on site, local products, or “derived” products.

II. THE PROGRESS OF THE COMPANY TOUR

1. Before the visit
 For the company
Depending on the nature of your activity and the previously defined objectives, a visit to
your company can allow you to :
• Promote your professions and know-how,
• Capitalize on your image, increase your notoriety,
• Motivate your staff around a common project and promote their work,
• Encourage vocations and meet your future collaborators,
• Build customer loyalty or reach new customers,
• Communicate differently, differentiate yourself from the competition,
Highlight your territorial roots,

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• Show the quality of your products, your sustainable development approach,
• Contribute to bringing young people and the business world closer together.
Whatever your objectives, the organization of this visit is entirely part of a communication
strategy with young people, consumers, local elected officials, local residents and partners.
 For visitors
Depending on the profiles, the company tour allows you to :
• Discover the behind the scenes of a company whose products they consume,
• Appreciate the know-how of industries,
• Know companies in their territory,
• Discover the workplace of a relative or friend,
• Identify job opportunities,
• Find authenticity.
This communication operation will only be a success if your audience is well identified
beforehand and if your objectives are in line with visitors' expectations.
1.1 How to communicate and with whom?
In order to work on the notoriety of your company and consolidate its brand image, visits
are an opportunity to communicate with:
 Our employees
Involve colleagues to discuss and organize the company tour project :
most appropriate circuit, targeted targets, visit period, material and human resources available.
Our customers, your suppliers, your neighborhood, local elected officials
Let's send them invitations and offer specific time slots in order to adapt our speech.
 Visitors
Let's make our visit project appear in a broader program. Let’s engage in targeted
communication approaches with different types of visitors:
• School public: let's get closer to colleges, schools, high schools, rectorate (school business
center)...
• Future employees: let’s get closer to Pôle Emploi, the local mission, training centers, etc.
• General public: let’s talk with the tourist office, local authorities, institutional or private
partners…
 The local press
Let's send a press release, invitations. Models are available upon request. The press is
fond of this type of operation. Let us also inform our partners (CCI, professional branches,
etc.). Asking your staff at each stage of the project allows them to be valued and motivated.

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 1.2 How to organize a company visit?
Your approach must be voluntary and shared with all employees involved.
 The circuit within the company
The circuit must be logical in order to facilitate understanding, listening and circulation
for visitors. Identify the spaces to be valued and integrated into the visit as well as the sensitive
spaces to exclude from the route (spaces that you do not wish to show for reasons of
confidentiality, spaces that could represent a risk for the safety of visitors). Materialize these
spaces
To help you construct your speech and the visit, make a plan of your visit route.
 The visit speech
What to tell visitors?
At what moment ?
What media should I use?
Proposal for your speech:
• Welcome visitors,
• Introduce yourself: explain your role in the company, your training, your career path in the
company, etc.
• Remind the hygiene and safety rules that must be respected during the visit (right or not to
take photos/films, etc.) and distribute personal protective equipment (PPE) if necessary.
• Present the company: its history, its activity, its development, its markets, its products, its
technologies, its culture, its values + a thematic approach according to the determined spaces,
• Punctuate the visit with anecdotes, interactive or fun role-playing sequences by soliciting
visitors: they are looking for authenticity,
• Save time for discussion with your visitors at the end of the visit.
1.3 Reservation management
The management of visits (reception of calls, exchange with groups, scheduling of visits,
formation of groups, etc.) must be monitored regularly. Consider the booking arrangements:
• What is the maximum group size I can accommodate?
• What is the minimum number of visitors to start the visit?
• Is pre-registration necessary before visits?
The duration of the visit should not exceed 1h30. Make simulated visits with relatives or
your employees to check the speech and the time needed for the visit. To make your task easier,
prepare a visit schedule (names and contact details of participants, dates and times of visits,
type of visitors according to time slots, number of people planned, etc.).

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 2. During the visit
2.1 Welcoming visitors
In addition to the tour circuit and the speech given, visitor satisfaction depends on
different factors :
• The reception area: try to set up a pleasant reception area for visitors where you will return
at the end of the visit to chat.
• The behavior of the employees who will welcome visitors: smiling, available, attentive.
• Make it easier for visitors to come: take care of the signage and accessibility to your
business (consider creating road signs, clean and tidy your premises inside and out).
• Create parking spaces near your business. All of these elements influence the image of your
business.
2.2 Visitor information and guidance
Before starting the tour, gather the group of visitors in the space provided for this purpose
and remember to do:
• A word of welcome,
• A quick presentation of the guide (name, position in the company, training, career path in the
company, etc.),
• A reminder of health and safety rules and possibly a provision of safety equipment
• A general presentation of the progress of the visit. During the visit, involve visitors to create
exchanges and thus make them more receptive to your messages.
At the end of the visit, reserve some time for discussion and take the opportunity to
distribute company presentation documents, possibly product samples or promotional items.
Offering refreshments at the end of the visit can be a plus depending on the audience (local
elected officials, customers, suppliers, neighbors, etc.), but it is not essential (general public).
3. After the visit
3.1 Take stock
Evaluate visitor satisfaction through a questionnaire and debrief the visits with all the
people involved in this project in order to report positive or negative comments and thus
improve future editions.
3.2 Continue to communicate
 With the press
Extend the communication action around the event, by sending a “Press Report” to the
media with photos illustrating the visit.

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  Internally
Take stock with your colleagues about their feelings and their comments. Remember that such
a project requires everyone’s support.
 On your communication media
Promote your action through photos, press articles, a report, and publish on your website,
your social networks, your newsletter, etc.

III. IMPORTANCES OF COMPANY TOUR

Indeed, the visit represents much more than an axis of tourist diversification. It allows the
company to communicate “differently”, to use transparency and traceability, to differentiate
itself from the competition, to motivate its staff, and even to build customer loyalty. Above all,
it allows it to create a direct relationship with the general public (potential consumers), the local
population (elected officials, local residents, other businesses, etc.), its B to B partners
(suppliers, principals, subcontractors, distributors, etc.). ), educational establishments or even
job seekers.
For the territory, the company tour is an original way to promote its identity, its economic
and industrial assets, its products, know-how and sectors of excellence (Made in….) and thus
contribute to the development of its notoriety . Finally, thanks to the situation, the meetings, the
testimonies and the unique experiences that it causes, the company tour makes it possible to
satisfy “tourists” in search of originality and authenticity, or even to instill in them a bit of
“enterprise spirit” and a taste for entrepreneurship.

1. A company tour to provide an experience

The company tour is an exceptional tool to reassure a client who is waiting for proof.
Showing your company a tour and showing you behind the scenes addresses a new challenge
in customer relations.
In fact, it allows the company to stand out through its transparency. It shows everyone its
commitments in societal, environmental and human matters. By daring to show itself from the

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inside, the company proves that it is in good faith regarding its commitments, its promises and
its speech. In a word, she is trustworthy!
However, to create the experience and spark pleasure, the open house must be organized.
It’s not just about bringing in customers. We must create a tour route, offer exchanges and end
the JPO with a festive moment.
2. A company tour to collect customer opinions
We all know the importance of customer reviews. According to an Ifop study, 88% of
consumers consult reviews before making a purchase.
Consumers spend 31% more if the company has an “excellent” rating. Setting up
company visits is a great way to collect customer reviews. This is an opportunity to transform
the voice of the customer into a management tool. It is also the assurance of effective collection
of opinions, guaranteeing transparency and authenticity.
3. A company tour to highlight its diversity
Showing your company a tour shows its diversity in all its areas. It no longer appears
solely through its senior executives or sales managers. Remember that the younger generation
expects diversity and inclusion (Getty Images study)
Showing the diversity of the company through a JPO is an opportunity to engage a new
generation. Indeed, Generation Z prefers social brands that practice diversity.
4. A company tour to recreate connections
The health crisis has prevented human contact. But human beings need contact. It is a
basic need. Humans are essentially social. Let's also say that happiness is in social relationships.
After 2 years of limited social relations, a company visit is the perfect opportunity to
reconnect with the public.
It’s not just a business issue. It is also an opportunity to put people back at the heart of
the relationship. To recreate an essential link!
5. A company tour to publicize its future plans
The crisis has had consequences on all businesses. It imposed certain reorganizations.
Triggered development in other markets. Required new equipment, a new factory…
These developments are an opportunity to bring in customers to let people know that the
company is growing. And give a dynamic and reassuring image. And to answer customer
questions about post-covid.

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 CONCLUSION
At the end of the analysis of our theme relating to showing directions/company tour, we
were able to identify that the company visit refers to the opening of our company to a small
group of job seekers, during a organized visit. People discover the functioning and organization
of our structure as well as professionals in action depending on the circumstances.
To do this, preparation and organization must be put in place for its success. However, this visit
serves to promote the company and its sector of activity.

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 WEBOGRAPHS
• https://uimmauvergne.org/sites/default/files/guide%20visite%20entreprise.pdf
• https://ecole-entreprise.ac-clermont.fr/19-pages-ressources/176-preparer-une-visite-d-
entreprise