How to define roles for tour guides and operations staff

To run a successful UK tour business, you must create clear job descriptions that define exactly what your guides, drivers, and admin staff are responsible for. Doing this early prevents confusion, ensures you hire the right personalities for your brand, and helps you meet health and safety standards. The bottom line is: if your staff do not know their specific duties, your customer experience will suffer.

1. Identify your core roles

In a small business, people often wear multiple hats. However, you should still define the individual roles so that every task has an 'owner' and nothing falls through the cracks.

• Tour Guides: These are your storytellers. Their role is to engage guests, manage the group's pace, and ensure everyone stays safe and informed throughout the experience.
• Drivers: Their primary duty is the safe transit of guests. Depending on your vehicle size, they may need specific UK driving entitlements (like a D1) or Private Hire licenses.
• Operations/Admin Staff: These people handle the 'behind the scenes' work, such as managing booking software, answering customer enquiries, and coordinating the daily schedule.

2. Drafting the job description

For each role, create a simple document that lists the following. This makes the hiring process and performance reviews much easier later on:

• Job Title: Use standard terms (e.g., 'Lead Tour Guide') so applicants and staff understand the seniority of the role.
• Key Responsibilities: Use active verbs. For example, 'Conduct pre-tour vehicle safety checks' or 'Deliver engaging historical narratives'.
• Essential Skills: List non-negotiables like 'Valid UK Driving Licence' or 'Current First Aid Certificate'.
• Desirable Skills: These are 'nice-to-haves', such as speaking a second language or having a deep personal connection to local history.

3. UK legal and safety requirements

When defining roles in the UK, you must include specific legal requirements to protect your business and your customers:

• DBS Checks: If your tours involve children or vulnerable adults, you must state that a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is a mandatory requirement for the role.
• Insurance Requirements: Ensure your job descriptions reflect the requirements of your public liability and fleet insurance (e.g., minimum age or years of driving experience).
• First Aid: It is highly recommended that all customer-facing staff, especially guides working in remote areas, hold a valid Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) certificate.

Top Tip: When hiring guides, look for 'people people'. You can teach a new hire the facts about a landmark, but you cannot easily teach them how to be charismatic, patient, and welcoming.