Silverlining Tours

SILVER LINING TOURS

Couple lives for Mother Nature’s unpredictable disposition 

By SLN staff

THE SERVICE: 

You could say that Roger and Caryn Hill have their heads in the clouds, literally. But, it’s not that they are unaware of what is going on in their business. It’s quite the contrary. As proprietors of Silver Lining Tours, the world’s second-largest, storm-chasing tour company, they have dedicated their lives to getting storm chasing down to a science. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        (Photos Courtesy of The Silver Lining Tours) 

They know exactly where to take people to witness Mother Nature’s fury – at times, tornados. In 2013, the husband and wife team bought the 17-year-old booming business, and found that being business owners is akin to chasing storms: unpredictable, fast moving and enormously fulfilling.

 “Learning the business was baptism by fire. We became fast learners on things like QuickBooks, along with trying to maintain the company’s customer service standards,” explains Caryn, who not only helps manage the business end of the company, but goes “out in the field” with tour groups, as well. 

Between April and August every year, the Hills lead up to 12 tours, spanning from south Texas to the Canadian Prairies and Colorado to Indiana. Tours usually comprise two or three vans, a driver, Roger or Caryn and six tourists per van. And six times a year, avid photographers join Silver Lining photography tours. “We just talk photography the whole time,” says Caryn. “Then we provide resources the group can use to sell their prints and some have sold photographs for $10,000 a print.” But, Caryn says, “We are storm chasers first.” 

WHY STORM CHASING?

It’s their pure passion for witnessing storm structures. Roger, has chased storms for 29 years. So far, he’s chased 750 tornados, “and he’s so relentless about it that he’ll chase down a rain drop if he can,” says Caryn.  

Caryn is becoming a veteran too, with 11 years’ experience. Roger was a tour guide when Caryn joined him in storm chasing. But Caryn identified future opportunities for growth. She believed he could eventually become a partner and buy the business one day, and with her marketing background, make storm chasing more than just a hobby.  

THE NAME: 

“The name ‘Silver Lining Tours’ stems from the idea that we look for clouds and since every cloud has a silver lining, that comes with it too,” says Caryn, explaining that the name fits because there are challenges and benefits to storm chasing. Even when storms don’t materialize, clients still leave having had a great time. “That has branded the business as being reliable, even when Mother Nature isn’t.”

CORE VALUES:

• Traditional “old-fashioned” customer service
• Responding within two hours to client inquiries.
• Meeting the personal needs of each customer.

 “A large part of our business is answering different questions and addressing people’s concerns -- a lot of time goes into that,” Caryn says. “There are fears associated with storm chasing – every apprehension is a little different and we really learn about each one. For instance, we had a client who was concerned about her safety on tour – not with storms but with other people on the tour. That’s valid; you’re going out with a van full of people you don’t know into the back roads of rural America. But addressing that we have no more than three vans and every client rotates with different guides throughout the tour eased her concerns.”

•  Customer safety
• Tour guides with expertise in science and reading radar equipment.
• All vans are equipped with radar and weather stations, letting clients watch the drivers – “weather geeks” says Caryn -- monitor how strong the storms are and how they are acting. Also, the vans are equipped with van-to-van radio communications.
• Tours stay back 4 or 5 miles from the storm, and clients must stay in the van.
• “We know how close we can get and how far we must stay back,” says Caryn. “There are people who are in storm chasing to see the destruction and chaos and they ruin the reputation of storm chasing for others. So we don’t allow people who are a safety hazard or have unrealistic expectations join the tours.”  

TEAM TRAITS:

The Hills hold a waiting list for those that want to drive for Silver Lining Tours and only hire those that embrace their company values. They are usually fire fighters or EMTs who can drive safely away from the storms, know how to not panic, and can assure storm “virgins” that they will be okay. They are also willing to be first responders in a crisis. “They have to be pretty good improvisers to be in this business,” says Caryn. 

STORM CHASING SILVER LININGS:

• Because storms are unpredictable, there is the possibility of not witnessing a storm.
• “Mother nature won’t be scheduled,” Caryn says. 
• Silver Lining: There are many historical and natural wonders available where the Hills take tour groups. Time for other site seeing is always scheduled into every tour.  
•  Storms are destructive.
• Staying safe means observing some storms from a distance.
• Silver Lining: “People don’t often realize that staying back from the storm is usually better,” says Caryn. “That’s because if you stay back, you will see the whole structure, which is absolutely jaw dropping. People generally see things they just can’t believe are real.”
•  Tours sometimes cross storms’ destruction paths. 
• “Sometimes storms cross cities and towns and when they do, we are there,” Caryn explains.
• Silver Lining:  Clients have the option to be first responders, offering preliminary search and rescue efforts before other rescue teams arrive. Tour participants learn about how to help in an hour-long orientation before tours start. “It’s usually a great comfort to victims when they’re willing to sit and provide comfort until help arrives.” 
•  Storm chasing requires long hours on the road.
• “It’s a lot of work to see storms -- but once people get there, it’s usually unanimous that the long hours on the road were worth it,” says Caryn. 
• Silver Lining: “When you are out in the wind, and you see just this ginormous structure, and smell how the air smells – there’s no other smell like it – it’s so fresh and unique.”

ROI:

•  60-70% of clients are repeat customers
• Year-Over-Year annual growth
• “We’ve grown every year, even during the recession. 
• Surpass client recruitment goals

THE SILVER LINING TOUR LEGACY:

•  Roger’s love for weather. He’s been interested in severe storms since he was a child.
•  Passing on storm knowledge to every Silver Lining Tour guest. 
• “Seeing guests light up when they “get it” is so satisfying,” says Roger.  
•  If there is a storm to be found, Silver Lining Tours does whatever it takes to find it. 

TAKE IT FROM THEM:

Advice to other entrepreneurs/business owners:

•  Through experience you learn what to do to keep your clients happy.
•  Look for your opportunities to learn the business to advance in the company and become part of the succession plan. 
•  It comes right down to thinking about your customers and not yourself. 
•  If you’re working a business as a couple:
•  Remember nobody can spend 24/7 together.
•  Find balance give each other down time.
•  Being engrossed in a business as owners requires you to step aside to rejuvenate and return with enthusiasm and fresh ideas.