The importance of good chemistry is accentuated by the fact that Earth River Expeditions relies heavily on return clients and word-of-mouth marketing. A negative experience can directly impact future sales. Further, Hertz prefers guide/client relationships to evolve with mutual respect, keeping over-the-top schmoozing to a minimum. As a result of these criteria, Earth River Expeditions brings a slightly older and wiser crew of guides, averaging nearly twenty years of experience on the worlds most respected rivers.
The pursuit of quality goes beyond personnel. Hertz also emphasizes innovative equipment and client preparation. By teaming up with Sotar to create custom boats for big water, Hertz feels they’ve hedged their bet. Another innovation has been the design of a safety cataraft with a front deck, the preferred rescue vehicle of Earth River Expeditions. On all their runs, except the narrow Colca, Earth River relies exclusively on catarafts for rescues, using their agility and capacity to maximize effectiveness. “Kayakers too often end up as cheerleaders,” says Hertz. On the client side, there is a physical standard expected of all potential rafters. Further, for some rivers, there is a state-of-mind waiver. When presented with such a waiver many clients change their minds, which Hertz considers sound preventative medicine. For those who make it to the put in, a one-day guide school is performed. Here clients go over rescue techniques, swimming, flipping, and other scenarios they may encounter on the river. Having selected the most qualified guides, customized both passenger and rafts and rescue catarafts, and educated the clients, Earth River Expeditions puts on the river with confidence that all assurances for safety have been taken.
Offering international trips on remote whitewater often means dealing with layers of foreign government bureaucracy. Each country, each region and community in that country, has its own red tape to go through. “The key”, says Hertz, “is to take things in stride.” A good attitude in a time of adversity is often all you have going your way. Further, a negative approach can alienate the powers that be and make things more difficult. Establishing respectful and trusting relationships has been the key to Earth River Expeditions ability to operate in so many countries. Hertz tells of the time when a large sum of money, money for user fees for the Yangtze, was lost in the wire transfer. With thousands of dollars missing, and delicate relations with their Chinese partners at stake, Hertz waited for the situation to play out. In the end, the money was found, and the trust invested in his partners validated. The value of picking quality, trustworthy people as his oversees associates proved vital towards achieving the goal of incredible trips on incredible rivers.