Ep 7. Kampgrounds of America (KOA)

As the CEO of Kampgrounds of America (KOA), Toby O'Rourke decides to go undercover in the fourth season's seventh episode. KOA is one of America's biggest and oldest outdoor hospitality brands, so Toby is pretty excited to see how his employees work. He wants to know how they handle the daily challenges at work. Toby O'Rourke decides to don a beanie hat and work with his ground-level employees.

The episode starts with Toby getting to know some of his employees at a KOA location in Ely, Nevada. The employees had no idea that the "new guy" is really Toby, their CEO. The employees do their best to teach Toby some of the tasks required, such as unclogging the toilets, cleaning out the fire pits, checking in new guests, and cleaning the cabins.

Toby starts to get the hang of things as he observes and learns from his dedicated employees. He is glad to see that most of his employees are motivated and willing to go the extra mile to ensure the customers are happy. He was especially impressed with one of his employees, Tim, who has been with the company for over 20 years.

As Toby spends time working at the KOA site, he takes note of some of the issues that need addressing. For example, the cabins are creaky and outdated and require some maintenance, and the rules surrounding pets need more clarity. Toby also notes that Tim is a hard worker but hasn't been promoted in a long time, despite his loyalty to the company. Toby sees this as an opportunity to make improvements and give his employees the recognition they deserve.

On the second day, Toby goes undercover at another KOA location in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he finds himself doing a variety of tasks such as cleaning the pools, checking campers in, and running a store. The employees at this location boast a more diverse team, with more female staff. Toby learns firsthand about the interpersonal struggles some of the employees go through, with the job affecting their personal life. They recount stories of customers being verbally abusive or even threatening violence, adding more challenges to their day-to-day lives.

However, Toby is thrilled to see that the employees are passionate about creating a memorable experience for the customers and always go above and beyond to ensure their customers' stay is a comfortable and enjoyable one. While working at the Las Vegas location, Toby discovers that the company's points-based system for incentivizing employees needs some restructuring and refinement.

Throughout the episode, Toby bonds with some of his employees across the different locations. He expresses his gratitude and appreciation for their hard work and dedication to the KOA brand. He also takes the time to listen to their stories and learn more about their experiences.

At the end of the episode, Toby invites a select team of employees to his office where he shares his own experience of going undercover and the changes he wants to make within the company. He starts a new employee recognition program, where dedicated employees will have the opportunity to participate in a leadership mentorship program. Toby also shares plans to renovate the cabins and to improve their point-based system.

Overall, this episode of "Undercover Boss" highlights the importance of a company's employees and how they can make or break a customer's experience. The CEO of KOA recognizes this and goes undercover to ensure that his employees are happy and motivated in their work. Through this, Toby also discovers areas where he can improve, such as expanding the diversity of staff, clarifying policies, and revamping their reward and recognition system.