IT’S THE NEXT LINE……

One of the best TV shows of the 1980’s was Cheers.  It was the story about a bar, its owner, staff, and patrons.  The theme song for the show was one of the best.  The famous line of the song is: “where everybody knows your name.”  However, the next line is the subject for this post.  We are a service economy, and have owned this title for many years.  With all of the service jobs and service training, it seems we just cannot get service right….the way customers expect it should be.  That next line: “and they’re always glad you came” tells of a staff that cares about the patrons and always wants to know more about them as people.  My question to you is when you go out, visit stores, spend your money, do you feel appreciated?  Do you feel the staff of any store is glad you came?  For my part, I rarely do.  More times than not, I feel like an intrusion in their day or worse, invisible.  Service is a tough thing to feel.  We know good service when we experience it, but we cannot write the story of the great service experience.  “And they’re always glad you came” may be a line in a theme song, but it should be a standard we create for our club.  Here are 5 thoughts about service between people.

1. First, you should recognize your team and be glad they come to work each day.  If you do not feel that way about one or two members, replace them as you need to be fair as well as work to build the strongest team possible
2. Develop a service standard.  The club is not a democracy.  As the boss, your role is to create and manage a standard, and that includes managing and rewarding to that standard
3. When you see strong personal service point it out, recognize and reward it.  As others see what you expect, they will work to execute at that same level
4. When you see a poor experience, point it out.  Point it out in private and only to the staff member who did not meet the standard
5. Continue to build improvement into the system.  Visit other clubs as well as other businesses looking for clues and tips that will show you a better way.

Cheers was a ficticious bar from a long ago TV series.  Your role is to create a set of service standards for the 21st century.  Are you using present day thoughts, tools, and training?  As that car pulls up to the bag drop, will the team be glad they came?  Business is more than a financial transaction, it is an interaction between people.  When done well, the customers feels good and will want to return.  So as the creator of service standards at your club, please work to build a strategy that in the end makes us feel glad we played at your place.  Remember that great service should start between you and each staff member.  When the team feels appreciated your task to create and manage high standards will be easier.  Cheers!

Jack Dillon writes the highfives post.  Jack is an advanced speaker and an operational expert in service, merchandise, and building the game for and with women.  Jack can be reached at 407-973-6136.  He lives in Orlando.  Thank you.