The Value of a Customer

  What if?  What if you knew that every golfer entering your shop each day was worth, say $12,000 in business to you?  Maybe even more than $12,000.  Would you have a different service experience, different staff, maybe a very different training and measuring program for your team?  Although this post is too short for me to show you the math, I come to you with a new way to view each and every customer.  Instead of your counter team being nice and viewing each golfer as an asset for that day, I urge you to now look at every golfer as a 10 year appreciating asset.

  Instead of you thinking about today’s golfer as a person giving you $48.00 for golf, maybe having a sandwich and a few beers and even possibly buying a glove and balls, what if you totally changed your thinking, and because of it, your service strategy?  Thinking about every golfer as an asset worth maybe $12,000 to $15,000 provides a very different mindset than as a value for your business solely for today.  Think of the possibilities.  When the golfer has a great experience, they tell others.  When they need a place they can trust to bring valuable business associates, they think again about your club.  The upside to this story is endless.  Here are my high fives for looking at every guest as a long term valueable asset:

• Hire people who truly like to serve, who like the idea of providing real value
• Make certain the entire team understands the mindset of the 10 year asset program.  It is about saying YES!
• The service strategy is about teamwork, making certain every golfer has an experience they want to share.  This takes a very proactive service plan where you measure and reward the moments of truth
• Create fun events, unique surprises, and memories which tie into the goals of your players.  Continue to answer the silent question: “what’s in it for me?”
• In an informal way, make certain you and the team are always asking your golfers: “how are we doing?”  Even if you are working hard, if you miss the target, you lose the customer.  Ask each golfer for that one thing they would like to see to put their experience with your club over the top……one thing.

Again, I did not have the space in this post to lay out the math on a 10 year asset strategy.  Know that it works.  Also know it takes discipline and a group of team members who can and will leave their ego at the door as long as you allow them to bring their brains inside.  Loyalty: begins with the way I feel.  It is about people.  Your team cam be better.  In fact, they long for excellence.