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Back to Facility Manager
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Every sports team begins each season with aspirations of unfurling the championship banner, wearing the diamond ring, hoisting the cup, or simply advancing further in the playoffs than in years past. So, too, do we have goals in our venues of a banner season at the gates, in concession revenues, in the merchandise shops, and in other areas within our facilities. A new season always brings with it hope, excitement, and a feeling of “We’re #1” that, for most, typically lasts just a few short weeks. At that point, most teams realize that they are not going to be any better than they have been in the past, and heaven forbid should they end up worse. This example is painfully close to what many of us have felt throughout the years as we have come to realize that our season is going to be a long one, on and off the playing surface. However, there are many ways in which we can bank on a successful season, regardless of what our team is doing on the field. A successful team on the field does not always equate to a successful campaign at the gates, concessions, or merchandise stands. The opposite often holds true, as well (e.g., the Chicago Bulls in the post- Jordan era – their win-loss record has nearly inverted, yet they still sell out night after night). The Minor League Baseball Environment In a football stadium that holds 60,000 spectators each week, it is tough to imagine those fans having the type of access to the players and front office that the fans in Rancho Cucamonga, California, for example, can have in a stadium that holds only 6,500 fans. There is, however, something that these two organizations can have in common when it comes to exceeding their customers’ expectations. Even the fans of a successful professional football team in a large metropolitan area can have the same type of voice in how things are run inside the venue from week to week as can the fans of a small minor league team in Small Town, USA. Developing A Sense Of “WOW” Tom Peters calls this the “WOW Experience.” When a customer deals with a vendor and comes away saying to his associates, friends, and family, “WOW, Company X really knows what I want,” Company X has just developed a loyal, committed customer. This same principal applies straight across the board for sports venues, as well. There is a very simple process for determining what our fans want, developing cost-effective strategies that will “wow” them, and keep them coming back year after year.
The old adage, “the best way to find out what someone wants is simply to ask” has never been more applicable than it is today. Organizations that assume they know what their customers want, simply because of their “years of experience” in the industry, will sooner or later realize that they won’t need to worry about things like pleasing their customers for very long. In the end, their worries will be much greater. Customers (sports fans) want to know they are supporting a team that has a winning attitude, on and off the field. There is more sports and entertainment competition today than in any other time in recent history. People only have so much disposable income, and they usually have multiple choices for how they will spend it. Certainly a team that is in the hunt for a league title will draw its share of fans, but in a league of 5 to 10 teams or more, that typically boils down to only a few front-runners. What about the rest of those that are out of the race, but still need to fill the stadium each night? The answer is simple. Make the experience a memorable one for the fans, time after time. They deserve to leave our venues every night knowing that we care about whether or not they enjoyed their experience, especially if the team is struggling. What Makes A Customer A Loyal Customer? In other words, these customers were loyal to the company because the company was, first, loyal to them! Are we loyal to our customers? In sports and entertainment, it does not have to boil down to what teams are playing, or what concert is in town, all the time. A satisfied customer may tell a friend or two, while a dissatisfied customer will tell eight! However, we are not trying to simply satisfy our customers – we are out to dazzle them! A dazzled customer may tell two or three friends or associates per week about their experiences at our venues! The objective is to win over our customers for life! The roster on the field will change dramatically from year to year, so it is tough to get behind the players on the team for more than a season or two. But, the dazzled customer will return every year, multiple times, and will be our best marketer and advocate.
At Quest Retail Technology, we are assisting our clients not only in providing them with world class point-of-sale systems for their concession, fine dining, suite catering, vending, retail, and in-seat service requirements, but we are also working with many of them in building a more loyal customer/fan base through a state-of-the-art loyalty system. While this system is tracking the spending habits and patterns of our customer’s customers, there is also room for measurement of customer satisfaction, as well. As we improve the technology at these venues, customers are reporting that their experience is better, as well. Shorter lines, better service, and the perception that their favorite venue is “on the ball” as far as technology is concerned, all lead to a more satisfied customer. And the “Wow” continues… Edward J. Hart is the Sales Manager for Quest Retail Technology. He also founded VCR Sports and Entertainment, a market research firm in Southern California. He has written several articles on the subject of customer satisfaction, and recently completed a book about a fictional World Series between the Chicago Cubs and the Boston Red Sox. He can be reached at ed.hart@quest.com.au.
Often the search for current audiences is at the expense of future audiences. The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast are easy choices for parents to make when exposing their children to the arts. The downside is that tickets, concessions and souvenirs for a family with two or more children can drain that family's entertainment fund for a year. This can limit the children's (our future audiences) performing arts experience to musicals with simple stories and extravagant special effects. When these children grow up, will they attend the symphony, the ballet, modern dance or opera? It is not my intention to weigh the virtues of one art form over another (I enjoyed Beauty and the Beast more than my kids) but to explore ways to expose young people to the full and varied range of the performing arts. I would like to propose a two-pronged solution: program/education and facility design. The goal of both is to make attending the performing arts desirable and affordable. Since funding for the arts in grades K-12 is often sacrificed by school districts with limited budgets, perhaps the performing arts facilities and their constituent user groups can fill in the gap. Many years ago the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, funded by a grant, gave workshops in the city schools. These workshops offered students an opportunity to experience these arts, and the people who create and perform them, firsthand. Many symphony orchestras have programs aimed at young children that explore different sections of the orchestra and how they make music together. Carnegie Hall has a monthly program of concerts aimed at entertaining and educating young audiences. The formal performance is preceded by an informal session where children can interact with the musicians. Many readers, of a certain age, will remember the Young Peoples Concerts presented by the New York Philharmonic and hosted by its conductor, Leonard Bernstein.
Performances of the Nutcracker Suite are often children's first, and sometimes only, exposure to ballet. A recent feature on CBS's Sunday Edition noted that many dancers had performed in the Nutcracker as children. The Alvin Ailey Dance Company and the Dance Theater of Harlem, to name a couple, have second companies that present workshops and perform in schools. Facilities located on a college campus with performing arts departments have a built-in resource. By sponsoring events featuring campus departments, opportunities will be provided to give students experience and exposure. There can also be a synergy with the education department that will benefit student performers as well as student audiences. So, how is this wonderful plan to be funded in an era of increased operating costs, a fluctuating economy and increasing competition for donations? That is a subject for wiser heads than mine. It is, however, an issue that must be addressed if performing arts groups and the facilities that house them are to remain viable. We have discussed exposing children to the arts but how do we get them to the theater? And more specifically, how do we get their parents to take them? If your facility is not "kid friendly," it will not matter if the program is free; parents won't make the effort. Below are several ideas that can be incorporated into the design of new facilities as well as renovations. Family Lounge/Changing Area This area would include a child size toilet, lavatory, changing table, bench and fountain. Ideally, each lobby level would have a Family Lounge. This room allows parents a quiet space to attend to their children (and also keep an eye on them). For existing facilities, locating a bench and a table behind a portable partition will serve. Pre-purchased Food and Concessions A facility might offer a "package" that would include tickets, a snack, small drink and souvenir. The tickets could be mailed prior to the performance, but the package could be picked up in the lobby using a voucher. As well, these packages could be sold directly to patrons. Dedicated Family Areas Cordoning off an area of the lobby and identifying it as a family area provides a number of benefits. It provides an area where parents can more easily keep track of their kids and also a meeting place should a child become separated. Small benches and a satellite coat check allow parents to avoid crowds and provide an area for tired kids (and parents!) to rest. Family Parking It is common to provide parking for persons with disabilities to minimize the distance to the venue. Families also require this benefit. For matinees and "kiddie" shows, an area can be temporarily dedicated to families. Michael Mell is president of Theater Design Inc. in Cold Spring, New York and can be reached at mmell@theaterdesigninc.com. |
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© 2004 International Association of Assembly Managers 635 Fritz Dr. Coppell, TX 75019 USA Phone: 972/906-7441 Fax: 972/906-7418 |
The chart on this page is an illustration of the importance of continuously measuring the levels of satisfaction of our customers. This data, combined with written and oral feedback to open-ended questions, serves us in knowing what our customers think and feel about doing business with us. How do we know where we are going if we do not know where we have been, and where we are now?
