Page 16 - GBC spring 2015

mission, values and goals become theirs. You will be surprised how many amazing ideas your team will give you when asking for alternate ways to resolve certain challenges.
So, now that your team is aware, what’s next? Follow-up with your clients when a challenge or opportunity is brought to your attention. Follow-up, follow-up, follow-up!
Ask the golfer to confirm what happened (from their point-of- view) and how the situation was handled. Ask them if they would have preferred the situation had been handled differently, if you haven’t already. You may have your rules, regulations and policies, however do they really align with what your customers expect or want?
Updating your policies and procedures is not something that is only done during the off-season. If one of your rules is no longer applicable, then change it as soon as possible and share the reasons why with your team.
Offering property specific examples to your team demonstrates that you not only want their feedback but that you will act on it. There is nothing worse than when your clients or staff members realize that you do nothing with their
comments. If they cannot trust you anymore, that’s when you lose them and destroy your relationship.
IT BEGINS ANd ENdS WITh YoU
Being in charge does not mean that you are a great leader. Be the example that you want to see. No exceptions. You cannot ask your team to do something that you are not prepared to do yourself. Your customer service policy cannot simply be words on your website or employee manual. They have to be lived 24/7, 365 days a year by everyone at your golf club.
Do all your department heads and supervisors follow in your footsteps? Are they leading by example as well? As important as it is to have weekly meetings with your front line staff, it is as important to have weekly depart- ment leader meetings as well. Once again, have a section on your agenda to discuss and review your senior team’s customer service experiences and stick with it.
The golf industry, just like the economy, has had its ups and downs. Corrections are made and the cycle begins all over again. Will your club be stronger or weaker after this downturn? Will you continue to be or become a customer-obsessed golf club? You must. And it will take a tremendous amount of focus, commitment and leadership.
“Ask the golfer
to confirm what happened (from their point-of-
view) and how
the situation was handled. Ask
them if they would have preferred the situation had been handled differently, if you haven’t already. “
“Winning is not a sometime thing, it is an all the time thing. You don’t do things right once in a while...you do them right all the time.”
Vince Lombardi, NFL coach
Put yourself in your customers’ shoes and take a good look at your competition. What’s going to set you apart? If you want to win in the golf business, you need to be customer-obsessed. You need to make sure that you and your team are doing it right all the time. From choosing the right candidates, training and empowering them, listening to your customers and leading by example, it begins and ends with you.
Your golfers are the most important component of your operation. Only by providing excellent customer service will you keep them coming back for more.
Golf Business Canada
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Golf Business Canada