Customer Service: Every Departments Responsibility
Most traditionally, customer service has been boxed into a corner, handled by a designated group of individuals or in some cases a call center. However, in the sports industry, where the product is about both entertainment and emotion, limiting customer service to a single team is a missed opportunity.
Whether you’re in sales, operations, marketing, security, or concessions, if you interact with customers, you’re working in customer service and supporting the overall fan experience. From the moment a fan purchases the ticket, to the final good-bye as they exit the venue, every touchpoint is shaping the overall experience.
Similar to how a team on a field or court contributes to a win, each member of the staff is contributing to leaving a lasting impression on the fans. Here are some ways departments are contributing to customer service whether they know it or not:
- A ticket sales representative is helping find the best fit for a customer purchasing tickets. They are often part of the first interaction with the fan.
- A marketing representative deepens the engagement with fans through clear communication. This role is serving to get the fans excited about how the experience might be or what to expect.
- A welcoming parking attendant can provide the right in-person first impression to the fan before they even enter the venue. This could be the first touchpoint a fan has on an event day.
- A friendly concession crew member can shift a negative moment of waiting in line into a positive experience for a fan.
- Game Day Staff can help turn little moments into amazing memories. They might help capture a moment for a fan through taking a photo for them or they may assist in helping a fan locate a seat or concession stand. Either way this staff member is leading the charge of fan experience throughout the game.
All of these roles may bring something different to a team, but they are all responsible for making sure fans are happy.
There are many ways to help promote customer service as an organizational initiative, but ultimately it's important that every staff member is supporting the entire team effort for this specific initiative. To make customer service more of a team sport, here are 5 ways t0 create the right mindset for individuals at an organization:
- Leaders Set The Tone - Executives and department heads must model fan-first behavior. If they make customer service a priority, then they will set the tone for their teams to also prioritize customer service.
- Train across all departments - Every department should receive customer service or fan experience training and understand the organization fan experience goals and expectations.
- Share Stories Internally about Successful Fan Interactions/Experiences - Highlight fan feedback in staff meetings, and recognize employees from departments (any department) who made a difference.
- Shadow and Learn from Employees that Work Event Days - Let office staff work a few shifts in guest-facing roles or allow game day staff to share experiences they have had on game day. This could help build empathy and insight.
- Empower Employees - Provide staff the tools and authority to resolve small issues as quickly as possible. Empowerment builds confidence and ownership.
In sports, the most memorable moments are not always associated with what is happening on the field or court. In many cases, it's the small moments that happen in the stands or concourse that live in the fans' memories. Fans often remember how someone made them feel.
When customer service is everyone's responsibility and job, the mindset shifts to what the fan needs as opposed to what the business may need. This shift can help the business as fans will likely want to return if their experience across the board is successful, positive and memorable.
