When I was boy, I fondly remember going to the local grocery store in my hometown of Greeneville, TN. Of course, this was before the days of the Super Wal-marts with a nine row toy section, grocery store, tire store, and office center all in one. The unique thing about our local grocery chain (Green Giant) was the prize section located right next to the shopping carts. It had BBQ grills, badminton sets, glass sets, baseball gloves, dishes...and a little bit of everything in between. If they didn’t have it on display, they probably had it in their catalog which was chocked full of 100’s of items. Next to the catalog display was a stack of “stamp” books. Each time you bought groceries at the store, they issued you stamps based on the dollar amount that was spent. Once your stamp book was full, you turned it in for the prizes on display or in their catalog. I thought the idea was genius, well, is genius still today, and don’t understand why stores don’t do something similar? I don’t know about you, but “Value” cards really don’t do anything but fill my key ring, but I digress...
What does this have to do with the golf business? Quite a bit actually.
Why? Because your members carry around (their own) stamp books on your club. Their “stamp” book is a little different than the old Green Giant one’s I spoke about earlier, because they issue their own stamps based on how they feel about the way they are treated by your staff. Green = good, Red = bad.
If your twenty-year old running the Pro shop is busy watching TV or texting when one of your members walks in and they act inconvenienced, Red stamp. If they are treated with a warm friendly hello, a firm handshake, and a “how’s your game Mr. Smith”, Green stamp.
If your member has to ask for ketchup each time they order fries, Red stamp. If your wait staff says, “so good to see you Mrs. Smith, are you playing well”, and hardly lets their glass get below half-full, Green stamp.
If your staff rolls out the red carpet for a guest, which who knows, might be an important customer, you might get 2-3 Green stamps. Treat that same guest like a nuisance, and they might issue you 5 Red stamps. Like I said, the issuance of stamps is based on each individual’s standard of excellence and expectation’s.
“It sounds to me like we are in a constant no-win situation if people are that fickle”.
I believe the contrary is true. I believe if your staff is dedicated to a Member First experience, which reminds me of places like the Honor’s course in Ooltewah, TN or TPC of Myrtle Beach, SC, you will set yourself for a growing and happy membership base.
When you give your members a great experience, they fill their “books” with Green stamps, and tell others.
When you fail to meet their expectations by hiring the constantly complaining, clock watching, and/or flat-lined employee’s who act as if their job is to simply show up, your members will issue you Red stamps...and tell others. The only thing is, they may not tell you?
“That hardly seems fair” I mean, we do everything we can but we aren’t the Hilton or Disney. Sometimes bad employee’s slip through the cracks. Not everyone has a great day, every day either”.
No, everyone can't always be in a chipper mood naturally, but one of my mentor’s said it best, “in almost every area of life you struggle with, “fake it until you make it. Act as if...and you will become it”.
Greeting someone with a friendly hello and a “nice to see you today” doesn’t take a Disney training program. Nor does a quick follow-up after a complaint handled with care and respect.
If your membership drive rarely yields new member referrals, I wonder if it has anything to do with the number of Red stamps your members are carrying?
Or worse, how many of your members are one Red stamp away from leaving?
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