Surveying for the lazy

Once per year online surveys are the lazy clubs way of check-boxing 'we listen'.

If this is the primary way you gauge the pulse of your club, you are probably getting a false positive.

At my day job, we 'survey' our customers online and get some information, but the in-depth survey we do in person is where we find the truth.

Anything below an '8' means trouble.  The traditional 'satisfied, somewhat satisfied, neutral', etc., is helpful, but for some reason numerical grades always tell more of the story - in person.  

A quick '9 or 10' is great, but what about the hesitant '7'?  Is it really a '7'? Voice inflection and body language says it's not, but you can't pick that up over the internet.  This is why you need to survey as many members as you can in person.  Again, at my day job, we conduct these monthly with a sub-set of customers.  After 12 months, we have asked everyone, both online and in person.  Do this and member retention will no longer be a mystery.

Too busy to say thanks (or how to get your members to be billboards on the cheap)?

Who bought the most lessons from you in 2015?

Who bought the most hard/soft goods in your pro shop?

Who attended the most club functions?

Who improved the most this year?

Who sent the most referrals?

Who brought the most guests in 2015?

Which family dined the most at the club in 2015?

…and how did you recognize each of these members at your club?

Would the member that bought 9 lessons be ecstatic over receiving a hand-written thank you with a voucher for a free lesson in 2016?

How much more likely would the member that spent $3,000 in your pro shop last year…be likely to spend even more in 2016 and tell their fellow members to avoid Dick’s or Golf Galaxy at all costs because of the outstanding service they received at the club?

How creatively did you say ‘thank you’ to the member that brought in over 40 guest rounds last year?

You can’t over-appreciate your members.