The way your staff answers the phone at your sports facility tells your prospective clients a lot about your business. As a sports facility owner, you may not know what impression prospective clients are getting of your facility when they call – after all, you’re not likely to call and inquire about your own services.
It’s a good idea to have a friend or colleague whose voice your staff won’t recognize call your sports facilities occasionally so you can get a feel for how the phone is being answered. Let your staff know that they could be tested at any time; they will appreciate being prepared, and the resulting preparedness will help improve customer service overall. This process should be integrated into your sports facility staff training.
Before the test calls, develop a list of priorities and criteria for answering the phone and let your staff know what is expected of them.
Here are the criteria I use with my own facility, DNA Sports Center:
1. Introduction
Does the staff member clearly and cheerfully introduce himself or herself and the facility when he or she answers the phone?
2. Description of Services
Is the staff member knowledgeable about all your services and products? This includes pricing and availability.
3. Common Questions
Can your staff adequately answer your prospect’s questions? General questions typically include hours of operation and holiday schedules.
5. Energy Level
Can the prospect tell that your staff member is energetic about your company? Your staff should be cheerful and personable when they answer the phone.
6. Closing the Sale
Qualified leads are valuable; treat them as such. Staff should know what the goal is when this type of prospect calls and should make an attempt to “close” a sale, whether it’s by signing them up for a free demo or scheduling them for a camp or lesson.
After your test calls are completed, share the results with the employee or staff member who answered the phone and highlight suggestions for improvement. It also helps to give an official score on a point system so you can track individual and overall improvement.
If you’d like additional guidance on creating a script specific to your sports facility, give me (Mike Meszaros) a call at (513) 791-4940 or email me.