Let’s talk a little bit about mindset, about really creating an operation that makes a difference, that creates results that you’re actually looking to achieve.
A lot of people don’t like to think of their students or members, as customers, but they are indeed your customers. They pay you on a consistent basis and you should treat them with the respect that that deserves.
One of the first things that I would really urge is that you reduce your points of friction.
Points of friction are anything that creates an experience that is less than favorable for your customer.
Points of friction are dirty doors, dirty floors, dirty trash cans. Yeah, you should actually have a clean trash can. It shouldn’t have sticky all over it, it shouldn’t have nasty all over it, nor should the floor around your trash can.
On the Other Side
Besides reducing points of friction you need to increase points of enjoyment, increase points of entertainment, making your facility an experience where people actually enjoy coming.
It’s not just your students and your clients, it’s the people that come with them. That’s really almost, if not equally important, because they are the ones that actually control the checkbook. They control the fact whether they actually get there or not and they control the fact of whether they continue or not.
I think it’s really important to really look at your facility, look at the experience that you provide for them. I think that’s a huge difference that most people don’t consider. Yes, you might offer free coffee, you might have Wi-Fi. These are standard things today. Look for places that you can go above and beyond.
When you do go above and beyond you need to promote those things.
Maybe on parents’ night-out I would have snacks, I would have drinks, I would have things to let the parents enjoy them, even if they’re only there for a few minutes. It will really change the way they feel about coming into your facility.
Use that across every experience that you can provide and you will change the makeup and the feel of your operations.
