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is much faster paced, and a lot more goes on
in a shorter amount of time. Certain referees
have a really hard time adjusting to having to
call or blow their whistle literally three or four
times more than they would in an outdoor
game."
Well-trained referees provide good customer
service when officiating is fair and consistent.
Therefore, a training session with the head
referee or a USIndoor certification may be in
order.
2. HIRE PEOPLE.
More business means a need for more staff,
but don't bring in all of your new people at the
same time. A large group of untrained staff
arriving just as business increases typically
leads to a rash of errors and excessive
demands on managers and team leaders for
questions and corrections. You want new staff
to be functional–not just present–when the
rush of customers enters the building.
To accomplish this, stagger your hiring. Bring
in the first group early. That way, they will not
only be more productive when the busy season
begins, they may be able to help train the next
group.
"Develop your people and focus on attracting
smart, committed staff," says Joan LeMahieu
of SFA and City Beach in Fremont and Santa
Clara, California. "If you don't have the right
people, take the time needed to find and retain
true talent."
3. MANAGE EMAIL.
Send out reminders to the customers in
your database regarding field rentals and
upcoming tournaments, as well as registration
deadlines. "Remind them of what they may
have forgotten over the summer, such as
how you don't allow cleats on the indoor
fields," says Maxine Appenbrink, owner and
operator of Players Indoor Sports in Naperville,
Illinois.
E-mail requires organizational skills and
production management. It usually takes
longer to answer an e-mail than a phone call,
and customers expect a fast response–often
four hours, and no more than 24.
As registration increases and more and more
customers inevitably have questions, have an
automatic response system in place, with a
realistic timeline for responses, so that every
e-mail gets acknowledged right away. Suggest
that customers call if they need a more
immediate response, and suggest good times
to call.
