Global pandemic, civil unrest, live sports returning remotely, corporate sports hospitality owners should turn to the experts
Last Friday, my fiancé and I had to take our cat, Lola, to the vet. What should have been a routine, in-and-out diagnosis turned into a miserable experience. It took four attempts to secure an actual appointment time… and then, somehow, “lost in the system.”
Twice I was told someone would call me to confirm and provide an intake form. When this failed to matriculate, out came my “angry voice” — and end result? New appointment scheduled.
We pull up (reminder, this is an appointment for a sick cat) only to find out we are not in the system and our intake form has been lost. Out comes the “angry voice” again; and what do you know? They found the paperwork and they can squeeze us into the daily schedule.
Pair this customer experience with an unexpected (and quite frankly, unwelcomed) $500 charge, and we have little instruction on how to cure our poor pet and are actively shopping for a new vet again.
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We have all experienced subpar service and as a consumer it leaves you with a feeling of disconnect and a negativity. I hate having to use my “angry voice” — it goes against every fiber of my being. But when basic expectations for paid service are not met, one reaches a new level of frustration.
Remember the AT&T “Just ok is not ok” commercials? Specifically, the ones with the doctor who was just reinstated and the translator who doesn’t speak a language as well as he claims? This series used comedy to talk on a universal truth.
A brand’s reputation can only go as far as the experience its customers encounter… And just “ok” does not cut it.
Question time: Would you task someone from your marketing department to perform a tax audit on the company’s payroll? Would you ask your COO to go get coffee for the new crop of summer interns? Would you trust an account manager to manage a hospitality program developed to drive sales pipeline conversions?
Probably not. You need experts in the field. And as live professional sports slowly return, you will need experts to ensure your company’s post-COVID hospitality still is able to drive business. The best way to accomplish this is outsourcing these responsibilities; an outsourced solution that ensures best practices and executes a strategic vision to ROI will be more imperative than ever before.
To the CFO
The obvious benefit of outsourcing is avoiding paying headcount. Headcount does not just mean salary. Outsourcing also relieves associated hard costs with such payroll fees, benefits, bonuses, retirement funds, taxes, etc. Additionally, outsourcing eliminates soft costs, including hiring, training, and team building to fight attrition. And lastly, outsourcing provides budget certainty. You know what you will pay, no surprise bonuses or promotions, no commissions to pay out.
To the CEO
Outsourcing has always been a great way to receive best practices in specific verticals. In the case of Best.Day.Ever., we are in the business of making sure your hospitality drives sales.
The problem with not outsourcing is often the lack of results from your specific programs. Usually, this is because of mismanaged and overworked employees. It is hard to execute and deliver meaningful customer touch points when you have so many other hats to wear. Ask yourself, do the people in charge of your sports and entertainment hospitality programs really have the bandwidth to bring results? Do you feel you’ve realized the return you expected when you signed the bottom-line on that sponsorship, suite lease, or ticket program?
To the Customer
Remember my trip to the vet? It took five phone calls and a miserable in-person experience to lose my business forever. Despite having all my contact information, my cat’s health records, and my $500, I am more than willing to go through an entirely new onboard process elsewhere just to avoid this location. The same should be said for attending a corporate event as a customer.
If your experience leading up, during, and after an event does not meet your minimum expectations, are you ever going to accept an invite from that company again? Better yet, how likely are you to do business with the inviting company in the future?
There is no “buyer beware” in corporate hospitality, and the above outcome is inevitable if you do not have the experts in place in all areas to create wins for your company as a whole, the people it employs, and the business it hopes to generate.
The Choice is Yours
Well CEO, CFO, and customer… what are you going to do? The business climate has changed and highlighted a need for innovation in the sports realm. Unused or mismanaged hospitality assets are not only a waste of money, but a missed opportunity to build engagement and business.
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Want to ensure your company receives best practices in hospitality and engagement? Hire Best.Day.Ever. and let the wins flood in.