1. IAAM Student Chapters http://www.iaam.org/facility_manager/pages/2004_Feb_Mar/lo...
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CRM: It’s A Culture, Not A Technology
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Facility
Manager
By Derek Rauchenberger
Contents
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is integral to the long-term success
of any venue. However, many organizations often think of CRM as a technology
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or software system when in fact it is a culture. Make no mistake, people buy
tickets to see the talent on the stage, but they are more inclined to become
long-term customers if they enjoy the overall experience at your facility.
CRM is the smile on an usher’s face as he says “enjoy the show.” CRM is about
clean restrooms, good food, convenient parking and a polite staff. While
technology is an enabling tool that helps support the guest experience, it is the
culture of the venue and its staff that truly determine the value of the customer
relationship.
As a long-time building manager, my greatest satisfaction comes as patrons
enter the venue for the first time. When I see a smile come across their face, I
know that we have exceeded their expectations. Sometimes I hear their
comments as they talk about being impressed by the staff and the facility. In my
early days at Poplar Creek (an outdoor amphitheater in Chicago) I would
occasionally hear patrons comment that “this is like Disneyland.” At that point I
knew that our efforts were appreciated.
When NextStage at Grand Prairie (TX) first opened we had a very thin schedule,
so we sold our high-quality service offerings. The schedule was so light that we
created our own shows with local talent just to be able to open the building to the
public. During this opening event, the staff peddled the features and amenities of
the venue while developing the venue’s first positive customer relationships. I am
proud to say those days are far behind at NextStage as the venue hosted 71
performances in 2003 and the commitment to service has remained integral to
its success.
When an editorial appeared in The Dallas Morning News claiming our $10
parking fee was exorbitant, a rebuttal came from a customer who had read the
article. He said that he had paid $10 to park, but he “received a million bucks
worth of service” as an usher had helped his wife from the car, into a wheelchair
and taken her down to her seat. That was just one of many occasions when the
staff “goes the extra mile” to ensure that our patrons are satisfied.
As venue managers we have fairly limited control over the product on stage, but
we have tremendous influence on the quality of the guest experience that
defines the long term value of the venue itself. One positive experience can
easily lead to another sales opportunity.
After hosting 42 Radio City performances during the 2002 holiday season, we
had many happy customers who called in 2003 to book their group outings and
holiday parties at NextStage. These inquiries were easily converted into group,
suite and catering sales for a variety of holiday shows. These new sales
opportunities were the direct result of positive customer experiences from last
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2. IAAM Student Chapters http://www.iaam.org/facility_manager/pages/2004_Feb_Mar/lo...
year’s show.
No amount of technology or customer data can bring back a patron after a bad
experience. Only hands-on customer service can remedy that ill. Always strive to
turn your customer problems into customer opportunities.
When customer problems do arise, try resolving them by offering another
experience before offering a refund. Not only does this save hard dollars, but it
also helps build long-term customer value. My standard line is, “I can’t turn back
the clock on your bad experience, but please give me the opportunity to give you
a better one.” This may include free tickets, VIP parking, free merchandise or a
“meet and greet” with the artist.
In the early days of NextStage an elderly customer demanded to “see the
manager” as he was very disappointed by the fact that all the shows he had
bought tickets for were being cancelled. He was threatening to never buy
another ticket until I offered him VIP passes for a meet and greet with Robert
Goulet after a performance of South Pacific. By the end of the event, we had a
long-term customer who became our goodwill ambassador.
Our obligation for a quality customer experience isn’t limited to the front-of-house
as it is equally important to treat the artist and their entourage as customers.
This can take the form of good catering, comfortable dressing rooms, a fully
wired production office, hardworking crew, and a knowledgeable production staff.
Creating goodwill amongst the artist and crew is critical to developing a good
reputation for a new building that is trying to establish itself. Our best industry PR
is the word-of-mouth generated about the backstage staff and facilities. Bonnie
Raitt exclaimed from the stage that “the dressing rooms are nicer than my
house.” Santana’s management decided on NextStage after receiving very
favorable comments about the building from their audio company.
The secret to a successful CRM culture is the people who create it…the venue
staff. If management gives them the goal and empowers them to achieve it, CRM
success will result. Our goal at NextStage was simple: to deliver great live
experiences. We did this for both artist and audience.
Derek Rauchenberger is the former general manager of NextStage
at Grand Prairie. He has managed the Hartford Meadows, Pacific
Amphitheatre and was on the opening management of Poplar Creek
Music Theater in 1980. He has also been a tour accountant and tour
manager for numerous artists. He can be reached at
drauchenberger@comcast.net.
© 2002-2004 International Association of Assembly Managers
635 Fritz Dr. Coppell, TX 75019 USA Phone: 972/906-7441 Fax: 972/906-7418
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