December 20, 2013
CEO Newsletter
Te3am,
In today’s business world nimbleness of thought and flexibility in execution is critical. There are still many businesses that have rigid policies and practices in place only because that is the way things have always been done. I experienced two of these long-term habits that had a detrimental effect on my customer loyalty. First, I was at a fund-raising event while two of our NFL teams were playing. In an attempt to multi-task, I asked if the channel could be changed to the game and was told by the staff member that they were really busy, heard a host of other reasons why it couldn’t be done and when pressed, was finally told that they had lost the remote. We decided to leave shortly after, went to another venue for the rest of the evening and will never return. Second, I was at a hotel in New York that offered free Wi-Fi but charged $3 per page to receive a fax. As it was a 50 page document I asked why they would have this policy when they recognize me as a key client. The staff member muttered that it’s the policy and you have to speak with management. I promptly spoke to the manager who offered me a discount of $2 per page as if we were in a bartering exchange. I simply asked to be checked out and told the manager that I would also take my 150+ nights a year with this brand to another hotel. Was this loss worth $150?
These were instances of very poor customer service. What I hope keeps you up at night is wondering if there any similar things happening in your department or venue? What are our “fax” policies? Let’s capture and work to eliminate them to further differentiate our Event Hospitality experience. By doing this you are making good on our brand promise of “Making It Better To Be There Since 1929”.
It is vitally important that we do not just expect our people to do the right things. We have to provide the proper training and hire people who are innately predisposed to want to do the right thing. Make sure your team members know our values and what is expected of them. There should be no surprises. Everyone should read the Centerplate Way and regularly check our website. Please make sure that you are reviewing all of the content that is being placed on Centerplate Spark, particularly in the Manual Update section. Over the coming year we will be placing extensive emphasis on making sure that we are all operating to the highest possible standard. Get ahead of the game and make sure that you and your entire team are implementing the enterprise guidelines.
The attached Marketplace Lessons newsletter discusses relationships with big data and is a great update to my recent address on the same topic. Also attached is a Nation’s Restaurant News article that outlines consumer purchase intent for 2014 and the biggest reasons why they may pull back. We can positively influence the Top 3 so let’s be sensitive and make sure our healthy options and value offerings are in place and well communicated.
E3 moments of the week …
The American Cancer Society’s 25th Annual Holiday Wrappings Luncheon and Fashion Show has been held at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center for the past 15 years. The event was once again a great success with raves for the meal, service and atmosphere. An attendee and former council women sent a note of appreciation, “It’s difficult to please 500 or so women who have paid to be there but you pulled it off. Centerplate hit it out of the park once again. I’ve eaten probably 100 chicken lunches at the convention center and they are consistently better than good – how do you do it?” Job well done by Jeff Anderson, Vanda Armstrong, Dan Ciceri, Nicholas Gamboa, Sandra Garcia, Audrey Killen, Gary Leach, Alina Mellinger, Sara Poskus, Leah Wallace, Greg Woyton and our team in Ocean City!
Café SFA at Saks Fifth Avenue was included in Zagat’s “Ultimate Holiday Shopping Dining Guide”, a list of New York City’s best in-store restaurants and great places to eat after holiday shopping. “The café has recently hired Barcelona Chef Alex Reyes and has added more sophisticated dishes like diver scallops with radishes, persimmon vinaigrette, pickled red onion and red endive.” Congratulations to Chef Alex, Cathy Green and our Saks team!
Sales at Sun Life Stadium for last weekend’s Dolphins vs. Patriots game soared with 69,000 fans in attendance and per caps are up by double digits versus prior year and budget. The upcoming game against the Jets may be just as big if the team is still in the playoff hunt. Kudos to Jeff Tandberg, Kevin Mitchell and our entire team at the stadium!
Centerplate/NBSE at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center was recognized with a letter from Mayor Vincent C. Gray for our role in the City’s initiative “One City ∙ One Hire” to get unemployed District residents back to work. “I am so appreciative of the support your organization has shown for this program and the assistance you have provided to our citizens. I am pleased to hear that you have hired more than 20 District residents through the Hospitality Outreach Pathways to Employment (H.O.P.E.) program. As we prepare to celebrate 7,000 District resident hires, I am pleased to thank employers such as Centerplate/NBSE for your partnership in our efforts.” Great job by Lisa Kerr, Vince McPhail, Art McZier and our team at the convention center!
Your team needs to understand your expectations for success and it is important that they know that you are there to support them to achieve it.
Wishing you and your families a peaceful and joyful holiday!
Onwards!
- Baltimore Community Award 12.9.13
- Marketplace Lessons Sam Geist 12.10.13
- NRN Article 12.2.13 Cutting back
Bob Hough December 23, 2013 at 10:49 am
I agree that old habits old policies need to be evaluated regularly. Their was a reason they were put in place but may not have any value anymore. Obviously structure is very important through the ranks of our operations. When it comes to customer service common sense needs to play a bigger role. That is were the importance of hiring the right people for the right postions is critical. Your front line people must be able to adjust on the spot. You don’t put a utility worker at the front desk for example.
Tanja Rogers December 21, 2013 at 7:27 pm
It is very important for us to get away from a “that’s how it’s always done” mentatlity and be open to ideas that make us more efficient and more attentive to the needs of those we service. Foreward thinking should be a requirement of all those in leadership.