Customer service creates advantages
By Cole Boehler
When it comes to combating the economic downturn, most licensees agree there is a no-cost tool in their arsenals that can help keep customers, gain new ones, keep them in establishments longer and maybe even get a leg up on the competition.
It is superior customer service.
Fleetwood Gaming manufactures top-earning gaming machines but also established itself as a vendor route leader before selling that business line a couple of years ago. The company has always held that business excellence results from offering good products, but more importantly from offering exceptional customer service.
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Fleetwood's Art LaGaly
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Fleetwood has walked the talk, too, by offering customer service consulting and training for its vended customers and machine operators and now to the industry as a whole (Fleetwood retains ownership of all its proprietary devices).
While in Billings Feb. 11, the Montana Tavern Times spent some time with Fleetwood sales manager Art LaGaly and company owner Jon Dehler talking about what constitutes quality customer service.
When a tavern or casino offers products identical to those of a competitor just down the street – Budweiser is Budweiser and a Fleetwood Casino King is a Fleetwood Casino King, no matter where offered – other aspects of the business are what lend distinction, for good or ill.
Egress and ingress, parking availability, a facility's exterior all affect a customer's experience with a given business even before they set foot inside. Interior amenities and comforts, ambiance and cleanliness further enhance or detract from that experience. Some of these factors are mostly under control of business owners.
But all owners control customer service completely, and a customer's impressions of that service begins as soon as they step over the threshold.
"Anyone can compete in this area," LaGaly says, "and it doesn't have to cost anything. In fact, this is where the smallest operator can – and many do – outperform their bigger rivals."
The first thing a business needs to do is analyze and assess – honestly – current practices, LaGaly says. "Identify, understand, admit your customer service weakness, then be determined to eliminate poor practices and improve on your good ones."
Exceptional customer service "begins with communication," LaGaly continues, and that begins with early eye contact and some sign of recognition, even a nod, before a customer takes a seat.
"Let the customer know you see them, acknowledge them. If you're busy filling another customer's order, they will understand, knowing that you will be to them promptly," LaGaly says.
"Communication is interactive," he says. "It is personal. Every customer must be thought of and treated as friend and must be made to feel valuable and special. Tell them, 'It's good seeing you here today.' If they're a new customer, introduce yourself and ask for their name. Extend your hand. We like people who are interested in us and our lives, so ask the customer about themselves, where they're from. Start building a personal relationship right away."
Dehler interjects, "But it must be sincere. To build customer loyalty, a server must sincerely be interested in their customers, sincere in their enthusiasm to please the customer and exert extra effort. They must sincerely enjoy their work. If you are sincere, you will enjoy your work and it will show.”
"A server is in fact running their own business within your business," Dehler continues, "and they should be taught to think that way. They should be working to build their own loyal clientele and build their tip income. If a server isn't interested in these things, they should find another line of work."
LaGaly expands, "An earnest server will ask themselves, 'What can I do to make my customer feel good?' They will anticipate a customer's needs or at least certainly ask what they are. They will insist on a customer's needs being met. A customer will know when you're doing an exceptional job and this will make a big difference in tips. Staff needs to earn tips; they are not entitlements. A server should regard the customer as their employer, because in fact they are."
Dehler says, "If I go into a place and customer service is below par, I don't blame the server. I blame the manager or owner for failing to create a customer service-oriented culture. But it takes time, an investment, training."
"Distinctive customer service can give an establishment distinction from the competition," LaGaly says. "People come into your business for one reason: to enjoy themselves, whether it's with food, entertainment, socializing or drinks. You must make their experience enjoyable, fun, even exciting and that will yield customer satisfaction."
Dehler suggests owners encourage staff to wear appropriate attire in a style distinctive to that business – expressive, unique, original. Uniforms or at least matching shirts with the company logo are a good idea.
Beyond expressive attire, LaGaly says staff needs to be personally self-expressive. "Share yourself, your true self. Be an open book with no ego," he says. Expanding on that theme, LaGaly says servers need to practice "self-deprivation" which means a server should "make yourself second fiddle every time; put the customer ahead of yourself every time. Don't be selfish, don't expect anything. Be humble.
"You can get anything out of life you want if you give enough people what they want," LaGaly says, attributing the philosophy to the renowned football coach Lou Holtz. "Staff can and should use these things to motivate themselves to be exceptional."
Dehler adds, "People will spend their money when they are somewhere they are being treated good – special – and will not spend it where they're not. Entertain your customers. Love them. Making others feel good makes you feel good and that reaps rewards.
"It's more a total philosophy than specific things: You must care about customers and you must want to help them.
"It's tough and you have to work at it constantly. Develop a theme, a philosophy that permeates everything in your business."
"Not all staff will get it," LaGaly says. "Reward the good ones. They'll build your business for you."
Editor's note: Fleetwood provides business and customer service consulting, including marketing and promotional ideas. Contact Art LaGaly at 406-259-8857 or 855-7202.