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By Paul Turner
I have a
passion for customer service operations and I have spent
the bulk of my career in this industry building event day operations
that deliver high quality customer experiences consistently. As a
stadium manager, this is not an easy task. We have a transient
workforce, we have seasonal work, and nobody is going to get rich (or
even come close) on the wages that they earn from working at a stadium.
And yet, the work that these people do is incredibly important. They
serve our customers who pay tens to hundreds to thousands of dollars to
attend events at our venues. We rely on our event day personnel to keep
our facilities safe and to respond to a variety of situations. And if
something really bad happens, we are counting on them to follow
emergency procedures and safeguard lives.
For some stadium managers, the event day personnel who
are security guards, ticket takers, ushers and the like are directly
employed by the venue. But for many others, this workforce comes from a
service provider. Regardless of the arrangement, it is important that
stadium managers get the very most from their event day personnel. To
that end, I offer you a four step method for determining if your
investment is getting the best return. Within each step are a number of
questions. I urge you to ask (or challenge) your event day personnel
providers (internal or external) these questions. If you are not
satisfied with the answers, then you have some work to do. If you are
satisfied, then you know you have a good operation and you can focus on
sustaining it and making it even better.
So here is the four step method for assessing your
event day personnel operations:
Step 1: Clear Expectations
Have you determined what you want from your event day personnel? Aside
from the essential functions of taking tickets, ushering, etc., have you
created a vision for other aspects of your operation? Efficiency,
knowledge of your facility, understanding and enforcing policies,
uniform and appearance are all aspects of your event day personnel
operations that should be clearly thought out and articulated to your
service providers. If you contract for these services, the standards you
expect to be met should
be clearly spelled out in your agreement.
Step 2: Recruitment & Training
Do you know how your service providers go about finding the people who
are on your event day personnel team? Do you know how the job duties and
performance
expectations are communicated to potential employees? It is important
that you understand where these people are coming from and what they are
being told during the recruitment process. Quality training is essential
to successful job performance. Have you attended all of the different
training sessions that your service providers give to your event day
personnel? If you are not in the habit of attending trainings to assess
their quality, content and effectiveness, then you need to make the time
and do it.
Step 3: Operations
Are you confident that your event day personnel operations are smooth,
efficient and that they meet your expectations consistently? Are the
personnel given appropriate briefings and written information about the
venue and event so that they are prepared to answer questions, provide
assistance and respond to a variety of situations? Take
some time on event day and walk around and conduct your own informal
audit. Talk to front line staff members. Ask them if they can describe
their role, if they know what to do in an emergency situation, how long
they have been on post since their last break, when was the last time
they spoke to their supervisor. These basic questions can provide
tremendous insight about the preparation and effectiveness of your event
day personnel.
Step 4: Reward/Recognition/Retention
Does your service provider have programs in place to reward and
recognize event day personnel who perform well? Are the programs well
thought out, with specific criteria and procedures? Or are they adhoc
and without structure? Retaining good personnel is important to any
enterprise. What does your service provider do to ensure that the good
people stay and become even more valuable members of your event day
team? Again, ask for details and examples that illustrate that programs
are in place, that they are being administered properly and that they
are being effective. When it comes to your customer service operation at
your venue, there is a lot at stake. You spend a lot of money on your
operations (whether in-house or contracted out) and it is vital that you
are getting the best value. By following the four step method described
here, you will have a better understanding of how your event day
personnel operation is functioning and if you are truly getting the most
for your money.
fm
Paul Turner is director of event operations for
the Dallas Cowboys and Cowboys Stadium. He is also principal of Paul
Turner Consulting. He may be reached at pturner@dallascowboys.com.
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