Let’s face it, without our clients we would not have
businesses. We may have the most advanced health and fitness programs, provide
quality coaching and education, and posse engaging personalities and it still
may not be enough to stimulate business growth or client retention. What will
differentiate your business from the competition? Adding value with service.
The
Wow Factor
The Ritz Carlton is legendary for their customer service. In
fact, they are recognized as providing the “Gold Standard” for customer
service. So, what is their secret? How do we become the Ritz Carlton of the
Health and Fitness industry? According to Bill Lampton, it comes down to the “Wow Factor.” Clients walk away from
their experience at any Ritz Carlton Hotel feeling “pampered”, “respected”, and
“treated like royalty.” Now I know this to be true from personal experience. My
husband and I spent our Honeymoon weekend at the Ritz Carlton at Half Moon Bay,
and I must tell you we felt pampered and respected. We were warmly greeted by name at the front entrance by a
professional looking woman with an openly friendly smile. How she knew who we
were is still a mystery. It wasn’t like we were wearing a sign that said “Just Married.”
Here is what my husband I surmised. When we drove up to the front gate we were
asked our names and directed to the valet. Outstanding communication is one of
the key components to superior customer service. From that moment forward, all
employees seemed to know who we were, why we were there, and made our visit an Experience to remember.
Adding
Value with Service
In my last post I discussed flexibility as the missing
component of physical fitness and suggested that this could be a marketing opportunity,
as well as an avenue for increasing client retention. Part of the Ritz Carlton
formula for superior customer service is not just meeting client expectation,
but surpassing client expectation. So how can we surpass our clients’
expectation of the personal training experience? Here are a few suggestions:
- Offer a
complimentary 15-minute adjunct flexibility session. Take a moment to do
something just for the client. Your client will walk away feeling pampered
and come back for more.
- Use flexibility
exercises for sessions when the client is struggling with injuries, sleep
deprivation, or just experiencing a really bad day. This is an opportunity
to show respect for your client. Saying, Yes, I understand you are having
a bad time and let’s work on reducing some of that tension.
- Instruct a
flexibility clinic. This gives you an opportunity to share knowledge and
meet potential clients. Get to know each person by name and address with
warmth and open friendliness each time you encounter them after the
clinic.
- Offer to
assist someone with flexibility. When you see someone stretching, make a
point of asking if they would like some assistance. Pose some additional
stretching exercises, and tips for improving technique while assisting
with the stretch. A demonstration provides more personalized information.
These are just a few ideas to get the creative juices
flowing. I am sure you will find other ways to Wow your existing and potential
clients. For more information about the Ritz Carlton and Customer Service,
check out the articles in Expert Magazine at http://www.expertmagazine.com/EMOnline/RC/cover.htm
Karen
Moreno, MA Candidacy Kinesiology/Exercise Physiology
BA
Social Science/Education
You are clearly living up to your "Ritz Carlton" service... You have helped me as a partner to Hyperstrike in every step of the way.
Posted by: Lauren Miller | October 19, 2009 at 08:51 AM