I had a very interesting conversation with a client last week. He had just returned from a trip to the Augusta National Golf Club where he had the opportunity to be at the 2012 Masters Golf Tournament.

Now, if you are a golfer, you know that for many this is a once-in-a-lifetime dream – to be a part of the history that is The Masters. And, it will probably kill you to know that my client who went was not even a golf fan! He doesn’t play and really doesn’t even much like the sport.

The Masters are Masters at Customer Experience

The Masters are Masters at Customer Experience

But he came back with a really interesting perspective on his weekend experience at The Masters – and I think it has relevance for all of us.

You see, because he was not focused on the individual play or the leaderboard, or the shot selection, he found himself captured by the pageantry of the event. The more he experienced, the more he realized that the folks that organize and put on the tournament are totally focused on creating a unique, one-of-a-kind fan experience.

As my client told me the stories of his weekend at The Masters, it became clear to me that he was asking the question “What would happen if I treated my customers the way that those at the Augusta National Golf Club treated their customers?” He shared several very specific moments where throughout the weekend, they focused 100% on the golf fan “experience”, not just the game of golf.

Let me give you a few examples:

As he arrived at the golf club, the volunteer greeters were “over the top” excited that he was there. All smiles, waving, greeting, welcoming. He could not help but feel good about being at their golf club.

As he made his way around the course, every volunteer, every host was helpful, smiling, friendly, warm and looking out for the best interest of the fan. There were no grumpy, mean-spirited, rule keepers. Yes, the protocol of the game was important, but it was clear the fan was their number 1 priority.

Even in the restrooms the attendants were helpful, cheerful, friendly, and welcoming. They made people laugh, enjoyed the day with them, and made sure they got back out on the course to see the next golf play.

There were no signs of corporate sponsors. There were no advertisements. No one was trying to sell you something and take advantage of your being there. They wanted the views to be unobstructed and all about the beauty that comes with walking on a golf course.

The concessions were reasonably priced. No one was gouging the fans with $5 hot dogs and expensive bottles of water. It was more like being as a down-home, town square event. Just good friends getting to enjoy the weekend. No hype, no gotchas.

Let me ask you. If you think about the experience that your customer has when they visit your place of business, would they get an experience similar to The Masters? Are you focused 100% on your fans? Do you smile more when they come in the store? Are they the most important person when they call in?

I think we can all learn from The Masters. Not how to become a better golfer, but how to become better at creating a one-of-a-kind fan experience for our customers.

What can you do to have your “fans” talk about you and your business long after they leave your place of business? Give this some thought and you’ll have all the referral business you can handle!

Contact Rich Allen at www.tourdeprofit.com or richallen@actioncoach.com for more details or further information.

Ride Hard,

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