I feel like there are so many things to learn about business. From marketing, to management, to customer service, there always seems to be a new concept or theory developing to make business either easier, or better.
Growing up I spent a lot of time working with my dad at his business. He owned a medical billing company, which meant a lot of customer service. Basically, I was receiving responses in four-letter words before I ever used one myself.
However, I was always taught that the customer is always right. And, trust me, I know that it can be tough to say that a customer is right when they are screaming at you. However, the idea that they are right isn’t the main point. By keeping that mentality, you are preparing yourself for the screaming customer. When you are able to handle them maturely, you’re working in the most important aspect of business — a relationship.
Now, I went to journalism school, so you may ask what do I know about business. The truth is, I’m always learning, but what I do understand extremely well is how to develop a relationship; and I don’t mean one between your significant other — I have no idea how those work.
I mean, the relationship you must develop between employees and customers. In the journalism world, think journalists and sources. Try and picture the Watergate Scandal (if you don’t know what Watergate was, e-mail me and we’ll continue). During Watergate, you had two journalists from the Washington Post in Washington D.C., Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward.
The two men weren’t successful business owners, but they were great in harnessing the power of relationships. The relationships they developed, and the trust they shared with W. Mark Felt, aka “Deep Throat,” allowed them to break open one of the biggest stories in our country’s history.
Journalists don’t develop a relationship after something has gone wrong. I haven’t developed a vast Rolodex from speaking with people only after something major occurred. A successful journalist, and successful businessperson, will work to build relationships and nurture them before a crisis occurs.
As a journalist, when the crisis does occur, you are the first person called, strictly because you have a relationship with that person. Several years ago, I was the Police Beat writer in a small town. Nothing crazy ever really happened, but because I would call daily, or drop in and hang out with the police chief or Sherriff, I was always the first person they called when there was a drug bust, or some cool gun training.
It’s rare, but in the event that something goes wrong, you’ll be glad you developed that relationship. Instead of a customer biting the head off one of your front desk attendants, they will ask to speak with you. You are a professional, and you’ll be able to defuse the problem a lot quicker than someone at the front desk.
Also, because you have nurtured that relationship, they aren’t going to bite your head off. But, because there is a mutual respect, they will want you to know they have a problem, and you’ll do your best to repair it.
Developing great relationships can be the fall or rise of your business. As a club owner, spend time meeting and speaking with your members. Learn their passions and try your best to remember their names. If you can show the most basic bit of interest in their lives, it can boost retention rates and push member referrals.
Tyler Montgomery is the Editor of Club Solutions Magazine. Contact him at tyler@clubsolutionsmagazine.com
