The Houstonian Club in Houston, Texas, strives to provide each member with a great experience every time they step through the club’s doors. No one embodies this mission more than George Guzman, a locker room supervisor at the club.
“George has gone far and beyond proving he is a hard-working employee willing to go the extra mile to help our members every day,” said Tedros Teame, the locker room manager at The Houstonian Club. “When put in any situation where he can step in to help, he does so without hesitation. His upbeat and friendly attitude are essential to many members’ daily visits. He gets along well with his co-workers and is always willing to share a laugh to help someone get through their day. We are very lucky to have George as part of our Houstonian team. He is definitely an asset to us all.”
Guzman has served as an all-star at The Houstonian Club for 38 years. According to Teame, the key to retaining great employees like Guzman is treating them like family from the very start. “The Houstonian culture is all about service and care — this translates into treating the customers and the employees with extreme dignity and respect,” he said. “Employees like George that embody those values and traits are constantly recognized and celebrated.”
According to Teame, it’s vitally important that clubs recognize their front-line all stars, and said it’s a key to success for any organization. “When you take the time to recognize a good deed the employee is bound to pay back with more commitment and dedication,” he explained. “The ‘feel good’ emotional aspect that comes from recognizing employees is very contagious, since others in the organization see that the company is paying attention to employees’ efforts and they will in turn tend to engage in positive behavior that will eventually lead to more recognition.”
For clubs looking to employ people like Guzman to similar roles at their clubs, Teame advised looking for people who are willing to not just meet, but exceed members’ expectations. “What makes [George] special is how he immediately identifies the needs and wants of our guests,” said Teame. “The locker room can be a scary place, but he has the innate ability to quickly read the guest’s personality and approach them accordingly. A great supervisor is someone that has the ability to make members and guests feel at home, and someone that under-promises but over-delivers by anticipating their needs and creating a wonderful locker room experience.”
Learn more about Guzman here.
Front-Line All Star: George Guzman
Title: Locker Room Supervisor
Club: The Houstonian Club
Years of Service: 38 years
CS: What do you love most about your job, and what’s kept you at The Houstonian Club all this time?
GG: My favorite aspect of my job is that I get to be around people every day.
CS: How does The Houstonian Club make you feel valued as an employee?
GG: The Houstonian is a great company to work for. I have been very happy here. The moments when I have been recognized as an outstanding employee are what make me feel the most valued. I think overall the club does a good job taking care of its employees and making sure they are treated fairly.
CS: Where do you get your work ethic?
GG: My work ethic comes from how my parents raised me. They were both very hard-working individuals who valued integrity, honesty and kindness toward others. My positive attitude is fortunately part of my personality.
CS: How do you keep a positive attitude?
GG: Looking on the bright side of any situation helps you get through it. Due to the fact I’ve been at the club for so long I know and have known many members. Some I see every day and therefore have gotten to know fairly well.
CS: What best practice tips can you share that would be beneficial to professionals in a similar role at other clubs?
GG: Remember you are in the customer service industry. Always be polite and greet everyone with a smile. Treat people like you would like to be treated.
CS: What’s one of the best ideas you’ve ever had that improved the level of customer experience?
GG: One of the best ideas I’ve had is adding the shoe shine service to the men’s locker room area.
CS: What is the best gift from a member you’ve ever received?
GG: I’ve received tickets to the rodeo and sport events from members.
Know a Front-Line All Star at your gym? Nominate them to be featured here.
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Rachel Zabonick-Chonko is the editor-in-chief of Club Solutions Magazine. She can be reached at rachel@peakemedia.com.
