Lesson 1: Customer Relation Concepts

Learning Outcomes

● Discussing the business value of effective customer relations

● Describing the PGA Customer Relations Model
● Identify and define “Moments of Truth”
● Customer Expectations
● What it takes to have a solid staff of employees
Putting a business value on an intangible product
● Customer Relations is a large part of the product in the golf industry.

● The product we are selling is the golfer's experience.

● Loyalty is money in the future.

What happens when we lose a customer?
● Lose current and future business
● TARP Stats

96% of unhappy customers will NOT complain to management.

90% of unhappy customers will NOT return.

One unhappy customer will tell nine people

13% of unhappy customers will tell at least 20 people.

How to avoid losing those customers.
The secret is actually getting the unhappy customers to complain through:

● Creating a friendly and helpful atmosphere.

● Making the customer feel as important as they really are.

● Showing them that you are willing to solve their problem.

PGA Customer Relations Model
Identifying “Moments of Truth”
● When customers actually experience the facility and compare it to their
previous perceptions.

● Are very important to the experience whether they are positive or

negative. (Delight or Disappoint)

● Can be interactive or noninteractive.

● An unhappy customer probably had a negative Moment of

Truth.
Customer Expectations
● A facility can identify common Moments of Truth and help ensure they are
positive in the future.

● Best way to find out is to simply ask, whether formally or informally.

● The process of asking may even turn out to be relationship

building and become a moment of truth itself.
Having a facility full of helpful employees
A facility with clear documented procedures and employees with great
interpersonal skills to carry them out will exceed customer relations expectations.

● Clear procedures help guide employees with great personal skills through
tough situations.
● Interpersonal skills help the staff apply the procedures effectively.

Ex) How to handle a customer who arrived late for their

tee time.
Task VS Relationship Connection With Customers
Completing tasks Ongoing relationship with
that keep the VS
the customers
operation running

A lot of time is spent with customers in the golf industry and two
questions should be kept in mind each interaction.

Did I accomplish the VS Did I lay the groundwork

task at hand? for positive interactions
in the future?
Lesson 2: Interaction Strategies
Learning Objective

● Identify the four interaction strategies and how to use them in day to day
customer situations
● Directing, Convincing, Involving, Supporting
The Four Strategies
● Directing - Compliance
● Convincing - Agreement
● Involving - Participation
● Supporting - Commitment
Directing Strategy
● Tells customer what to do
● Must be clear when explaining
● Situations for use:
○ Giving a lesson
○ Explaining tournament rules
○ Customer situations that are out of control
● Interpersonal Skill: Stating Your Purpose Clearly
○ Communicate roles and intents effectively
Convincing Strategy
● Give customer options to resolve a situation
● Listen and understand needs of customer
● Situations for use:
○ Selling a good or service
○ Providing guidance for customers
● Interpersonal Skill: Providing a Compelling Rationale
○ Explain the benefits of each course of action
Involving Strategy
● Employee reaches out to customers for solution
● Actively seeking input and suggestions from others
● Situations for use:
○ Suggestion box
○ Handling complaints
○ When different points of view are needed for a solution
● Interpersonal Skill: Encouraging Open Expression
○ Make customer feel comfortable discussing ideas
Supporting Strategy
● Customer comes to the professional with a problem
● Listen carefully and guide customer to solution
● Important to be sympathetic and understanding
● Situations for use:
○ Customer is frustrated with how bad they are
○ Customer has potential to solve problem but cannot sort out thoughts
● Interpersonal Skill: Showing Understanding
○ Empathy is key when using this strategy
Overview of Lesson 2
Lesson 3: Interpersonal Skills
Learning Objectives: Identify the seven interpersonal skills and how to apply them
in a variety of routine and challenging customer situations.
Seven Interpersonal Skills
1. Stating your purpose clearly: State the purpose of the interaction succinctly to
others, so they understand the intent and can respond appropriately.
Seven Interpersonal Skills
2. Providing a compelling rationale: Communicate the benefits of pursuing
a preferred course of action, using a logical rationale, while providing compelling
reasons for not adopting an alternative course of action.
Seven Interpersonal Skills
3. Encouraging open expression: Draw others into the discussion and
encourage them to express their thoughts, feelings, and points of view.
Seven Interpersonal Skills
4. Showing understanding: Actively listen and restate what others have
expressed, in order to accurately capture their intent without passing judgment.
Seven Interpersonal Skills
5. Giving and inviting specific feedback: Provide a forum in which all parties
can talk about how they are affected by the behavior of others in a way that
minimizes defensiveness and balances all opinions.
Seven Interpersonal Skills
6. Reframing difficult situations: Discover new solutions by taking a
broader, more positive perspective in situations that appear to be deadlocked.
Seven Interpersonal Skills
7. Acting with integrity: Through words and actions, demonstrate a positive
set of principles and personality traits, such as dependability and trustworthiness.

Integrity - The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles.
Customer Relations
The Strokers

Nate Overman
Reed Spangler
Adam Hazard
Matt Miller
Lesson 4: Initiating the PGA Experience
Learning Outcome
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:

● Initiate the PGA Experience using a systematic greeting and engagement

process
Basic Principles for Customer Interaction
● Start with positive acknowledgment of the customer
● Base entirety of interaction around what the customer wants
● Pay attention to what the customer wants
● Respond to customer’s needs with sincerity
● Look for outcomes that satisfy all parties
● Strive to make specific promises but never fail to keep those promises
● Provide extra special touch whenever possible
Greet
● Give full attention to customer
● Ask the customer about his or her needs
● Show interest in the customer’s needs
● Try to anticipate the customer’s needs or wants
Listen
● Be patient
● Always acknowledge what the customer has said
● Be flexible
● Use positive body language
Assess
● Employee must assess information the customer is providing
● From this they can determine the desired outcome
● Important to remain agile at this point
● If initial strategy does not work the employee must be able to shift directions
quickly
Offer Solutions
● Personalize service
● Be specific about offer
● Promise to deliver service whenever possible, but make sure you can deliver
● Be timely
Follow Through
● Deliver the necessary service
● Check back with the customer
● Evaluate the interaction
Make an Extra Effort
● Look for ways to provide extra meaningful touch to solution
● Try to exceed customer’s expectations
● This is what separates good customer service from the PGA Experience