The Importance of a Welcome

In any business transaction, customer satisfaction relies heavily upon personal experience and human interaction, and more often than not, you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression – so make sure to get it right the first time!

A positive first impression is a vital part of any type of relationship. How you leave your clients feeling after having an experience with you and/or your establishment becomes your trademark. Thus, a warm, sincere welcome can make all of the difference, separating you from the competition.

The idea is not a new one; people who feel welcome are far more likely to return.

It is said that when making a great first impression, the first five seconds are key. These mere moments will create a lasting impact on prospective customers and clientele, and forge the direction of a relationship from thereon.

Luci Perry, Managing Director of The Welcome Team who provide high calibre hospitality hostesses, hosts and other promotional staff has said:

“Your smile is your logo, your personality is your business card. A warm welcome is not just a welcoming smile, but it is a good start.”

Luci has spent more than 15 years in the promotions and events industry, and it was this experience that led to the creation of her company “I could see how a warm, enthusiastic welcome and friendly face as people entered a venue, was a huge part of the customer experience. For them, it shaped the start of the day, and in many cases was also something that they took away with them.

The matter of fact is, that in a digital era where it is all too easy for customers to share a bad review on any given social media platform, it is of paramount importance for any successful business to continuously nurture the relationships with customers and create a friendly experience.

The value in social media reviews and online forums is that they are real feedback, which if managed correctly, can be turned into a positive resource for your particular business. In the past a happy guest would tell 9-10 others; today’s happy guest can easily notify 90, 900, or even 9,000 about their perception of good service.

Unfortunately, customers are just as disposed to share a bad experience online as a good one.

So how do you feel you are rating with welcoming and “engaging” your members and visitors to your facility? Do you interact with your members on a regular basis or regularly greeting guests and making them feel welcomed? Are you providing an easy avenue for members/guest to provide you with feedback on their particular experience? Are they so happy with their club that they are our promoting to the world that others should join?

Yes. Engaging with the consumer is more work, but it is work that we must now do to stay ahead of the pack. Do it well and you will reap big rewards. It’s actually a lot of fun!

If you are need of any assistance with your marketing drop me a line at mike@golfindustrycentral.com.au or 0415 682 259.