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Customer Service: Relationship Advice

Communication is key when dealing with your staff, customers, members and players.

When it comes to building relationships and working with others, there is no single formula for success. Facility managers and tennis directors know that to be successful, they need to accommodate many different personalities among employees, members, customers and players. They also need to train their staff to do the same, which will optimize performance and improve both member and staff retention.

The real key is understanding who all of these different personalities are, what makes them tick, and how they want to be treated. To do that, you need open, reciprocal communication.

Build the Foundation

Managers must be “on” and engaged at all times. Communication can make the difference between success and failure in how your staff works with members, and whether or not members continue coming to your facility.

Building a relationship begins with the first conversation — and, keep in mind, you have only 20 seconds to make a good first impression. This conversation can occur face-to-face, over the phone or via social media and other communication apps.

Research indicates that effective communication, both verbal and nonverbal, is a learned behavior. To enhance your communication skills:

• Always greet staff and members with a “hello” and a smile.
• Get to know your members and be on a first-name basis.
• Express empathy and/or sensitivity to employees’ emotions.
• Explain to employees why a particular activity should or should not be done.
• Ensure members are kindly introduced to the policies of your facility from the minute they enter, so there is no question or conflict later.
• Communicate consistently with staff and members, and be authentic.
• Consistently use encouraging, supportive, positive communication.

Nonverbal Communication

You and your staff need to be aware of nonverbal communication. If body language and gestures are positive and inviting, the perception will be positive as well. If the nonverbal cues are negative and unappealing, the perception will rightly be undesirable.

Among staff, positivity and negativity will influence motivation, confidence and productivity. With customers, nonverbal cues will influence their experience, attitudes and retention rate.

Facial movements communicate feelings, likes, dislikes, agitation, happiness and disgust. Other forms of nonverbal communication include physical appearance, posture, gestures and body position. We’re programmed to notice these small, physical changes in others. These powerful nonverbal cues often have more impact than the spoken word.

What can affect your nonverbal communication? Stress. You need to be aware of the times you may be experiencing stress or pressure — and be sure to take a breath to calm yourself before having or continuing a conversation.

Distractions also affect nonverbal communication. It is impossible to communicate effectively while multitasking. Stay focused on the moment-to-moment experience.

Inconsistencies between what you say and what your body says may be interpreted as dishonesty or insincerity. Postures such as crossing your arms, tapping your foot or avoiding eye contact can be interpreted as disagreeing with or not being interested in what someone else is saying.

Verbal Communication

Communication is more than just an exchange of information. It involves understanding the motivation and intention behind the message, including how the message is conveyed and how it is received and understood. It’s important to verify that the other party gets the right message.

A basic approach to communication ensures that you work with each individual in a genuine, collaborative way. Changing the way you communicate can make a huge difference:

• Listening: True listening is more than just hearing words. It requires engagement and empathy. Often, communication is more effective when the focus is on listening instead of talking. Managers who are good listeners enjoy successful, rewarding and enjoyable relationships with staff and members. Staff needs to feel they are being heard by their manager, and great listening skills can assist a manager in empowering staff, motivating them and giving them a sense of ownership. To build positive relationships with members, ensure that you provide an environment for open communication, feedback and suggestions or ideas.
• Ask Questions: Ask open-ended questions, rather than questions requiring a simple “yes” or “no” answer, which invite discussion and are important to building collaborative, deep relationships with staff and members. These types of questions provide the opportunity to express challenges, barriers, failures and successes.
• Reflections: Often forgotten, “reflections” are clarification statements that express the meaning of what the other person has said. Reflections can validate interest and confirm that an individual is listening as well as understanding. But watch how you approach this technique and the tone of voice you use, so that it isn’t interpreted as patronizing or condescending.
• Affirmations: Affirmations show appreciation for staff and their strengths, and for members and their value. Affirmations are different than compliments, which typically contain an evaluative judgment and usually begin with “I.” Changing an “I” statement to a “you” statement communicates an appreciation for who an individual really is. Managers must listen carefully to know what to affirm. Generally, individuals feel more validated by positive comments regarding their thoughts, plans and skills.

Create A Win-Win

Building relationships with different personalities — whether staff, members or customers — isn’t as hard as it sounds. It all begins with a manager’s ability to communicate effectively with staff and to motivate based on how they learn. This can help optimize performance and boost morale.

In turn, staff retention leads to member retention, and that means money continues to come into the facility. Members who have a good experience are likely to refer friends and family to your facility. Having a more effective communication approach and understanding how people learn is a win-win for everyone.

From the August 2017 issue
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