by Crystal Thomas, MCM, CHE

Sure you can—it’s a Circus out there!

Don’t ask me why, at my age, I was sitting under the Big Top of Circus Vargas recently.  I’m not entirely sure I could explain it.  Nevertheless, there I was being a kid again and enjoying all the lights, music, and spectacle that only the circus can provide.  No matter where I am, however, the idea of management lessons is never far from my conscious mind.  Suddenly, it occurred to me that I was witnessing some of the best customer service I have seen anywhere in a long, long time.

Give it your best

First of all, at this particular performance, there were only about 200 people in a Big Top that could easily seat over a thousand.  That audience to seating capacity ratio looked almost as though the place was empty.  Many business people would view something like that and conclude that only perfunctory service is called for.  Not so with Circus Vargas.  When the show went on, it played to those 200 spectators as though they were a full house in a 10,000 seat coliseum.  I was witnessing the first rule of customer service:  Give the customer what he or she is paying for.  No acts were cancelled or cut short.  The clowns dashed about with energy and gusto.  The ring acts were performed to perfection.  We spectators were getting our money’s worth and more.

A little lost can mean a lot gained

Still enthralled by the acts and animals, I began to observe other outstanding acts of customer service at the circus.

• Across from me, I noticed a small child whose mother had bought him one of those ubiquitous circus toys they always have on offer.  At some point during the circus, the child had broken the toy and was obviously very unhappy.  (No one likes to see an unhappy child—especially at a circus!) 

The mother motioned for one of the circus workers to come over and asked if he could go get another toy for her child.  The fellow hurried off and returned with a brand new toy and handed it to the child.  His mother reached in her purse to pay for the new toy, but the worker waved her off and walked away.  Another cardinal rule of great customer service:  Repair or replace anything defective to create good will.

• Not long after that, a young woman was clutching a bright green balloon on a string.  Something caused the balloon to burst, though I didn’t see exactly what happened.  I wasn’t the only person, it turns out, who noticed the disappointed look on the young woman’s face as she looked at the burst balloon.  A performer in the ring also noticed what had occurred.  Moments after his act was concluded and he had taken his bows, he disappeared for a few moments and then reappeared with a bright green balloon in his hand.  He gave the balloon to the delighted young lady and walked away.

There was yet another incredible example of a cardinal customer service rule:  Observe what is going on in your place of business and correct anything that goes wrong.

There were other examples of customer service I observed that day, but these will suffice to make some important points:

• Circus Vargas management clearly knows the importance of the goodwill produced through outstanding customer service.
• Circus Vargas had a clear policy for customer satisfaction.
• Management had empowered the employees—from the rigging workers to the performers—to take action when something needed fixing.  No one had to go up through a chain of command to replace a toy or a balloon, for example.
• The employees of Circus Vargas were well trained to observe and fix any problem that was within their power to do.
• Circus Vargas demonstrated real knowledge of the value of each customer.  They were not playing to numbers, they were playing to people.

The real value

That day I saw a terrific show, observed outstanding customer service, and went away inspired.  From the happy looks on people’s faces, I don’t imagine I was the only one who felt that way.  I could imagine them going home and telling all their friends, neighbors, and relatives about their entertainment experience.  I know I did.  I know something else, too:  the management of Circus Vargas understands the value of providing customer satisfaction.

Now, the challenge for us in clubs….let’s take what Circus Vargas does for their customers, noticeably ramp it up and create membership service that keeps our members engaged and returning with their guests on a very regular basis!  Remember, we are always on stage and it is showtime!

Crystal Thomas, MCM, CHE. is the Principal of Crystal Clear Concepts, Inc.  She is in demand as a trainer and speaker for clubs all over North America.  She can be contacted by phone at 818.237.5398 or, if you prefer, by email at crystal@crystalclearconcepts.net.

Crystal Thomas, MCM is certified as an Etiquette and Protocol Consultant through the Protocol School of Washington®