I was born in the Bronx, NY in 1977 to parents that were both, and still are to this day, die-hard New York Yankees fans. Three weeks after my birth, the Yankees defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games to win the first of back-to-back World Series championships.
It is fair to say that baseball was a big part of my life from the start. Surrounded by Yankees fans, I had no choice in supporting the Evil Empire. I knew the names and positions of every Yankees player by the age of four and I was able to recite their stats by the age of five.
Put me in Coach!
But I have been a New York Mets fan for over 40 years. What changed?
A few weeks before my sixth birthday, my aunt and uncle told me that my birthday gift was a baseball game. As I grabbed my Yankees schedule to see which game we would be going to, I was reminded that my uncle is a Mets fan so we would be heading out to Shea Stadium.
Shea Stadium was underwhelming compared to Yankees Stadium and the Mets were one of the worst teams in Major League Baseball in 1983. But the RC Cola was cold, the hot dogs were tasty, and I was enjoying a day at the ballpark. Little did I know that my fandom would permanently change in the sixth inning of that game.
After the Mets retired the side in the top of the sixth, my uncle and a stadium usher caught my attention and told me to look towards the outfield. As my eyes darted past the Marlboro sign, I saw my name in bright lights on the scoreboard. The New York Mets would like to wish Mike Gorrasi a Happy Birthday!
These signs are no longer allowed!
I thought I was a rock star. My name was in lights in front of 30,000 people and I was sure that every player on the Mets knew it was my birthday. After a few moments, I spoke up and said I’ve been to plenty of Yankees games before and they never wished me a Happy Birthday. And it was that day, as a 6-year-old, that my baseball allegiance changed forever.
When I was running minor league baseball teams, I would share this story during our employee orientation every season. It was not important that the employees knew I was a Mets fan (although it did not hurt). Rather, I wanted to let our employees know that they had an opportunity every night to create a memory for a fan just like the Mets did for me decades ago.
Reflecting on my own journey from a die-hard Yankees fan to a loyal Mets supporter following a pivotal moment at Shea Stadium, I came to realize the profound impact of exceptional customer experiences. Just as the New York Mets created a lasting memory for me, businesses in any industry have the power to leave a lasting impression on their customers.
Consistent, positive customer experiences is a competitive advantage in any industry. This is the difference between a loyal customer and a one-time customer.
Have you identified ways that you can make your customers, clients, or students feel like a rock star? Is your staff empowered to make them feel like a rock star?
My experience at Shea Stadium opened my eyes to the immense impact of creating memorable moments, a lesson I've since applied to the business realm.
Here are four quick ways to make the customer feel valued:
1) Personalize the experience by using their name, knowing their preferences, and understanding what is important to them personally.
2) Be quick to respond even if you do not have an immediate answer. A response of “I don’t know but I will find out and get back to you” is always better than silence. Show them that their time is valuable, and their request is a priority.
3) Understand their pain points and show empathy. Do not treat your clients as a number – they will feel it and move on.
4) Ask for feedback, genuinely listen, and act when appropriate. I do not necessarily believe the customer is always right, but the customer always has the right to be heard. Their opinion matters and you might learn something in the process.
The wonderful thing about making your client a rock star is they tell everyone they know about the experience. The rock star becomes a raving fan bragging about their experience and your company.
This is infinitely more effective than an advertising campaign and it does not cost a penny. It does, however, require a commitment, starting with the owners, to seek out opportunities to exceed the expectations of the client. With practice, this becomes a skill that is just as exciting for your employee as it is for your customer.
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For more information on raving fans, check out Ken Blanchard’s Raving Fans: A Revolutionary Approach to Customer Service.
All athletes want to be rock stars and all rock stars want to be athletes. Here is my favorite example of don’t quit your day job. The 1986 New York Mets team video.
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