CenterEdge Software Blog

How to masterfully manage difficult guest interactions while maintaining the relationship – and your cool.

Without a doubt, handling angry customers (or coworkers) is one of the most difficult parts of anyone’s job. Tense interactions invoke both physical and psychological responses in us that can make a tough situation worse if we don’t handle them appropriately. And our reactions to those moments can leave a lasting impact on guests’ repeat visits, our reputation at work and even our business’ standing in the community. Bottom line, it’s a big deal and one that you need a plan for – before the next difficult situation arises. To do it right means not only putting all the pieces together into a well-rounded approach to service recovery, but also being ready for the tough times with these five tips.

Great experience and customer loyalty go hand-in-hand, don’t they? It isn’t easy to consistently capture a customer’s loyalty but the best organizations manage it so flawlessly that they immediately stand out.

I recently had a purchase experience that was so noteworthy I couldn’t wait to share it with you. Here are five things I experienced that have turned me into a loyal fan and can help you impress even the most jaded, guest-experience critic.

Meet the five Excellence Award winners and finalists of the 2018 Customer Service Week Challenge

We had such a great response for the Customer Service Week Challenge! Responses came from all over the U.S. and it was great to read about all the terrific things your team members are doing. From party hosts to admissions staff all the way to maintenance, it’s so obvious when team members have that “it” thing that makes a difference. It was so hard choosing winners, but here are the top five winners and finalists who prove that “Excellence Happens Here” at their facilities.

The benefits of offering classes at your facility and how to make the leap from the marketing to the technical.

I just finished a yoga teacher certification this summer, so imagine my surprise when I picked up the July issue of Funworld and saw the cover article was none other than Namaste! How Museums Are Attracting New Audiences with Creative Ways to Enhance Guests’ Well-Being. Talk about worlds colliding! I love their idea of using healthy-living classes to introduce new patrons to the art museum. 

The article inspired me. How can entertainment and amusement facilities also capitalize on this idea and create a meaningful—and lucrative—set of complementary and alternative activities during off-peak times?

Whether you've booked a waterpark, amusement park or FEC event, don’t let a budding relationship fail by missing out on these essential touchpoints.

The birthday party or event is booked and you’re well on your way to making memories with a whole new group of prospective guests. Take this opportunity to further lay the groundwork for a world-class guest experience. Your event sales staff might be busy, but that doesn’t mean you need to skimp on communication. Let your party software help you set and manage guests’ expectations from beginning to end, so you can focus on delivering wow-worthy events and turning one-time party guests into return customers.

How one simple model can help you turn friction moments into great guest experiences.

NOTE: I had the opportunity to meet Josh Liebman of Amusement Advantage at the 2017 Rockin’ Jump Conference and he had a lot to say about guest experience. He has some great, actionable thoughts around handling customer friction moments with guests, and how to get great at service recovery, and so we asked him to share the process that he teaches. Read on for his ideas about what he calls the LAST model for service recovery, and how it can help you make memories that last much longer than the moment of friction. Let us know what you think! 

~ Sherry

When it comes to expanding your client base, it’s all about who you know – and how you leverage those relationships.

Editor’s Note: Referrals continue to be a huge driver of FEC growth, so we’ve updated this popular classic for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Read on!

4 ways to build your brand that won’t cost you anything.

The CenterEdge team recently had the opportunity to attend an industry education event, LaserTAG360, a two-day conference for new and existing facilities. While the focus of the event is laser tag, the top-notch business practices being shared are applicable across all aspects of the amusment industry from FECs and trampoline facilities to amusement, water and adventure parks.

Learn how to enlist the help of team members to improve the overall experience and tap into their useful skills. 

Tired of front-line team members asking you the same questions all the time? Check out today's video to help build autonomy and ownership while creating a library of training materials.

Get ahead of the competition by implementing a rewards program that will have guests coming back again and again.

After our recent post about the benefits that a loyalty program offers an entertainment venue, we received a lot of requests for guidance about building compelling programs. There are so many options and directions you can take, and every facility has different needs. Use these seven questions to help you develop the program that’s right for your guests and your park.