Chicago Blackhawks beef up customer service with better fan feedbackThe Chicago Blackhawks are all about customer service. Okay, maybe that’s not entirely true. No doubt they’re more excited about winning hockey games and getting a slot in the NHL playoffs.
But they are on record as saying customer service is important to them. So important, in fact, they have beefed up their efforts to engage their fans.
The NHL website reports (today) that the Chicago Blackhawks franchise has launched:
“The ‘Fan’s Voice’ program which is geared toward providing customers with the best possible overall fan experience at the United Center.”
The news report says this is an elevated effort by the team “to promote active feedback from fans” and that the new program “incorporates existing fans into the feedback process. “
While I’m sure other professional sports teams work hard to get fans engaged, it’s nice to see a team bragging about it. This shows even sports teams understand the value of getting customers engaged in their business. They seem to understand the power this has to build loyalty.
As part of the new initiative, there will be several locations in the Blackhawks home arena where fans can drop in during games and offer feedback. These spots will be staffed by members of the team’s fan club, the Blackhawks Standbys as well as team employees.
My question for the team is: Are you doing enough?
Remember, when you seek to engage your customers, one rule is to make customer feedback easy and convenient. So, does this new program meet this requirement?
At first glance, I’d say “no”.
Think about it. How many people want to take time out of a game to give feedback?
To make this program most effective, the team needs to offer more ways for fans to give feedback that fit into the fan’s world, rather than requiring them to take time and effort to come to a specific location during a game.
Here are some suggestions:
- Put signs and posters throughout the the arena with an email, phone number and web address fans can use for feedback
- Put the same information on the game programs, tickets and other hand held materials
- Include it in some of their advertising
- Display it on the scoreboard during the game
- Make several announcements during the game
- Announce it on their website
- Have “feedback people” posted at various kiosks throughout the arena during games
- Create an iPhone and Android application for feedback
In other words, have many ways to offer feedback and promote them in many ways. Make it obvious to fans how easy and convenient it is for them to share their ideas with the team.
They can certainly do more than they seem to be. But what they’re doing is a good start. And it demonstrates that they want customer feedback. They’ve made it part of their business. That’s the most of important first step.
So, kudos to the ‘Hawks for their “Fan Voice” program. Let’s hope it gets bigger and better.
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Yes its interesting that the sports world is beginning to figure out the importance of understanding who their customer is and figuring out ways to make the customer experience a positive one. Kudos to the Black-hawks and it will be interesting to see how this new concept, “Fan Voice” works for them.
Hi Kathy – it will be fun to watch how well this works. I hope they incorporate more ways to connect with their customers too.
Thanks for your comments!
KS
Kevin,
The Blackhawks organization has done much more in this area than just the initiation of Fan Voice. One of their more unique (to professional sports, at least) platforms in terms of establishing customer listening posts and engaging their customers was the creation, a few years back, of their annual convention.
Season ticket holders and other fans are invited to interact with current players, Blackhawks alumni and organization management. The events include Q&A panels with players, and hockey operations and service experience staff.
While a few teams have done this for awhile (The San Francisco Giants – a very service-oriented entertainment organization that also happens to be a professional sports franchise comes to mind) these sorts of events are on the rise as sports teams realize that they are just like other businesses, and that giving customers insight into the inner workings of the organization, engaging them in dialogue about direction of the on-field / ice product and how to improve the off-field service experience is critical to retaining customers.
Chris – thanks for adding your knowledge of what the Hawks are doing to engage their customers better. This is an exciting use of customer engagement tools and it makes perfect sense because sports teams have historically been very good at creating customer loyalty. That’s why they call their customers fans!
KS