Poof

You know the feeling; you look forward to something for a very long time and when it arrives, the happy anticipation turns into the present reality and then, poof, it is gone.

No doubt, at one time or another, we have all had that experience and Friday morning, after flying back from Bowl Expo, I got into my car to drive home, and it just kind of hit me. 

Poof. 

Another Bowl Expo has come and gone.

All the work leading up to the event, for my company, for my clients, for BVL and for Kids Bowl Free, were now in the past.  It was now another awesome memory. 

The BVL breakfast was very successful, KBF reached more people; I helped clients who were exhibiting to attract more business and I was asked to present consulting proposals to potentially new clients. 

It was all good and my emotions ranged from feelings of accomplishment, joy, and happiness to those of “a little let down,” and a bit tired.

All the planning; all the late nights; all the emails and text messages; I am grateful it all worked out. 

But how did it happen so slowly, yet go by so quickly?

As I put my head on the pillow Friday night and fell off to sleep the last thought I remember having was that our customers probably feel the same way when anticipating a visit to our bowling center or FEC.

Whether it’s a family outing, a league bowling experience, a cosmic bowling night, an adult or child birthday party or some other event, people will look forward to what they expect will be a “happy experience.”  

If it is a happy event they will probably tell 3 or 4 people.  If it is not, and we disappointed them, they will tell lots more people. The latter scenario, in terms of getting them to return or getting them to refer new customers, certainly does not bode well for us.

So what do you do?  How do you know?  How can you find out?

You know because you have a process in place to discover if you delivered a good experience or not.  You were able to get their email and then send them a questionnaire.  If not, you could just randomly call them…provided you have their phone number.

You do have this process in place, right?

Doesn’t have to be fancy; you are just trying to find out if you met or exceeded their expectations; whether they would return and would they recommend your center to a friend?

Because as a wise bowling proprietor friend of mine once said, “Our job, Fred, is to make happy memories”. 

And that’s what it is all about isn’t it?