Equestrian Centres receive taster for Customer Care Masterclass

Equestrian centres enjoyed a customer care seminar from Sonia Birch, founder of a chain of leisure centres and now a regional co-odinator for the British Equestrian Federation, in preparation for future collaboration with the John Lewis Partnership.
The centres from London to Yorkshire are all part of ‘Take Back The Reins’, a pilot project from the British Equestrian Federation, aimed at encouraging new and former riders to take up riding with the provision of riding accompanied by social activities and underpinned by excellent customer care.

Sonia recalls, “When I started out in business I didn’t think customer care was much more than putting a smiley person on the front desk but now it is a key element to my consultancy business and can make a massive difference to attracting clients and creating loyalty.”

In groups, the instructors and managers were able to share their experiences outside the equestrian environment - the good, bad and ugly – from missed flights leading to travelling in first class accommodation to poor communication regarding items ordered and not delivered.

Sonia says, “Our riders will want a quality experience and although we know we won’t get everything right all the time, it is about empowering staff to treat clients as they would like to be treated and creating magic moments from situations that could otherwise have produced negative feedback.”

It was clear mental notes were being made as to good companies but, Sonia warns, “If someone does give you a good review then the expectation of those who hear of it will be even higher and they will be disappointed unless they too get amazing service.”

Sonia therefore gave centres the chance to consider their ‘customer care charter’, and centres gave their own suggestions from mission statements to cancellation policies and also defining what responsibility the staff should have such as for handling challenging situations.

Centres were encouraged to involve staff in creating their customer care charter with the added benefit of employees, considered as internal customers, then taking ownership of the charter and buying in to the customer-focused culture.

There was also an opportunity to consider the customer’s journey – their feelings and solutions from arriving at an unfamiliar centre, with possibly some anxiety, to going home, and also their journey throughout a course of lessons or hacks at the stables.

Sonia says, “It’s important not to put one’s own preconceived ideas into a customer journey but to ask the customers themselves”, adding, “I never thought parking at our leisure centre was a problem until I discovered one customer was so fearful their car might be scratched they preferred to use a ‘pay and display’ down the road, so we changed the markings to give people more space to park.”

And centres were encouraged to consider the value of a customer over their life time.

Sonia says, “A department store will imagine their customer will spend approximately £20,000 at their stores, or online, over a lifetime so quibbling over a faulty ironing board cover is put into perspective and you can do the same.”

Indeed, many centres were able to share stories of clients who started to ride at the centre and became horse owners, livery clients, brought their children and grandchildren, became volunteers or even members of staff!

Generating loyalty such as this may not take more than small acts of generosity however, with Sonia saying, “With loyalty cards available for almost everything from fuel stations to supermarkets, a more personal approach – a thank you, a mention on the noticeboard, or an unexpected gift – could be all that’s required.”

Inspiring and demonstrating some great practices already being implemented by the equestrian centres preparing to pilot ‘Take Back The Reins’, a future customer care seminar is also scheduled to take place with BEF partner, John Lewis.

Natalie O’Rourke of Park Lane Stables remarked on the day, “At first I felt greedy as I brought all my staff with me today but it’s just made me realise how much time we should spend attending courses like this as the value this brings to us as individuals, as a team, and as a centre is amazing.”

To find out more about Take Back The Reins visit www.hoof-in-town.com

To register your interest in attending the customer care seminar contact; Jodie Maile at jodievm@aol.co.uk

Notes to editors:

For more details regarding HOOF, visit www.hoof-in-town.com or contact Anna Bruce at evenerprise pr on 07970 285781 or email annabruce101@googlemail.com.