| During my tenure as president of the Philadelphia 76er, we revived a winning tradition through acquiring new talent on and off the court, investing in community initiatives, offering wacky themed evenings, creating an entertaining show surrounding the game, and a super strong commitment to customer service.
I remembered when we offered a marketing promotion called the “family four-pack” which included 4 game tickets, 4 hot dogs, 4 soft drinks, and 4 newspapers for only $76. It was a nice bargain and it became an even bigger bargain when the team got good. Then it became a fan-favorite and was always sure to please…until March 5, 2001.
It was a Friday night. The 76ers were hosting the Washington Wizards. An irate fan called my director of fan relations, Joe Masters, and said, “How dare the Sixers commit heresy and blasphemy?”
“Excuse me?” Joe asked.
The man shouted, “How do you expect my family to eat hot dogs on a Friday during Lent?”
Joe had been instructed to find a solution, not to find fault - to listen, not to judge. So he didn’t suggest what the man might do with his hot dogs. Instead, he told the man he respected his position and he’d call him back, which he did, after conferring with the Aramark concessionaire staff.
Following that one fan phone call, the Sixers began offering a great family four-pack option: pizza could be substituted for hot dogs.
As you see it never hurts to listen to your customers – no matter how insane they might appear. When you place your feet in the shoes of others, you experience your service standards from a different perspective – a point of view that may never have crossed your path. -- PC
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