April 2018

Do your people shine?

by Tech Support | Apr 23, 2018 | Training

Let me tell you, it’s a dream come true that I get to work in an industry based on fun and helping people build memories. It is an even bigger dream come true that my job is to help people succeed and grow their businesses through coaching and training their teams. However, it is a nightmare trying to understand why people struggle to justify this investment more than almost any other.

The Next Shiny New Thing

At IAAPA last year, and every year for that matter, there were new attractions everywhere. There were small donuts, walking balloons, virtual reality experiences that my 9-year-old self-thought only existed in movies, and games that felt like roller coasters. Seriously. There was even a rollercoaster. Everywhere you turned, there was something new, another shiny attraction. Investors and owners were running after those attractions like cats chasing lasers!

I get it. You gotta offer the next big thing. You gotta keep up. You gotta set yourself apart. Right? But are you? Tell me how many booths you saw at IAAPA or any trade show that showcased the “Shiny New Employee.” I’ll wait.

None. You know why? Because you have to create the shiny employee like Frankenstein, but better looking and more articulate. You have to invest in them, build them up, and train them so they can confidently serve your guests.

Polish Your Team With Training

Many of you already have shiny employees that need a little polishing. Polish them by training them! Train them so every customer who comes through your door feels like they are not just welcome but wanted. Train them so that your center is known as THE place in town to have the Best Party Ever. Train them so they can handle an upset customer (we know it will happen), so they can turn an unpleasant experience into a great one. The customer experience begins and ends with your people.

How much money are you putting into training your employees? Does it match the amount you are spending on toys, or socks, or toilet paper? Yeah. Toilet paper. Imagine your facility operating without toilet paper. Not pretty, huh. You get the same thing running it with untrained, unmotivated employees.

Investing in your team isn’t instant gratification. It’s not the shiny new attraction. But I promise you if you do invest in your people, if you train them, if you treat them well, and operate based on your core values, your team will shine!

What Happens With a Trained Team

I get so excited about it. When you have a well-trained team, you have the opportunity to positively affect so many lives. Richard Branson, founder of The Virgin Group and over 400 other companies, says “Clients don’t come first. Your employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of your clients.” It starts with you. You must train, encourage, and support them. You can do it! You can build a team of rock stars and, in turn, those rock stars will build your business.

Whew. Worked up a bit of sweat there. I can get passionate about this stuff.

I know it’s tough. Most people would much rather invest in the shiniest, most popular game or attraction because you can see the profit coming in. But what if, WHAT IF, you could see the future that a year from now those employees you invested in, that you have trained, have built a rapport with your customers that have those customers coming back over and over. They are greeting customers by name and high fiving the kids coming in the door! You have back-to-back birthday parties from open to close every weekend! Your staff is excited, your customers are excited, and you are excited because you are sleeping in pillowcases full of cash! Okay. I went a little over the top…but you see what I mean. The shiny attractions get old, they go out of style, the trend fizzles. People don’t get old. Well, yes they do, but service doesn’t, smiles don’t, and kindness never will.

So, what’s stopping you? What are you afraid will happen? Are you afraid you could invest in your team and nothing will change? I guarantee you… if you don’t invest in them, nothing will.

Call me. 817.886.4840. I truly want to help you succeed.

Creating a Powerhouse of Learning

by Tech Support | Apr 19, 2018 | Education, Leadership

There is one characteristic all people in the business world and the workforce have in common, regardless of their position, the line of industry, trade area, organization size, national or international business activities, or ownership/employee status in the organization. It is one characteristic that has been and will always be of utmost importance for success. It plays a key role in my commitment as Executive Assistant to support business owners I work within their vision and mission to drive their businesses forward and it plays a key role for everyone who wants to pursue and continue a successful career. That characteristic is the desire to learn constantly and to never stop learning.

We know change is a constant in our lives. To stay successful and competitive in business, we need to go with the change and learn new things. Having worked for 18 years in the FEC industry, I’ve learned about the history of the bowling business.

For example, a few decades ago the bookkeeper was called scorekeeper because they would manually keep track of the leagues’ scores and league bowling was the primary income source for the proprietor. Keeping score manually is now replaced by modern electronic scoring systems. Now, open bowling is called casual bowling and is the main source of income. Dark and smoke-filled facilities are replaced with well-lit, smoke-free, inviting facilities. Social media and email campaigns didn’t exist. Advertising was through regular mail and print magazines or community brochures. If a customer had a complaint, they would call or visit the bowling center to speak with the proprietor. Today, people leave reviews on social media sites.

Not only the bowling and FEC industries but all industries are subject to change over time such as the changes described above. With all this change in our workplace, there is a strong need for learning. It’s a need we must fill by providing and taking advantage of learning opportunities. Only if we continue to learn, can we keep up with the changes surrounding us and – very importantly – grow ourselves. By growing ourselves, we grow the business. We all agree we want to be part of a growing business and not a declining one.

In my career of 30+ years working with executives on their businesses, I have observed that Intentional Learning exists when staff members who enjoy broadening their knowledge, the Learners, have the desire and take the initiative to learn. These Intentional Learners will constantly engage in and seek out new training and learning opportunities and ask meaningful questions on the job to expand their knowledge.

Their supervisor doesn’t have to ask them to visit a training boot camp or to take a course. The Intentional Learners will research what classes are out there and come to the supervisor for approval to take the course. Many Intentional Learners will even take classes and pay for the courses out of their own pockets just for the fun of learning and to be on top of their game. They enjoy learning so much, they cannot get enough of it.

Sharing knowledge can be fun as well, and often learners are entrusted with a teaching role within the organization. They can go from learning to teaching their fellow staff members, encouraging them to more learning, as well and leading the team to higher efficiency as a result. This behavior creates a Powerhouse of Learning and a learning culture.

If a CEO would ask me in my role as an experienced Executive Assistant what I would do with the Learners on the team, here is my answer: 1. Support the Intentional Learners and nurture their desire to learn; 2. Ignite the spark of Intentional Learning by providing training opportunities; and 3. Get rid of the Non-Learners.

I’ll end with a quote from Joe Schumacker, CEO of SpareZ, and a strong advocate for lifelong learning: “If you do not learn, you cannot lead. If you do not lead, you cannot achieve. Learning leads to achieving.”

FEC Marketing Made Easy Vol 3

by Tech Support | Apr 12, 2018 | Marketing

We are just two short months away from summer break. If you are a parent like me, you are probably already thinking about how to keep your kids active this summer. As a mom who works from home, I’m starting to plan how to keep three boys entertained and not fighting for two and a half months.

In this edition of FEC Marketing Made Easy, I’d like to share with you a few ideas on summer promotions for your center.

Kids and Money

For the past few years we have given our boys a weekly allowance with restrictions on how they can use the money….20% goes to savings, 10% to charity, and the rest to spend. If they want to buy something, they must have a balance of $10. I was fortunate to learn to manage money when I was young.

Create a package that includes learning, food, and fun. Your local bank can come in and talk about spending and saving and even sign the kids up for a savings or checking account. It’s a great way to draw mid-week business and have an afternoon activity for the kids.

Kids and Health

Parents are always looking for ways to keep their kids active and teach them how to choose healthy food options. But what kid wants to listen to their parents about this stuff? Partner with your location nutritionist to host a class where the kids can learn about nourishing their body and making healthy food choices. Include food in your package they can purchase from your menu. It will help them see they can make good choices anywhere!

A great way to get the kids more active is to host a Zumba class. They could have a healthy lunch or dinner afterward and then spend some time having fun in your center.

Educational Classes

Kids love to get hands-on and learn new things and usually want to do so with friends. Host different types of educational classes about math and science during the week. Think outside the box. Your center already has fun ways to learn. If you have bowling, incorporate a math lesson. You could have fun with a pizza party by showing how cooking uses math and science. Use a spare party room and have different experiments. There are some terrific ideas on our Pinterest board. It doesn’t have to be complex, remember. They want to learn something and have fun while doing it!

Hope these ideas help you think outside of the box about what to do this summer. Creating a great summer calendar will help you drive more traffic to your center and create fun memories for your guests.

How Sick Do You Have To Be?

by Tech Support | Apr 6, 2018 | Management

Recently I spent seven days in the ICU with my brother-in-law who is having a terrible bout with pneumonia. As of this writing, he’s still in the hospital and although I’ve been a hospital TV show junkie all my life, it is incredible to see what it takes to keep the body in a state that it can heal.

The BIG lesson is going to the doctor as soon as you have an inkling you might need to go. In no way am I criticizing my brother-in-law. My husband has said more than once during our 37 years of marriage that my dying words would be, “If I don’t feel better in the morning, I’ll go to the doctor.” Not anymore. After seven days of watching my sweet brother-in-law fight for his life, I’m certain that health is at the top of my list.

I share this with you because lately, I’ve been in discussion with our team members, friends, clients, and our marketing department about what needs to happen for people to take action when it comes to growing their people and their business.

At TrainerTainment, we are focused and maybe even obsessed with the health of leaders and their teams. I have literally asked the question, “How bad does it have to get for someone to reach out and ask for help?”

Rosie, our marketing director, made the comparison that using a coach was like taking a vitamin instead of needing a high powered antibiotic. I’m convinced a vitamin regimen as preventive maintenance is a whole lot better than IV antibiotics in ICU!

I don’t know for sure we have the right prescription for your team’s health, but wouldn’t it be good to simply schedule a check-up and see if you are getting the healthy results that are possible?

I’d love to hear from you. Click here and schedule a check-up today!