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CASE STUDIES
Client Testimonial
Vice President of Operations
The Client
Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els... Do you play where the
pros play? The Tournament Players Clubs ("TPC") form a network
of high-end private clubs and daily fee resorts and are
licensed, owned and/or operated by the PGA TOUR.
Representing a commitment to excellence unsurpassed in the
golf industry, TPCs provide avid golfers the opportunity to "Play
where the PGA TOUR pros play!"
The Situation
After years of double-digit increases, the number of golf rounds
played in the United States declined by three to five percent during
2002-2003, per the National Golf Foundation. Unfortunately
for the TPCs, high-end clubs were most severely impacted by this
decline. Between 1998 and 2003, developers built new courses at
twice the rate that golfers were taking up the game. While the
number of golfers grew slightly, from 25 million to 25.4 million,
the number of courses increased from 14,900 to 16,000 during
the same period. Supply was far outstripping demand. In addition, poor economic conditions were negatively
impacting the amount of discretionary income available to consumers.
The Solution
With the challenging conditions the industry was facing, TPC management recognized the need to enhance the
customer experience to emotionally engage and retain each and every member and guest. They realized that
plush fairways alone would not create a loyal customer base. The TPC worked with LRA to develop and implement
an integrated Brand Assurance and Customer Experience Management program to increase customer satisfaction
and drive retention, with a goal of improving the bottom-line. LRA applied its three-pronged methodology
called the Continuous Cycle of Managing the Customer Experience to drive positive change at the TPC.
Assessing The Customer Experience
The first step in helping the TPCs create exceptional customer experiences was to identify those things that customers considered most relevant and important. With no formal measurement system in place at the daily fee
and resort clubs, LRA and TPC management instituted a continuous customer satisfaction survey program. Over
40 percent of the customers surveyed responded. The feedback indicated that the putting surfaces, golf shop
experience, booking, food & beverage and arrival and departure process were all critical elements of the overall
TPC golf experience. The research also revealed certain performance gaps and their root causes.
Improving The Customer Experience
LRA worked with TPC and its customer's to identify the key touch points,
which most closely correlate with satisfaction. With this information,
LRA and TPC then designed the perfect TPC customer experience. TPC's
focus on a service-oriented culture, as well as hiring and training
great employees was critical to its future success. To design the
perfect TPC customer experience, LRA developed a comprehensive set
of standards and operating procedures. These standards, which articulate
required outcomes, were specific, measurable and linked to incentive
compensation. LRA also introduced a high-level customer service and
leadership training program, called TPC University.
Managing The Customer Experience
For service organizations to succeed, they must continuously monitor
and improve the quality of the customer experience. So far, over 14,000
TPC guests have provided their feedback. In addition, LRA also developed
a rigorous quality assurance and mystery-shopping program in order
to continually assess performance. Both of these measurement programs
focus on execution and operational excellence, attention to detail,
consistency and customer service delivery. LRA consultants continuously
analyze the mystery shopping and customer feedback data in order to
identify gaps, uncover root causes, and make recommendations for positive
change.
The Results
Over the past three years, TPC member and guest satisfaction and loyalty
scores have improved over 15 percent. In a very tough environment, the
number of rounds played at TPC venues has far outpaced the national
average, and the TPC organization continues to post industry-leading
earnings. Retention levels for TPC members has remained strong. Employee
engagement has improved as well. The network continues to grow and will
add two new clubs during 2004. In addition, the TPC Network has earned
a number of prestigious awards including the Zagat Survey's Top 10 in
Service, Golf Digests Top Places to Play, Golf Magazine's Top Golf Shops
and many more.