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There is perhaps nothing as fundamental for parks and recreation organizations as customer service. Let’s face it, those who give only minimum attention to this aspect will soon suffer the consequences.
Interestingly, engaging an organization's front-line staff to deliver on this customer strategy has never been more difficult to implement, especially during periods when sales or participation numbers decline.
Putting power, resources, and trust in the hands of front-line personnel allows managers to deal with other situations that arise on a daily basis, to address customer problems, to anticipate unarticulated needs, and to drive customer-facing innovation. However, there is no single philosophy that holds all of the answers for every agency. The best advice is to combine effective best practices from diverse organizations to succeed in building a front line-focused organization. Nurturing leadership to make real-time judgment calls is a proven best practice. Here’s a five-step process for achieving this extra edge for success: