Aug 29, 2015

1 Thing Every Store Should Do

We asked great stores for their tips on running top-notch events. Find out how they responded!

Aug 29, 2015

1 Thing Every Store Should Do

We asked great stores for their tips on running top-notch events. Find out how they responded!

The power of positive experience is fairly obvious: study after study after study confirms that the best way to earn customer loyalty is to invest in the customer experience.

But how to go about delivering those experiences? That's a lot less obvious.

Some great feedback from our customers led us to these four stores who seem to have it down, so we reached out and asked them this question:

If you were to recommend exactly one thing every store should do (but probably doesn't), what would it be?

Here's what they told us:

"Make a schedule for your event."

     —Mykel Tauber, Warp 3

Set the agenda beforehand and things will go a lot smoother.

"We put out a signup sheet for each event an hour before the event starts. Players only are able to put their name on the list as they pay.

Start on time and ensure the timer is started for each round.

[Make sure] any player can prize out ASAP if they choose to. Some players just want to leave when they win/lose the last round, some want to stick around and chat/trade."

"Choose and train your volunteers wisely."

     —Timothy Gatehouse, Gatehouse Games

No matter how carefully planned, an event can go sideways without the right staff.

"A lot of players like the idea of helping, but when it gets right down to it, they just want to be in the action.

Throw your volunteers a little get-together after store hours. Use this time to discuss the spoilers, prepare for complex card interactions, and identify the rulings beforehand.

Identify the job of each person involved to avoid confusion. Nobody wants to go looking for the scorekeeper because he's off answering a rules question!"

"Remember everyone's name."

     —Damian Meszko, Gamers Sanctuary

Damian agrees: he attributes their success to their ace volunteers.

That's why this crucial element of customer service—doing your customers the courtesy of greeting them by name—is a big part of the culture at Gamer's Sanctuary.

"People that help us with the events, they do it because they want to," he says. "That's our blessing."

"Be consistent."

     —Kurt Pierson, Titan Games and Hobbies

Damian and his staff try to greet every customer by name, every single time. It's that kind of consistency that has been the key to success at Titan Games and Hobbies:

"Consistency with the start times (actually starting at the promoted time); consistency with putting up the event details and promotional materials; consistency with prizes and wrapping the events up."

What would your answer be? Tell us at WPNStories@Wizards.com!

By Matt Neubert

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