Sometimes, after so many years in the rental kart track business, we start thinking so far ahead on how we can improve our business, that we forget a little bit about the basics, and how we got to be who we are!
That's our goal with today's topic, review the basics.
Note: This topic is also interesting if you are planning to start your own Kart Center!
Yes, I know what you are thinking… This should not even be considered as a tip.
But in the end, we are human and like all humans, we need social interaction. You can have the best track in the world, the best fleet that money can buy, or even the state-of-the-art software for kart centers to help you to boost your revenue, but without a staff that really enjoys being there, everything else is pointless…
Don't forget, your customers are there to have fun!
Your staff’s energy and even the way they interact with each other and with your clients will have a major impact on the overall racing experience at your rental kart track.
I had the opportunity to work on the weekends from 1998 to 2003 in one of the best Outdoor Karting Centers that existed at that time in Portugal. They were really hard-working times, with a team mostly composed of High School and University students looking for extra money to pay their tuition.
One of the things that would really impress our clients and made us stand out from the other rental kart tracks was our dynamics as a group.
We know how hard and exhausting a full day of work in a kart center can be, always cleaning the track, refueling the karts, checking the tire pressure, oiling the chains, cleaning the karts, tying down, and adjusting tires around the track, etc...
There were no social media at the time, so the management made their point of honor to pass the client’s feedback on initiative, helpfulness, kindness, and overall performance to the rest of the team at the end of each day.
This is essential. If you are looking to improve your client retention, make sure your staff feels appreciated!
If your staff is performing well, you will have plenty of opportunities to interact with your drivers on the spot.
Do you feel that you are not having the opportunity to engage?
Create it, go and look for the group leader, there is always someone that was responsible for the idea, the registration and all of those things.
Don't be afraid to ask them how the racing experience was. It might not be everything that you wanted to hear, but it will give you a valuable opportunity to improve your business!
Customers like to feel that they are important to your business, and the truth is … They really are!
Also, don't forget that we are in the XXI century, social media engagement is a thing, and it will not disappear any time soon.
Engage with your customers on social media!
Reply to all ratings of your business, especially the less positive ones. Use them to improve your business and invite the customer to return and show them that you did an effort to improve.
It's an excellent way to improve word-of-mouth and your client retention!
Here is a tip-within-a-tip. Don't use just Facebook to connect, you need to be where your customers are. Twitter and Instagram are also excellent platforms for you to be in.
Check if your customers have identified themselves on your location or use a hashtag with your name.
We will have a blog post in the future with tips on how to improve your social media presence.
Look at it this way: Imagine that your Kart Center is a bakery. But instead of having some nice-looking cookies and bread, you have your rental karts.
And like for most people, how they look is a very important thing to consider during the moment of purchase. Especially in Karting Business. It's not all about the size of your track or your fleet, it's how you present them!
About 95% of your clients will never know if they have a good go-kart on their hands or not, but 100% of them will surely notice if there is dirt all over them, especially at the end of the heat when they look at their clothes.
OK, it's karting, it can get messy, it's a part of motorsports, but we also know that we can reduce that to a minimum, right?
A few years ago, I went to visit a track with my friends, I didn't take my helmet, I didn't mention anything about being an endurance driver, or that I was connected to the sport. I was just a regular customer that wanted to have fun with my friends and go for some beers afterward.
We went to the reception, paid, took the helmets, and had a quick briefing. When we got to the pit-lane, I was about to sit on my go-kart when I noticed that I had a front tire on the wire, I mean… Kimi Raikkonen in Monza 2018 style! My front tire was about to blow, and I had to point it out to the pit crew.
The answer was "Don't worry about it, if it blows up, we will give you a new kart."
Let's not even mention the safety issues in that decision but, as a customer… Would you return there? Of course not, neither did I, and it was a really nice track with a very interesting fleet!
The point is, if a customer makes a remark, even if it's something unimportant to you, don't ignore it! This remark, even if it’s a bad one, is an opportunity to improve your business!
By the way… The tire did blow up after 5 laps, in the most distant part of the track on a nice Portuguese summer day… (35+ degrees).