Reinventing the Customer
Experience
#PACnet15
#PACnet15
Moderator
 Deana Itow » Paciolan
Presenters
 Scott Garrett » Kansas State University
 Phil Wang » University of California, Irvine
 Meaghan Carrigan » PPL Center
#PACnet15
#PACnet15
Scott Garrett
» Associate AD / Fan Strategies
Kansas State University
#PACnet15
#PACnet15
History
Building Trust With K-State Fans
 Situation in 2009 when John Currie was named
Athletic Director
» Mismanagement issues from previous administration.
» Evaporating trust with fans, donors, campus community.
» Organizational morale & self-perception.
 Building Positive Momentum
»
»
»
»
University leadership changes.
Legendary football coach returns.
History of passionate fan support.
Reorganization of staff and fan experience focus.
#PACnet15
4
Fan Experience Initiatives
 Unit name change
» Marketing to Fan Experience & Sales
 K-State Pledge
» Vision & Mission
» Five Goals
▫ Goal #5 – THE BEST FAN EXPERIENCE IN THE BIG 12
» Annual Budget Card
» Drive to sell-out first football game of Snyder II Era
▫ FIRST ANNUAL FAMILY REUNION
#PACnet15
5
Fan Experience Initiatives
 Accessibility
» Direct staff phone numbers
and e-mail addresses online
» General customer services email addresses
» Ability to e-mail the Athletic
Director
▫ w/ Actual Responses from AD
» Ticket Services Live Chat
#PACnet15
6
Fan Experience Initiatives
 Customer Service
» WELCOME TO K-STATE
▫ Greeting/Smile at every touch-pointParking, Concessions, Ushers, Phones,
Etc.
 BROAD CUSTOMER SERVICE
COMMITTEE
» 2014/15 Initiatives:
▫
▫
▫
▫
▫
First Time Visitor Certificates
Event Staff Rewards Program
Fan Guide
Name Tags for all Employees
Fan Ambassador Program
#PACnet15
7
Fan Experience Initiatives
 Research
» Post-game Surveys
▫ Distributed to all Sr. Staff
with highlights of actionable
critical issues for follow-up.
» In-Game Surveys
» Order Confirmation Surveys
» Non-Renewal Surveys
 Pricing
» Stratified prices, accessible,
kid-friendly promotions, ingame entertainment, etc.
#PACnet15
8
Results
 29 football sell-outs since 2009,
Including 20 consecutive games.
 Record average football attendance in
2012, 2013, and 2014.
 Six consecutive years of over 12,000 in
average paid men’s basketball
attendance.
 Nationally-ranked attendance in
volleyball, women’s basketball and
baseball.
 40% growth in annual ticket revenues.
 Increased annual fund membership by
nearly double (members and revenue).
#PACnet15
9
Phil Wang
»
#PACnet15
#PACnet15
University of California,
Irvine
Our Business & Challenges
 UCI is part of the University of California (UC) system which
incorporates ten (10) campuses.
 Current student enrollment is approximately 28,000.
 Division 1-AAA (no football).
» The Intercollegiate Athletics Department currently supports 18
programs -had to discontinue five (5) programs in 2009 due to budget
cuts.
» Continuing challenges:
▫ Young institution with small, but growing, fan base.
▫ Many alumni are still relatively young.
▫ City of Irvine not considered a “college town”. City is characterized by young
professionals with young families.
– Discretionary income is saved and/or used for other amenities.
▫ Other entertainment options (amusement parks, professional sports).
▫ Competition against local “high major” schools (UCLA, USC) with tradition in
successful college athletics.
▫ Tuition at UC has and will be going up which equates to scholarship costs
increasing.
#PACnet15
11
Goal
 Goal: Improve the “fan experience”
 Result: Repeat business = Consistent revenue
stream
#PACnet15
12
Touch Points with Fans
Identified five (5) main “touch points”:





Marketing
Ticketing
Parking
Concessions
Game Day Event Staff
#PACnet15
13
Technology
 Invested in technology to
improve “touch points”
» Improved ticketing platform to
provide ease of access to
purchase tickets and ease of
delivery
▫ Mobile ticketing, PAH, etc.
» Targeted marketing through CRM
database analysis
▫ Send people information they want
» Interacted with fans through
social media during games/events
▫ Crowd Cameo
#PACnet15
14
Services
 Worked with Concessions
and Parking to improve
services
» Concessions – consulted in food and
beverage pricing and selection,
alcohol sales, “loaded tickets”
» Parking – prepaid discounted pricing,
ease of access, preferred parking
 Transitioned use of Staff Pro
to in-house ushering staff
» Change from “security” to “game
attendants/ushers”
#PACnet15
15
Results
Measurable results from three (3) year
implementation plan:
 Men’s Basketball
»
»
»
»
Increased average attendance by 44%
Increased season ticket holder accounts by 54%
Increased net ticket revenue by 76%
Increased season ticket revenue by 48%
 Overall ticket revenue increased 92%
 Corporate sponsorship revenue
increased 64%
#PACnet15
16
Meghan Carrigan
» PPL Center | Global Spectrum
#PACnet15
#PACnet15
PPL Center
 Grand Opening: September
12, 2014
» 8,500-seat capacity for hockey
» 10,000-seat capacity for concerts
» Two Tenant Teams
▫ Lehigh Valley Phantoms (AHL)
▫ Lehigh Valley Steelhawks (PIFL)
» Family Shows
» Feld Entertainment, Harlem
Globetrotters, Professional Bull
Riders, WWE, NCAA basketball, NBA
basketball
» Concerts
#PACnet15
18
PPL Center
 Pre-event emails | Post-event Surveys
» 60% - 70% Open Rate
» 25% Response Rate
 Event Specific Hashtags
» #LVvsALB
» #WWEAllentown
#PACnet15
19
PPL Center
 #PhantomsHookMeUp
»
»
»
»
#PACnet15
18.9% Engagement Rate
31,060 Reach
46,416 Impressions
500+ Tweets
20
PPL Center
 Mobile Delivery
» Launched January 14, 2015
» 12% of purchasers have selected
mobile delivery
» Free delivery option for customers
» Custom branding
» Sponsorship opportunity
» Set-up in less than 1 day!
#PACnet15
21
PPL Center
 #YouLuckyDog Promotion
» Goal: Increase Food & Beverage
sales and activate new sponsorship
opportunities by incentivizing
patrons to spend more at our arena
concession stands.
 Drive Awareness
» Use What You Have
» Be Social
 Success Stories
» 14% per cap increase
» $8,000 sponsorship secured
» In-game fan engagement increase
#PACnet15
22
The Way Forward…
 FanMaker
» Engage
» Reward
» Measure
#PACnet15
23
Thank you!
Questions
Please complete either the session evaluation form on your
chair or online at http://pacnet.paciolan.com/schedule.
#PACnet15
#PACnet15