I’ve been perusing online rink reviews left by customers, and I’m disappointed whenever I see negative posts, especially those that are either ignored, or are defended by an argumentative rink owner. When these situations arise, there is no need to get into a pissing match. Do that with any skunk, and you’re bound to smell bad. Sometimes these reviews are a one-off, with the rest of the customer comments full of praise. But when negative reviews become consistent, it’s time to acknowledge, apologize, and take action.
But first, let’s address why there’s a problem to begin with.
A lot of these negative reviews end up online because the oldest person running the rink is in their mid-20s, and they don’t have the experience to relate to moms who hold the purse strings. These young managers don’t understand the importance of cleanliness – or how to effectively own up to a mistake when face-to-face with an angry customer.
Roller rinks are a great place to train our youth and prepare them for future employment or managerial positions. However, every business needs an experienced, and mature person running the ship. Someone you can trust, when you’re off to Convention, or taking a much-needed vacation. Unfortunately, the old adage is true: when the cat’s away, the mice will play.
In my hometown, a private Sweet 16 party erupted in violence because it was held late at night and the oldest person in the rink was 21. A brawl ensued, the police were called, and it captured the attention of nationwide media. Within 6 months, that rink shut down and was on the market for 3 years. It never recovered from a bad decision of its corporate owner. This is a perfect example of how it takes years to build a stellar reputation, and only one night to ruin it.
From my vantage point, here’s what I see when the owner is not paying attention or never in the building, but instead entrusts the business to young managers.
Hiring
They hire their friends who are the same age, but don’t train them in how to handle angry customers. I see them hide when the customer wants answers. Some will ignore rules enforcement altogether because they don’t want to, or know how to handle confrontation. An example would be having to tell a parent they can’t skate while carrying a baby. This can cause serious injury and an ambulance visit. No one wants that. Yet, I see this often and nothing is done about it. It’s never easy for a 16-year-old floor guard to tell an adult what to do. And a manager who’s not that much older has the same issue.
Cleanliness
Not all workers understand cleanliness and kitchen sanitation. I learned this while managing youth in a small Arizona community. I opened the microwave after a session ended, and it was dirty inside. When I showed it to the teen-aged concession worker, the response I received was, “it’s good enough.” Not to the health department, who can pop in anytime and shut the business down.
Behavior
There are employees who will eat on the clock in front of customers. That is just gross. If I walked into any restaurant and saw a worker chewing, I’d walk right out and never return. And if you call the employee out on it, their feelings get hurt.
Drama
Young workers bring their drama to the rink. Whether it’s a hangover, an argument they had with their sweetheart, or complaints about the owner — everyone will hear about it. And let’s not forget the workplace romances that can be full of highs and lows.
Reliability
They’re not always dependable. Rink owners have to deal with late arrivals or no-shows without finding another team member to fill in. That means the manager will have a last-minute problem to deal with.
Inattentiveness + Horseplay
They pay attention to their friends and ignore the customers. I’ve witnessed floor guards showing off, and learning tricks from other skaters, playing tag, or horsing around with co-workers. They need to be reminded they are paid to serve the customers. They are free to skate on their day off.
Sensitive to Criticism
Some don’t take direction well. They need to understand their job duties, undergo training, and at times be corrected when they’re not following company guidelines. They tend to take it personally.
Priorities / Incomplete tasks
They lack priorities of what needs to be done, such as vacuuming and clearing off table tops when people are waiting in line to order food. The customer waiting in line always comes first. And sometimes they don’t clean at all. I’ve walked into a rink before the first session to dirty tables and trash cans that weren’t emptied during the closing duties the night before.
Lack of knowledge or social skills
Many don’t know what skate-able music is and just put on their favorite songs, rather than what moms and customers of all ages want to hear. I’ve heard songs with inappropriate lyrics, and those that are way too slow for too long, or way too fast. During public sessions, music needs to be programmed like a wave, building to a crescendo and then brought back down to cool off the crowd and get them to your snack bar. Plus, many younger disc jockeys are afraid to interact with the crowd, and will just let the music play with no announcements or games whatsoever.
Hire different generations
There’s a reason why successful businesses hire those with years of experience under their belt, and why a Citizen needs to be at least 35 years old to be President of the United States. When one gets to their mid-30s, there’s a bit of wisdom and real-world experience to draw from. It’s not enough to learn from books. Practice matters. And we learn more from failure, than we do from success. We know what not to do in the future.
Not all employees need to be middle-aged. A good mix of cultures and generations can learn from one another. Young workers bring energy, and excellent know-how of technology and social media. And they can learn from older generations, as well.
Hire, train, and set expectations
When hiring older workers, look for teachers, veterans, and skater moms, as well as DJs with event or radio experience. Make sure they are well-trained and understand what is expected of them in order to succeed. The majority of problems I see stem from those who don’t undergo orientation, read and sign a procedural handbook, or have an owner willing to show them the ropes. There needs to always be a Manager on Duty who can react calmly to strife and emergencies rather than go into fight or flight.
Respond to all reviews
Regarding online reviews, look around the internet for businesses that effectively respond to people who complain, or contact us here at RollerSk8r.com for advice. While it may be temporarily satisfying to slam a customer for their unfounded or rude remarks, trust me, that post won’t age well with potential customers looking for a clean place to hold a party or bring their kids.
In life, and online, it’s not what people say about us, it’s how we react. With the right tone, it is possible to turn that frown upside down.
