Blog

by Executive Pastor Mark Waltz

Worst Practice #1:
Don’t go out of your way to pat volunteers on the back. They’re doing exactly what they should be doing—giving their life away. They should be sacrificing. They should be tired. Don’t acknowledge or celebrate them. Last thing you need is puffed up volunteers.

Some would claim this is biblical. I’m not sure what Bible they’re reading. The scriptures teach gratitude, mutual respect and personal value. It’s how Jesus lived his life. It’s how Paul encouraged the Church.

Live by this worst practice and you’ll be looking for volunteers—’cause they’ll be G.O.N.E.

To hear more from Mark and get more practical tips for creating excellent guest experiences come to his First Impressions Workshop, one of the many workshops offered at Granger Community Church on October 13 & 14. Register your team of six or more by September 14 and grab early bird discounted pricing for groups.

by Executive Pastor Mark Waltz

I’ve been asked lately about some bottom-line musts to establish and/or take guest services excellence to the next level. This isn’t an exhaustive list (that’s why I wrote a few books on the topic), but these core essentials will provide a foundation to make your serve to guests excellent and personable.

• Leadership:
  • Are the right leaders in place?
  • Do they carry the DNA, mission, vision and values of the church?
  • Do they hold the experience of the guest as a top priority over personal convenience?
  • Are they gifted leaders—not merely doers (although they may do fantastic work)?
  • Do these leaders have chemistry, trust and love for each other?
  • Do they model the level of personable service you want every team member to practice?
• Values:
  • Are values defined and communicated (whatever those are: Team, Engagement, Next Steps, People Matter, etc.)?
  • Are teams using those values as lenses to serve guests? That is, are they operating from a motivation of values rather than mere technical training or a task list?
• Systems:
  • Are systems defined and functioning so guests are served well?
  • Are systems facilitated and owned by team members who utilize those systems to serve people?
  • Do systems help team members understand their schedule, expectations, and feedback loop?

Of course if you’re providing guest services in the local church, it’s assumed, but should be stated—the love of God in Jesus motivates everything you do. It is the number one driving value. Helping people experience the grace of God is the point—or there is none.

Have you heard about our Workshops? They are one-day intense and focused, interactive learning events on Tuesday, October 13 and Wednesday, October 14 with lunch provided. So come with your team on either or both days (20% discount if you attend both days). Learn more about First Impressions, Creative & Communication Arts, Students, Groups and Kids’ Ministry. Register today!

by Elkhart Campus Pastor Gene Troyer

It’s Monday morning, one of my favorite times of the week. The office is quiet and I’m reflecting on the weekend that was. I have a couple of comment cards on my desk that were filled out by those in attendance. People use these for a variety of purposes. Sometimes it’s, “Hey, I have a new email address.” Other times it’s, “Please pray for this situation”. We get feedback on what did or didn’t work in a service through this method of communication. When someone goes to the trouble of completing both the front and the back side of a comment card, I pay close attention.

This morning I’m paying attention.

Members of our guest services team are often the unsung heroes of Granger Community Church. They show up, greet people, smile, engage and encourage with no real fanfare. The important and critical role they play is not lost on us as leaders, but our encouragement and cheerleading pales in comparison to a real, live attendee giving real time feedback. One of our comment cards this weekend provided this encouraging and powerful word.

Continue reading on Gene’s Blog...

by Executive Pastor Mark Waltz

Sequencing matters. Service matters. Systems matter.

And so do people.

When sequencing and systems fail to help our guests effectively experience quality service, or take practical steps toward desired outcomes, people are not valued. We don’t communicate that they matter. At least we fall obviously short.

Our connections team has been assessing processes, systems, staffing and teams that most effectively help our people take their next step toward Jesus—particularly, new guests to our church. Although someone’s very next step after an initial weekend service may be to come back the next weekend, we can’t assume that is the only step a guest may want or need to take.

How do people meet others? Find a sense of belonging? And in doing so take a step on their journey toward and with Jesus?

Continue reading on Mark’s Blog...

by Executive Pastor Mark Waltz

Excellent guest service—whether in a local church, community non-profit, retail business or service industry—is really the compilation of lived-out best practices. Those benchmark behaviors may be simple and common sense, but they are set as standards of practice by everyone in the organization.

Best practices can be produced in a board room.

• Respond to questions within 48 hours.
• Answer the phone before the fourth ring.
• Do what you do with excellence.

It can happen—best practices can come from the board room. But not most of them.

Most best practices come about in the moment. A one-time occurrence implemented by one team member that gets discovered and, because of its impact on communicating value, is repeated as a norm throughout the entire team. That’s what happened with our guest services four-point report.

A couple years ago our volunteer usher leaders began to email each other following each weekend of services. By Monday afternoon an email was circulating, celebrating highlights and asking questions about how to solve a challenge that had popped up. The email created conversation that birthed an ongoing best-practice-making machine. The Four-Point Email was born. It’s this simple:

Continue reading on Mark’s blog...

by Executive Pastor Mark Waltz

If you serve on a guest services team—as an usher, a greeter, checking in children, directing traffic, cleaning restrooms, providing security, hosting, or any other guest-focused role—don’t miss this: You are the message before the message. Your smile, your care, your genuine love is extending the grace of God personally to people who matter the world to Him. Well done.

“I just wanted to thank the greeters of this weekend. I came late and was immediately helped to find a seat. Perhaps more importantly, my heart came in hurting and their love was the first thing I encountered before worshiping and learning this morning. Thank you so much for serving and loving well!”

—Guest from weekend service at Granger Community Church

For more fantastic insight on how to send a great message before the message pick up a copy of Mark Waltz’s book, First Impressions: Creating Wow Experiences in Your Church.

by Mark Waltz, Executive Pastor

I’ve been asked lately about some bottom-line “musts” to establish and/or take guest services excellence to the next level. This isn’t an exhaustive list (that’s why I wrote a few books on the topic), but these core essentials will provide a foundation to make your service to guests excellent and personable.

• Leadership:
  • Are the right leaders in place?
  • Do they carry the DNA, mission, vision and values of the church?
  • Do they hold the experience of the guest as a top priority over personal convenience?
  • Are they gifted leaders—not merely doers (although they may do fantastic work)?
  • Do these leaders have chemistry, trust and love for each other?
  • Do they model the level of personable service you want every team member to practice?
• Values:
  • Are values defined and communicated (whatever those are: Team, Engagement, Next Steps, People Matter, etc.)?
  • Are teams using those values as lenses to serve guests? That is, are they operating from a motivation of values rather than mere technical training or a task list?
• Systems:
  • Are systems defined and functioning so guests are served well?
  • Are systems facilitated and owned by team members who utilize those systems to serve people?
  • Do systems help team members understand their schedule, expectations, and feedback loop?

Of course if you’re providing guest services in the local church, it’s assumed, but should be stated—the love of God in Jesus motivates everything you do. It is the number one driving value. Helping people experience the grace of God is the point—or there is none.

Courtesy Netflix

You can always tell when the script is being used. You know what I mean. You’re engaged in lively conversation over a meal and your server interrupts with the scripted dessert monologue. Or your talking with customer service on the phone and you don’t feel heard at all, because the same script is repeated over and over regardless what you say.

I hate the script. It’s annoying and sad. Annoying, because I feel insulted. Sad, because the service representative isn’t empowered to think and interact like a person.

Netflix customer service rep Michael wrote his own script. Maybe you heard about it. If not, I’ll brief you. (If you already know about this, you’re already this far into my post—you might as well finish it out. Humor me.)

Customer Norm entered an online chat to find a solution for a non-stop, repeating cycle of Parks and Recreation. He got more than a chat. He was welcomed into a conversation with “Captain Mike of the Good Ship Netflix.” Norm played along and introduced himself as Lt. Norm. Here’s a portion of their chat:

Continue reading on Mark’s Blog...