Guest Services

Serving Guests With Special Needs

By Jake Miller / Director of Guest Services / Browns Bridge Community Church It goes without saying that every church in America has designated "handicapped" parking spaces for those with special needs. It's the law. Offering these parking spaces allows our guests with special needs to park closer to our building, which is a great thing. But, what if we could do more? At Browns Bridge, we recently took steps to improve the guest experience for those with special needs. In the picture below, you'll notice that we added a small sign to each of our handicapped parking spaces. The telephone number on the sign is a direct line to our Information Center. At any point on Sunday, when a guest with special needs attends our church, they can simply dial this number to receive assistance. [caption id="attachment_334" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="BBCC - Handicapped Parking"][/caption] From the moment our guests with special needs arrive in the parking lot until the time they leave, we have a Guest Services Volunteer available to help them if needed.  We've already seen this system put into action, and it has been a success. Creating this sign was a simple step for us to take, and it is one more way we are improving the experience for every guest on Sunday.

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When You Think About Guest Services

By Casey Ross / Director of Ministry Services / Browns Bridge Community Church You may not have a Guest Services Director, Team, or Committee at your church. You may never have scheduled a meeting about how your church does Guest Services. But you think about Guest Services. And what you think about Guest Services says a whole lot about your church. Here are some common (intentional and unintentional) thoughts about Guest Services... We're not big enough to think about Guest Services. If your church is open, you're big enough to think about Guest Services. If people come to your church, you're big enough to think about Guest Services. All it takes is one person who really cares about how your church treats people and their experience from the time they arrive at your church until the time they leave your church. Large groups of people do not matter more than small groups of people. People matter and should be treated as guests at your church. We don't need an official Guest Services. While this thought may seem innocent enough, be careful that you're not making some assumptions: People will figure it (where to go, what to do, how to do it, etc.) out themselves. People will ask if and when they need help. "Our" people will naturally help those who are new. We don't need Guest Services. By not having any type of Guest Services strategy or plan, you may be communicating to your people that you don't expect anyone new to show up on Sunday. And while it may be true that the same people come to your church every Sunday, you can begin to create a new culture where that is not the expectation and accepted norm. Guest Services is one way to begin creating a new culture. Guest Services are a must. There are numerous ways to do Guest Services at your church. Be intentional. Look through the eyes of someone who is new to your church. Make sure how you do Guest Services is an extension of the culture of your church.

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