We have a problem at our Browns Bridge church. It’s the kind of problem that can turn a guest’s great experience into a bad experience. Mom and dad can love our worship service. Little Johnny can love UpStreet. Little Suzy can love Waumba Land. And that positive feeling can go away by what happens next.

Traffic. When we built Browns Bridge, we only built one exit off the campus. Trying to move guests off the campus in a safe and timely manner is not easy. We have had traffic engineers, traffic experts, Parking Team volunteers, and many others give us feedback and ideas. The bottom line is we’re doing the best we can with what we have. Traffic is a “combustion point” we deal with every Sunday.

Combustion point is a term Disney uses to define…

“spots where even a finely tuned process can break down and, instead of contributing to a positive customer experience, begin to turn a guest’s good day into a bad one. It’s impossible to completely eliminate combustion points, but the goal is to stop them from turning into explosion points.” (*page 24)

Can you guess Disney’s combustion points? One are the long lines guests stand in waiting for a ride or attraction. Another is a guest remembering where they parked their vehicle at the end of a long day. Good experiences can turn bad at these points.

It is important that your church identifies your combustion points. Disney says look for those places where guests…

• complain consistently
• get stuck in your systems
• have common issues and problems

Traffic is not Browns Bridge’s only combustion point. Another example is the time it takes to join a small group. We officially only have four times each year when people can join a small group (two GroupLinks and two Access Group seasons.) This means people often have to wait to get into a small group. Combustion point.

If you’re still having trouble determining what your church’s combustion points are, Disney has found that combustion points are commonly found in four areas:

1. guest flow
2. staff/volunteer-to-guest communication
3. guests with special needs
4. poor process design

A combustion point in your church could be how guests register for your kid’s environments or how you communicate with guests who want to volunteer. It could be any number of things. It’s important that you identify them. Maybe you can eliminate the problem. Maybe you can soften the combustion point by making the experience less painful.

People lead your church. And people attend your church. It will never be perfect. There are systems and processes that frustrate your guests. Your guests are aware of them. Are you? What can you do to create a better experience for them?

* For more information and discussion on combustion points and other Guest Services topics, see the Disney Institute’s book Be Our Guest: Perfecting the Art of Customer Service.

In the last post, we talked about what to do with guests who arrive late to your worship service. It is more of a tension to manage than a problem to solve. In response to that post, Deni from LCBC in Pennsylvania asked,

“Our question is why do we have the crowd that leaves early, during the last song or after the message? It is such a distraction to many and can really break an individual’s personal connection to the moment.”

We wrestle with the same issue. Guests leave early for a variety of reasons:

• They want to beat the traffic.
• They want to get to lunch.
• They need to get somewhere by a certain time.
• They are not engaged during the end of the service.

We don’t do a closing song every Sunday. Oftentimes, the communicator will end the sermon with a prayer and dismiss everyone. At times, someone will add a brief announcement after the prayer then dismiss everyone. On these Sundays, we may have a very small number of guests leave the service early.

But on the Sundays we do have a closing song, we do have an issue with guests leaving early. From time to time, our communicator will simply ask people to not leave early. Even when we do that, we still have some guests who leave. It can be frustrating. Those guests are missing out on the complete worship experience that was created for them. They may be distracting other guests as they leave. They may even be distracting or discouraging the musicians.

From a Guest Services perspective, there may not be much you can do to prevent them from leaving early. It’s important that you treat them like you would all other guests who stay for the entire service. Give them the same good-bye you give all of your guests. Don’t assume they know they are being a distraction. They may have a very good reason to leave early that particular Sunday.

Most likely, the team that can do the most about this tension is the team in charge of planning the worship service. While it may not be a solvable problem for them, they may have the most influence in trying to keep the guests at their seats. They are doing all they can to make sure the end of the service is so engaging that guests do not want to miss it. The reality, though, is there will always be some guests who leave early.

Guests don’t always behave exactly like we want them to. It can be irritating. It can cause challenges. But when you make your guests feel valued regardless of what time they arrive or leave, everyone wins! You are accomplishing your church’s mission in the lives of more people. People tell their friends about the places that make them feel valued. As a result, others will come to experience your church and its mission.

I recently had the opportunity to talk with some leaders from different states about Guest Services in their churches. During the conversation, I learned something very interesting. We’re not the only church to which people come very late. Apparently, people all over the United States arrive late to church every Sunday. Do you have this “problem” in your church? We do.

How do you handle the people who arrive late to your church? Before we answer that question, maybe we should ask ourselves a different question. Anytime you are trying to determine if there is a problem to solve or a tension to manage, it’s important you see the big picture. There is a question that can help you see the situation through the eyes of the guest: Why are they late?

This is an important question to ask because it helps you see each latecomer as a story and not just a person who walked in late. Maybe they were late because…

• it was their first time coming to your church. They didn’t know there would be traffic or that it would take so long to check-in to your children’s environments.
• they are always late. Some people just naturally run late.
• something specific made them late that morning. Maybe their car wouldn’t start or one of their kids didn’t cooperate.
• they wanted to be late. They were intentionally late because they don’t love your music, but they do love your preaching.
• they didn’t know what time you started. You don’t communicate your service times as well as you think you do.

The truth is you don’t know why they were late. But it’s important we see them as a story and not as a problem.

So, this Sunday when the service has already started and in walk the latecomers, what are you going to do? Admit it. A little part of you wants to drop a hint what time the service started and make them feel a little guilty for not being on time. But when you remember they are a story and not a problem, you will respond differently.

No matter what time a guest walks into your church on Sunday, treat them the same way you treated every guest who came before them. Welcome them as if they arrived 10 minutes before the service started. Help them feel valued by assisting them. If they mention they were late, respond, “You’re not late. You’re right on time.” Treat them as a story not a problem.

To make matters even more challenging, each guest wants something different from us at different times. What a specific guest wants before the service may be different after the service. What another guest wants one Sunday is different the following Sunday. What could they want from us? Here are just some of the possibilities:

• Welcome
• Inform
• Serve

Our Guest Services volunteers lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ (our church’s mission) by welcoming, informing, and serving our guests. Every Guest Services volunteer is empowered to do these three things with every guest they encounter. We want to make sure every guest is welcomed and feels like we are glad they are at church. We want to make sure we have the information they need when they want it. And we want to serve them in the ways they need to be served. We hope we give our guests what they want from us by doing these three things every Sunday. The reality is we miss some of our guests.

Regardless of how many people attend your church, you cannot get this right every Sunday with every guest. The goal is to connect with as many guests as possible and be available to them all. How do you give your guests what they want from you? Have you answered this question for your church? It is vital that you have a strategy to connect with every guest.

“I can’t believe you let him greet people at the front door of your church! Do you know what he does on Friday nights?”

Family Ministry requires a background check. Group Life requires an application. Care Network requires an interview. Not just anyone can volunteer in these areas. It’s no secret, however, that Guest Services makes it easy for people to volunteer. Just about anyone can be a Guest Services volunteer, and that can cause tension.

Not every volunteer role should be open to just anyone, but we believe there should be some entry level roles for those new to church or new to volunteering. Why do we believe Guest Services is a good team on which to have entry level volunteer roles?

• Volunteers are not relating to or directly working with kids.
• Volunteers are not leading others spiritually.
• Volunteers are not leading other volunteers. Our Guest Services Captains, however, are volunteers who lead other volunteers. They go through apprenticing and an interview and have specific qualifications (i.e. experience, church membership) to serve in that role. Not every Guest Services role is an entry level role.

By allowing almost anyone to serve within Guest Services, it creates a tension we have to manage. What if a volunteer, who represents our church, is living a lifestyle during the week that does not line up with the values of our church? It’s a tension we’re okay with. Why do we see this as a tension to manage instead of a problem to solve? If he is actively volunteering,…

• he’s not at the lake, playing golf, watching TV, etc. on Sunday morning. We want church to be irresistible and his choice to be here is one indication that we’re accomplishing that goal.
• he’s identified himself with our church and our Guest Services team. There is something appealing, engaging, and helpful about the church and this team that makes him want to be here!
• we can influence him. If he’s on the team, he’s giving us permission to speak into his life. If we become aware of a lifestyle concern, we can have a conversation with him.
• we can invest in him. If he’s on the team, he is building relationships with others who can pour into his life.
• we can lead him into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. That is, after all, our mission with every person who walk through our doors.

Let’s be honest, he’s not the only volunteer in the church making poor decisions and representing our church poorly. People are messy. No one is as clean as they appear. Instead of communicating to him that he cannot be a part of what is happening at our church, we want to give him appropriate opportunities to take a step into our church. Some Guests Services volunteer roles give him that opportunity.

By Jake Miller / Director of Guest Services / Browns Bridge Community Church

A couple of weeks ago, our family visited one of our favorite places in Atlanta, the Georgia Aquarium. If you haven’t been, you owe it to yourself to take a trip. As the world’s largest aquarium, it is definitely full of “wow” moments. On this particular day, however, the best part of my experience happened before we even walked through the doors.

As we were making our way downtown, a sign along the road caught my eye. The sign read: “At the Georgia Aquarium, Every Day is Opening Day”. I love that. I’m challenged by that.

When I think of the phrase “Opening Day”, the word excellence comes to mind. On Opening Day, everything is just right. The landscaping is meticulous. The facilities are spotless. The staff is upbeat, smiling and ready to serve. Everything is fresh and new. Every Guest that walks through the door is special. Every detail is important. There is excitement in the air… because something great is about to happen.

Think about that in the context of your church. Does every Sunday at your church feel like Opening Day… or just another day?

We’ve already talked about the fact that our Guest Services Volunteers have influence with every single person that comes through our doors. The question is… what are we doing with that influence? As Guest Services, we are responsible for making sure that every Guest has the best experience possible, from the moment they pull in the parking lot until the moment they leave. We may only get one chance. A negative experience could prevent a Guest from ever returning. We simply can’t allow that to happen… there is too much at stake.

How are you leading your teams this week to ensure that this Sunday will feel like Opening Day for your Guests?

By Casey Ross / Director of Ministry Services / Browns Bridge Community Church

I get very excited about Guest Services in our church and in your church. Why do I get so excited? There are a number of reasons, but there is a clear number one reason. Here it is…Guest Services is the only team at our church and at your church who influences every single guest (all ages and all stages of life) on a Sunday morning. No one else, not even the Sr. Pastor, can say that.

Think about it. The preschool environment influences preschoolers and their parents. The middle school environment influences middle schoolers and their parents. The worship leader and Sr. Pastor influence the people who come into the auditorium. But the Guest Services team influences every person who pulls onto your campus. Someone once said, “The sermon begins in the parking lot.” They’re right! But I’d add, “Everything begins in the parking lot.”

With this kind of influence, a very important question is “Who should lead Guest Services at your church?”

The answer is, “Someone.” Someone at your church should be leading Guest Services. It’s too important not to give it leadership. On our campuses, it’s a full-time or part-time staff person. It doesn’t have to be a paid staff person, though. It just needs to be someone who can lead it well. It needs to be someone who cares about the guest experience at your church.

Regardless of the size of your church, there are specific things the Guest Services leader will need to do…

• Oversee all the systems (parking, traffic, greeting, seating, etc.) that make up Guest Services.
• Cast vision to new and existing volunteers.
• Constantly evaluate the overall guest experience at your church.
• Train new volunteers.
• Lead and care for volunteer leaders who lead and care for their volunteer teams.

So, who would be great at leading Guest Services at your church? Hopefully someone just came to mind. If not, talk to some of the other leaders at your church about who is the right person to lead this area. Then give them a call today and invite them to lead the most influential area of your church!

By Casey Ross / Director of Ministry Services / Browns Bridge Community Church

In the church world, a person’s name and address can be highly sought-after information. With that information, a church can…

Our Drive Conference starts next week! It’s one of my favorite times of the year! It’s so humbling to have leaders from around the world come to our North Point campus. And it’s such an honor to talk with them and learn from them.

When you attend a conference, there are certain expectations you have. You expect the content to be helpful. You expect the quality to be excellent. You expect the systems you have to go through to be efficient. You expect the group putting on the conference to wow you. Those who attend Drive will experience these things!

But my goal for next week is that each person who attends Drive will feel like they were the priority of the conference. Yes, we paid attention to content, quality, systems, etc. But we paid the most attention to them.

One thing we take very seriously…in a really fun way…at Drive is how we welcome, inform, and serve those who attend. Every person who attends is our special guest for these few days. And every one of our staff members is a part of Guest Services for these few days. This year, however, we have six specific teams whose jobs are to pay special attention to our guests:

1. Information Center Team
2. Parking Team
3. Inside the Auditorium Host Team
4. Outside the Auditorium Host Team
5. Rest Stop Team
6. Wish Granting Team

You can’t just say people are the most important thing to you. You have to act like it. I am praying we act like it next week.

If you are coming to Drive, we cannot wait for you to get here! Thank you for giving up a few days so we can learn from you!

If you are here looking for help with Guest Services, the same can be said about your church. The people who walk through your doors have expectations. And you hopefully meet these expectations through your content, quality, systems, etc. Make sure, though, you prove people are the most important part of everything you do on Sundays.

[This is a re-post with some tweaks.]

By Jake Miller / Director of Guest Services / Browns Bridge Community Church

Two of my favorite places to shop are Target and Home Depot. I could wander around both stores for hours, whether I actually need anything or not, and be perfectly content. From a shopping standpoint, Target and Home Depot don’t have very much in common. They’re both very different stores with very different inventories, and I shop at each for very different reasons. But, from a Guest Services standpoint, they have one very big thing in common. They both understand that a large part of the Guest experience begins with their employees being easily identifiable.

When I’m shopping at Target and have a question, what’s the first thing I do? I look around for someone in a red shirt. When I’m shopping at Home Depot and need help figuring out which type of paint to buy, who do I look for? Someone in an orange apron. In both situations, there is no hesitation when I need assistance. I know exactly where to go and exactly who to look for.

This isn’t exclusive to Target and Home Depot. There are hundreds of businesses and organizations that have figured this out. Unfortunately, many churches haven’t.

In fact, until about 18 months ago, our Guest Services Volunteers were not very easy to identify. Sure, our church was blanketed with Guest Services Volunteers each Sunday. But with the exception of a nametag, our Volunteers looked just like every other attendee at our church. If a Guest needed assistance, it wasn’t clear who they should ask… and that needed to change.

Taking a cue from Target and Home Depot, we created a Guest Services T-Shirt.  We gave one to each of our Guest Services Volunteers and began requiring them to wear them every time they serve.  This seemingly small decision has yielded remarkable results and improved the Guest experience.  Now, when a Guest needs assistance, they don’t have to spend 10 minutes going from person to person wondering where to get help. It’s easy… they simply ask someone in a Guest Services T-Shirt.

What are you currently doing to help make your Volunteers easily identifiable to your Guests?