1. Lead with empathy and honesty: Stephen emphasizes the value of firsthand product knowledge, allowing his team to deliver unbiased, professional counsel to consumers, enhancing trust and customer satisfaction.
2. Focus on mental preparedness in hiring: By reducing the 40 options to 2 or 3, clients can avoid "analysis paralysis." This consultative approach directs them toward the greatest fit based on their needs.
3. One-on-one meetings improve morale: Remote problem-solving with tools such as TeamViewer enhances post-purchase assistance, demonstrating Rain or Shine Golf's commitment to exceeding client expectations.
4. Balance data with the human touch: Stephen emphasizes the significance of tailoring a personalized, adaptable approach to specific consumer scenarios, such as home setups and tech knowledge.
5. Upselling drives retention: The organization may reach more potential customers and initiate meaningful conversations by collaborating with influencers and implementing an entertaining and instructional social media strategy.
Meet Stephen Calhoun, Director of Customer Success at Rain or Shine Golf!
Founded in 2016, Rain or Shine Golf is on a mission to effect positive change across more than a million lives through the catalyst that is indoor golf. We believe golf is more than a game. It’s our release from the day-to-day stresses of life, our favorite hobby, the only time we get to hang out with our golf buddies, and one of the few after-school activities with our kids that we all enjoy. For these reasons and more, we want to make golf more accessible. Though we're people first, we're also an online retailer, manufacturer, and distributor of today's top indoor golf products.
Since joining Rain or Shine Golf 6 years ago as the company’s first employee, Stephen has worked in various positions. “I started in entry level sales/customer service,” he says. “As the company grew, I moved around to where I was needed.” He goes onto list Sales Operation Manager and Director of Product followed by his current role as Director of Customer Success.
Stephen has witnessed the tremendous rise in popularity of indoor golf simulation technology in recent years. To illustrate this point, he brings attention to a major PGA convention show held every January in Orlando. “When I started with Rain or Shine Golf, the space for our company and those similar was tucked away in a corner. Now, it seems like indoor golf simulation technology takes up half of the convention center. People are really buying into how it can improve your game.” To accommodate increasing interest, Rain or Shine Golf has built a diverse team and moved into a bigger office location. Of his full circle return to customer service, Stephen says, “It’s where I’ve thrived, it feels like a great fit for me in that world.”
Stephen heads a close-knit customer service team of locally based members. Using a hybrid approach, they work in office and remote steadily throughout the week. Flexible not just for members, the setup lets customers easily choose their preferred channel of communication, which includes phone, email, and chat. The team also does in-person demos at Rain or Shine Golf’s office location in Charlotte, North Carolina. “Much of what we do is testing out the products ourselves,’ Stephen reveals. Instead of the watercooler, they meet at the simulator room on their downtime. “We are all former high school and college athletes, so it gets competitive,” Stephen jokes.
To provide customers with the best experience, Stephen’s team must first experience the products for themselves. Stephen elaborates, “We want to take more of a consultant-based approach, so having my team members develop their own, unbiased opinions on every product is really important.” Focus is put on the customer’s needs rather than receiving a good payout from suppliers.
Hands-on Support
Like flat screen TVs and smartphones, golf simulator technology is continually evolving. More features are being packed into smaller devices, which can cause confusion for both the first-time and seasoned buyer. Stephen elaborates, “All monitors are providing some sort of data, but what does that mean for the novice golfer versus an instructor giving lessons? It leads to analysis paralysis.” Stepping in at this point, his team helps answer these questions, guiding customers in the right direction narrowing down their options to 2 or 3 from the 40 they were originally looking at.
The team understands that some may need more tech assistance than others with their golf simulation products. For post-purchase remote support, they use TeamViewer to tap into home systems and assist with any technical issues. “It’s been a game changer to be able to go in, screenshare with the customer, and view what they are seeing on their own PC,” Stephen finishes.
Serving a Mixed Customer Base (Personal Vs. Commercial)
Rain or Shine Golf carries a wide range of products ranging from beginner to pro-level equipment. Stephen says 80-90% of sales are direct-to-consumer. “Many people are putting simulators in their garage, basement, and spare bedrooms for multi-purpose use. They use it for golf, but also as a home movie theater or kids’ video game room.” Their mixed customer base is filled out with businesses buying for commercial use. More than ever, golf simulator facilities are opening in big cities and small towns alike. Either way, Stephen and his team realize it’s a big purchase. “Each customer is unique, he says, “But usually, you’re talking to a fellow golfer. So, it’s a fun conversation and easy to relate to our customers.”
Indoor golf simulators are new to the E-Commerce space (before, limited technology and availability made products too expensive to sell online). “We are no longer confined to just the Charlotte area,” Stephen notes. “E-Commerce allows us to sell nationwide, and in some cases, worldwide.” The Pandemic had a major impact on golf’s skyrocketing rise in status. Unable to tee up on the course, avid golfers bought simulators to practice at home. “COVID increased our business quite a lot,” Stephen highlights. “It not only helped the indoor golf industry, but the sport as a whole.”
Because the company’s products are so tech heavy, post-purchase is an important leg of the CX journey. While Stephen’s team is there every step of the way, they typically do not visit a customer’s home. However, internal company rules were bent for an older local customer who was having problems setting up his golf simulator. After many emails and phone calls, Stephen and the company’s owner went to his house to carry out the install. Stephen remembers, “The main reason for buying the simulator was to reconnect with his family through golf. He wrote a great review noting how we went above and beyond, and now he can play golf with his family year-round, and without everyone dedicating hours to play on course.”
The company uses a mixed approach to social media blending educational with fun and humorous content. Crediting their amazing marketing team, Stephen says many conversations with customers begin on their social media channels. Popular Youtubers, Bryan Bros Golf, make special appearances to test out Rain or Shine Golf’s products. “It’s a cool partnership. They have a big following. So, if a product is good enough for them, it’s good enough for their followers,” he says.
Gorgias “We’re using Gorgias for our CRM, Chat, and support functions.”
RingCentral “We use RingCentral for our phone system.”
Shopify “We run off of a Shopify platform.”
TeamViewer “It’s been a game changer to be able to go in, screenshare with the customer, and view what they are seeing on their own PC.”
Slack “We use Slack to communicate internally as a team.”
Can’t-Live-Without-Tool? Our Simulator Room. Not only is it a powerful tool for our sales customer support team, but it’s also a powerful tool for customers who want to try out the products before they buy. And when a new product is launched, it’s great to go in there with my entire team and have them see the software and hardware and test it out for themselves. This builds their confidence for product knowledge, and confidence relating to customers when they come in for demos.
#1 Challenge as a Customer Service Leader? Making sure the team is confident and comfortable recommending products that accommodate a customer’s individual needs. This can be challenging because each customer is unique. Space requirements, PC requirements, Tech knowledge, budget, etc. – there are so many factors that go into having the system fit a home and we must rely on a customer giving us accurate information. Each situation is different from the next and there – there is no cookie cutter approach.
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