Cobo Center Enhances the Customer Experience

Last summer, Cobo Center put together a team of leaders from the SMG operations team, Centerplate and the Detroit Regional Convention Facility Authority (DRCFA), the governing body the venue. They began to explore short term initiatives to impact the experience and longer term initiatives that may require more investment and commitment. The process was augmented with a collaborative project launched with the Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau (DMCVB) to “Reimagine the Customer Experience” in Detroit. After interviewing 144 customers, the Cobo sales and service teams were engaged and challenged with identifying and implementing positive change and becoming the destination that “just says yes.”

Some short term results have produced: expanded concierge services in the business center; improved customer relations on the show floor during events; established single points of contact for small and mid-sized events; more customer appreciation events; and refillable water stations for use in lieu of single use plastic bottles.

Future plans for the Cobo Center customer service reimagination include uniform customer service training for all staff, a new customer satisfaction survey and new, improved menu options.

The Cobo Center team is truly committed to becoming a global benchmark for customer experiences through well planned strategic initiatives. Looking for more relationship-based and less transactional communications with customers, the staff will be trained to recognize clients as partners. Recognition and rewards will be extended to team members willing to lead the culture change. A destination where referrals drive business is the ultimate goal.