"It's really a customer care organization first. Which, from a racing perspective, when you look at a history of harness racing I think it's safe to say that unfortunately that has not been a priority for most racing enterprises for many, many years."
Grand River Raceway is not a location that many would list among Ontario's racetracks requiring an upgrade or a refocus on customer service, but that's not stopping track management from trying to raise the bar on customer care.
The Elora, Ont. oval kicks off its 12th season of live harness racing on Monday, June 1 with some aesthetic changes to its facility. But Marketing Director Kelly Spencer hopes that all of Grand River's staff will have a better understanding of the customer and be able to respond to any question thrown at them.
Spencer told The Guelph Mercury that all staff would receive customer care training as well as hands-on experience and exposure to horses.
"Every staff person will get their hands on the horses and actually get to drive a horse, so they have an understanding of our product — at least a very basic understanding of our product," Spencer told The Mercury.
"We've created a set of principles and a whole manual for both the staff and the managers. We're making fairly significant changes even in just our language in how we talk to each other about the customers. How we address customers and how we address each other. We're trying to really not just improve the customer care, but really change the whole underpinning of how we think about the customer."
This past Sunday, Grand River hosted its 7th annual open house, with hundreds of people lining up to take a ride in a jog cart and a behind-the-scenes tour.
"A lot of city kids never have the opportunity to actually see a horse so we get kids that come year after year after to the open house...and I think it's just as thrilling for their parents as well," Spencer told CTV News. To view CTV's coverage from Sunday's open house, click the following link: CTV Kitchener - Grand River Open House.
Truly an inseparable
Truly an inseparable picture.
This young girl certainly had the attention of this horse. If she was to snap on a lead-shank, this horse would go whereever she went. This moment caught in time could certainly be a turning point for racing. This picture could and should be put in with the stable god created. Not to let this bond be broken between these two individuals I know horsemen have heavy hearts. This horse owner could start a wonderful relationship with horse and children by donating a percentage of this horses winnings to be held in trust by Standardbred Canada until this child reaches 21. Perhaps other owners will be willing to do this and maybe the industry may match the same percentage put out by the owner or a capped percentage for the industry. Any horse paired with a child the percentage of its winnings should stay with this child even if the horse was to change ownership.
I'llHaveAnother Ontario Needs Racing (And New Fans)
Clone Kelly Spencer...enough
Clone Kelly Spencer...enough SAID!!!
Grand River raceway , even
Grand River raceway , even when they were located at Elmira, has always done a wonderful job engaging the public as well as the horsemen. I think that all racetracks could learn from them. They take a real interest in the horse side of their facility and HATS off to them for it. It doesn't have to be a big event for them to fill the stands. They are family oriented and include children as well as the betting public because they have realized that the children are the next generation of horse players. I still remember the days when they held the back stretch Olympics. Those were the days. Fun for all.