Chris Newson is the PGA head professional at Soldier Hollow Golf Club in Midway, Utah.

Chris Newson on the importance of hanging up thank-you notes near where employees clock in:
For many years, I would receive thank-you notes from guests and simply file them away without letting our professional staff realize what kind of impression they made on someone. Now when I get these notes from fellow PGA Professionals, customers or corporate outing clients who visit Soldier Hollow, I post those letters in our office for everyone on our staff to see. In addition to our staff stopping and reading theses narratives from guests they made a positive impression on, I will seek out certain staff members to show them specific instances of how their hard work created a great experience for a visitor. I really want my staff to realize that their efforts do not go unnoticed; the thank-you notes promote and reinforce the concept of team and value within our staff. The golf industry carries a certain standard of professionalism and respect, and it really helps for our staff to see how PGA Professionals and other guests treat each other.

Chris Newson on the business impact of hanging up thank-you notes near where employees clock in:
There is something to be said for creating a positive work environment. My entire staff is hired on a seasonal basis, and my apprentices and starters were all returning employees from last year. That kind of continuity is invaluable when all the staff is seasonal. Returning employees can focus on delivering great customer service. If the work environment was not good, there would be higher employee turnover. That leads to increased time training new staff, which would then take time away from me running the rest of the golf operation.

If you would like to email the author of this Best Practice directly, please email znewson@pga.com