Week 13: Improvement Strategy

I believe that Excel Sports is lacking in the promotional department. We have a good product that we put onto the basketball court, but we don't have substantial advertisement for our product. Instead of counting on return business, we should actively persue new customers. This is where the Action Theory of Sociology comes into play. Initially, this theory did not seem applicable to me, but towards the end, it does. The action theory states: "The social investigator cannot and should not be indifferent to what he/she studies. People are always both subjects and objects of research, and thus investigation should involve principled stands on the problems studied, and principled intentions of changing them". Indifference is obviously going to lead to less promotional effort. I don't believe that indifference is the cause for our lack of promotion, but it may very well be a factor. It will take "principled intentions of changing" our lack of promotional production (our problem). Thus, this theory may be applied to the area of lacking in Excel Sports. In order to create positive change, my plan would be to use our staff during the daytime hours of operation at these health clubs to promote our camps and classes physically. By physically, I mean physically being there. Putting up a flyer or two is not enough. We need to apply the Action Theory and actively persue new clients. The formula is simple. Be engaging, be friendly, be outgoing, whatever it takes to get exposure and promote the Excel Sports brand.

Week 12: Interview

The following is the interview I gave to the person I shadowed: Coach Rob Richardson.

Me: What types of challenges do you face?

Coach Rob: Fortunately, not many. Mostly just scheduling classes and registering players for our leagues. Sometimes there will be some overbearing parents too.

Me: How do you deal with deadline stress, difficult people, and internal politics?

Coach Rob: Deadlines are constantly coming and going so I'm really used to the stress. I don't have too many difficult people to deal with, mostly just small complaints about their kids in basketball class. Excel Sports is pretty small, so politics aren't an issue.

Me: What do you like or dislike about your position?

Coach Rob: I love the freedom I have, and I get to do something I love. My only dislike is that my hours are constantly changing.

Me: What do you feel can be done to make work go smoother?

Coach Rob: Every kid falling in line and doing what I say! Haha

Me: How do you feel about working with others?

Coach Rob: I love it. The team concept is something we really value here.

Me: How do you separate the personal from the professional?

Coach Rob: The good thing is, I don't have to. I work with so many great kids and parents. We are allowed to keep it friendly.

Me: Do you enjoy working on group projects?

Coach Rob: Ya, as long as we are all on the same page.

Me: What is your ideal work environment?

Coach Rob: Coaching a class where all the kids listen to instruction.

Me: How has your education and experience prepared you for your current job?

Coach Rob: I was an education major at Wyoming, and of course my experience with basketball allows for me to work this job as a coach.

Me: Who's work behavior do you respect the most?

Coach Rob: Coach D, he is the man who started this all.

Me: Have you reached out to mentors and has the mentorship system worked for you?

Coach Rob: Yes, Coach D was my mentor and I would absolutely recommend the mentorship system to anyone.

Week 11

This week I shadowed one of my superiors at Excel Sports. His name is Rob Richardson, and he is a coach/administrator for Excel Sports and SuperShootout.com. On an average weekday, Craig has meetings with member activities supervisors from health clubs around Tempe. He will set up camps and leagues with these supervisors in these meetings. Also towards the end of the day, he coaches some kids basketball classes and is also a league administrator for mens leagues. I learned that it takes a lot of meeting and set up to get these classes and leagues underway. The health club and Excel Sports have to work together to put a good product on the court. If one side is slacking, they both with fail.