This episode features an interview with Keren Lynch, Publicist and Manager of Communications for the Anaheim Ducks. Keren talks about the challenges they faced during the pandemic as an in-person events based business. She shares how the Ducks worked to be an asset to their community, and to engage with their fan base in new and unique ways, including socially distanced and virtual events.
This episode features an interview with Keren Lynch, Publicist and Manager of Communications for the Anaheim Ducks. Keren talks about the challenges they faced during the pandemic as an in-person events based business. She shares how the Ducks worked to be an asset to their community, and to engage with their fan base in new and unique ways, including socially distanced and virtual events.
Quotes
*“We ran a few food drives during the pandemic just to make sure everybody in our community had the resources during this time. We did a back to school drive where we made sure kids had supplies for school. We also did a number of socially distance events in the parking lot. So we really tried to stay as engaged as we could with our fan base, given the restrictions and keeping everybody safe. But it was a really neat time just because you realized how much of a community asset we were.”
*“I think the best thing that has come out of the blended world is really seeing how much we're able to do without having fans actually come to the building, and how much we've been able to engage with the community and help in other ways, besides from the hockey standpoint. We have great ownership that allow us to do that and have given us the ability and the resources to be able to do that. And so it's just a testament to our foundation and our DNA that's within the brand. [...] I think that that's something that our ownership, the Samueli's, really try and touch upon and make part of our culture. And obviously we love having people to hockey games and that's always going to be the biggest draw. But I think that our charity component and everything we do off ice has really taken center stage.”
Time Stamps
*[0:08] The Case: The Pandemic Pivot to Virtual Engagement
*[0:36] Introducing Keren Lynch, Publicist and Manager of Communication for the Anaheim Ducks
*[5:40] Evidence #1: Reliance on in-person events revenue
*[16:20] Evidence #2: Struggling to diversify events
*[19:57] Debrief
*[21:08] HGS Pub
Bio
Keren Lynch is the Publicist and Manager of Communications for the Anaheim Ducks professional hockey team based in Anaheim, California. Previously, Keren was a Marketing And Public Relations Consultant at Stanton.
Thank you to our friends
This podcast is brought to you by HGS. A global leader in optimizing the customer experience lifecycle, digital transformation, and business process management, HGS is helping its clients become more competitive every day. Learn more at hgs.cx.
Links:
Connect with Keren on LinkedIn
Connect with Lyssa on LinkedIn
Lyssa Myska Allen: Hey there, come in and make yourself comfortable. We’ve caught a case. A client just called with a customer experience challenge.
Client: Hey, CXI, I need your help big time. We’re a business that relies primarily on in-person revenue. Business has been rough over the past two years and now it looks like we’re heading into another lockdown because of the pandemic. Last time we had to shut down, we almost went under. We had no clear strategy in place to deal with a shift to digital. This time, I need to figure out how to engage customers in new ways or I’m afraid we won’t make it through another lockdown. Can you help me?
Lyssa Myska Allen: I’m always down. And I have the perfect person to help: Keren Lynch. Get this - She’s the publicist and manager of communications for the Anaheim Ducks hockey team. And they faced a very similar problem when the pandemic hit. Hockey is an in-person experience, so they really had to get creative to find ways to engage with fans and the community. Are you ready for this? *insert Jock Jams song* Today, Keren is joining me as my co-detective to crack the case of the pandemic pivot. [1:02 - 1:08] Because we are CXI: Customer Experience Investigators, solving your toughest CX challenges. I’m Lyssa Myska Allen, VP and Global Head of Marketing at HGS. Let’s get started.
Lyssa Myska Allen: Thanks for joining me today Keren. I'm so happy to have you as my co-detective.
Keren Lynch: I'm very excited to be your co-detective, Lyss.
Lyssa Myska Allen: Well, so one of the reasons I invited you to help me with this case is you're in the unique position of working with the Anaheim Ducks, uh, hockey team. So you have an in-person sport. You had to do some virtual things when the pandemic first hit, and now you're working through what that experience looks like. So, so thrilled to have you, and your expertise on the show with us today.
Keren Lynch: Well, thank you for having me and excited to be here, to solve our case.
Lyssa Myska Allen: Yeah. Well, so why don't we back up a little bit and, um, kind of tell me how you got into customer experience, which for you, I think is kind of guest experience when we're talking about managing through the hockey team.
Keren Lynch: I actually started on the agency side. Um, and I worked at a very boutique agency. We represented female athletes. And from there, um, I ended up kind of falling into the job with the Anaheim Ducks. Um, It's been a great experience. And one of the things I actually like most about it is how forward consumer facing it is. Um, and we get to every game night, we get to deal with our fan base and engage with them and, um, try and give them the best product possible. So, um, It's been an interesting road in how I got here. I am Canadian, but, um, I ended up being, working for a hockey team in Southern California. Um, but yeah, it's, it's been a great experience and I guess that's how I ended up working on this side of things.
Lyssa Myska Allen: Yeah. So how much of your role as kind of manager of broadcasting communications, how much of your role is interfacing with the players themselves, and how much of your role is interfacing with the guests who w you know, we'll, we'll call the customers for the sake of this podcast.
Keren Lynch: Uh, a majority is dealing with the players, because obviously I'm dealing on the media side. Um, so we're pulling players for the media. We're also pulling players for any of our community engagement events. Um, or anything we're doing fan facing from a video standpoint. Um, but then we also deal in communicating, especially to our fan base. Um, we put out all of the communication, even in regards to the COVID shut down or anything, um, for of that nature, that's of a bigger fan experience, um, communication. We would send out that through a number of different channels. We do press releases, social media posts, and then we also have our website too that we disseminate information on.
Lyssa Myska Allen:Okay, let's backtrack a little bit. What would you say is your favorite thing or the best thing about the Anaheim Ducks hockey experience? When you're in the arena as a fan, what's the best thing about it?
Keren Lynch: I think seeing hockey live is the best experience. Hockey, you really get to see how fast of a sport it is and you'd get to see the excitement when there's, you know, fights, when the crowd gets into the game, when there's goals, there's all sorts of intricacies that you get to see, um, in person that you don't really grasp when you're watching it through the TV. So that was, that would be my number one. And obviously the fan fair and wild wing and everything else is also fun to see in person. But I think the sport itself is what you really get to see in person. And that's, that's what makes it unique.
Lyssa Myska Allen: Totally the energy in that arena is awesome. And I think, I feel like hockey arenas are much smaller than football stadiums. So you get, you feel like you're up in the action.
Keren Lynch: Yes, yes, definitely. You're right there on the glass when there's hits on the glass, you're in the action. And it's, it's a lot of fun to see, and it's, it's really the speed that I think a lot of people are surprised about when they first go to a game, is how fast of a game it is. And obviously with the players skating, it's, it's unique because most other sports are running. Um, so it, it, it gives a different element to it.
Lyssa Myska Allen: Now that we know more about Keren’s credentials and the Anaheim Ducks experience, let’s get into the case. Alright, today Keren and I are putting our heads together to figure out how to master the pivot to digital. Obviously, the pandemic forced many activities to go virtual, so how can you succeed in a remote environment when you’re used to relying on in-person revenue? Let’s get into the case. First we need to hear from our client about what their customer experience looked like pre-pandemic.
Client: We’re a business that relies on in-person events revenue. Ticket sales, concessions, parking, merchandise -- that’s the bulk of our earnings. Of course we have a website, but I think it’s pretty under-utilized. Our social media presence is decent but we’ve never really had to do any kind of virtual events. Seeing what other businesses did during the pandemic really opened my eyes to how much work we have to do to increase our online presence.
Lyssa Myska Allen: Wow there is definitely a lot of room for growth here. Let’s just say there’s tons of untapped potential. I’m hopeful we can piece together the clues to crack this case. What do you say, Keren? What did the Ducks do when the pandemic hit?
Keren Lynch: So COVID was definitely a time for pivoting. Um, it was very interesting. I know it had a big impact, especially on our players, just because they're used to having full arenas. And now they're in an empty arena with really, you know, the pumped in fan noise is only so much. And, um, so they had a really tough time, um, kind of playing and figuring out how to take that to play without that element in the game. On the business side, we really wanted to stay engaged with our fans. So we had to find unique ways to do that. One of the things that we pivoted to was having marriages at Honda Center. So you could come and legally get married. It was called Hitched at Honda Center, and we had a number of fans come and get married here. And we also even had Frieda Pinto who came and got married.
Lyssa Myska Allen: Wow.
Keren Lynch: So it was for everyone just came and it was a really fun time, and it was great to see our parking lot being utilized for such a memorable occasion.
Lyssa Myska Allen: Yeah, I'm sure it felt too, like they were getting a piece of, um, like their favorite team or, or kind of like they were getting a little bit of ownership and getting photos there. And so they were still getting that engagement with the team. Um, what are some of the other things you did to kind of keep fans engaged?
Keren Lynch: Um, so we did a number of things. We, um, ran a few, uh, food drives during the pandemic just to make sure everybody in our community had the resources during this time. Cause it was a very tough time, especially at the start. Um, when a lot of things shut down and people didn't know how they were going to support their family. So, um, we did a back to school drive where we um, made sure kids had supplies for school. Um, we also did a number of events, um, socially distance events in, in the parking lot as well. Um, so we really tried to stay as engaged as we could with our fan base, given the restrictions, um, and keeping everybody safe. Uh, but it was, it was a really neat time just because you realized how much of a community asset we were and it wasn't. That obviously the team is a big draw, but, um, just the Ducks brand and supporting the community and, um, being such a big part of the community, it really showcased how, how much we are an asset and, um, we can help support other initiatives and not just hockey.
Lyssa Myska Allen: Yeah, I love that. And so how did you, So you, you mentioned the players, and kinda like how it affected them with the, um, pumped-in fan noise. How did you end up handling the games from like a virtual perspective or access to the players virtually? How did you guys handle that?
Keren Lynch: Um, so the game itself, obviously we weren't allowed fans at the games. Um, so it was very quiet from that standpoint. Um, but we still tried to do a number of things. We, um, obviously would do our media online virtually. Um, we tried to do a few events. We actually had every player send an Orange Alliance member a personalized message, um, just wishing them well and connecting during the pandemic. Um, and then we also did a number of charity events, um, throughout the season where players would engage in fans that way. So we really took to the Zoom room and, um, engaging in that way. Cause that was pretty much one of the few ways we could do it. Um, but that was, that was the main, the main area of engagement.
Lyssa Myska Allen: Okay. So, and then did you guys do anything creative, like during the off season? And you know, I don't, I know normally the off season isn't a particularly like customer engaged time, but maybe because it was virtual, did you try anything different?
Keren Lynch: So during the off season, we actually have our NHL draft. Um, and obviously with the pandemic, we couldn't have that in person. So we did it here at Honda Center. And so that was another unique way that we had our fans actually come to Honda Center and watch as we drafted our players. And that was kind of a neat thing for the fans, just because that's not something that they usually get to see firsthand, because the draft travels to a different city every year. And we are, have not hosted it yet. Um, so this was kind of something that they got to see that was unique and they got to see it in person. Um, so that was a fun event for them.
Keren Lynch: Actually right now, we're still under NHL COVID protocols. Um, so that restricts, um, a lot of fan facing events just in order to ensure that the season can go as planned. Um, cause we want hockey to be back and we know the fans are really excited for that to be back. Um, and so a lot of our charity events and a lot of events moving forward, we've really had to look at those and figure out new ways, um, to have those still take place. So for example, our golf tournament, we have one every year. Um, players couldn't take part, even though it's one of their favorite events. Um, they actually called into one of the holes and they, uh, critiqued the people golfing. So that was a fun one. And then we have a few more coming up. Um, we love to go to CHOC Hospital and visit with the kids and just bring smiles to their faces around the holiday season. Having the players go room to room and give them gifts. And that's something we weren't able to do this year, just again, because of the pandemic and the limitation. So this year we are turning it into a gaming virtual, um, event where the players are going to get to play video games with the kids at CHOC. So that's a really, that's a fun one.
Yeah. Yeah.
Lyssa Myska Allen: Yeah.
Keren Lynch: It's great, too, cause it's, it's definitely more engaging because usually they just get to visit for a few minutes and then go to the next room. And so this, they get to spend like an hour with the, with the guys and get to know each other a little better.
Lyssa Myska Allen: Yeah. I love that reliance on like, there's always been a strong connection between a fan and a player. But like, it feels like that's one of the benefits of this method of interaction, is getting that personal connection that maybe you couldn't get as much, you know, sort of pre moving to a virtual world.
Keren Lynch: Yes. I think that it's, it's easier to do it virtually, because we can really, usually we only have access to players when they're at the rink when they're here for practice or for games. And so going virtual has given accessibility to, you know, a player can pick up the phone and we can do a Zoom call from wherever they are, even when they're on the road. So that's really made it easier. And I think the players have been more accessible. Um, and just building that personal connection has been really huge. Um, so I think that that's been a great part of it.
Lyssa Myska Allen: Yeah. Have any of the players brought like an idea to you and been like, Hey, I really want to connect with the fans this way? Or I want to participate in this charity thing that I maybe couldn't have before?
Keren Lynch: We've, we've had a few of those actually. Um, one has been for the Newport Beach boat parade. We had a player who wanted to get a boat into the parade. So we're working on that right now. Hopefully we can figure that all out and get the boat decked out.
Lyssa Myska Allen: Just to back up for everyone, the boat parade is the Newport Beach Christmas boat parade. And it's like a huge deal. And everyone in like all of Orange County goes down to the water and like watches it. So I'm surprised the Ducks haven't had a boat in it before.
Keren Lynch: I am too. That was actually one of those things. When he brought it up, I was like, I can't believe we haven't done this. This is a great idea. So where it's actually the concept's pretty cute. It's we're getting a big boat, which is going to be the mama duck. And then we're having little duffies behind as the ducklings.
Lyssa Myska Allen: Ah, that was so cute. I love it. Um, okay. So I feel like ideas like that kind of have required you and, um, kinda your team to collaborate with a bunch of different departments. So not, you're not, you're working with the players, you're working with your departments. You're maybe working with, um, operations game day, all that kind of stuff. How do you figure out how to do that and add on top of it, the technology, the tools kind of, how do you, how do you make that cross-functional communication, collaboration work between all the departments?
Keren Lynch: Technology has really helped, especially our office during the pandemic was stay at home, which I know a lot of businesses have pivoted to. Um, so that used to be something in the office. We would have meetings all the time in person. Um, so technology has really helped us stay connected even when some people are offsite or now we have the arena. We also have our practice facility and we have our office space. Um, so we're not always in the same location but technology has obviously helped us in staying in communication and planning. Um, so that has really been huge. Um, and I think just having the ability to Zoom and game with other people and having that interaction and being able to talk back and forth has really brought people together. And I know that's a way that the players, especially with each other stayed in touch with, with one another. Um, I think technology, without technology, we wouldn't have been able to do any of these things and have that engagement. So I think it's been key.
Lyssa Myska Allen: So it sounds like you guys have come up with a bunch of really awesome ideas. Did you try anything that absolutely bombed and was horrible?
Keren Lynch: I think one of our problems with Zooms is we were really nervous about our Zooms getting hacked. Um, so we would send out our links really late, cause it early on in COVID it was happening quite often. Um, so that kind of hurt our attendance numbers sometimes because people were receiving the link so late.
Lyssa Myska Allen: Of course things don’t always go as planned, but I love that the Ducks are trying different ways to keep moving forward. And not only are they engaging both the players and the fans, but they’re also putting the space to use. That’s really what a lot of businesses had to do during the pandemic, and it’s that ingenuity that’s carrying them through. Let’s talk to our client a little more about whether they came up with any strategies to navigate the transition the way the Ducks did.
Client: We tried to drive merchandise sales online, and ran some promotions to sell advance tickets for when in-person events return. We also tried to take advantage of our social media following and engage customers with live streams, but we struggled to find ways to generate revenue. Whether or not there’s another lockdown, I’d love to be able to diversify our income streams so we’re not so reliant on in-person events.
Lyssa Myska Allen: Yeah it’ll definitely be important to offer customers a variety of ways to engage with the business, from in-person to online. So what are the Ducks doing to blend in-person and virtual experiences?
Keren Lynch: So in order to connect with both our fans who are coming to the arena and fans who are watching from home, um, cause we know some people don't feel comfortable with coming back in person yet. Um, but obviously we're ready and waiting for them when they are, but we started a new experience. Our in-arena show, um, it is called the Flying V Experience powered by Cox and every night our DJ Joe Joe goes on, he has some great content. He really tries to engage the fans who aren't here at games and kind of integrate them into the game space. Um, so that's been really great at keeping fans engaged both at the arena and at home, and kind of filling that gap in between and having that integration.
Lyssa Myska Allen: I love that. So like, you get the feel of the end game announcer, but you also get sort of like recognized that you're at home and then the people who are there know that people are at home. I love it. Everybody gets to like participate
Keren Lynch: Yep. That's a win-win.
Lyssa Myska Allen: Trophies for everyone. Just kidding. So I think ideas like that really pulled good things from what you know, could have been a terrible experience. Um, what was your favorite thing to come out of the last year and a half in trying to balance the virtual and in-person worlds?
Keren Lynch: So I think the best thing that has come out of the blended world is really seeing how much we're able to do without having fans actually come to the building and how much we've been able to engage with the community and help in other ways, besides from the hockey standpoint I think we've really shown how much of a community asset we've we've become and how we can really pivot away from the hockey side of things and just be supportive of the community. And, um, we have great ownership that allow us to do that and have given us the ability and the resources to be able to do that. Um, and so it's, it's just a testament to kind of our foundation and our DNA that's within the brand.
Lyssa Myska Allen: Yeah, and it sounds like it'll be kind of a lasting part of the brand legacy and the team legacy, which is awesome.
Keren Lynch: Definitely, I think that that's something that the, that our ownership, the Samueli's, really try and touch upon and make part of our culture. And I think a lot of people during the pandemic, um, it affected everybody in a different way. And I think just having that access to being able to do those things and be so supportive was really inspiring for a lot of our staff. And, um, I think that that's also kind of bled through to even, now, when we have fans back in the building, we're still able to, you know, concentrate on those things. And obviously we love having people to hockey games and that's always going to be the biggest draw. But, um, I think that our charity component and everything we do off ice has really, really taken center stage.
Lyssa Myska Allen: That's awesome. That makes me so happy. I’ve learned so much talking with Keren today. Let's debrief. I want to replay the lessons from our conversation with Keren.
One, find unique ways to engage with your community in person. Try moving to an outside space like your parking lot. Hold events like a drive for food, clothes or school supplies. You can still have a presence in your community and be an asset to them even if it’s in a different way than normal.
Two, make your move to virtual an opportunity to intimately connect with customers in a new way. Virtual can increase accessibility. It gives you the chance to devote more time and attention to engage with them and build that personal connection. Once you’ve learned how to connect virtually, you can leverage those tools to create hybrid experiences for customers who aren’t comfortable interacting in person just yet.
And three for the hat trick, keep experimenting. Get creative and don’t be afraid to try new approaches. If something doesn’t work, keep moving.
Client: Thanks for all your thoughts on this. Moving to virtual will definitely be a key to keeping our business going. And it’ll be interesting engaging with customers in new ways. Wish us luck!
Lyssa Myska Allen: Good luck! Let’s head to the HGS pub to celebrate cracking the case and cheers with some virtual martinis.
Keren Lynch: Ooh, this is exciting.
Lyssa Myska Allen: Okay. Now I'm just going to ask you some rapid fire questions or you can tell me a good story.
Keren Lynch: Okay. Maybe rapid fire me. And then if I think of one, I'll tell you.
Lyssa Myska Allen: Okay. Who's your favorite player?
Keren Lynch: Josh Manson.
Lyssa Myska Allen: Who's who's, your favorite sports team that's not hockey?
The bears?
But where's your favorite place to vacation?
Keren Lynch: Europe.
Lyssa Myska Allen: Well, what are you doing right now when you're not working?
Keren Lynch: Taking care of my child.
Lyssa Myska Allen: You have a new baby. So that one's fair.
Lyssa Myska Allen: Tell me your favorite story from the past two years.
Keren Lynch: We almost had, Emilio Estevez. We almost hosted the, uh, Disney Game Changers.
Lyssa Myska Allen: Mighty Ducks.
Keren Lynch: Yes, the Mighty Ducks Game Changers during the pandemic, they needed a place to host their, um, red carpet for their premiere for the show. And since they were also trying to find other ways, because they couldn't go into a movie theater. They came and contacted us and we were trying to work out an opportunity for them to use our parking lot. Just kind of bring it back home to.
Lyssa Myska Allen: That would have been awesome.
Keren Lynch: It would have been awesome. Yeah, But unfortunately we couldn't get the dates to work and, um, it ended up not happening, but that was probably one of the, it was exciting. And our fans and all of our staff and everybody really loves all the throwback to the Mighty Duck movies. And, um, and the sh show really took off and it's been great. And so hopefully this year, we can maybe, cause if they're all first season too, so hopefully this year we can do something and do some sort of activation, but we'll have to wait and see.
Lyssa Myska Allen: Yeah, that'd be fun.
Lyssa Myska Allen: Thanks so much for joining me today, Keren, I really appreciated hearing your insights and I'm so jealous. You have such a fun day job.
Keren Lynch: Well, thanks for having me, Lyssa. It's been great.
Lyssa Myska Allen: Thank you for listening to CXI: Customer Experience Investigators, brought to you by HGS. If you liked what you heard today, tell a friend, a colleague, your arch nemesis. And don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen. Next time there’s a CX case to be solved, we’ll be there!