Rick Denton: 0:05

You're listening to CX Passport, the show about creating great customer experiences with a dash of travel talk. Each episode well talk with our guests about great CX, travel...and just like the best journeys, explore new directions we never anticipated. I'm your host Rick Denton. I believe the best meals are served outside and require a passport. Let's get going.

Katie Miller: 0:33

Recording this in July of 2021, we just wrapped up an exciting NBA Finals. We saw crowds of fans both inside and outside of the stadiums all eager to have an amazing experience, and certainly hoping their team wins. While playing the court is a key element of the experience. It's only one part of delivering a great customer experience. Today's cx passport guest Katie Miller is the Senior Vice President premium and Client Services fan experience and operations at the Orlando Magic, she is responsible for creating those amazing life moment fan experiences. The team's location and one of the world's most popular tourist destinations adds an additional layer of fan experience expectations as fans might come from around the globe. Katie and her team do an amazing job. And I am extremely excited to hear from Katie and learn more about delivering great fan experience. Katie, welcome to cx passport. Rick, thank you so much for having me. I'm so honored to be here.

Rick Denton: 1:30

It's gonna be a lot of fun. And I mean, could we not have created a better timing to have had the finals finished last night, and we're still kind of buzzing from the excitement of that

Katie Miller: 1:40

You timed that absolutely perfect. wouldn't have been more perfect if you tried.

Rick Denton: 1:44

That's right, I calculated this just perfectly well. So let's let's start off kind of the beginning kind of the high level. So given that fan experience might be new to some listeners, let's start off by getting your perspective on what fan experience means to you.

Katie Miller: 1:58

Great, well, thank you again, you know, to me, I think the fan experience has always meant that it's someone's comprehensive experience from the minute you leave your home to the minute you come back to your home at the end of whatever that experience was. All the things that kind of wrapped themselves up into those memories are the fan experience. And there's so many elements of that, for us, it's enjoying an NBA basketball game, it's, you know, eating whatever you might be eating at the arena, it's sharing the memories with the people that you're sharing them with, it's your memory of whatever the experience was that you just had. So it really is it's in its totality. And when we look at those things, it is the journey from the minute you leave your home, to the minute you arrive at the arena, everything in between. and then and then head back to your house at the end of the evening.

Rick Denton: 2:54

What a What a great explanation of that. And it is true. Like it's just this all encompassing sort of feel this vibe. And I think that's something that is sort of particularly unique to sports is is is there's all sorts of emotional customer experiences and family. But there's something about sports, there's just something there that can stir the heart. So I know we love our sports. We love having a great fan experience. And you've got a role that so many people want to have how how did you get into this field?

Katie Miller: 3:23

Well, I would say a very, very unlikely journey, if you would have asked me where I was going to be when I was you know, first studying this in school. I could have never told you this. Let me let me start by saying that. But I was, you know, fortunate enough to attend Ohio University and I earned my degree in journalism to get started. and public relations was my sort of area of focus and definitely studied sport business as well. I got into sport and sort of the public relations communication side of sport. And while it was lovely, I learned it wasn't where my passion was, it wasn't for me, I got into sport and I knew it was an industry I wanted to be in because of the memories I made as a child with my family, going to sports and the entertainment of it and the time together, growing up right outside of Cleveland. And so I I quickly transitioned into opportunities where I had the opportunity to engage with fans and be with people and learn what drove them to come and join and participate for whether it was an evening at a ballpark or an NBA game, whatever that was. So I had the opportunity to start in minor league baseball, okay right out of college and learn so much if you know anything about minor league baseball, you know that you learn so much you wear so many different hats. You could be doing you know on field promotions and you could be pulling tarp in the same game. I spent time there and then ultimately had the opportunity to travel down to Orlando. And I'm now going into my 16th season with the Orlando Magic and have worn a number of paths here as well, I've been fortunate to be able to really grow and learn from the amazing people here. So I started my journey with magic on the ticket sales and new business development side of our industry where I loved it, because I got to focus on bringing new fans into the family. It was just it energized me every single day. And so I was there for my first five years, and then have the opportunity to really learn then how to cultivate those relationships at a deeper level, when I had the opportunity to lead our retention and service teams. And through that, as we all evolved, I think, as an industry and in the fan experience, then had the opportunity to build that into deeper levels of serving our guests when they come to the building through our fan experience department. So it's been an amazing journey and a very unlikely one. But what I'm incredibly grateful for?

Rick Denton: 6:07

Well, there is I think it's great that you started in minor league because there is that is something that has a particularly unique fan experience. In fact, I find myself enjoying spending a night at the minor league ballpark, perhaps even more sometimes, no disrespect the MLB. We had, we had a wonderful conversation about MLB a couple episodes ago. But it is there's something unique about it. And in fact, you and I were just talking about how I'm actually at a client site right now in Ohio. And a couple nights ago, I made the the choice to just drive up an hour and go see a Toledo mud hens game. Oh, wonderful. And it was so much fun, just that impulsive, sort of, Hey, I'm going to wander up and go see it and you're right, the experience everything about from the point that you arrive at the stadium and watching the the onfield entertainment and what they're doing with the the crowd and the fans has been a lot. So for you to start there, I absolutely can see it. I am so

Katie Miller: 6:59

special. It really is and the minors will forever have just this place in my heart. I can remember doing dizzy bat races with children. And then you know, sitting down for another inning with a client that you know did business with a ballpark. It's a really unique environment. But it's amazing

Rick Denton: 7:15

that it's so my hometown is Frisco, Texas and the Frisco roughriders are there and same kind of thing. You watch that on field promotions team. And I'm not sure if that's the right label. But that experience team edit exactly that. It's that that kind of one on one, almost that human engagement along with whatever the macro entertainment exercise might be. And it is a lot of fun to watch now. So you certainly moving well beyond minor league baseball into you know, one of the signature pro sports franchises the Orlando Magic is a globally known brand and that we're talking about that human aspect of it. And that sport event is certainly that tangible, human physical event. But I know that you and I have talked about how digital plays such an important function in creating that amazing fan experience. How do you leverage that blend between the human and the tech and data to create those great experiences.

Katie Miller: 8:05

They're so very intertwined. You just alluded to that. You can't have one without the other in my opinion. And I think one of the very unique and special things that we've been able to develop is how we utilize data and an understanding of the actions people might take, what they're buying in the arena, what they're buying at the retail store, what's meaningful to them through actions they might take through technology like our mobile app, to then enhance it through the human interaction. So we utilize both we have service teams that develop deep, deep relationships with our partners and with our season ticket members, and plan holders that visit us every single game night. But we have access to information that then can make those interactions more special. So we might know that a certain fan often frequents one of our clubs to eat dinner, well, then we can use that data. And then through a gift of their service representative or service team member, we can maybe surprise them with dinner on a on a game night close to their birthday, right? So it's about the personalization and the customization. But the human element is so important of that. And that's why I say they're very intertwined. They've got to work together. And you've got to have a strategy for how you use them to work together. So here are the magic. It's really a true collaboration of our retention teams, with our strategy teams and how we work together to support each other to ultimately improve and impact the fan experience so that anytime we have anyone that comes into the Amway center are having an amazing experience that's memorable that's special that's unique to them.

Rick Denton: 9:57

What I what I love about what you said, there is You know, a lot of times people think of introducing digital into the experience as almost a way to sort of push the the human away. So we hear of chatbots. And there's a place for them. But those kinds of things that are to try to remove the human or make things more efficient, or what that might look like, but what I hear in the story you're telling is, you're using digital to make the experience even more human, so that it would be likely impossible without digital to understand each individual guests and fans, desires and interests. But by being able to discern and tease that out, then you can create those surprise and delight moments that are what builds such a connection to the brand and to the experience and to that delight that they'll tell people about for many, many months and many years to come.

Katie Miller: 10:47

That's exactly right. I mean, we want whenever anyone joins us for a game or an experience, we want their experience to a be seamless, so that they can come in and they can have fun and they can enjoy the time with whoever they're with. And we want it to be unique to them. And so we use those insights and we through one of our technologies that we utilize very heavily here our mobile app, we have always said it is their remote control to a fans in game experience so you can personalize and customize if you would like to upgrade your seats you could buy a special moment through an invention we call our marketplace where you might say tonight I would like to have you know my guests recognized on on the magic vision so it really allows our fans to experience something that's very unique to them and take those memories away.

Rick Denton: 11:39

Oh I love that that's that's so great. And I love that that blending that we're describing there so it kind of makes me think about so you're in Orlando the magic are in Orlando and this is clearly an environment that is deep in travel and tourism Orlando is known for that. So how does it when I think of all the individual guests that are coming in but how does the Orlando Magic play a part in the overall tourism experience in the area

Katie Miller: 12:04

I think we're very proud and grateful to be partners in the community for any of the tourism I mean tourism is is such an important component of everything that Orlando is and so when we have guests that are joining us from outside of Orlando or outside of Florida, we are committed through their experience when they come to enjoy a basketball game with us that that experience is legendary and that's amazing because then that's part of their totality of their trip or their vacation or their experience when they came to Florida and we we are so proud and honored to be part of that and partners in the community as part of that element because then you know that becomes something that you know oftentimes as people join us year after year it might become part of a tradition but they're spreading magic when they go home wherever that may be an encouraging that that way so we're We are very grateful to have such a dynamic and robust tourism industry and to be partners as part of that

Rick Denton: 13:16

little change of pace here with all that travel talk and sometimes getting in and out of Orlando can be a little hectic for the traveler so it's kind of nice to enjoy the first class lounge So join me here in the first class lounge we'll move quickly and hopefully have a little bit of fun what is a dream location from your past

Katie Miller: 13:36

so I hope I don't sound too dorky but I would say I'm kind of living it now. So growing up in Ohio I can remember as a child our one big family trip and it was it was to Disney to drive to Florida and stay at Disney for a week and do all the magical Disney things and here I am right so it is I mean to two things come together but as I will say as a parent of two I'm having the ability to take my children to Disney and see those memories I can see I can see why it resonated

Rick Denton: 14:11

that's brilliant and it absolutely destiny for you of course to be there in Orlando you have found your home What is a dream travel location you've not been to yet

Katie Miller: 14:21

Australia

Rick Denton: 14:23

Oh yeah, that will be something any anywhere particular just Australia in general.

Katie Miller: 14:28

I need to zero in on where exactly I need to go. But I would love to go to Australia it's on my bucket list.

Rick Denton: 14:36

It is one of the continents I've not been to yet and I'm excited to get there but it's it feels like one of those that I need to dedicate six months to explore Australian sadly that's just not available on the calendar but it is a special place I hope to get there too as well. I hope you get there soon.

Katie Miller: 14:51

I was gonna ask if you had any recommendations so keep me in mind when you when you get there.

Rick Denton: 14:56

Here's the recommendation...go Oh no, here's a better recommendation. I think the magic need to do a travel game in Melbourne.

Katie Miller: 15:03

I'm on board.

Rick Denton: 15:05

Let's see what you can do there. What is a favorite thing to eat?

Katie Miller: 15:11

Pizza

Rick Denton: 15:13

All right. So on the flip side of that though, what is the thing that your parents forced you to eat? But you hate it as a kid?

Katie Miller: 15:22

ham?

Rick Denton: 15:23

ham hey that's my first No one said ham before? Tell me why.

Katie Miller: 15:29

I think that's more I don't know if it was so much my parents or my grandparents but I can remember some large family gatherings where a ham was served as part of the you know the big dinner table and I think it was probably because my grandparents worked so hard on it. And as silly as this sounds as a child I never liked the rind on the outside of the ham and it was you got it you got to eat you got to eat everything here. The thing that jumps out in my mind

Rick Denton: 15:57

that's what I love about doing this because I asked the same question set here in the middle of every guest and guests surprise me ham is a new one for me because you know most many of the categories of broccoli brussel sprouts classic with ham is first so congratulations. You get first first come around that one so

Katie Miller: 16:14

I love it now. I' good no

Rick Denton: 16:17

and I hear that a lot too. I realize we're diverting a bit here but it is amazing how many people talk about the things they hated as a kid and now they love so I guess ham is now a part of your your current day well done what is one travel item you will not leave home without can do the phone anything beyond the phone

Katie Miller: 16:37

my Kindle all my books in there

Rick Denton: 16:45

when we first had a chance to talk we had a laugh that people might say they want a particular experience but in reality they really want something different how does that play into fan experience

Katie Miller: 16:58

no different than we just talked about the inner connectedness of the human element and the the analytics the data I think that these kind of two things go hand in hand because it's both listening and learning through conversation you learn so much by just listening to the guests that are in your facility and the and the people that are invested in the experience and so utilizing just conversations or even something more structured like focus groups is really important to us but then kind of using what I call the raw data the what are people actually doing or buying or so how you marry those two together you know we we try to look at those two sides of things and then say how do we provide options based on this right so how do we let's let's use a food and beverage example right? We we often hear I want to make sure that we have healthy options we also see that you know a lot of people like chicken fingers right? So how do you make sure you still provide the healthy options while also having the chicken fingers on the menu? And how do you strategically integrate those into again I'm going to go back to the fan journey where someone comes into the building How are they traveling throughout throughout the facility on their way to their seats and what are they grabbing along the way so again it's sort of a marriage between both worlds there

Rick Denton: 18:30

that is a that solid story is very very true I can see a ton of people sent you know it's it's hard for me when I go to the stadium I don't want all that fried or that greasy food I guarantee even if I were someone and I wouldn't but put that on a survey I'm still going straight to the dogs I'm still going straight to the fried chicken I'm not drinking sparkling water I'm probably grabbing a beer there's there's a high degree of unhealth that I'm gonna choose Oh I know what I might say in a survey

Katie Miller: 18:57

well you get you get in and again it becomes part of the experience you smell it see it and you say oh my gosh that looks good. Well I'm here I'm gonna go for that. But you still have to have the other options right because you know i The other thing that I think about when we look at that is we have guests that are joining us and you know in a normal season 44 different times a year so you have to have variety right? Maybe on a Saturday night you're gonna you're gonna go for the hot dog or the hamburger chicken fingers during the week you're trying to be good so you have to have the salad available to

Rick Denton: 19:28

boy that's a really good point that I wasn't you know, initially thinking of but the repeat guest and I imagine someone that is one of your your customers in your suites and those sorts of things, that if they're entertaining guests, they're night in night out. Yeah, I can at some point. Yeah, I'd really don't think my body can take another chicken tender. So that is that that understanding of both your individual guests, you know, the one time or the infrequent cast along with your repeated ones. Yeah, that I definitely can see how that would play in. So we were We were talking earlier that the NBA just wrapped up another exciting season. I mean, we're talking less than 24 hours ago wrapped it up. And it was so great to see, you know, fans there, and watching the NBA Finals and all of that coming together on a successful season. So I know that fan experience and you and I've talked about how the association really works together on things. So how do you see the NBA kind of as a as an overarching influence on all of the different teams throughout the association working to deliver great fan experience?

Katie Miller: 20:32

Well, I'll I'll speak on behalf of myself. Yeah, um, but I know every day, I am proud to be part of such an amazing League, and team. And I am proud to work with teammates within that, where we push ourselves to be great for our fans every single day, so that anytime anybody comes into experience a game, it is an amazing experience that someone's going to walk away and take a lot of memories from. I think the thing that is really exciting, and something that we you know, we always work towards is some of the standards that within the NBA, we operate within both operational and aspirational, that are designed to push us all to be great, and to challenge us to continue to deliver more for our fans that come to games. I think one of the other things that is inherent and incredibly important. I know it's a priority at a league level, but also here at the magic it because it's one of our core values is innovation, you know, always innovating to improve the fan experience, to ideate against what are some new things that we could build in to someone's spam journey and into their experience? How can we continue to deliver amazing entertainment? How can we continue to execute against a seamless experience? How do we collaborate? And so innovation is one of our key priorities. You know, we really focus on the collaboration tied to that then continues to bring about a great experience for everybody that joins us in our facilities.

Rick Denton: 22:15

That's That's good. And I definitely can see that, that spirit of innovation, you know, NBA really trying to push the envelope, and individual teams and then both sharing openly with each other. But then also, you know, seeing as you and I talked about seeing 60,000 plus fans packed into two Deer Park. Watching the Bucs win last night I teams will continue to try to repeat and emulate that from a fun fan experience perspective. And then some of the technology innovations that you're describing. I'm thinking, maybe let's close out with this because one of the things about innovation and these ideas, but there's also the execution aspect of it. And I know cx passport had a chance to talk with Aaron swales, who leads guest experience for the San Diego Padres and check out Episode 20. If anybody wants to listen that we, we talked about the challenges of delivering great experiences when it's through such a wide operational spectrum, from parking to entry to food and beverage, and even elements pre and post game, right? So how do you ensure this great fan experience when there are so many delivery points for that experience?

Katie Miller: 23:23

I think there's a couple key elements that go into that. The first is alignment, communication and teamwork. We, as you just noted, there's so many different points that impact someone's fan experience when they come to the game, whether that's parking, food and beverage, you're assuring your ticket taker, your relationship with your service executive, all of the partners that have employees, that that impact those experiences, everybody has to be on the same page and working together. And we're proud here to have amazing partners that we work with every day where our communication lines are open. We're committed comprehensively to delivering the legendary experience, and prioritizing the fan and the team members that do that collectively together. So I think alignment, communication and teamwork are critical. I think the second component of that, that we also that's really inherent to our culture, is recognizing and celebrating our game night. And all of our staff that go into making the environment here so special and so unique, celebrating the wins, recognizing the winds, because that's, you know, by our team members going above and beyond, those are the legendary moments that then impact our fans every time they come to the building. And we you know, we are just so proud to have team members in place that are so committed to serving the guests when they come to a game that it's just you know it all it all works together. Because so many people is so many people are invested in when we open those doors that every person in the building has an amazing time so it's really it really is such a special thing when you step back and look at it what that does not only for the individuals that work as part of the team are for the fans that are coming into the building each and every evening or or once right that they want to come back because it was such an amazing experience. I really appreciate how you are focusing on that individual celebration and recognition because you know, most fans they probably don't know Katie Miller but they know the Usher that scene that guided them to their seats they know the concession person they know the parking person and maybe not by individual but that's the that is the their awareness of the experience of the brand of the of the team is through those individuals and I think companies don't always honor and and really stay true to that frontline. And it's it very encouraging to hear how the the magic are doing exactly that and and bringing the celebration of those individuals to the forefront. Well, thank you, thank you. We're grateful for everything, every, every interaction every moment, every investment that each of our team members make and the impact that has on everybody that joins us for a game.

Rick Denton: 26:23

Well fantastic, Katie, it has been a blast talking with you. I just I just enjoy I'm a sports guy anyway, but just getting to hear how fan experience is delivered inside a sports organization how the Orlando Magic use humanity and digital to make it come to fruition how the celebration of the front line. I also I love the getting some insight into how one might be able to follow you in that journey. So those that are considering your career and fan experience now have a roadmap that they can follow as well. And it sounds like the key to that is minor league baseball so everyone gets some exposure to your minor league baseball team and enjoy that. It's been brilliant talking with you, Katie, I've enjoyed the heck out of it. Thank you so much for taking the time to speak to me here on cx passport. And I wish you certainly the best of best of the the time here in the offseason. And I wish you the best for next season as well.

Katie Miller: 27:20

Well likewise, thank you so much for having me. I'm so honored to be here. And just have really enjoyed our conversation. So thank you.

Rick Denton: 27:32

Thanks for joining us this week on CX Passport. Make sure to visit our website cxpassport.com where you can hit subscribe so you'll never miss a show. While you're at it, you can check out the rest of the EX4CX website. If you're looking to get real about customer experience, EX4CX is available to help you increase revenue by starting to listen to your customers and create great experiences for every customer every time. Thanks for listening to CX Passport and be sure to tune in for our next episode. Until next time, I'm Rick Denton, and I believe the best meals are served outside and require a passport.