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Category: Customer service
A sure-fire way to have effective team communication
In my decades of team coaching experience, one of the most important capabilities of a highly productive team is clear and timely communication. The good news is that there is something we can do to have near-perfect team communication and it will only cost us $15. Permit me to explain:
Last Saturday morning I bought a dozen donuts and took them to the shop that does my car repairs. They had just completed working on my car, and the job they did was above and beyond. I wanted to show my appreciation so I bought the service team donuts. The service manager smiled, thanked me, and simply took the box of donuts and put them on the desk behind him. Within two minutes, I saw this large group of team members moving towards the office area. I thought management must have called an important meeting. Nope. The group was headed in a beeline straight for the box of donuts. How did this happen? I hadn’t observed any texting or phone activity. The information spread quickly and was communicated with resounding accuracy.
I am not suggesting we can build our team communication on a solid flow of fresh donuts. Not only is that impractical, it would probably be unhealthy. My questions is: “What can we do (feasibly) that will create the quality and the clarity of the communication generated by that box of donuts?” If we can answer that question, we can save our company those costly errors caused by poor communication.
The power of punctuality
Nearly 40 years ago I was viewing a session on time management and I saw a demonstration I’ll never forget: The speaker asked the audience of 80 people, “How many of you have been on time for every appointment you have had in the last year?” Only three raised their hand. Since that day all those years ago, I can count the number of times I have been late on one hand. Being on time is my non-negotiable standard.
Unfortunately, one of those “non-punctual” times happened this past weekend. My wife and I were scheduled to visit our son and grandchildren. We said we would be there between 9:30 – 10:00am. We didn’t arrive until 10:15. As a result our son had to reschedule some activities to compensate.
My son is 38, and this was my first time being late. I knew he must be thinking it was my wife’s fault. It wasn’t. It was mine! The reason was poor planning. I made it very clear that it was my fault and I apologized for not respecting his time. No excuses. No blame. I suppose I could have brushed it off and said in a dispassionate tone, “Sorry I’m late”. I couldn’t do that. This was a big deal. When we say we will be somewhere at a certain time, that is a commitment. It is a promise. It is our reputation. It shows we respect the most valuable thing we have…our time.
I conclude with the speaker’s follow up question: He asked the 3 “on-timers” who raised their hands how they did it. They all had the same answer, and I’ll bet you know what it is: LEAVE EARLY! Be punctual. Be a person who can be counted on.
How to create loyal and lifetime customers
As a handicapped senior citizen, I can be pretty slow moving. When I go to a store or event lately I have sensed some impatience and “twitching” as I place my order and slow down the line. Let’s admit, we can likely remember a time when we have been impatient with someone, and felt bad about it later.
Last Saturday, I had an experience that definitely demonstrated the value of maintaining patience and being kind. Here’s what happened: My two sons and I went to Wrigley Field as a 30-year Father’s Day tradition. The crowd was a sellout and everyone was jamming up at the gates to show their tickets and enter the park. Then came me poking along. As I went through the gate, an usher saw me with my cane and graciously offered to bring me a chair. Even though I declined, I was warmed by his enthusiasm and caring.
Later in the game I moved from my seat to go buy a snack. As I was descending the steps, one of the ushers reached out and said, “Here, take my arm”. What impressed me most was what management had built into their culture. I walked away thinking how much these folks welcome helping people and how much they care.
This is my message to you: Every human interaction is a moment of truth. How you manage that moment is a big part of what life is made of. We can truly make the other person feel important and apreciated, or we can be indifferent. Are you a people builder or people shrinker? Which one would you rather be?
9 free things we can do to solidify our career
Several years ago, I worked with someone who displayed one of the best collections of interpersonal skills traits I can recall. Her name was Jane, and once she made a statement I will never forget. She said, “I’ve worked for five different companies in the last 20 years and I have not moved from this chair.” You see, Jane’s company had been merged or acquired 5 times, and each time the new company insisted Jane remained. She was a receptionist – the first and last impression of her company. Why was she so popular? I think I know. Here are some of the traits I observed in her over the years:
Positive: When we complain, we are a burden. If we down-mouth others, we lose respect. Jane exhibited rule #1: Be a person others want to be around.
Show genuine interest: She knew and remembered birthdays, sporting events, anniversaries, and vacations. She was sincere and got others talking about their favorite subject – themselves.
Politics: She avoided this category, and I suspect she also avoided rattlesnakes!
Appreciation: She always remembered to say thank you.
Remembering names: She gave full effort to learning and remembering people’s names. She made others feel special.
Smile: She had an infectious smile, and a perpetual twinkle in her eye. People found her easy to approach.
Listened: She listened to understand.
Eager to help: She was continually looking for ways to help others.
Humble: She was humble. If she made a mistake, she quickly admitted it with no excuses or blame.
There you go. These are some of the main qualities Jane possessed. We can have them too. They are simply habits!
How to deal with a “stinker”
I graduated from college in 1971, and began my career as a manager in the hospitality business. One thing I learned quickly was that to enjoy my work in the hotel business, my team and I needed strong interpersonal skills. If we believe that 1% of the population is not friendly or likeable, that means we would encounter two such people each day if we had 200 guests.
My first test with a carmudgeon involved Mr. Kramer. He would check in very demanding and was quick to complain if he didn’t get fast enough service or special treatment. Before long, my entire staff was upset because of having to deal with Mr. Kramer. He wasn’t cruel or insulting…just a pain in the neck,
.Since Mr. Kramer came often, I knew I needed to find a way to get Mr. Kramer’s behavior to a palatable level. I thought of an idea: Since Mr. Kramer is not friendly, he is probably used to not getting the best service. Why not turn that around?
To begin this effort, I began impersonating Mr. Kramer. (I was pretty good at it!). When a staff member made a mistake or needed re-direction, I would talk to them in Mr. Kramer’s voice. We began to have so much fun with the routine that we all began to truly look forward to Mr Kramer’s next visit. We were excited to talk to the real Mr. Kramer. He wasn’t used to this kind of treatment. He changed his tune, and before long we discovered his sense of humor, and it was a good one.
In addition to making our work environment more enjoyable, Mr. Kramer gave us numerous referrals. He told his friends, “This is the place you want to stay”.
The next time you have to work with someone like Mr. Kramer, remember, like you and I, that person wants to feel important. If make them feel important, you will greatly increase your odds of making things better.