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Category: Customer service
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.
Sometime it is better to let a little wrong live…
Every Friday evening, my wife and I look forward to doing our weekly grocery shopping together. Our kids are grown and on their own, and Friday evenings are an event.
Last Friday we were ready to go to the checkout lane, and we chose the self-checkout. Joyce likes this option better because it is easier to follow along to make sure all the prices are correct. The only problem was, this time we had a fully loaded grocery cart that was way over the limit for the self-checkout lane. One of the regular checkers saw our cart and came over to say, “I have no line right now. Would you like me to check you out?” She was polite. She could have interfered by saying we had too many items for the self-checkout, but she didn’t. Joyce thanked her for the offer and gently declined.
When this happened, I found myself getting irritated: It was embarrassing. We should have accepted the offer of help and moved to the appropriate checkout lane. I managed to stay calm, but no doubt Joyce could tell from my facial expression that I was upset. I could feel some tension. Then, I took a step back in my mind and gave it some thought:
Putting myself in Joyce’s shoes, I realized that she was doing what she has always done. She knows how to get the most from our food dollar, and that is a lot of work these days! We must clip coupons on each website, carry our smartphone and make sure we have selected the right item and in the right quantity. Thanks to Joyce and her good planning, we have managed out finances well.
I told her of my concern, and quickly acknowledged that I understood she was just doing her work to get the most from our dollars.
Stephen Covey says: “Seek first to understand”. Let me add one more maxim: “Sometimes it is better to let a little wrong live than a lot of love die!”
Top teams manage time well
You already know this, but let me remind you anyway: A winning team considers their time to be gold, and they treat it as such.
Recently I was working with a company that is in BtoB manufacturing. This company was profitable yet they believed they could be more so. The company did an assessment and discovered that much of their time was wasted by bottlenecks and distractions. When it all added up, it was apparent that there was much room for increased efficiency. The next thing they did was hire a skilled QC expert. We’ll call him Ken.
Ken got to work quickly. He set up a giant display board that showed each project and where things stood in the process. This visible factor alone helped tighten everyone’s focus. Then some things started to happen: Ken was “3 places at once” talking to each person in production to make sure they had what they needed to do their part. Whatever they needed, Ken made sure it was quickly provided. Before it was common for operators to go get something and spend 15 minutes along the way to talk to fellow workers. This was a big time saver.
Ken continued to examine every step of the process and was able to expand on the improved efficiency. In a short time, the difference in efficiency showed up, and the benefits went right to the bottom line. The company became more profitable.
If you and your team are committed to excellence, you must manage time well. Treat every project or order as if it were a “hot potato”. Keep it moving. You will build a sense of urgency into your working environment. It’s a great feeling!
The bounty of going the “extra mile”
“Good manners are made of petty sacrifices”
-Henry David Thoreau
One of the most time-worn expressions we hear is “go the extra mile”. I think it is time we all take a step back and go deeper in to the extra mile concept and how we benefit when we incorporate this mantra into our daily experience.
I recently experienced a sterling example of this: It began nearly 10 years ago when I won a raffle prize at a marketing event. My prize was two $25 gift cards to a local auto service shop. Since I already had a place to service my car, my wife and I set the cards aside. The years went by and a couple months ago we decided we would try out the gift cards rather than just throw them away. When we arrived at the shop, the owner greeted us with a hearty smile and cheerfully agreed to honor the gift cards. We used one of the cards and got some new wiper blades.
A couple months later I had some used motor oil I wanted to dispose of. I went to the same place. The owner saw me in the parking lot and eagerly came out to greet me and accept the oil. This was the second time that fellow went the “extra mile”, and this time I was hooked.
This week I needed to purchase a new set of tires. I headed straight to the friendly shop and they had me fixed up in an hour. As a drive away, I was a happy customer and committed to stay that way. We respect and appreciate those who go the extra mile for us, and they earn our loyalty. (And get our money)