Several years ago, a Canadian musician’s $3500 Taylor guitar was severely damaged by baggage handlers from United Airlines. When Dave Carroll couldn’t get the airline to take responsibility for what they had broken, he made a music video that was viewed by millions on YouTube, creating a public relations nightmare for United.
Wikipedia reports, “It was widely reported that within four weeks of the video being posted online, United Airlines’ stock price fell 10%, costing stockholders about $180 million in value.” (That would’ve bought over 51,000 replacement guitars!)
I bring this up because a couple that lives near us in Las Vegas had a terrifying incident at a local Starbucks. Lauren Weyand writes on Nextdoor:
“5 or 6 teenage kids came in shirtless, shoeless, and screaming profanities at each other…using incredibly vulgar language and pulling all of the food products out of the fridge section with no intention to buy anything. They asked the cashier for large water, one for each of them. Each of them was given water. They were heading out of the store.
My husband saw them line up — waters in hand — and said, ‘Ready, go!’ Before I knew it, I was hit in the head with a water cup. Two large cups of water doused our computers and us. We were startled and overwhelmed by what had happened. The whole store acknowledged the incident and asked us if we were okay. The Starbucks staff said nothing and started mopping up the mess. Nobody contacted the police or managers to ask for help with the situation that had just occurred.”
Weyand continues that she and her husband later returned to Starbucks to speak to the manager about what had happened. They were told they could not have video of the incident, and no police report had been filed because an employee got tired of waiting for the police to answer the phone, so they hung up and didn’t try again. The manager then led them to the door and told them more information would be forthcoming.
Look, we could turn this issue into a political or generational topic and press hot buttons all day long. Let’s not – that isn’t what this commentary is about.
At the current point, the Weyands must buy two new laptop computers, as neither of the ones they were using at Starbucks is now working because of the water damage. The Starbucks helpline – using the term “help” a bit loosely here – told them the case was closed and had been resolved, even though nothing was truly handled. From Weyand’s perspective, Starbucks has chosen the profane, shirtless troublemakers who threw water in their store over two loyal customers.
When I contacted Lauren Weyand, she confirmed that Starbucks remains silent – which she understandably perceives as a lack of concern and commitment for their customers.
In the frequently negative world of social media, some are questioning if Starbucks has any liability in this matter. I’m not a lawyer, so I don’t know the correct answer – but the important issue is that we should care less about liability and be more concerned about the customer experience.
What did United do in the wake of the PR disaster over the music video, “United Breaks Guitars”? As I relate in my new book, “The Ultimate Customer Experience,®” they licensed the video from Carroll to use in their training curriculum. They’ve hired him to speak at meetings for them to emphasize the importance of the customer experience.
And United’s share price has gone from $3.25 when Carroll’s video was the hottest thing on YouTube to closing today at $53.34! That’s what happens when you listen to your customers, learn from your mistakes, set things straight with those you have wronged, and focus on the Ultimate Customer Experience!
Starbucks may save a couple of grand by staying silent and not offering the Weyands replacement laptops, hoping they’ll just give in and give up. But just like United discovered how they could be “penny wise and pound foolish,” we’ve seen from experience that ANY business, no matter their size, can get on the wrong side of the public and lose millions when basic empathy and concern for the customer is ignored.
Every customer has a right to presume they aren’t going to have water thrown at them and have their computers ruined because they chose to do business with you.
So, what should Starbucks do? I’d suggest the minimum is that they apologize, replace the laptops, and provide the Weyands with a couple of gift cards with handsome amounts attached.
(They might also increase security so that shirtless, shoeless individuals can’t enter their stores in violation of health ordinances…and provide the store’s video to the police so they can press charges.)
Starbucks should learn from its mistake. Because they didn’t get it right, they should take advantage of the opportunity to make it right. If they fail, they may discover more people than a nice couple here in Vegas who are beginning to question if it’s worth a trip to get coffee from them, as opposed to their competition, if the experience is going to be so inferior – even problematic.
(Full disclosure: I’ve had the privilege of working with United and consider their Chief Customer Officer, Linda Jojo, a friend.)
The Ultimate Customer Experience® book is now available – get yours today!
In my first business book, “ALL Business is Show Business,” I wrote about the importance of emotion in creating and delivering the Ultimate Customer Experience.®
Emotions are powerful drivers of behavior–and they have been since the beginning of time. It seems that we’re hardwired to feel certain ways when we encounter certain stimuli: we feel happy when we see beauty; we become sad when someone close passes away; angry when someone does something unfair or wrong; and fear activates our fight-or-flight response when faced with danger.
When you think about it, emotions are what causes customers to fall in love with your product or service — and emotions keep them coming back time and again.
Emotions drive people to share their experiences with others, which will grow your business by increasing awareness and word-of-mouth referrals. If your customers are experiencing strong emotions when interacting with you — whether positive or negative — they’ll be more likely to remember those feelings later when making purchase decisions.
This means that a focus on emotional design is an important part of the customer experience. It can help you create a positive image and improve the overall experience for your customers.
Emotional design helps build trust by creating a heightened emotional connection between you and your customers, making them more likely to purchase from you. This connection can also help increase loyalty among existing customers by reinforcing their positive feelings toward your company or product line.
Research shows that consumers who feel positively about a company are more likely to recommend it on social media platforms as well as through word-of-mouth recommendations. This would mean there is less need for advertising expenses because your emotional design increases brand awareness without additional marketing investment required!
The future of emotional design for you and your organization is in your hands. Start by using data as a tool for understanding what people say they feel and how their emotions affect their behavior and decision-making processes. Once you’ve got that information at hand, use technology (like chatbots, for instance) to improve how customers interact with each other and with businesses like yours — then measure the results.
If you want to deliver an Ultimate Customer Experience® so your organization gains more repeat and referral business, consider the importance of designing how you can enhance the emotional engagement that a customer has with you with as much passion and precision as you seek to delineate their customer journey.
Pre-order my new book, “The Ultimate Customer Experience ®” for your company and receive some extraordinary benefits! Contact us for more information.
If you want to get better at what you do, there are few limits to how far you can go. With the right mindset, you can become more successful than ever before.
(That’s why Jason Bradshaw and I are conducting the “Stand Out / Earn More” program this week. You’ll discover how to register for FREE at the end of this post!)
As with any skill, learning new things and improving takes time and effort. Here are some tips for lifelong learning that will help elevate your career and your business:
Learning is how we grow as professionals
Learning is a lifelong process, and it’s not just about getting a degree. Learning is about keeping up with trends and new technology. It’s about staying ahead of the curve to keep providing your best work for customers and continue to be an asset to your company or organization.
If you want to stay current, there are many ways to learn while working:
Attend conferences and conventions related to your field (if possible).
Plan out time each week for learning new skills – whether through books, online courses, or other resources — even if it means reading just five pages daily!
You can keep getting better with discipline and action
It’s possible to keep getting better at your craft with discipline and action. That’s because self-discipline is a crucial ingredient for success. You might not know precisely what it takes or how much time it will take for you to do something well—but if you’re disciplined enough, this will show itself over time when nothing else matters but doing what needs doing right now! Whether you want to be an expert in programming, marketing, or sales, the only way you’ll get there is by setting goals and following through on them.
Track your progress
Track your progress and celebrate your achievements as you go. This will help you stay motivated, focused, and on track.
One way to stay motivated and on track is to set a time-based goal. For example, if you want to run a marathon in under 3 hours, set a date and commit to training. Once you’ve completed this goal, select another one that will help keep you motivated.
Having multiple skills is an essential part of being a professional
To be a distinctive professional, you need to have multiple skills. There are many ways that you can learn new skills: taking classes online, attending virtual summits, reading books about it, observing someone who already has those skills (i.e., watching your boss), and so forth.
Learning builds confidence so your efforts are taken seriously
Confidence is a key part of being a distinctive professional. As your experience grows, so does your credibility and, thus, your confidence. Learning new skills helps build this credibility and also helps to keep you interested in what you do.
Learning new skills helps us gain both confidence in ourselves and attractiveness as an employee or entrepreneur because our customers know we are always looking for ways to improve ourselves professionally.
Lifelong learning is key for the true professional
Lifelong learning is critical for the true professional. Lifelong learning is a skill that can be developed, taught, learned, and improved. It’s not just about what you know today; it’s about how you’ll be able to apply that knowledge in years to come.
The world is changing. To survive in this dynamic environment, it’s essential to be flexible and adaptable. Lifelong learning allows you to do just that—it keeps you informed about the latest trends and developments so that you can stay current with the ever-changing landscape.
In the end, lifelong learning is essential for anyone who wants to keep getting better.
Professionalism isn’t just about keeping up with the latest trends or being busy all the time; it’s also about taking time to reflect on your skills so that you can use them well in the future. Learning new things is important because it gives us confidence in ourselves and our work, moving people to take us more seriously.
Why wait? Go forth and learn!
This is my personal invitation to you to attend our “Stand Out / Earn More” event this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday – and I hope to see you there! You can attend for FREE!
It’s hard to describe how nervous I was to meet with my new speech coach. My career was ascending rapidly, but Ron Arden was the coach to the speaking heavyweights — Brian Tracy, Ken Blanchard, Patricia Fripp, and many more. I had invested an amount that made us really stretch for his insights — and now it was the time for our first meeting at his home in San Diego.
As our meeting began, he asked a simple question: “Tell me something that would describe your speaking style.” Being sincere and transparent are qualities essential to me.
I told him, “I speak from my heart.”
“Oh Lord,” Arden replied, “not another one. Not another speaker saying they ‘speak from the heart.’” I didn’t understand. What could possibly be wrong with doing that for your audience?
“Let’s say your wife calls right before you go onstage to tell you that your son has stumbled from his bike and broken his arm. They’re on the way to the ER. Do you really want to speak from the heart now? What if you get a call from your attorney and your business partner has embezzled thousands from you? You’re going to share your heart with the audience?”
He continued, “The audience is not your therapist. If you’re a professional speaker, you work for them. That means you WRITE your presentation from your heart. But when it comes time to deliver for your customer…you SPEAK from your SKILL. Our job is to develop your skills.”
It was one of the most significant examples of coaching I could imagine.
We all need coaches.
Ron Arden’s coaching was a turning point for me. He showed me that it’s essential to be genuine and sincere when speaking from the heart but that you also need to have the skill to back it up. Public speaking is not about sharing your feelings with the audience; it’s about delivering a message to help them achieve their goals. Coaching is critical to advanced success in any field. Whether you’re a CEO, a manager, or an individual contributor, having a coach can help you take your career to the next level.
Public speaking can be a daunting task for many. However, with the help of a good coach, it can be an enriching experience. Coaching is critical to advanced success, as it helps speakers develop their skills and deliver effective and engaging presentations. To be a successful public speaker, it is crucial to write speeches from the heart — but speak from your skill when it is time to deliver your presentation. With the help of a good coach, you can learn how to do this and become a more successful public speaker.
If you want to advance your speaking skills, I’d love to help. I’m only taking six people for a 90-day sprint to speaking success. As of this writing, two of those slots were filled. Just connect with me here for more information.
And, if now isn’t the time but the idea of speech coaching is something you’d like to pursue, just let me know. I will gladly recommend a top-flight coach who can help you achieve your goals.
It’s time for you to become a distinctive speaker!
We recently booked two major events for me as a keynote speaker in January 2023. One was a group where a member of the C-Suite had me speak at his meetings for two previous employers. The other was from a CEO of a group I addressed about a decade ago. He contacted me and said, “It’s past time that we had you back!”
The important aspect I wanted to share about this is not that I have booked a couple of really terrific programs for great leaders. The critical point is that I’ve stayed in touch with both of these clients (in a non-“sale” oriented manner) on an ongoing basis.
Relationships matter significantly in business; as a result, referrals are often the lifeblood of our success.
I’m not saying that all of my business comes through word-of-mouth recommendations. However, I have found that the more time I invest in nurturing relationships with colleagues, clients, and associates, the more likely they are to refer me or work with me again. And when it comes down to it, isn’t that what we ultimately want – a strong network and engaged community?
Here are three ways to enhance the relationships you have with clients and prospects:
Keep in touch regularly. It doesn’t matter whether it’s through a quarterly newsletter or a simple “thinking of you” card. DON’T SPAM! Engage! Bring value to the conversation by helping, not selling.
Deliver help without expectations – offer to introduce them to a colleague or share an article you think they might find valuable. Show interest and invest in their success by providing thoughtful advice or insights that may benefit them.
Make time for in-person conversations and connections, whether it’s a coffee meeting or attending their industry event. We strengthen relationships through face-to-face interactions. Catch up on what’s new in their world. Share valuable information or resources with them.
Investing in relationships can pay off tremendously in the long run.
Build trust and loyalty by consistently demonstrating that you value the professionals you work with and for, then watch as your network grows more robust and engaged.
So, reach out to colleagues, clients, and associates today and strengthen those connections. You never know where they might lead!
Every day, more emails land in my inbox offering an opportunity to take a course or participate in a program designed to help grow my business or advance my financial standing.
While there’s no doubt that — like everyone else — I’d love my business to expand and my bank account to be enhanced. Yet, such widely varied choices are available that I often simply “keep on keeping on” without the help these opportunities may provide.
There are so many opportunities available in today’s world that we sometimes get paralyzed by a plethora of choices. While it’s great to have options, too many can be overwhelming.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by opportunity, here are a few tips to help you narrow down your choices:
1. Define your goals. What are you hoping to achieve? If you aren’t specific with your goals, it’s almost impossible to discern what can help you get to where you want to be. Once you know what you want, you can eliminate options that don’t align with your goals.
2. Do your research. When you’ve got a shortlist of potential opportunities, take some time to learn more about each one. What are the pros and cons? What do other people say about it? There are some brilliant programs available to help you in your journey to achievement. Sadly, however, today’s world of online learning has made it much easier for shysters to go virtual. Take a moment to do your homework on both the program and the presenter.
3. Trust your gut. At the end of the day, you know yourself best. If something feels right, go for it! Nike never says, “Just THINK ABOUT IT!” We all know that they tell us to “Just DO IT!” That’s frequently great advice in all endeavors — not just for athletes.
Don’t let opportunity overwhelm you. By taking some time to evaluate your options, you can make sure you choose the right opportunity for you.
There is no distinction without action — and you can discover the action steps you need to take by expanding your learning. Then, go for it with all you’ve got!
