Mar 5, 2022 | Business Distinction, Customer Experience, ICONIC, Sales & Retail
At a recent event held at a Four Seasons hotel, an audience member for my keynote presentation came up following my program. “Hi,” he said, “I’m Jerry – and, boy, do I have a story for you!”
“Yesterday, my wife and I were dining at the breakfast buffet here at the Four Seasons,” Jerry told me. “As we proceeded down the line, I just happened to mention to my wife that I wished they had blueberries available. Don’t get me wrong — they had a beautiful array of fruit. It’s just that there weren’t any blueberries, which are my favorite!”
“Imagine my surprise,” Jerry continued, “when mere moments later, a Four Seasons team member came to our table with a bowl of the most beautiful blueberries you could imagine! A young lady happened to overhear my conversation with my wife. She told me, ‘We don’t want you to be disappointed with ANY part of your experience at Four Seasons!'”
As Jerry and I continued the conversation, he was supremely impressed with two aspects of this encounter:
- She listened to the customer.
- She took action to ensure the customer received exactly what he wanted.
Let’s examine both steps:
First, listening to the customer. This Four Seasons team member was tuned in to what Jerry wanted and needed. She didn’t just hear the words. She listened to the emotion behind them. Because she listened, she knew that blueberries were important to him and acted on it.
Listening is critical because it communicates to the customer that they are essential and that their wants and needs are a priority. How many times have you been in a customer service situation where you feel like you’re not being heard? We, as customers, feel like our voices are falling on deaf ears all too often. Too often, we as customer service professionals, stop at listening. We need to go the extra mile and take action to ensure that our customers receive what they want.
When we take the time to listen to our customers, it shows that we care about them and their experience.
Second, taking action to ensure the customer received exactly what he wanted. This Four Seasons team member not only listened but also took action to ensure Jerry’s happiness. She knew that blueberries were important to him, so she brought him a bowl of them.
Consider what the alternatives were for the employee —
- She could have been daydreaming or thinking about something else about her job and not tuned in to the customer.
- She could have thought, “We have LOTS of great fruit…and it’s not enough for this guy?”
- She could have told her manager, “By the way, a customer noted there weren’t blueberries. Maybe we should put some out tomorrow.”
Instead, she took ownership of the customer’s modest identification of a missing element.
Educating your team to own the problem and create the solution is critical.
Taking ownership of customer issues and being proactive in solving them is another hallmark of delivering a difference. Often, the small things that we do for our customers make the most significant impact.
Jerry’s story is an excellent reminder of how important it is to listen to our customers and take action on their behalf. When we do this, we deliver an Ultimate Customer Experience. What Jerry experienced was a great example of a UCE. His Four Seasons team member went the extra mile to ensure that he received exactly what he wanted.
Here’s an additional aspect — most of us know that this isn’t a unique experience for Four Seasons customers — it’s part of their DNA.
As my pal, Joe Calloway often discusses, most companies share an experience wildly out of the norm. They want you to know about the employee who walked a mile through the snow to be certain that a customer got their pack of chewing gum.
The problem is that the same store doesn’t do the basic blocking and tackling, which ensures that the little things are done right for every customer, every time.
Remember, customers do not want us to make it right. They want us to GET it right!
Because of the actions of this employee, Jerry left feeling appreciated and delighted with his experience at the Four Seasons. In fact, he was so impressed, he felt compelled to share his story with me — and now, I’m sharing it with you!
This is vitally important! When customers share your success stories, they become your advocates in a crowded marketplace. (And what business doesn’t want more advocates?)
When your team (and you) can deliver this level of customer experience, you’re well on your way to becoming ICONIC!
Feb 12, 2022 | Business Distinction, Current Event, Sales & Retail
Want a tip? Go pick up your pizza at Domino’s! They will give you a $3 tip if you go get your pizza rather than have them deliver it to you.
Thanks to my friend, Dwayne Long, I learned of this new approach from Domino’s. Dwayne sent me a link to the new Domino’s TV commercial, which says, “When you order carryout online from Domino’s, you’re no longer just a customer. You’re a delivery driver.”
Really, you don’t actually get a $3 tip. Instead, you get a coupon for $3 off your next Domino’s order.
(Which is kind of cheating, if you ask me. Imagine giving my Domino’s delivery driver a coupon for $3 off some future purchase somewhere instead of cash? I doubt the driver would appreciate my tipping methodology!)
According to the Wall St. Journal, “Domino’s latest offer comes as the pizza chain, along with many other businesses across the U.S., continue to struggle with staffing levels. A spokeswoman for Domino’s said the company needs more delivery drivers at its U.S. stores.”
It’s something everyone in business today understands. Staffing is an issue for almost every industry.
However, there’s a significant problem with this decision by Domino’s – and it is a point that is essential for every business today!
Domino’s brand is about DELIVERY…not pizza! Few believe Domino’s has the world’s best pizza — despite their recent efforts to improve the quality of their product. Their competitors — Pizza Hut and Papa John’s, for example — have built businesses on having great pizza. Domino’s established their empire on getting their pizza to you hotter and quicker than anyone else.
Domino’s has spent years creating their business around delivery, not carryout.
- Here’s the central problem: Promoting and incentivizing customers to bypass delivery seems to encourage customers to negate the primary aspect of their brand.
The Domino’s Delivery experience is the company’s primary asset. Let’s face it, Domino’s practically owns the “delivery” category in pizza. Domino’s should not compromise its brand for the sake of momentary convenience. They will suffer more in the long term by neglecting their brand.
By promoting carryout over delivery, they degrade their most valuable asset. They minimize the very aspect that makes them distinctive in the marketplace.
Contrast this effort with that of my friends at Pizza Hut. They’ve moved all their chips in on their product. Notice their tagline now: “No one outpizza’s the Hut.”
Here’s the critical factor: Pizza Hut has doubled down on the aspect they believe is their brand.
Yes, there is a critical shortage of quality team members in almost every industry right now. However, the intelligent business will never sacrifice its distinction for a short-term fix. Businesses need to follow the Pizza Hut example: invest more in your point of distinction, never minimize it.
Being distinctive is always superior. Domino’s should never compromise its brand for the sake of appearing “convenient.” You shouldn’t either!
Feb 5, 2022 | ALL Business is STILL Show Business, Business Distinction, ICONIC, Leadership, Sales & Retail
Here’s a problematic question for entrepreneurs and managers: is it that people don’t want to work nowadays? Or is it that they don’t want to work for YOU?
Twenty years ago, I wrote that you must provide the “Ultimate Experience” for both customers and employees. Over the past two decades, we’ve observed significant strides in how organizations engage their customers. Frankly, we haven’t seen that level of progress across the board regarding employee engagement.
In the United States, we’ve heard many leaders talk about how today’s employees don’t want to work and are lazy. Many studies are confirming this is not true. The companies and managers who have had problems with employee engagement have failed to create an environment where their staff was happy or felt it was a place they wanted to work.
To have a successful business, you need happy and engaged employees. It’s not only the right thing to do, but it’s also good for business. Employees who are disengaged cost businesses billions of dollars every year in lost productivity. Gallup has even gone as far as saying that employee engagement is the key to success for any organization.
Here are a couple of questions for you:
- Have you designed the employee experience with as much passion and precision as you plan customer acquisition?
- Have you developed a specific list of WHY both current and prospective employees would recognize working for you as a superior option from their other opportunities?
For most, frankly, the answer will be, “No.”
That needs to change — and it needs to change now if you want to attract and retain a superior team.
So, what can you do to create an environment where your employees want to work? It’s not easy and takes time, but here are five tips:
- Treat your employees with respect. This includes listening to them and considering their ideas.
- As I wrote in “ICONIC,” respect is reciprocal. If you want your team to respect and value you and your organization, you must display how you value and respect them FIRST.
- Make certain they feel appreciated. The best way to make your employees feel part of the company is by giving them ongoing recognition. In other words, leaders don’t recognize their work only when milestones are met or when achieving sales targets.
- Recognition can be in many forms, including praise for doing a job well done, even if it’s not on the radar screen yet.
- Offer them development opportunities. No one wants to feel like they’re stuck in a dead-end job.
- Employees want to know that there is room for growth and that they are valued enough for the company to invest in their future.
- Let them have some fun! Work can be stressful, so it’s essential to find ways for employees to let off some steam.
- Whether through social activities, team-building exercises, or just taking a break for a little bit, employees need to know that they can have fun at work and not be all work and no play.
- Finally, PAY MORE! My great pal, Randy Pennington, related a story on a recent live stream where we both were guests about a consulting client of his that dramatically increased the compensation of his team. Guess what? It SAVED him money!
- How could this be the case?
- He reduced his expenses of recruiting and onboarding new team members.
- He drastically reduced turnover.
- He kept his best employees and attracted top-level recruits.
- He prevented massive overtime outlays because he now had a productive team that could get the work done during regular hours.
- AND the fact that no one had to put in extra time meant happier employees and families.
The next time you think about how employees “just don’t want to work today,” remember it’s not because they’re lazy. It’s likely because they aren’t attracted to work for a company that they aren’t certain appreciates them or doesn’t have their best interests at heart.
Change your ways and see how your employees change their tune!
If you can successfully implement these tips, you’ll be well on your way to having an engaged and happy team!
Jan 29, 2022 | Business Distinction, Leadership, Personal Distinction, Sales & Retail
Whoever said, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,” got it all wrong. As I have often said (and been quoted for it), imitation is the sincerest form of theft.
Being like your competition was assumed to be a safe space for many. No longer. If all you are is a mirror image of your rivals, then you’re nothing more than a commodity.
- Being distinctive is the key to success.
You must be willing to think uniquely and develop ideas to stay ahead of the curve. It is why “Creativity” is the second of the Four Cornerstones of Distinction.
To help you get started, here are ten steps that will help you think differently:
Step #1: Be curious. The best innovators are always curiosity seekers. They’re constantly exploring new things and looking for ways to improve their products or services.
Step #2: Embrace change. Change can be scary, but it’s required for innovation. If you’re not open to change, you’ll never create anything new. You cannot create distinction by doing things the way they’ve always been done.
Step #3: Take risks. Innovation requires risk-taking, so don’t be afraid to experiment and try new things.
Step #4: Be open to feedback. Feedback is essential for innovation, so make sure you’re always listening to what others whose opinions you value have to say. This doesn’t mean the nay-sayers on social media should rule your thoughts. It means seeking and obtaining insights from those who sincerely want you to succeed.
Step #5: Think outside the box. (As much as I hate that old cliche — it is the truth here.) Don’t be afraid to come up with unconventional ideas. Think about it; someone really said in a meeting somewhere, “What if sharks got caught up in a big tornado?”
- That sounds strange, but it was probably just as wild when Marc Randolph (my colleague on the “in residence” faculty at High Point University) said to Reed Hastings, “What if you got DVDs in the mail instead of having to go to Blockbuster?” (You know how that turned out with Netflix, right?)
Step #6: Be persistent. Innovation doesn’t happen overnight, so don’t give up if your first few ideas don’t work out.
Step #7: Brainstorm often. For many, the most productive approach to develop innovative ideas is by brainstorming with others.
Step #8: Be patient. Innovation doesn’t happen overnight, so be prepared to work hard and put in the time necessary for success.
Step #9: Stay up-to-date. To stay ahead of the curve, you need to keep up with the latest trends and changes in your industry and others. By learning about what’s new in other industries, you may get insight into what you could do to stand out in yours.
Step #10: Get inspired. Inspiration can come from anywhere! Be certain that you’re constantly looking for new sources of inspiration. I’ve learned they are all around us – we just need to be on the lookout for them!
Remember, it’s not about copying what others are doing! It’s about creating fresh ideas that will help you stand out from the competition and create distinction!
Jan 8, 2022 | Customer Experience, Sales & Retail
Flight attendants attacked by passengers. Retail clerks shouted down by customers. Almost every day, we watch videos posted of outrageous behavior by customers toward those employees seeking to serve them. It used to be those angry customers who would seldom — if ever — physically or verbally assault frontline employees.
It’s getting to the point where angry customers threaten the well-being of our employees and customers!
Now angry customers seem less concerned about the consequences of their actions. Often, angry customers presume they can take out their anger on frontline employees who seem powerless and vulnerable. These customers evidently believe the company will not support that employee or file charges against them.
While angry customers may feel they can get away with their bad behavior, they may be causing your other customers to lose the superior customer experience you provide.
It’s increasingly difficult for any company to maintain good customer experiences when angry customers are attacking their employees. Companies are losing customers by the droves due to angry customers who have no consideration for others. Your employees are leaving because they don’t want to put up with the stress of dealing with the venom — and your good customers might be leaving because they are reticent about experiencing some angry idiot making a scene. (And perhaps your employees are so stressed from dealing with angry customers that their level of service to your good customers has declined.)
In today’s pandemic marketplace, angry customers are becoming increasingly difficult to deal with.
To deal with angry customers, here is a five-step plan that provides employees insight into coping with angry customers. The following are those steps:
- Don’t go it alone. It’s not uncommon for customer service agents to be “alienated” by angry customers, leaving them to feel as if they’re all alone against angry customers. That’s not the case at all. Companies must recognize that angry customers are spreading like germs, and they must do everything possible to help employees not feel alienated or alone in dealing with them.
- Employees now have the ability to tap into online customer service communities where they can ask questions of other customers who have dealt with angry customers. Additionally, they can ask their managers for help in dealing with angry customers. This means you need to be having conversations with your leaders to ensure they back your team members against angry customers and to help coach and train them on how to best handle these potentially explosive situations.
- Ask yourself the right question. It’s not uncommon for angry customers to hurl profane or abusive language at employees, leaving them feeling angry and defensive themselves. That’s the wrong attitude to take. Employees should instead think about angry customers as angry people rather than angry customers.
- What are angry people angry about? What are their concerns, fears, and worries? How can employees help angry people achieve some sort of resolution so they can move on with what they need to do in life?
- Put yourself in their shoes. Angry customers lash out at employees because they feel angry, upset, and frustrated with their situations. They lash out in the wrong place by attacking customer service agents who have nothing to do with their problems or concerns.
- Employees should realize that angry customers are angry about something – maybe even angry about feeling angry. Think of it this way: angry customers are mad because they are angry about being angry. Employees should ask themselves whether they’ve ever felt angry about being angry.
- If the answer is yes, now they can better understand how angry customers feel and why they lash out at customer service agents, who have nothing to do with their problems in life.
- Listen carefully. Listening is one of the most challenging things to do, especially when angry customers are yelling at employees. Listening requires deep concentration on what angry customers are saying.
- Employees should be open-minded and actively ask themselves whether angry customers have a point. Maybe angry customers don’t really know why they’re so frustrated, but they’re acting out because that’s the only way they know how to deal with their feelings.
- Check your ego at the door. It’s not uncommon for angry customers to resort to name-calling and other forms of verbal abuse when talking with customer service agents, leaving your employees feeling angry and upset in return. That’s normal human behavior of those who lash out at others because they are angry.
- Employees should not take angry customers’ words personally, however. They can’t be upset about angry customers being abusive with them – that’s too much anger for anyone to handle. Instead, employees should focus on the feelings behind uncivil words yelled by angry customers acting out of irrational emotions.
- In other words, angry customers are often that way because they are angry at themselves for being so distressed. Employees should consider whether they’ve ever been irritated about being upset before responding to these customers who are acting out of their own overwhelming feelings.
There’s no excuse for this type of customer behavior. It should not happen. However, it does — and much too frequently in the real world.
Our job is to help our team deal with this challenge in a manner that de-escalates an emotional situation while maintaining a superior experience for your customers who are behaving in a way that should take place in any professional situation.
Nov 13, 2021 | Business Distinction, Customer Experience, Leadership, Sales & Retail
Employee happiness is a critical factor when it comes to excellent customer service. Employees who are happy with their work — and how their employers treat them — are more likely to care about their customers. This factor is because when employees are treated with respect and engaged, they naturally want what is best for their company.
If employees are happy, it means they will be willing to go above and beyond for their customers — which in turn leads to more delighted customers.
The employee-customer relationship is an essential factor in successful customer service; when companies put their employees first, they find success.
What do employee happiness, employee engagement, and customer satisfaction all have in common? Granted, they are all very similar. However, employee happiness is perhaps most critical.
Employee happiness is the employee’s overall contentment for everything related to their job, including how they’re treated by management and customers alike.
Here’s an aspect easily overlooked: employee happiness has a much more significant impact than employee satisfaction.
Satisfaction is just the employee’s opinion of their current job; happiness means employee contentment for all aspects of their work-life, not just their specific job assignments. Employee happiness means employee engagement.
Here are three ways to improve employee happiness:
- The first step to employee happiness is that there must be buy-in from leadership. If leadership doesn’t care about employee happiness, it won’t go beyond something as minimal as creating a flimsy employee satisfaction survey.
- It is incumbent to communicate with employees how their opinions are vital for improvement and what changes are in process due to their input.
- Decide to make employee happiness/employee engagement an organizational priority. It’s impossible to have employee happiness without employee engagement. A company cannot be engaged with its employees if managers aren’t showing constant commitment to their teams.
- Employees believe that if their manager doesn’t care about the happiness of team members, how can the rest of the organization?
- Offer benefits and compensation that matter. Employee benefits and compensation are essential aspects for employees to feel as though they are compensated fairly for their work.
- It’s difficult to feel valued and under-compensated at the same time. Make sure your wages and benefits also display your commitment to your team.
The more employee happiness there is within an organization, the better the workplace culture will be for everyone involved!
When employees are happy, customers are too.
