A few days ago I wrote about our experiences at a local Perkins Restaurant and how they continually earn our loyalty as customers. Within 24 hours of this article being published, someone from Perkins corporate offices had contacted me and asked for the specific location I referred to in the article. He wanted to recognize the people at that store. Hats off to Perkins for monitoring the web and for acting quickly on positive news. It’s one thing to notice when people are talking about your brand. It’s another to take fast action in response. But then they did more. [...]
leadership
One of my favorite movies is Coach Carter. It’s based on the true story of a high school star basketball player who comes back to coach at his old school. The team was on a losing streak with few prospects for improvement. Coach Carter steps in and makes some radical changes to help the players become successful both on the court and in their personal lives. While the movie focuses heavily on the coach and his unusual methods, it’s also offers lessons for any organization wanting to improve. The story line includes powerful themes of teamwork, leadership, hope, hard work, [...]
The only way to have a healthy, sustainable business is to be a good leader for your employees. You need them to run your business, so the success or failure of your business comes from how well you take care of your staff. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of your customers and your business. Here are some ideas to help. First, you want to avoid the things “bad” bosses do, like these: Yell at your employees (It’s amazing but this still happens.) Treat your employees worse than your customers Think being a boss is [...]
As I work with companies to help them improve their customer service, some things stand out. These are things a lot of organizations don’t do consistently. Yet if they did they’d find the quality of their customer service would improve and their customer loyalty would increase. 1. Know what your customers want. The first thing is to make sure you really know what your customers want. I know this sounds too basic to even talk about. But I’m continually amazed at how many organizations make assumptions about what their customers want without asking them. An example of this is when [...]
When discussing a recent national security issue, President Obama offered a useful lesson for anyone who works with customers. He focused his efforts on finding solutions rather than blame. And he took responsibility for moving toward a solution. Although the mistakes that happened were not his direct fault, he made it clear, national security was his responsibility. We should all remember this when we work with customers who have a complaint or a problem. Even though you didn’t cause the problem that led to the situation, if the customer has come to you, it’s now your responsibility. Make sure your [...]
If you wish to be a leader you will be frustrated, for very few people wish to be led. If you aim to be a servant you will never be frustrated. -Frank F. Warren
The true leader serves. Serves people. Serves their best interests, and in doing so will not always be popular, may not always impress. But because true leaders are motivated by loving concern rather than a desire for personal glory, they are willing to pay the price. -Eugene B. Habecker
One of best ways to teach customer service (or any behavior) is with role modeling. When you, as a leader, show the values and behaviors that lead to good service, your employees will see it. And they’ll follow your lead. And the opposite is true.This funny example of a customer and her son tells the story well.
“Let me pass, I have to follow them, I am their leader.” -Alexandra Ledru-Rollin
Last week I was reminded of how expertly and efficiently a company could drive away a new customer. It was a classic example of a company doing almost everything wrong – and losing a customer in the process. The company offers teleconference (and other related) services. I found them through a web search and they seemed to meet our needs. So I looked for the link on the web page that said “buy now” or “sign up now” or something like that. But I couldn’t find it. All I found was a phone number. At that point my little voice [...]
