Tuesday, October 25, 2005

Drain the Swamp Instead of Fighting the Alligators

My son needed a haircut so I took him to a local salon. After waiting only a few minutes, I said to the receptionist, "It's freezing in here."

She replied, "I know. Our customers are always complaining that it's too cold."

"Why don't you turn down the air conditioning?" I asked.

"The owner likes it this way."

I went to my bank to make a deposit. All the pens attached to the chains were out of ink. I had to wait several minutes to get an employee's attention so I could request a pen. I said, "All the pens are dry."

"I know." She said. "Our pens are always running out of ink."

The climate of the building needs to be set with the comfort of the customers in mind. If your customers complain about being too hot or cold, adjust the settings.

Banking customers need pens. When they're chained to the counter, it's a message to the customer that he or she cannot be trusted. Banks should put out a whole tray of pens with the company name, web address and phone number on them. That way, if a customer does take one along, it will provide that customer with easy access to important information about the bank.

Think about the times when you've complained about an inconvenience and an employee responded, " I know. Our customers complain about that all the time."

Your customer complaints are alligators. If several customers complain, you've got a swamp full of alligators. When a business hears the same complaint from more than one customer, it's time to drain the swamp. Get rid of the problem that's attracting the gators.

If you know that something is annoying your customers, change it. Otherwise, they will eventually go away. Customers are too valuable to ignore their feedback. There's no point in listening to your customer's complaint if nothing is going to be done to fix the problem. Dealing with the same complaints over and over wastes a considerable amount of employee time that could be better-spent building positive relationships with customers.

Dissatisfied customers are gold. It's not mistakes that drive customers away; it's the way the mistakes are handled. When customer complaints are handled properly, loyalty increases.

To learn how to actually build loyalty while handling customer complaints, you can order the Teleseminar CD: How to Build Loyalty With Angry Customers.

You have permission to reprint any of my articles in your newspaper, magazine, trade publication, at your Web site or in your ezine. All I ask is that you use the entire article, my byline and this identifier paragraph:

Debra J. Schmidt, a.k.a. "The Loyalty Leader®", helps companies boost their profits by leading them to greater customer, employee and brand loyalty. Learn more at: http://www.theloyaltyleader.com/

Increase Your Television Sponsorship Odds

When you approach a television station to request a media sponsorship for your event, you are in competition with hundreds of other organizations with equally worthy causes. Here are some ways to help your event stand out in the crowd.

Know Your Message.

Television stations are interested in airing messages that offer mass audience appeal, exciting images and revenue opportunities. Your event or message also needs to have at least one of the following elements:

  • Uniqueness—the event offers something new, unusual or exciting to the attendees: an opportunity to meet a well-known celebrity, “behind the scene” tours, a chance to be a “star” for a day, etc.
  • Relevance—the topic enhances public understanding of a pressing issue: cancer prevention, domestic abuse, hunger, etc.
  • Human Interest—the message is of interest to many people because it evokes a strong emotional response: terminally ill child, family in need, response to a crisis, etc.

Do Your Homework.

View the television station you are interested in. Pay attention to its format, community focus and on-air talent. Most television stations have annual themes and “pet causes.” As you are watching, ask yourself, “Does our event and message fit with this station’s focus?”

Know the Gatekeepers.

Historically, the community affairs director has been the gatekeeper for determining which events to sponsor. However, this role is shifting. Sales managers look for events that can create revenue-producing opportunities. News directors are interested in events that will give high visibility to the talent and increase news ratings.

Two effective avenues for connecting with the gatekeepers include:

Meeting with the Editorial Board—A team of station managers who review proposals and story ideas.

Call the station and ask to be scheduled as a guest at an editorial board meeting.

  • When you arrive for the meeting, bring no more than one other person with you.
  • Come prepared.
  • Present a proposal that is no more than two pages long—do not bombard them with tons of material about your organization.
  • Get directly to the point and tell the board members specifically what you expect from the station

Cultivating Relationships—This does not mean wining and dining station personnel.

Instead, look for ways to cultivate relationships by:

  • Providing them with newsworthy opportunities and support throughout the year. Friendship and networking go a long way in pursuing television sponsorships.
  • Respecting their deadlines and high volume of calls.
  • Understanding that they are media sponsors, not event planners.
  • Not expecting a lot of expensive production time and assistance.
  • Accepting their decision gracefully if your event is turned down.
  • Sending thank-you notes to everyone at the station who has met with you or provided services to your organization.

Good planning will make your event fit the objectives of the television industry. Focus on forming a partnership with your local television station to offer an event that has clear-cut benefits for both organizations. By doing so, you will increase your odds of getting airtime.

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You have permission to reprint this article in your newspaper, magazine, trade publication, at your Web site or in your e-zine. Please use the entire article, Debra Schmidt’s byline and this identifier paragraph:

Debra J. Schmidt, a.k.a. The Loyalty Leader™, leads businesses to greater customer, employee and brand loyalty. Subscribe to her free email newsletter at TheLoyaltyLeader.com

Tuesday, September 13, 2005

Are You Delighting Your Customers?

You have the opportunity every day to build loyalty by exceeding the expectations of your internal and external customers. Caring, personalized service builds positive relationships, one customer at a time. Because this type of service is rare these days, customers are delighted when they receive it, and their loyalty to the company grows.

Take this short quiz as a self-assessment to see if you are delightingyour customers.

1. I understand that my co-workers are also my customers and that we are all part of a customer service chain.

True False

2. I take ownership of my customers' problems and do everything possible to avoid having to transfer their call to another area.

True False

3. I use my customers' name at least three times in every conversation.

True False

4. I listen very carefully to what my customers are telling me, so that I can clearly understand their needs and feelings.

True False

5. When my customers are upset, I sincerely try to empathize with their concerns and try to put myself in their place.

True False

6. I always assume that my customers are being honest.

True False

7. I try to be flexible in order to meet the needs of my customers.

True False

8. I try to do what is best for my customers, not what is easiest for me.

True False

9. I smile a lot, even when I am on the telephone, because I know that my customers can "hear" a smile.

True False

10. I look for ways to build loyalty even when I can't provide the service that my customer has requested.

True False

If you had 7-10 'True' responses, CONGRATULATIONS! You are consistently delighting your customers and building customer loyalty.

If you had 4-6 'True' responses, you're on your way to building loyalty but there's more opportunity to improve your service skills

If you had less than three 'True' responses, you will benefit from customer service skill training.

You can order Special Report #11 to print the complete 25-question, customer loyalty test that includes a loyalty building tip for eachquestion, at: http://www.theloyaltyleader.com/special-reports.html

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You have permission to reprint any of my articles in your newspaper, magazine, trade publication, at your Web site or in your ezine. All I ask is that you use the entire article, my byline and this identifier paragraph:

Debra J. Schmidt, a.k.a. "The Loyalty Leader®", helps companies boost their profits by leading them to greater customer, employee and brand loyalty. Learn more at: http://www.theloyaltyleader.com/

Monday, September 12, 2005

Loyalty Is Built Through C.A.R.I.N.G. Service

Voicemail, automated phone systems, email and other technology have replaced the personal touch when it comes to customer service. Customer frustrations are on the rise. Their number one complaint?--no one really seems to care anymore.

Your customer can tell the difference between satisfactory service and caring service. Satisfactory service is what most customers expect. This type of service focuses on completing a task rather than building a relationship with the customer.

The market often talks of customer satisfaction, a deceptive phrase because it sounds better than it is. Would you have wanted a grade of satisfactory in school? Probably not. Satisfactory implies adequate, good enough, acceptable. Customers who are merely satisfied with your business can be wooed away by others who offer something better.

Customers are discouraged by poor service and expectations are low. The simple gesture of showing your customers that you care about them will be a welcome surprise compared to the apathy they experience elsewhere.

Building customer loyalty boils down to one simple concept—C.A.R.I.N.G.:

C = Consistent

Customer loyalty is earned. Commit to delivering exceptional service with every customer interaction, every day. Show your customers that you value their business by taking ownership of their concerns. Provide each of your customers with respect, friendliness and knowledge. Maintain a positive attitude. Deliver consistent quality and sign your work with excellence.

A = Attentive

Take time to listen carefully to your customers. Don’t rush through service or view your customer as an interruption of your work. Your customer is the reason you are there. Focus on what he or she needs and avoid distractions so you can give your customer 100% of your attention.

R = Reliable

When you make a promise to a customer—keep it. Take responsibility for meeting your customers’ needs. Project a professional image through the way you dress. Return phone calls and respond to email messages promptly. Maintain order in your workspace. Be completely honest with your customers. Build your reputation of reliability through clear communications, accuracy and consistent follow-through. The way you interact with customers and do your work speaks volumes about the type of person you are.

I = Individualized

No two customers are alike. Each customer has individual needs and concerns. Pay attention to your customer’s tone of voice and actions. Learn how to respond to your customer based on their particular style. A dominant customer may seem impatient and will want to control the situation to get his or her desired results. A shy customer may need assurance and guarantees. An outgoing customer may require more “chat” time. You can build rapport quickly by learning to respond appropriately with each type of customer.

N = Notable

Word-of-mouth is the most powerful marketing campaign of all. Give your customers quality service that they can brag about. Greet each customer as you would a friend—someone you are glad to speak with. Surprise and delight your customers with unexpected service such as a follow-up phone call or handwritten “thank you” note. A warm, friendly response to a complaint will exceed most customers’ expectations.

G = Generous

Look for opportunities to go the extra mile for your customers. Congratulate your customers on their achievements—when they’ve been appointed to a board, won an award, received a promotion, etc. Reward your loyal customers with a surprise “thank you” gift—a box of chocolates, gift card, calendar, etc. Be generous with your compliments about the way they’re dressed or their pleasant attitude. Learn their names and ask about their families. If you don’t have the item your customer wants, offer to find one at another location before he or she asks.

People are loyal to a business when they feel they’ve been treated well and received good value for their money. Customer service goes a long way toward pleasing customers on both counts.

C.A.R.I.N.G customer service means going out of your way for customers, doing everything possible to meet their needs, and sometimes making decisions that benefit customers, even at the expense of the company.

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You have permission to reprint any of my articles in your newspaper, magazine, trade publication, at your Web site or in your ezine. All I ask is that you use the entire article, my byline and this identifier paragraph:

Debra J. Schmidt, a.k.a. "The Loyalty Leader®", helps companies boost their profits by leading them to greater customer, employee and brand loyalty. To subscribe to Debra's free email newsletter visit: www.TheLoyaltyLeader.com

Are You a Possibility Thinker?

My first management position started out as a nightmare. I was a brand new employee for a mid-sized corporation and I inherited a team of eight talented employees who reported directly to me. They were pleasant enough but after two weeks on the job, I began to be filled with dread. Each day was full of interruptions as I dealt with a steady parade of employees marching into my office and complaining about some issue. Their complaints included the personality problems of other employees, technical problems, communication problems, computer failures and mail delivery. You name it...I heard about it.

It was driving me nuts. I started making inquiries about my predecessor in order to learn more about her management style. Other managers shared their impressions of her. "Very nice," they said. "Always willing to listen and always taking care of everyone."

The more I learned about her, the more I discovered that she had viewed her management role as that of a parent and psychotherapist for her employees. There was almost an atmosphere of co-dependency. Everybody was blaming everything and everyone else for their problems at work.

I needed to put a stop to the complaining and help my employees become a team of possibility thinkers. So I established a "solution only"policy. No employee was allowed to enter my office to complain about anything unless they had written down at least three possible solutions to the problem.

At first they were a little angry. Most of them had acquired the habit of dumping the problem on their manager's shoulder and letting the boss figure out the solution. But after awhile, everyone started to get the hang of it--including me.

My days became more productive because there were less interruptions. Before an employee strolled in to discuss a concern, they had to carefully think through the possible solutions and write them down. More often than not, they didn't even need to talk to me about it because once they came up with a solution, they also realized that they were able to implement it themselves.

Our staff meetings also became more dynamic. They were no longer boring reporting sessions. At each meeting, the team would identify a key issue that they wanted to get resolved. Then we would brainstorm all the possible solutions to that issue. Each employee took turns at facilitating the meetings. Creative ideas abounded.

When you have a whole team of possibility thinkers, there is a greater sense of ownership. Everyone becomes part of the solution. It creates a far more pleasant environment and reduces stress. Be patient, because possibility thinking does not come naturally to everyone but it can be learned.

Take this quick quiz to find out if you're a possibility thinker:

--Are you willing to begin a new project without being absolutely guaranteed of its success? --Will you start working on a new idea before you have every single fact?

--Do you concentrate on the ways something can be done instead of looking for reasons why it won't work?

--Are you inclined to accept a solution to a problem, even when you can't visualize it?

--Do you immediately point out the advantages of an idea before you point out the disadvantages?

--Are you open to doing old tasks in new ways?

--Do you ever accept a new idea even if you have already made other plans?

If you answered "yes" to these questions, congratulations--you are a possibility thinker and the sky's the limit.

If you answered "no" to these questions, you may be limiting your opportunity for personal success or the success of your team. You may also be making yourself unnecessarily unhappy.

Whether you're the boss or working for him or her, possibility thinking will enhance self-esteem, foster better work relations and improvec ommunication. Possibility thinkers resolve problems faster and make everyone's day more productive and enjoyable.

You'll find other tips related to possibility thinking in these special reports:

#3 "Workplace Dynamics: Co-Workers--Cooperation Builds Success"
#15 "How to Plan and Facilitate Productive Meetings"
#10 "How to Pave Your Road to Success With a Positive Attitude"
http://www.theloyaltyleader.com/special-reports.html

Thursday, September 08, 2005

Do You Work For A Loyalty-Focused Company?

How does the company for which you work measure up when it comes to building customer loyalty? Find out if your company is loyalty focused with this Loyalty Scorecard.

Give your company 5 points for every "True" answer.

1. Our company has clearly defined customer standards and they are frequently communicated to employees.

True or False

2. Our employees are empowered to take ownership and resolve customer problems by offering creative solutions.

True or False

3. Our employees understand that co-workers are their primary customers and that we are all part of a customer service chain.

True or False

4. The top managers in our company are required to participate in customer service training.

True or False

5. Employees in every department are held accountable for the same quality of customer service that is expected of front-line employees.

True or False

6. Employees are allowed to bend the rules whenever possible in order to meet the needs of our customers.

True or False

7. Employees are encouraged to follow up with every customer who had been angry, upset or had a complex service problem resolved.

True or False

8. Our employees can recommend a competitor when our company cannot provide the service or product that a customer has requested.

True or False

9. On performance reviews, employees are rewarded for excellent customer service skills.

True or False

10. Employees in our organization feel valued and appreciated.

True or False

11. Employees with positive attitudes are more likely to be recognized and promoted.

True or False

12. Rude or unpleasant employees are terminated after disciplinary measures fail to change their negative behavior towards customers and co-workers.

True or False

13. Employees are given frequent opportunities to grow professionally and personally through training programs offered in our organization.

True or False

14. Our CEO or president is visible and takes time to get to know employees at all levels of the company.

True or False

15. Great employee ideas on how to improve customer service are heard and implemented.

True or False

Scorecard Results--If your company scored:

55-75 Points--Congratulations, you work for a loyalty-focused company.

30-50 Points--The company is on its way to being loyalty focused, but there is significant opportunity for improvement.

0-25 Points--Your company may need to assess its service standards, offer additional training and review customer service accountabilityat all levels of the organization.

Customer loyalty is the responsibility of every employee within anorganization. It is earned by building positive relationships, one customer and co-worker at a time. It is a well-known fact that loyalty-focused companies outperform their competitors. Loyal customers are more pleasant to deal with. They purchase more products, refer new customers and are more forgiving when problems occur.



Achieving customer loyalty is easy when you understand customerexpectations and how you can surprise and delight them through friendly,fast and flexible service. You will learn how in "Achieving CustomerLoyalty." It is now available in video and DVD formats at: http://www.theloyaltyleader.com/customer-loyalty-box-seminar.html

You have permission to reprint any of my articles in your newspaper,magazine, trade publication, at your Web site or in your ezine. All Iask is that you use the entire article, my byline and this identifierparagraph:

Debra J. Schmidt, a.k.a. "The Loyalty Leader," helps companies boost their profits by leading them to greater customer, employee and brand loyalty. You can subscribe to Debra's free email newsletter packed with loyalty building tips at: http://www.theloyaltyleader.com/

Friday, September 02, 2005

What Do People Really Want From Their Jobs?

Managers and employees are often not in agreement about what they believe are the most important aspects of a job, especially as they relate to employee morale and satisfaction.

Rank the following based on which items you believe contribute most to good employee morale. Rank the items from 1-10, assigning 1 to the most important item, 2 to the second most important, etc. Use all 10 numbers.

-High Wages

-Job Security

-Promotion in the Company

-Good Working Conditions

-Interesting Work

-Personal Loyalty of Manager

-Tactful Discipline

-Full Appreciation of Work Done

-Help with Personal Problems

-Feeling of Being in on Things

You can compare your responses to the national average based on thousands of workers around the country.

When managers were asked to rank the importance of these items as they relate to employee responses, they ranked the items in this order:

1. High wages
2. Job security
3. Promotion in the company
4. Good working conditions
5. Interesting work
6. Personal loyalty of supervisor
7. Tactful discipline
8. Full appreciation of work done
9. Help with personal problems
10. Feeling of being in on things

When employees were given the same exercise and asked what affects their morale the most, their answers followed this pattern:

1. Full appreciation of work done
2. Feeling of being in on things
3. Help with personal problems
4. Job security
5. High wages
6. Interesting work
7. Promotion in the company
8. Personal loyalty of supervisor
9. Good working conditions
10. Tactful discipline

Note that the top three items marked by employees are the last three felt to be important by their managers!

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You have permission to reprint any of my articles in your newspaper, magazine, trade publication, at your Web site or in your ezine. All I ask is that you use the entire article, my byline and this identifier paragraph:

Debra J. Schmidt, a.k.a. "The Loyalty Leader®," helps companies boost their profits by leading them to greater customer, employee and brand loyalty. You can subscribe to Debra's free email newsletter packed with loyalty tips at: http://www.theloyaltyleader.com/

No Email Fridays

Email is a great productivity tool, right? Wrong! Email use is out of control. Employee relationships are breaking down because co-workers are avoiding face to face conversations and even phone conversations. They're hiding behind email.

The more email you send, the more you get. Employees everywhere are reporting that they are spending two hours per day dealing with email. Managers at one company in Liverpool, England estimates that its 6,000 employees send each other 40,000 messages a day.

Here are just a few of the negative consequences when co-workers send email instead of talking to one another:

-There is increased gossip and mistrust.

-Issues are not addressed and resolved quickly.

-Silos are formed creating an "us vs. them" work environment.

-Co-worker empathy decreases because employees are simply not getting to know each other.

-There is frequent miscommunication and misunderstanding.

Business leaders all over the world are concerned about email over-use and abuse and are taking a stand. "Never on Friday" is becoming a common theme where all internal email is banned every Friday.

You can establish a "no email" policy one day a week, even if your company doesn't establish an email ban.

-Meet with your co-workers face to face.

-Pick up the phone and call someone--a customer, co-worker or vendor.

-Get up and walk to another department to chat with members of the team with whom you deal.

-In sales? Get out to the field and meet with your customers.

Ironically, one executive sent an email to employees announcing the Friday email ban. He said he looked forward to not hearing from his employees but encouraged them to "stop by as often as they like!"

You could take the idea a step farther by introducing other "no technology" days such as no cell phones on Monday, no PDAs on Tuesday, no web surfing on Wednesdays and no memos on Thursday.

Imagine...people might actually start talking to each other again!

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You have permission to reprint any of my articles in your newspaper, magazine, trade publication, at your Web site or in your ezine. All I ask is that you use the entire article, my byline and this identifier paragraph:

Debra J. Schmidt, a.k.a. "The Loyalty Leader"®, helps companies boost their profits by leading them to greater customer, employee and brand loyalty. You can subscribe to Debra's free email newsletter packed with loyalty tips at: www.TheLoyaltyLeader.com

For more ideas on workplace manners, etiquette and building positive co-worker relationships, check out these special reports:

#3 "Workplace Dynamics: Co-Workers--Cooperation Builds Success"

#7 "Do's and Don'ts of Workplace Communications"#10 "How to Pave Your Road to Success With a Positive Attitude"

#14 "Email Etiquette for Business"

#15 "How to Plan and Facilitate Productive Meetings"

All are available at: http://www.theloyaltyleader.com/special-reports.html

Friday, August 19, 2005

Manners In The Workplace

Lack of manners are affecting employee morale, lowering productivity and generally making the workplace a less pleasant environment. This can have major implications when you consider how much time you spend at work. We owe it to our co-workers to treat them with respect and dignity.

Here are a few of the more common occurrences of bad manners in the workplace:

--Self-righteous or rude behavior toward co-workers who smoke. If someone's smoking is bothering you in a shared space such as a lunchroom, be honest and ask them politely to put out their cigarette. If it is the only area where employees are permitted to smoke, you may need to find an alternative place to eat your lunch.

Of course, smokers need to be considerate, too. If you know that your smoking is bothering someone or the smell of smoke on your clothes may be offensive to a co-worker, take steps to do your part in resolving those issues.

--Borrowing pens, staplers, tape and other items from a co-worker's desk without permission is bad manners. Taking items home is theft.

--Hugging, touching, nudging and backslapping are generally considered to be gestures that imply too much familiarity or intimacy. Many people consider them offensive.

--Addressing co-workers as "honey," "doll," "dear," "dude," or "buddy" send a message of condescension because these words are perceived by many as derogatory terms.

Here's what you can do to demonstrate good manners and create a more respectful environment:

--Say "please" and "thank you" frequently.

--Contribute your fair share to housekeeping duties, coffee funds, treats and gifts.

--Be respectful of your co-workers' time and personal space by not interrupting them while they are working.

--Don't discuss topics such as religion, health, politics or personal issues that have the potential for creating tension or making others feel uncomfortable.

--Don't view legitimate co-worker questions as interruptions but rather, view them as opportunities to be helpful and professional.

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You have permission to reprint any of my articles in your newspaper, magazine, trade publication, at your Web site or in your ezine. All I ask is that you use the entire article, my byline and this identifier paragraph:

Debra J. Schmidt, a.k.a. "The Loyalty Leader"®, helps companies boost their profits by leading them to greater customer, employee and brand loyalty. You can subscribe to Debra's free email newsletter packed with loyalty tips at: www.TheLoyaltyLeader.com

For more ideas on workplace manners, etiquette and building positiveco-worker relationships, check out these special reports:

#3 "Workplace Dynamics: Co-Workers--Cooperation Builds Success"

#7 "Do's and Don'ts of Workplace Communications"#10 "How to Pave Your Road to Success With a Positive Attitude"

#14 "Email Etiquette for Business"

#15 "How to Plan and Facilitate Productive Meetings"

All are available at:http://www.theloyaltyleader.com/special-reports.html