Serious About Service

It is fair to say that I, like many others, have my issues with the various educational systems that are circumnavigating the world. Try as they may to teach material that is timely and useful – and I know that they really do try – they are all stuck with the challenge that the world simply changes faster than you can adapt a curriculum. Ironically though, there are some issues which remain constant and which most schools simply choose to ignore – to the peril of their graduates. I am speaking of the human side of the equation, of the submerged emotions that every manager is faced with every day of their professional career. One of my challenges when bringing on new leaders is to try and bridge this gap as best I can, and one of the tools I use is a basket of questions. Continue Reading »

Today we enjoy a guest entry from Steven Jeffes, an Executive and Consultant with a successful history in the development and execution of world-class Marketing, Sales, Customer Service (CRM), Social Media and Business Development Programs across multiple industries and for numerous Fortune 500 companies.

Ever wonder why companies like ESPN, Apple, Google, Zynga, Amazon, and Marriott dominate their respective markets? The reason is that they are ‘Customer First’ organizations and are passionate about listening to, understanding and then delighting their customers based on leveraging true customer insights. They treat their customers as business partners vs. commodities and include them in many critical decision making processes. They get this new CRRM model. Why/how ? – Read the rest of this blog to find out…

http://stevenjeffes.wordpress.com/2012/03/18/blow-away-your-competition-by-replacing-your-old-crm-program-with-the-new-customer-relevant-relationship-management-crrm-model-part-2-the-necessary-components/

Recently, I attempted to purchase a train ticket from Heerbrugg to Mannheim.  I went to the local train station in Altstätten during the evening and indicated to the young lady behind the counter where I wanted to go and what time I would like to arrive.  In what appeared to be the wave of her hand, seconds literally, she had an itinerary on the counter.  I was suitably impressed.  The only problem was that her schedule left two hours earlier than the train schedule I had originally obtained from the Internet. Continue Reading »

I have a sister who is what I call Seriously Smart. Over the years she has collected several advanced degrees from a top ten university, typically graduating at the top of her class. Many years ago we were discussing what can help make people successful with their jobs and she told me her opinion on why she was always highly regarded by her management. What she told me fundamentally altered my view of what work meant.

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Many decades ago, there was a cartoon character on television known as Dudley Do Right. Dudley was an affable fellow who spent his days attempting to be an upstanding Canadian Mountie, always thinking he was doing the right thing when in reality he never came close. As the screenwriters felt his life should be destined, there was a fundamental flaw in his perceptive abilities and he never could see the forest for the trees.  In modern business parlance I guess I would say he lived his life on the “Micro” and could never see the “Macro”. Continue Reading »

Several years ago I met a fellow who after ten years of dedication to his religious ideals decided to “take things to a higher level” and study in preparation for priesthood.  Unfortunately, it was through his studies that his passion for his religion suffered.  It seems that a great deal of his religious education focused more on the business of running a church than doing what he felt was worthwhile work for his community.  The business of religion helped dampen his religious faith.  As I thought about the situation it dawned on me that as much as there is the “Business of Religion”, there is also the “Religion of Business”. Continue Reading »

If you were to make a short list of the most significant business and political leaders of your life, who would it include?  Would it be something like – Martin Luther King, John F Kennedy, Nelson Mandela, Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, Steve Jobs, Larry Ellis, Brin & Page, Bono, Jack Welch, Martha Stewart, Ronald Reagan, George Patton?

Each of these individuals is unique in their own right, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, their own unique abilities and incompetence.    What runs common through them is best illustrated by the title of a book by Mike Wilson – “The Difference Between God and Larry Ellison: *God Doesn’t Think He’s Larry Ellison”. Continue Reading »

Regardless of our alleged intelligence, our wealth, or our social prowess, there is something about the human condition that makes people vulnerable to addictive and damaging behavior.  Be it alcoholism, addiction to smoking, drug addiction, gambling addiction, food addiction, addiction to video games, addiction to the Internet or television, addiction to sex, addiction to shopping, or addiction to work, we seem to be a race of creatures with a weakness for things that hurt us when taken in volume.

Now, welcome to chaos addiction.
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Lori Jo Vest and Marilyn Suttle are launching the “Who’s Your Gladys?” video series of customer service “quick tips” TODAY. These quick video clips are ideal for staff meeting openers, weekly mini-courses or tools for reinforcing an already great customer service culture.

Their book, called “Who’s Your Gladys? How to Turn Even the Most Difficult customer into Your Biggest Fan,” is on stores shelves and online resellers now and it can help you solve customer service problems with finesse.

PLUS – Marilyn and Lori are offering a special bonus for people who buy their bestselling book “Who’s Your Gladys?” TODAY.  Ten lucky book buyers will be chosen – through a random drawing – to receive a one-hour consultation with Marilyn and Lori. You can visit the video launch page to learn more about this special offer at www.whosyourgladys.tv.

A few weeks ago our family was deciding what movie to watch on television for the night.  The choice boiled down to Ice Age 2, which my children love, and The Princess Bride, one of my favourite flicks.  I am sure it is no great surprise to say that, backed by the influences of their mother, the children won out and I will have to find some other way to satisfy my awakened “The Princess Bride hunger”.  While I think the film as a whole was enjoyable, I don’t think that I am all that unique when I say that it is a certain scene that I enjoy which makes the film most worth watching. Continue Reading »