Years ago my former boss told me that the easiest way to break the ice at networking meetings and cocktail parties was to have a question to ask. Sounded like a good idea, since I found myself shy in those situations. For years, “What makes your customers happy?” was the question I asked. I heard…
Happiness is serious business. Studies by Gallup tell us that US companies lose $600 billion worth of productivity ever year due to employee disengagement. And, I’d venture to say employee unhappiness. While engagement and happiness are two different things, one of the paths to happiness is engagement. Engaged employees are more likely to…
Do you ever wonder if you feel the same way about your job as people in another company feels about theirs? I can remember a time when the PR about the company I worked for was so good that the truth about some people’s experience there (like middle managers) was kept quietly in the…
Want to Flourish and Thrive in Tough Times? While it may still be challenging to seek significant increases in financial capital, it’s a great time to build up your psychological capital. The field of Positive Psychology, which explores how individuals can flourish and organizations thrive, is contributing more and more data to the case for…
It’s hard to be one of the best – it’s hard to be great. It takes real effort to be a Nordstrom, a Container Store, a Whole Foods or a Southwest Airlines. It takes focus, commitment and discipline to craft a culture that yields consistently positive customer experiences — and consistently profitable returns.
There’s no doubt about it; customer loyalty is key to profitability. A mere five percent increase in your customer retention could as much as double your bottom line profits! On the flip side, it costs anywhere from 6-30 times more to get new customers than it does to keep the ones you have – that is, if they’ll stay!
I just returned from speaking at another Inc. Magazine Conference on Customer Service Strategies. I enjoyed three days of learning and networking with some of the best and the brightest minds in the field, and in the entrepreneurial community. There was one thing in particular that was so rewarding for me this year. The absolute recognition and affirmation in almost every session that I attended that without creating an environment where the workers feel valued and good about coming to work, you cannot even hope to deliver a level of service that will build true customer loyalty.
One recurring theme is dealing positively with conflict. I thought I’d tackle that topic today since I was recently challenged myself to do just that. Here are 12 ways to deal more skillfully and positively with conflict. Adopt a Win/Win intention. We live in a competitive culture. We want to “win,” but in the competitive…
What’s better than a mission? A cause! Employees at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center decided to raise awareness for Breast Cancer by donning pink gloves and doing a dance. They had a ton of fun doing it (that’s obvious) and it brought the whole organization together in a whole new way. Over 200 people…
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