The Easy Answer Newsletter 

Volume 7, Issue 2 November 15, 2006

In this edition of the Easy Answer II, you'll find...

* Just a Thought or Two 

* Is Your Good Name Good Enough?

* Comments From the Audience

* Becky’s Famous ~ Almost

* Hearing The Tough Stuff

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Just a thought or two... 

“The leadership instinct you are born with is the backbone. Over time, you develop the funny bone and the wishbone that go with it.” - Elaine Agather

"The deepest craving of human nature is the need to be appreciated."
         - William James

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Is Your Good Name Good Enough?

You work really hard and make a name for yourself. Your company has recognition within your community and your product is considered a necessity. You have arrived! Now it’s time to let others take the ball and run with it. Your hard work will stand the test of time. Right?

Well, consider the case of McDonald’s. Everybody knows it. Everybody wants it. You know it is always the same. Can a McDonald’s fail?

When traveling on Interstate 26 between Greenville and Columbia, SC, Exit 91 is my usual pit stop. While I make every effort to drink lots of water, I have been known to occasionally treat myself to a McDonald’s Coke®. I love McDonald’s Coke! It’s better than any other Coke. I can’t explain it. It just is.

I have stopped at the same McDonald’s at 5am, 9am, 11:30am, 2pm, 9pm, even used the drive-through after midnight. I have seen it all. The good, the bad and the ugly. Wait a minute…isn’t it always the same?

In this McDonald’s, the first thing you notice is trash on the floor. It doesn’t matter the time of day, the dining area is filthy. The “facilities” are worse. Follow the reasoning, if you can. Put in hot air hand dryers to save on paper cost and waste. Turn off the heat to save on electricity. Take bets on how long people will stand at the air dryers before noticing their hands are not drying. Wonder why the cost of other paper products are skyrocketing.

The staff, never a familiar face, shout back and forth to each other about anything except an order. They stand in threesomes, waiting to see who will give in and acknowledge the customer first. They take orders and make change without saying a word. A raised eyebrow prompts the customer to speak. Will this McDonald’s fail?

How about your business? When customers, members, patrons or patients come in looking for your product or service, which they have defined as a necessity, what do they notice? Are you prepared for them?

Have a place for everything and everything in its place. Prior to my presentations on customer service, I toured four locations of Carolina International Trucks and Idealease. The areas where 18-wheel trucks were inspected and serviced immediately put their customers at ease. When everything is in its place, the job is completed faster and the customer is back on the highway sooner. Time is money.

Can you remember when the nurse was supposed to draw blood and opened every draw before finding what she was looking for? Remember your anxiety rising? Wouldn’t a little organization have been helpful? Time is comforting.

The same logic applies to your car. You are representing the company. What kind of impression would you make, if the client met you in the parking lot and said, “You drive.”?

Take pride in your work station. Are the documents, instruments, or tools of your trade easily accessible? If customers have to sign anything, do you have a pen? Does it work? Is the clutter at a minimum? I am a huge fan of personalizing workspaces, however, twenty pictures, five stuffed animals, and four coffee mugs are not necessary.

Don’t be penny wise and pound foolish. Everyone looks to cut expenses in order to maximize profit. Making it difficult for the customer to do business with you does not enhance the bottom line.

Mama worked for a community bank that was merged into a national bank. The first item of business was to decrease the size of the staff. The decision was based on asset size, not lobby volume or transaction type. The community customers were accustomed to a service level that allowed them to transact business during their lunch hour. Now with a teller staff of three, and one of them at lunch, customers were met by two tellers and long lines, during a time when they were rushed. People express their displeasure with their feet and they take their money with them. Pound foolish.

I offer my clients a toll-free phone number through which to reach me. When Scott’s company moved us three times in three years, my business suffered. Potential clients, with my business card in hand, could no longer find me. Lesson learned. An 800 number followed me through two additional moves and so did the clients. I still count pennies and I confess to a little irritation, when I notice a salesman called my 800 number and had me pay for his pitch. However, if offering the number made it easier for a client to reconnect after five years or a potential client to find me, it’s money well spent.

The same applies to the web site. When you’re serious about your business, you’ll be serious about a quality web site. You can’t wait until it is perfect, though. Any poor web site will beat your no web site every time.

Educate, inspire and empower your staff to absolutely delight your customers. Remember interviews? You were looking for self-starters and self-motivated individuals. You promised to give them the tools they needed to do their jobs. They’ve read the manuals. They are familiar with the product line. They know the computer keystrokes. They are chomping at the bits to get out of the gate. You have to open the door.

When your crew is excited about a sale, the energy is transferred to your customers. Most of us work in some pretty competitive environments. When someone is doing well, we all want to do well. Imagine how you could live out a motto such as, “You’ll be glad to know that we are excited about earning your business!”

No matter the position, a teller, a call center supervisor, a custodian, an IT professional, a mechanic, a nurse practitioner, a receptionist, a lender, a librarian, an administrator, a student, a service writer, when they are ready to do their jobs, don’t stand in the way. I know! You can do everything. But you can’t DO EVERYTHING! Prepare others to take your good name and make it better.
 

“Becky is great. By using her life situations, she is able to bring her message to light!”
Cynthia Alvarado, Executive Assistant, Austin, TX

“WOW! I am inspired by your stories.”
Marci Rulon, CEO, Albuquerque, NM

Becky’s Famous ~ Almost!

Many of you have asked when I’m going to be in your area. Here’s the schedule for the next couple of months. Let me know if I can swing by and help you in any way.

In the next months, Becky is scheduled for

Oct 6     Montana Credit Union Network Butte, MT
Oct 9     A+ Federal Credit Union Austin, TX
Oct 10   North Dakotas Bankers Association Fargo, ND
Oct 11   North Dakotas Bankers Association Devils Lake, ND
Oct 12   North Dakotas Bankers Association Minot, ND
Oct 23   Credit Union Call Center Conference Las Vegas, NV
Oct 28   Cleveland/Bradley County Teachers FCU Gatlinburg, TN
Nov 1    Maryland Bankers Association Ellicott City, MD
Nov 10 – 11 NSA/Carolinas Speakers School Charlotte, NC
Nov 14  SC Association of Higher Continuing Education Greenville, SC
Nov 17 – 19 Camp NSA (for incoming Chapter Presidents) Tempe, AZ
Dec 4    Clemson University Conference for Women Asheville, NC
Dec 6    CSRA Federal Credit Union Augusta, GA

“Becky was infectious and a joy to listen to. She made networking seem more fun and less intimidating.”
Ben Graves, Project Manager, Fort Wayne, IN

“This was the best ever! Becky was funny, interesting, and most importantly, the most knowledgeable.”
Missi Jones, Member Care Manager, Tuscaloosa, AL
 

Hearing The Tough Stuff

Is there a task or requirement of your job that you absolutely love to do? You know you are good at it. You receive praise and recognition for getting this done. You know the impact it has on others.

Is there a task or requirement that you hate? Is someone else better at it? Maybe you don't see why it matters? Sometimes you don't like doing it because you know nobody wants to hear it.

Recently, I was asked to present a program on professional image. I've done this a dozen times. I have never liked it. Oh, the evaluations are good and I get lots of compliments, but there is no way to talk frankly about mistakes we make without hurting someone's feelings.

When I mention the worst mistake women can make is wearing too much makeup, there is always someone in the audience who applies the same makeup for work that she does for the theater. When I say the second worst mistake women can make is wearing no makeup, there is always someone sitting front row center wearing no makeup. I can't get around it.

I don't say this to hurt anyone. Granny always said, "You can't fix what you don't know is broken." If you want to put your best foot forward, you'd better shine your shoes first.

Years ago, my CEO asked me to speak to the accounting manager about her attire. This woman did not report to me and had no reason to care about what I thought of the way she dressed. She had landed this good job right out of college and she thought she had arrived. The CEO's observation was that she was still dressing like she was in college.

So for those who didn't sign their evaluations in Maryland this month, (okay so they didn't sign up for the eZine either), I'm sorry you felt self-conscious as I talked about hair, makeup, proper fits, and piercings. I heard you when you said that just because I said it didn't make it correct. And I understand that you have a life outside the office.

Did you hear me? I said that you can do whatever you want to do, just do it on purpose. Don't complain about the missed opportunities, lost promotions, or others not taking you seriously. If you dress like you're ready for a ball game or grocery shopping, do it on purpose.

Remember the advice of the Dalai Lama. "Learn the rules, so you know how to break them properly."
 

It is my pleasure to inspire and instruct.
Please let me know how I can help you.