Thank you visiting my blog Customer Service That Astonishes -- however the feed you are looking for has been moved.
To view this blog, please click here. For additional information please email: bill@billhogg.ca
Cheers!
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
Happy Holidays
I will not be posting until w/o January 5 so I can spend some well deserved time off with my family and friends during the holiday season.
But I wanted to wish everyone a wonderful holiday season and a healthy and prosperous new year. Til 2009 -- Best Wishes!
Cheers!
Bill's passion is improving business results by working with leadership teams to change employee behaviours. He does this by equipping leaders with the principles, processes and tools to cultivate an engaged customer-focused culture.
As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/
But I wanted to wish everyone a wonderful holiday season and a healthy and prosperous new year. Til 2009 -- Best Wishes!
Cheers!
Bill's passion is improving business results by working with leadership teams to change employee behaviours. He does this by equipping leaders with the principles, processes and tools to cultivate an engaged customer-focused culture.
As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Are You Maximizing Your Benefits?
Most organizations have put considerable time and money into developing a benefits package that is a positive for their employees. Rightly, they expect that these benefits will contribute to a positive work environment and overall engagement.
However, Andy Philpott of Accor Services (one of the UK's leading providers of employee benefits, rewards and loyalty services), reports that in a recent study they conducted of rewards, benefits and employee engagement that only one-third of employers (33%) believed staff understand what benefits are available.
More concerning is that just one in five employees (21%) claim to have a good understanding of the value of the benefits available and one in 10 admit they have no clue about the value of these benefits.
Employees also seemed unsure whether their pay, benefits and incentives packages were competitive when compared with people doing similar jobs in similar organisations. Only 33% felt their company was competitive on pay, 25% on benefits and just 17% felt their organisation offered competitive incentives.
It is critical that we communicate the value of our benefits package effectively to staff. Successful communication is an foundational element in building employee engagement and the resulting performance, motivation and productivity benefits are not maximized if people are unaware of what the benefits are.
Cheers!
Bill's passion is improving business results by working with leadership teams to change employee behaviours. He does this by equipping leaders with the principles, processes and tools to cultivate an engaged customer-focused culture.
As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/
However, Andy Philpott of Accor Services (one of the UK's leading providers of employee benefits, rewards and loyalty services), reports that in a recent study they conducted of rewards, benefits and employee engagement that only one-third of employers (33%) believed staff understand what benefits are available.
More concerning is that just one in five employees (21%) claim to have a good understanding of the value of the benefits available and one in 10 admit they have no clue about the value of these benefits.
Employees also seemed unsure whether their pay, benefits and incentives packages were competitive when compared with people doing similar jobs in similar organisations. Only 33% felt their company was competitive on pay, 25% on benefits and just 17% felt their organisation offered competitive incentives.
It is critical that we communicate the value of our benefits package effectively to staff. Successful communication is an foundational element in building employee engagement and the resulting performance, motivation and productivity benefits are not maximized if people are unaware of what the benefits are.
Cheers!
Bill's passion is improving business results by working with leadership teams to change employee behaviours. He does this by equipping leaders with the principles, processes and tools to cultivate an engaged customer-focused culture.
As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/
Monday, December 15, 2008
Will price beat service?
Like many retailers Abercrombie & Fitch Co. suffered dismal November sales results. However, unlike many of their rivals they have made a fundamental decision not to aggressively lower prices -- deciding instead to try and maintain the equity of their brand.
So if they don't match on price, what will be the draw to the customer? Have they built enough equity to survive the downturn? Has their brand experience built enough customer loyalty to keep them coming back? Time will tell.
It will be interesting to see what A&F does as the recession continues. Will they be able to maintain the profitability based on less sales at higher prices or will they succumb to the price war? Stay tuned.
Cheers!
Bill's passion is improving business results by working with leadership teams to change employee behaviours. He does this by equipping leaders with the principles, processes and tools to cultivate an engaged customer-focused culture.
As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of employee engagement and a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/
So if they don't match on price, what will be the draw to the customer? Have they built enough equity to survive the downturn? Has their brand experience built enough customer loyalty to keep them coming back? Time will tell.
It will be interesting to see what A&F does as the recession continues. Will they be able to maintain the profitability based on less sales at higher prices or will they succumb to the price war? Stay tuned.
Cheers!
Bill's passion is improving business results by working with leadership teams to change employee behaviours. He does this by equipping leaders with the principles, processes and tools to cultivate an engaged customer-focused culture.
As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of employee engagement and a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/
Friday, December 12, 2008
Direct Marketers
Direct marketers have long had the ability to test different messages and offers to determine what pulls the strongest and converts more purchases. More recently ecommerce has provided the same direct correlation between copy/offer and purchase. So who better to link financial gain to emotional connections?
A recent article in E-Commerce News speaks to exactly that point. Their focus is on the new technologies that are available to help companies get at the emotional drivers that affect purchase and loyalty. In the direct to consumer world, what works is easily tested, improved and refined. Their take on the power of an emotional connection or experience is summed up nicely in this quote.
"When you go beyond price, quality and service to focus on the heart or emotional aspect of customer relationships, you will create more engaged customers. When this happens, you will begin to enjoy all the rewards that engaged customers offer a business, including a greater share of their wallets, more positive referrals, less inclination to leave the business relationship, more useful feedback, etc."
I couldn't have said it better myself.
Cheers!
Bill's passion is improving business results by working with leadership teams to change employee behaviours. He does this by equipping leaders with the principles, processes and tools to cultivate an engaged customer-focused culture.
As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/
A recent article in E-Commerce News speaks to exactly that point. Their focus is on the new technologies that are available to help companies get at the emotional drivers that affect purchase and loyalty. In the direct to consumer world, what works is easily tested, improved and refined. Their take on the power of an emotional connection or experience is summed up nicely in this quote.
"When you go beyond price, quality and service to focus on the heart or emotional aspect of customer relationships, you will create more engaged customers. When this happens, you will begin to enjoy all the rewards that engaged customers offer a business, including a greater share of their wallets, more positive referrals, less inclination to leave the business relationship, more useful feedback, etc."
I couldn't have said it better myself.
Cheers!
Bill's passion is improving business results by working with leadership teams to change employee behaviours. He does this by equipping leaders with the principles, processes and tools to cultivate an engaged customer-focused culture.
As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/
Monday, December 8, 2008
What makes Customers Happy?
I recently read an article about online shopping and what it takes to make customers happy. The results indicated that the experience needs to be individualized, personalized, and centered around the customer.
There are some technology barriers to making this happen online, but we have no excuse on the phone or face to face.
Regardless of what we know in advance about the customer, our attitude and behaviour can accomplish these desired outcomes.
Cheers!
Bill's passion is improving business results by working with leadership teams to change employee behaviours. He does this by equipping leaders with the principles, processes and tools to cultivate an engaged customer-focused culture.
As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/
There are some technology barriers to making this happen online, but we have no excuse on the phone or face to face.
Regardless of what we know in advance about the customer, our attitude and behaviour can accomplish these desired outcomes.
Cheers!
Bill's passion is improving business results by working with leadership teams to change employee behaviours. He does this by equipping leaders with the principles, processes and tools to cultivate an engaged customer-focused culture.
As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
The new old rules of engagement
Not that we need to say it again, but more recent research confirms that increasing employee engagement increases performance. Most boardrooms see employee engagement as a key priority for the future and investment in engagement is set to grow -- even in the current economic environment.
This is a key finding of a comprehensive study of engagement practice undertaken in the UK, commissioned by employee engagement consultancy, Engage Group.
The survey of nearly 23,600 directors, managers and employees, conducted during October 2008 , reveals that effective engagement can demonstrably improve an organisation's performance.
A high level of employee engagement is one of the top three drivers of an organisation's performance, and nearly a third of the UK's senior leaders see a fully-engaged workforce as one of the most critical factors in their organisation's success.
Key findings from the report are as follows;
- Effective engagement can demonstrably improve an organisation’s performance
- Most boardrooms see engagement as a key priority for the future and net investment in engagement is set to grow, even in the current economic environment
- Despite growing board support for engagement, most employees still feel disengaged from their organisation – board buy-in has not yet, according to employees, been translated into action
- ‘New world’ aspects of engagement, particularly the appetite and ability of leaders at every level to share power and engage people in decision-making, emerge as powerful new elements of engagement
- Delivering on the ‘new engagement agenda’ will result in more engaged employees, more committed customers and faster growth
- Forceful ‘command & control’ styles of leadership have little, no or even a negative impact on engagement and performance levels – less than 40% of employees view their leader(s) as effective
- Employee satisfaction, the oldest assumed element of employee engagement, sinks near the bottom of the list of influential factors
- Internal measurement lags behind external measures of performance – only 28% of board members claim to use robust internal measures of employee engagement
- This study confirms an earlier thesis, the outcome of an extensive research programme carried out in partnership with McKinsey & Company, that the drivers of employee engagement are steadily shifting towards a new inclusiveness
For those of us who live in the world of employee engagement this comes as no surprise, but for those clients who are still struggling to find the time, money or motivation, maybe this will help.
You can download a complete copy of the full report at Engage Group.
Cheers!
Bill's passion is improving business results by working with leadership teams to change employee behaviours. He does this by equipping leaders with the principles, processes and tools to cultivate an engaged customer-focused culture.
As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
All I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten
Robert Fulghum is the author of All I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. As his title suggests, his basic premise is that what we learned everything important that we need to be a success in business and in life in kindergarten.
But let's make another comparison. How about all we need to learn about employee engagement we learned by observing kindergarten.
Think about your early days in school. Were you excited about going, learning, playing, meeting new people, and having new experiences? I suspect many of us were. When thinking back about our school days, our early grades were some of the most fun and also where we learned the most of our basic skills (i.e. the 3 R's).
So what happened as we got older and started to be less interested in school? What was the difference?
For the sake of discussion, I would propose were were less engaged because the learning environment became less about the student exploring, working together and more about the teachers dictating what we needed to know and lecturing about the subjects. Much less interactive.
Of course, we all had a great teachers in high school. But if you look at what made them great it was often the way they engaged the class versus simply "teaching" the material.
I think there is a lesson here. How can we take the best from kindergarten and incorporate it into our work environment? How do we re-inspire people to learn and grow based on the culture we set up?
What did we learn from our experience in kindergarten that we have forgotten?
Cheers!
Bill's passion is improving business results by working with leadership teams to change employee behaviours. He does this by equipping leaders with the principles, processes and tools to cultivate an engaged customer-focused culture.
As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/
But let's make another comparison. How about all we need to learn about employee engagement we learned by observing kindergarten.
Think about your early days in school. Were you excited about going, learning, playing, meeting new people, and having new experiences? I suspect many of us were. When thinking back about our school days, our early grades were some of the most fun and also where we learned the most of our basic skills (i.e. the 3 R's).
So what happened as we got older and started to be less interested in school? What was the difference?
For the sake of discussion, I would propose were were less engaged because the learning environment became less about the student exploring, working together and more about the teachers dictating what we needed to know and lecturing about the subjects. Much less interactive.
Of course, we all had a great teachers in high school. But if you look at what made them great it was often the way they engaged the class versus simply "teaching" the material.
I think there is a lesson here. How can we take the best from kindergarten and incorporate it into our work environment? How do we re-inspire people to learn and grow based on the culture we set up?
What did we learn from our experience in kindergarten that we have forgotten?
Cheers!
Bill's passion is improving business results by working with leadership teams to change employee behaviours. He does this by equipping leaders with the principles, processes and tools to cultivate an engaged customer-focused culture.
As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/
Thursday, November 27, 2008
C-level or bust!
As we reflect on the importance of customer service in the current economic client, I recently read a blog by Management Consultant John Maven (ex P&G, Clorox) about the core competencies of the CEO. You can read the full post here, but I thought it was interesting that he felt that of the 10 competencies, 3 of them were linked to the customer-focus of the organization. He writes;
Vision - The CEO, possibly with the help of his executive team, creates and communicates a compelling and inspired sense of core purpose. This is based on the vision of the future, not the reality of today.
Culture – The CEO is responsible for creating and maintaining the desired culture and environment. If vision is where the company is going, culture and values tell how the company gets there. Values outline acceptable behavior. Work gets done through people, and people are profoundly affected by culture. Culture is built in many ways, and the CEO sets the tone. His every action—or inaction—sends cultural messages.
Customer focus - CEOs have a clear understanding of customers' needs, preferences, interests, timelines and decision-making criteria. Focusing on meeting those needs and doing so profitably means success for both the company and the customer. Long-term customer satisfaction builds loyal, repeat customers
Yet in spite of the fact that everyone is talking about it, we seem to constantly struggle with getting it right. I maintain that it is because too many CEO's do not have competencies in the area of customer-focus as demonstrated by the poor service we receive and the opportunities that abound even in these economic conditions for those who do.
So let's make sure we have the direct endorsement of the C-level if we expect a true customer-focus.
Cheers!
Bill's passion is improving business results by working with leadership teams to change employee behaviours. He does this by equipping leaders with the principles, processes and tools to cultivate an engaged customer-focused culture.
As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/
Vision - The CEO, possibly with the help of his executive team, creates and communicates a compelling and inspired sense of core purpose. This is based on the vision of the future, not the reality of today.
Culture – The CEO is responsible for creating and maintaining the desired culture and environment. If vision is where the company is going, culture and values tell how the company gets there. Values outline acceptable behavior. Work gets done through people, and people are profoundly affected by culture. Culture is built in many ways, and the CEO sets the tone. His every action—or inaction—sends cultural messages.
Customer focus - CEOs have a clear understanding of customers' needs, preferences, interests, timelines and decision-making criteria. Focusing on meeting those needs and doing so profitably means success for both the company and the customer. Long-term customer satisfaction builds loyal, repeat customers
Yet in spite of the fact that everyone is talking about it, we seem to constantly struggle with getting it right. I maintain that it is because too many CEO's do not have competencies in the area of customer-focus as demonstrated by the poor service we receive and the opportunities that abound even in these economic conditions for those who do.
So let's make sure we have the direct endorsement of the C-level if we expect a true customer-focus.
Cheers!
Bill's passion is improving business results by working with leadership teams to change employee behaviours. He does this by equipping leaders with the principles, processes and tools to cultivate an engaged customer-focused culture.
As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/
Sunday, November 23, 2008
What about internal customer service?
We spend a lot of time talking about customer service and how companies must focus on the needs of the customer. Usually we share lots of examples of customer facing people either failing or succeeding to demonstrate the need for this important value.
BUT WHAT ABOUT INTERNAL CUSTOMERS.
All too often the folks who do not face the end customer fail to recognize they also play a critical role in delivering excellent customer service to each other. They fail to recognize -- or be held accountable -- that their support of the customer facing personnel can make or break the relationship. They fail to recognize that they also have customers -- they are internal customers.
For example, I just got off a plane from Toronto to Washington enroute to a client meeting. The plan loaded on time, the boarding personal were efficient and we were all ready to go on time. But then we waited -- 1 hour!
The reason was -- as explained very nicely by both the captain and the flight attendant -- the baggage was not loaded to safety standards so it had be be removed and reloaded. I actually watched this process take place out my window. I assure you that the ground crew did not appear to be in any rush.
I fortunately made my connecting flight, but I cannot speak for other passengers who arrived 1 hour behind schedule.
The key thing is that no amount of positive customer service by the Flight Crew could fix this issue. Yet they received the brunt of the complaints -- which they handled professionally and with great empathy.
Problem was they were completely at the mercy of the baggage crew. Surely one must assume they had been trained how to load baggage -- yet they didn't do it correctly. But what were their consequences?
How often do we leave our own front line people without the support they need to do their jobs well. Do we have the same type of customer satisfaction rating for the people who support them? Are those support people also measured based on customer satisfaction? If not, they should be, because they are often the foundation on which to build a business. And if the foundation is weak -- well you know!
Something to think about.
Cheers!
Bill's passion is improving business results by working with leadership teams to change employee behaviours. He does this by equipping leaders with the principles, processes and tools to cultivate an engaged customer-focused culture.
As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/
BUT WHAT ABOUT INTERNAL CUSTOMERS.
All too often the folks who do not face the end customer fail to recognize they also play a critical role in delivering excellent customer service to each other. They fail to recognize -- or be held accountable -- that their support of the customer facing personnel can make or break the relationship. They fail to recognize that they also have customers -- they are internal customers.
For example, I just got off a plane from Toronto to Washington enroute to a client meeting. The plan loaded on time, the boarding personal were efficient and we were all ready to go on time. But then we waited -- 1 hour!
The reason was -- as explained very nicely by both the captain and the flight attendant -- the baggage was not loaded to safety standards so it had be be removed and reloaded. I actually watched this process take place out my window. I assure you that the ground crew did not appear to be in any rush.
I fortunately made my connecting flight, but I cannot speak for other passengers who arrived 1 hour behind schedule.
The key thing is that no amount of positive customer service by the Flight Crew could fix this issue. Yet they received the brunt of the complaints -- which they handled professionally and with great empathy.
Problem was they were completely at the mercy of the baggage crew. Surely one must assume they had been trained how to load baggage -- yet they didn't do it correctly. But what were their consequences?
How often do we leave our own front line people without the support they need to do their jobs well. Do we have the same type of customer satisfaction rating for the people who support them? Are those support people also measured based on customer satisfaction? If not, they should be, because they are often the foundation on which to build a business. And if the foundation is weak -- well you know!
Something to think about.
Cheers!
Bill's passion is improving business results by working with leadership teams to change employee behaviours. He does this by equipping leaders with the principles, processes and tools to cultivate an engaged customer-focused culture.
As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/
Customer Service equals Trust
A recent study of UK banks by Grassroots indicates that the level of trust a customer feels for banks is a direct result of the quality of service provided.
Banks achieving a higher overall service score achieved significantly higher ratings of trust when compared to banks with a lower overall service score.
Some key findings of the study include:
Cheers!
Bill's passion is improving business results by working with leadership teams to change employee behaviours. He does this by equipping leaders with the principles, processes and tools to cultivate an engaged customer-focused culture.
As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/
Banks achieving a higher overall service score achieved significantly higher ratings of trust when compared to banks with a lower overall service score.
Some key findings of the study include:
- 60% of staff failed to offer to open an account. Of these 40% would have done so there and then if they had only been asked.
- Establishing the customer’s requirements is critical. Only two thirds of staff asked how much the customer had to invest.
- Just one in five customers rated staff as having excellent product knowledge. This is a key differentiator when there are fewer customers around.
- Only 64% of staff made an excellent first impression with survey participants – still a 5% increase on the results from the 2005 survey.
Cheers!
Bill's passion is improving business results by working with leadership teams to change employee behaviours. He does this by equipping leaders with the principles, processes and tools to cultivate an engaged customer-focused culture.
As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Hire for Character not competence
Hiring properly is one of the keys to engaged employees -- making sure that the people you hire are the kind of people you want as part of your team.
I recently went to the hardware store looking for a part for a door. The first person pointed me in the right direction - no luck. I asked a second person who directed me to a third person who directed me to a fourth person.
Finally the fourth person took me directly to the appropriate section and then when they were also unable to find the correct part, looked on the computer to find it.
Everyone one in this chain had the "competence" of knowing where to look, but only 1 person had the "character" to make the time to take me there.
At Pret a Manger, they hire happy people and teach them how to make sandwiches versus trying to teach people who know how to make sandwiches how to be happy.
Be clear on the character you want and then make sure your hiring practices build in the behavioural requirements.
Cheers!
Bill's passion is improving business results by working with leadership teams to change employee behaviours. He does this by equipping leaders with the principles, processes and tools to cultivate an engaged customer-focused culture.
As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/
I recently went to the hardware store looking for a part for a door. The first person pointed me in the right direction - no luck. I asked a second person who directed me to a third person who directed me to a fourth person.
Finally the fourth person took me directly to the appropriate section and then when they were also unable to find the correct part, looked on the computer to find it.
Everyone one in this chain had the "competence" of knowing where to look, but only 1 person had the "character" to make the time to take me there.
At Pret a Manger, they hire happy people and teach them how to make sandwiches versus trying to teach people who know how to make sandwiches how to be happy.
Be clear on the character you want and then make sure your hiring practices build in the behavioural requirements.
Cheers!
Bill's passion is improving business results by working with leadership teams to change employee behaviours. He does this by equipping leaders with the principles, processes and tools to cultivate an engaged customer-focused culture.
As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/
Thursday, November 13, 2008
No need for cutbacks in Employee Engagement
The 2008 Hewitt Best Employers in Australia and New Zealand were announced recently and there were a couple insights worth mentioning.
Not surprisingly study insights show a clear link between levels of employee engagement and virtually every measure of company performance. For example, Best Employers generated an average of 1-1/2 times more revenue and 2-1/2 times more profit per employee than the lower ranked organisations.
According to David Brown, market manager of Hewitt Australia and New Zealand: "The factors that drive employee engagement are a direct reflection on our changing social landscape. There are some universal factors that we see coming up again and again from year to year, such as;
Given the current economic climate, no company can absorb these additional costs as a result of cuts that negatively impact employee engagement.
Cheers!
Bill's passion is improving business results by working with leadership teams to change employee behaviours. He does this by equipping leaders with the principles, processes and tools to cultivate an engaged customer-focused culture.
As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/
Not surprisingly study insights show a clear link between levels of employee engagement and virtually every measure of company performance. For example, Best Employers generated an average of 1-1/2 times more revenue and 2-1/2 times more profit per employee than the lower ranked organisations.
According to David Brown, market manager of Hewitt Australia and New Zealand: "The factors that drive employee engagement are a direct reflection on our changing social landscape. There are some universal factors that we see coming up again and again from year to year, such as;
- career opportunities,
- recognition for work successes, and
- feeling that one's work makes a contribution.
- building a company culture that fosters productivity by 'walking the talk' and having company values that align with employees' personal values;
- having middle managers who understand and support business strategies; and
- building a diverse workforce."
Given the current economic climate, no company can absorb these additional costs as a result of cuts that negatively impact employee engagement.
Cheers!
Bill's passion is improving business results by working with leadership teams to change employee behaviours. He does this by equipping leaders with the principles, processes and tools to cultivate an engaged customer-focused culture.
As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/
Sunday, November 9, 2008
More Tales from the Kitchen
As you know we recently had our kitchen renovated. I had an experience with the hardwood flooring company that demonstrates how to irritate a good customer, when a very simple change in language would have had exactly the opposite effect.
We have paid the bulk of the contract, but I hadn't paid the final small outstanding balance pending their return to make a couple minor repairs. Nothing serious, no problems -- just a little touch-up. They we fine with the request and made an appointment to make the adjustments. So far -- everything is great.
However, the day before our scheduled appointment I received a call, indicating that they would not be able to come and make the repairs until the outstanding balance was paid. I explained that these were not repairs, but were in fact, 2 boards that were installed incorrectly and therefore I saw them as part of the original work that still needed to be completed. I also indicated that I had a cheque already made out, which they would be given when the job was completed to my satisfaction.
A discussion ensued about their business practices and risk of continuing to do work when bills weren't paid etc. etc. -- all the while telling me I was a valued customer since 2002. Lots about their issues, but none about my desire to have the work completed correctly before final payment.
The caller (who had been our sales person) closed by stating that he would make sure the installer would arrive as scheduled and he would deal with any internal issues.
So how could they have handled this situation better and still achieved their desired result of getting payment?
How about, "Mr Hogg, we are scheduled to be at your home tomorrow and I notice that you still have an outstanding balance. Could I tell the installer that you will have a cheque for him, or would it be more convenient to pay by credit card?"
They could even have added, "Normally we do not do follow up calls when there is an outstanding balance, but because you are a loyal, longtime customer we are pleased to make an exception." if they needed to clarify expectations.
I don't know about you, but the second scenario, lets the customer know what your expectations are while at the same time communicating that they are a valued customer.
How do you handle similar situations? Do your statement of policies potentially offend, or can wording be changed subtly to set expectations and still create a positive experience? Try out some of your answers while wearing your customer hat and find out.
Cheers!
Bill's passion is improving business results by working with leadership teams to change employee behaviours. He does this by equipping leaders with the principles, processes and tools to cultivate an engaged customer-focused culture.
As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/
We have paid the bulk of the contract, but I hadn't paid the final small outstanding balance pending their return to make a couple minor repairs. Nothing serious, no problems -- just a little touch-up. They we fine with the request and made an appointment to make the adjustments. So far -- everything is great.
However, the day before our scheduled appointment I received a call, indicating that they would not be able to come and make the repairs until the outstanding balance was paid. I explained that these were not repairs, but were in fact, 2 boards that were installed incorrectly and therefore I saw them as part of the original work that still needed to be completed. I also indicated that I had a cheque already made out, which they would be given when the job was completed to my satisfaction.
A discussion ensued about their business practices and risk of continuing to do work when bills weren't paid etc. etc. -- all the while telling me I was a valued customer since 2002. Lots about their issues, but none about my desire to have the work completed correctly before final payment.
The caller (who had been our sales person) closed by stating that he would make sure the installer would arrive as scheduled and he would deal with any internal issues.
So how could they have handled this situation better and still achieved their desired result of getting payment?
How about, "Mr Hogg, we are scheduled to be at your home tomorrow and I notice that you still have an outstanding balance. Could I tell the installer that you will have a cheque for him, or would it be more convenient to pay by credit card?"
They could even have added, "Normally we do not do follow up calls when there is an outstanding balance, but because you are a loyal, longtime customer we are pleased to make an exception." if they needed to clarify expectations.
I don't know about you, but the second scenario, lets the customer know what your expectations are while at the same time communicating that they are a valued customer.
How do you handle similar situations? Do your statement of policies potentially offend, or can wording be changed subtly to set expectations and still create a positive experience? Try out some of your answers while wearing your customer hat and find out.
Cheers!
Bill's passion is improving business results by working with leadership teams to change employee behaviours. He does this by equipping leaders with the principles, processes and tools to cultivate an engaged customer-focused culture.
As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
How are you treating your existing customers?
I came a cross a couple items recently that I thought were great examples of how to treat existing customers -- remember, these are the people who are currently funding your pay cheque.
The first was posted by Micah Solmon at the ultimate customer service blog. He talks about an experience he had with The New York Times when approached with a FREE gift subscription offer. When he told them he was already a subscriber, they gave him the FREE gift anyway as a thank you for his business.
The second is a letter from Steve Jobs to early adopters who purchased an iPhone and could be upset that the price had dropped by $200 after only 2 months. He offers a $100 credit towards future purchases, while also providing some explanation on why they have decided to drop the price this soon.
Both examples demonstrated a genuine commitment to treat customers like we all want to be treat -- with honesty, respect and integrity.
Clearly, it costs money to execute these types of examples. But what is the value returned by the increasing trust (and resultant loyalty) to the organization. And shouldn't we be investing in our existing customer to keep them happy versus try to "buy" new customers?
How often have we seen companies offering deep discounts to new customers while locking existing customers into old pricing. How does this make the existing customer feel? What kind of loyalty does it create when a repeat purchase is available.
Companies that "win" on price often find that they lose on "price" when the next company offers a better/new incentive because there is no loyalty factor built into the relationship.
Are you treating your prospects better than your existing customers?
What can you do for your existing customer that demonstrates that you appreciate their business -- without breaking the bank? I'd love to hear any ideas that you are using.
Cheers!
Bill's passion is improving business results by working with leadership teams to change employee behaviours. He does this by equipping leaders with the principles, processes and tools to cultivate an engaged customer-focused culture.
As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/
The first was posted by Micah Solmon at the ultimate customer service blog. He talks about an experience he had with The New York Times when approached with a FREE gift subscription offer. When he told them he was already a subscriber, they gave him the FREE gift anyway as a thank you for his business.
The second is a letter from Steve Jobs to early adopters who purchased an iPhone and could be upset that the price had dropped by $200 after only 2 months. He offers a $100 credit towards future purchases, while also providing some explanation on why they have decided to drop the price this soon.
Both examples demonstrated a genuine commitment to treat customers like we all want to be treat -- with honesty, respect and integrity.
Clearly, it costs money to execute these types of examples. But what is the value returned by the increasing trust (and resultant loyalty) to the organization. And shouldn't we be investing in our existing customer to keep them happy versus try to "buy" new customers?
How often have we seen companies offering deep discounts to new customers while locking existing customers into old pricing. How does this make the existing customer feel? What kind of loyalty does it create when a repeat purchase is available.
Companies that "win" on price often find that they lose on "price" when the next company offers a better/new incentive because there is no loyalty factor built into the relationship.
Are you treating your prospects better than your existing customers?
What can you do for your existing customer that demonstrates that you appreciate their business -- without breaking the bank? I'd love to hear any ideas that you are using.
Cheers!
Bill's passion is improving business results by working with leadership teams to change employee behaviours. He does this by equipping leaders with the principles, processes and tools to cultivate an engaged customer-focused culture.
As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Walk a mile in your customers shoes
We have all heard the expression about walking a mile in someone else’s shoes, but how often do we demonstrate this concept when dealing with our customers?
We often get so caught up in “doing our job” that we are too busy to really understand how our customer is feeling.
I recently had a fantastic experience with a company that was renovating our kitchen that really brought that concept home.
My wife and I arrived home after working all day, excited to see the progress that had been made on our kitchen -- they were installing the crown trim between the top of the cabinet and the ceiling.
When we walked into the room, the first thing we noticed was that the work had all be completed and beautifully installed. The second was that the colour of the cabinets and crown was slightly off, causing the effect of a dark line around the top of our cabinets. We knew that with a hand painted finish that colour variation was part of the effect, but this seemed too much.
We looked at each other and were immediately concerned. Could we live with this? Would the company tell us that this was the hand painted effect? I am sure you can imagine.
The installer could probably read our thoughts, because he informed us that he had already called the sales person and owner about this issue and they we on their way to have a look. He explained that until the material was installed and you stood back to look, it was impossible to tell the colour differences.
Well the sales person walked in and immediately agreed this was an issue that needed to be dealt with. He offered no solution yet, but our stress level was immediately calmed.
The owner walked in and also agreed the issue needed to be dealt with. They then began a team discussion about the best solution. They did so with my wife and I included in the conversation as they discussed the various options.
Finally, they decided the best option was to remove the crown moulding, return it to the shop to re-finish or prepare new pieces. The owner then pointed at the hood fan cover and a couple other pieces and stated that they weren’t up to standard either and they needed to come down as well.
Imagine our surprise! Imagine our delight!
The owner explained that we would have to live with this kitchen for many years, we had made a significant investment with his company and he wasn’t happy unless we were 100% satisfied. Incredible!
He put our satisfaction/needs ahead of his own. In the end, his need of building a prosperous business was accomplished.
We were more than 100% satisfied with final product -- we are enthusiastic ambassadors for his company. We have shared this story (and others from our experience) with many people and have already referred his company to at least 2 friends thinking about a new kitchen. Their business will continue to grow based on this kind of exceptional word of mouth.
Are you putting yourself in your customer’s shoes when they are faced with a problem, or are you focused on your own needs?
(If you are located in Toronto/GTA and want the company's name and number -- drop me a line)
Cheers!
Bill's passion is improving business results by working with leadership teams to change employee behaviours. He does this by equipping leaders with the principles, processes and tools to cultivate an engaged customer-focused culture.
As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/
We often get so caught up in “doing our job” that we are too busy to really understand how our customer is feeling.
I recently had a fantastic experience with a company that was renovating our kitchen that really brought that concept home.
My wife and I arrived home after working all day, excited to see the progress that had been made on our kitchen -- they were installing the crown trim between the top of the cabinet and the ceiling.
When we walked into the room, the first thing we noticed was that the work had all be completed and beautifully installed. The second was that the colour of the cabinets and crown was slightly off, causing the effect of a dark line around the top of our cabinets. We knew that with a hand painted finish that colour variation was part of the effect, but this seemed too much.
We looked at each other and were immediately concerned. Could we live with this? Would the company tell us that this was the hand painted effect? I am sure you can imagine.
The installer could probably read our thoughts, because he informed us that he had already called the sales person and owner about this issue and they we on their way to have a look. He explained that until the material was installed and you stood back to look, it was impossible to tell the colour differences.
Well the sales person walked in and immediately agreed this was an issue that needed to be dealt with. He offered no solution yet, but our stress level was immediately calmed.
The owner walked in and also agreed the issue needed to be dealt with. They then began a team discussion about the best solution. They did so with my wife and I included in the conversation as they discussed the various options.
Finally, they decided the best option was to remove the crown moulding, return it to the shop to re-finish or prepare new pieces. The owner then pointed at the hood fan cover and a couple other pieces and stated that they weren’t up to standard either and they needed to come down as well.
Imagine our surprise! Imagine our delight!
The owner explained that we would have to live with this kitchen for many years, we had made a significant investment with his company and he wasn’t happy unless we were 100% satisfied. Incredible!
He put our satisfaction/needs ahead of his own. In the end, his need of building a prosperous business was accomplished.
We were more than 100% satisfied with final product -- we are enthusiastic ambassadors for his company. We have shared this story (and others from our experience) with many people and have already referred his company to at least 2 friends thinking about a new kitchen. Their business will continue to grow based on this kind of exceptional word of mouth.
Are you putting yourself in your customer’s shoes when they are faced with a problem, or are you focused on your own needs?
(If you are located in Toronto/GTA and want the company's name and number -- drop me a line)
Cheers!
Bill's passion is improving business results by working with leadership teams to change employee behaviours. He does this by equipping leaders with the principles, processes and tools to cultivate an engaged customer-focused culture.
As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/
Monday, October 20, 2008
Empowering Employees
Last summer my family had a chance to travel to western Canada and one of the outstanding places we had the opportunity to visit was the Columbia Icefields in northern Alberta - just south of Jasper. Truly an awesome part of our great country.
Years ago we decided that wherever we travelled we would collect small photographic fridge magnets to commemorate the many stops along our travels. Resultant when we were at the Icefields I looked for a Fridge Magnet for our collection.
However, in the vast selection of magnets at the souvenir shop there were none that showed the Icefield. There were lots of animals, other local attractions, generic Alberta, but none of the Icefields.
When I enquired of staff if they had any, they apologized and told me that they received a shipment only once each week and they always ran out of the Icefield magnets before the next shipment.
What an interesting commentary on the company. Here the front line staff knew exactly what the problem was, yet either no one had asked them, they had not been encouraged to provide this input, or worse, they has already provided this input and it had been ignored.
If feedback is not actively solicited and expected, then you are missing a huge insight into your customers needs. In addition to making input a central part of your culture, make sure that as part of your research plans you are building in a process to gather this input.
Cheers!
Bill's passion is working with (private and public) organizations to improve business performance by engaging employee teams to focus on the internal and external customer and deliver an intentional service experience that exceeds expectations and creates a point of differentiation from the competition.
He is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/
Years ago we decided that wherever we travelled we would collect small photographic fridge magnets to commemorate the many stops along our travels. Resultant when we were at the Icefields I looked for a Fridge Magnet for our collection.
However, in the vast selection of magnets at the souvenir shop there were none that showed the Icefield. There were lots of animals, other local attractions, generic Alberta, but none of the Icefields.
When I enquired of staff if they had any, they apologized and told me that they received a shipment only once each week and they always ran out of the Icefield magnets before the next shipment.
What an interesting commentary on the company. Here the front line staff knew exactly what the problem was, yet either no one had asked them, they had not been encouraged to provide this input, or worse, they has already provided this input and it had been ignored.
If feedback is not actively solicited and expected, then you are missing a huge insight into your customers needs. In addition to making input a central part of your culture, make sure that as part of your research plans you are building in a process to gather this input.
Cheers!
Bill's passion is working with (private and public) organizations to improve business performance by engaging employee teams to focus on the internal and external customer and deliver an intentional service experience that exceeds expectations and creates a point of differentiation from the competition.
He is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/
Friday, October 3, 2008
Pret a Manger vs. The Ritz-Carlton - Part 2
A further similarity between key business practices between Pret a Manger (UK sandwich shop) and The Ritz-Carlton is in the area of empowering employees. After all, given their focus on hiring for character, doesn’t it make sense to allow these great people to do what they do naturally (with some guidelines of course).
Like The Ritz-Carlton, they are also empowered to make sure the customer is satisfied.
At Pret a Manger, each team member is empowered from their first day at work to make their own decisions. For example, if you complain that you didn’t like your coffee at your local Pret, it is up to the team member you speak with, to decide how to resolve the situation. If you are spotted struggling with bags, team members are welcome to leave their post and go and help. It’s a question of using the common sense and respect that Pret looks for when it hires people.
Jay Chapman, Head of Communications, says, “It’s not uncommon to find that if you’ve been to Pret for your lunch every day for a week, the person behind the till will recognise you and decide to give you Friday for free. The manager keeps an eye on things, but overall the team members are empowered to make their own decisions”.
Result, Pret’s customers are happy. On average, 60% of feedback received by the Pret a Manger customer service department is either positive or neutral. Pret has not only succeeded in engaging their employees but their clients as well.
And why not? Jay’s philosophy is “If you treat your employees well and involve them in the decisions that will affect them, they’re much more likely to be engaged in carrying out the effects of those decisions.”
It comes as no surprise that both companies have both high employee engagement and high customer satisfaction. When you hire the right people for the job -- and then let them do the job, you will have happy, engaged staff, and it turn happy, satisfied customers.
Check out the full article if you haven’t already done so.
Cheers!
Bill's passion is exceptional customer service -- internally and externally. He works with clients to activate a “customer-focused” culture where engaged employees internalize the brand values and deliver an intentional customer service experience that exceeds expectations.
As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/
Like The Ritz-Carlton, they are also empowered to make sure the customer is satisfied.
At Pret a Manger, each team member is empowered from their first day at work to make their own decisions. For example, if you complain that you didn’t like your coffee at your local Pret, it is up to the team member you speak with, to decide how to resolve the situation. If you are spotted struggling with bags, team members are welcome to leave their post and go and help. It’s a question of using the common sense and respect that Pret looks for when it hires people.
Jay Chapman, Head of Communications, says, “It’s not uncommon to find that if you’ve been to Pret for your lunch every day for a week, the person behind the till will recognise you and decide to give you Friday for free. The manager keeps an eye on things, but overall the team members are empowered to make their own decisions”.
Result, Pret’s customers are happy. On average, 60% of feedback received by the Pret a Manger customer service department is either positive or neutral. Pret has not only succeeded in engaging their employees but their clients as well.
And why not? Jay’s philosophy is “If you treat your employees well and involve them in the decisions that will affect them, they’re much more likely to be engaged in carrying out the effects of those decisions.”
It comes as no surprise that both companies have both high employee engagement and high customer satisfaction. When you hire the right people for the job -- and then let them do the job, you will have happy, engaged staff, and it turn happy, satisfied customers.
Check out the full article if you haven’t already done so.
Cheers!
Bill's passion is exceptional customer service -- internally and externally. He works with clients to activate a “customer-focused” culture where engaged employees internalize the brand values and deliver an intentional customer service experience that exceeds expectations.
As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/
Monday, September 29, 2008
Pret a Manger vs. The Ritz-Carlton
I came across an excellent post in The Insider that you should read if you haven’t already done so. It features an interview with Jay Chapman, Head of Communications at Pret a Manger (a sandwich shop chain).
The thing that struck me was the similarities between one of the key business practices between Pret a Manger and The Ritz-Carlton. They both place very high emphasis on recruitment.
Like The Ritz-Carlton, prior to formal interviews for any role, all candidates (for any position within Pret) must work on the shop floor for a day. The team who works there gets a say on whether the candidate will fit in with the team there or whether they would like the person to work for Pret. If the answer is no, the candidate isn’t hired.
In this way the shop teams make decisions on who the next Purchasing Manager, the next Customer Service Advisor and the next Property Director are. On top of that, all new recruits spend a week or two working in the shop at the start of their employment.
Pret invests a lot in their recruitment process to make sure that their business is filled with “Pret people” from top to bottom and they actively encourage employees to bring their own personalities to work.
Jay believes this investment pays off one hundredfold -- 60% of staff at Pret’s head office began life on the shop floor -- and they know the business inside out.
Incidentally, ‘head office’ is described by Pret people as, ‘Hudsons Place’. This is because the people at Hudsons Place truly don’t believe they are any more important than the people on the shop floor – they’re just fulfilling a different function. This attitude of respect, treating everyone the same seems to run throughout Pret.
That kind of attitude comes from the top and sets the tone for the entire organizational culture.
So regardless of what kind of business you are in there is a lesson to be learned about hiring. Determine the culture you want and then design your recruitment to find those people.
At Pret, there is one quality which is an absolute must if you want to join the team – happiness. “You can’t hire someone who can make sandwiches and teach them to be happy,” says Jay, “So we hire happy people and teach them to make sandwiches”. This is hiring based on character versus competence, which you then train.
What are the key qualities you need to hire for -- and importantly, how have you designed your recruitment process to find those people.
Cheers!
Bill's passion is exceptional customer service -- internally and externally. He works with clients to activate a “customer-focused” culture where engaged employees internalize the brand values and deliver an intentional customer service experience that exceeds expectations.
As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/
The thing that struck me was the similarities between one of the key business practices between Pret a Manger and The Ritz-Carlton. They both place very high emphasis on recruitment.
Like The Ritz-Carlton, prior to formal interviews for any role, all candidates (for any position within Pret) must work on the shop floor for a day. The team who works there gets a say on whether the candidate will fit in with the team there or whether they would like the person to work for Pret. If the answer is no, the candidate isn’t hired.
In this way the shop teams make decisions on who the next Purchasing Manager, the next Customer Service Advisor and the next Property Director are. On top of that, all new recruits spend a week or two working in the shop at the start of their employment.
Pret invests a lot in their recruitment process to make sure that their business is filled with “Pret people” from top to bottom and they actively encourage employees to bring their own personalities to work.
Jay believes this investment pays off one hundredfold -- 60% of staff at Pret’s head office began life on the shop floor -- and they know the business inside out.
Incidentally, ‘head office’ is described by Pret people as, ‘Hudsons Place’. This is because the people at Hudsons Place truly don’t believe they are any more important than the people on the shop floor – they’re just fulfilling a different function. This attitude of respect, treating everyone the same seems to run throughout Pret.
That kind of attitude comes from the top and sets the tone for the entire organizational culture.
So regardless of what kind of business you are in there is a lesson to be learned about hiring. Determine the culture you want and then design your recruitment to find those people.
At Pret, there is one quality which is an absolute must if you want to join the team – happiness. “You can’t hire someone who can make sandwiches and teach them to be happy,” says Jay, “So we hire happy people and teach them to make sandwiches”. This is hiring based on character versus competence, which you then train.
What are the key qualities you need to hire for -- and importantly, how have you designed your recruitment process to find those people.
Cheers!
Bill's passion is exceptional customer service -- internally and externally. He works with clients to activate a “customer-focused” culture where engaged employees internalize the brand values and deliver an intentional customer service experience that exceeds expectations.
As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/
Monday, September 22, 2008
Rogers does the unexpected
It’s popular to highlight the problems experienced by one of the largest Telco’s in Canada, but today I had an unexpected experience worth repeating.
I phoned Rogers cellular today because my daughters cell phone had incurred $33.00 worth of “Premium Services” on our family plan that she was unaware she had signed up for. We wanted to stop these services before additional charges were incurred.
The CSR explained that these were not Rogers charges, but were third-party services which we needed to cancel directly with the third-party. She then explained how this could be done.
While I was on the phone, I also asked her to examine my usage and let me know if I had the best plan for our needs. She showed me how by changing my plan, for the same base rate, I could receive additional services and have extra minutes which would reduce my overall bill.
I hung up grateful for her help and feeling pretty good about the overall experience.
Then the unexpected.
An hour later I checked my cellular voicemail and found a message from my CSR. She indicated that because we had inadvertently accessed these premium services, and had called to cancel after receiving the first bill, she had credited my account for the $33.00. She was clear that this offer was extended because the first time someone accessed these services it was often based on misunderstanding how these services worked.
WOW, was I shocked. I hadn’t expected this credit, and really had no right to expect it, but I was thrilled to have been treated as loyal customer who mattered to the company.
My opinion immediately changed and this Moment of Magic has definitely put some currency in my Rogers brand bank account.
Are you looking for ways to delight your customers?
Cheers!
Bill's passion is branded customer service that exceeds expectations. He works with clients to activate a “customer-focused” culture where engaged employees internalize the brand promise and deliver an intentional Branded Customer Experience -- internally and externally.
As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: www.billhogg.ca
I phoned Rogers cellular today because my daughters cell phone had incurred $33.00 worth of “Premium Services” on our family plan that she was unaware she had signed up for. We wanted to stop these services before additional charges were incurred.
The CSR explained that these were not Rogers charges, but were third-party services which we needed to cancel directly with the third-party. She then explained how this could be done.
While I was on the phone, I also asked her to examine my usage and let me know if I had the best plan for our needs. She showed me how by changing my plan, for the same base rate, I could receive additional services and have extra minutes which would reduce my overall bill.
I hung up grateful for her help and feeling pretty good about the overall experience.
Then the unexpected.
An hour later I checked my cellular voicemail and found a message from my CSR. She indicated that because we had inadvertently accessed these premium services, and had called to cancel after receiving the first bill, she had credited my account for the $33.00. She was clear that this offer was extended because the first time someone accessed these services it was often based on misunderstanding how these services worked.
WOW, was I shocked. I hadn’t expected this credit, and really had no right to expect it, but I was thrilled to have been treated as loyal customer who mattered to the company.
My opinion immediately changed and this Moment of Magic has definitely put some currency in my Rogers brand bank account.
Are you looking for ways to delight your customers?
Cheers!
Bill's passion is branded customer service that exceeds expectations. He works with clients to activate a “customer-focused” culture where engaged employees internalize the brand promise and deliver an intentional Branded Customer Experience -- internally and externally.
As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.
For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: www.billhogg.ca
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