Archive for the ‘Customer Service’ Category

Old systems can get weird

Saturday, June 19th, 2010

In work and in life, systems can become curious and even antiquated. This is true whether you’re evaluating an accounts receivable loop or capital punishment.

Convicted killer Ronnie Lee Gardner was executed recently by firing squad.  Gardner, 49, is only the third person in 33 years to die by firing squad, all in Utah.

Originally arrested for a 1984 murder, Gardner was sentenced to die for the shooting death of attorney Michael Burdell during a botched escape attempt from custody in 1985 at a Salt Lake City, Utah, courthouse.

Politics aside, execution protocol is a bizarre happening for many reasons:

1)  The United States (the federal government and 35 of the states), Guatemala, most of the Caribbean and the majority of democracies in Asia (e.g. Japan and India) and Africa (e.g. Botswana  and Zambia) retain it.  Michigan became the first state to ban the death penalty back in 1946.

2)  Utah, is one of three states that still allow death by firing squad.

3)  Most organized religions refrain from endorsing or condemning capital punishment.  This is especially odd when one considers “Thou shall not kill” is one of the Ten Commandments.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also called Mormons) neither promotes nor opposes capital punishment.

4)  The firing squad protocol contains more than a few quirky procedures.  For example, one of the five riflemen in the firing squad shoots blanks so no one will know who fired the fatal shot.  Presumably this makes it easier on the shooters’ consciences.  A hood was placed over Gardner’s head and a paper target pinned to his chest.

5)  The public seems to care little about the costs or conditions of long-term incarceration, but the media machine knows that capital punishment is more interesting to the general public, so there is lots of coverage on the actual execution.

5)  Witnesses, including journalists, insist on attending these macabre events.  Reporters relate surprisingly banal observations, especially for people who make their living with words.  Cheryl Worsley, a Utah radio reporter witnessed the Ronnie Lee Gardner execution.

“It was over pretty quickly,” she said.   “It was cleaner than I expected.  It was fast.  But he moved.  He moved a little bit, and to some degree that bothers me.”

6)  Finally, there is high interest in the prisoner’s last meal.  Most states give the meal a day or two before execution, and use the euphemism  “special meal”.  Alcohol or tobacco is usually denied.

Texas limits last meals to food available within the prison system, though occasionally permitting food “from the free world.”  In Florida, the food for the last meal must be purchased locally and the cost is limited to $40.

Lee’s last meal included steak, lobster, 7-Up, apple pie and vanilla ice cream, although I’m not clear on why anyone  cares.

Wikipedia’s entry on “capital punishment” cites a movement toward “humane execution,” but these two words don’t seem to go together and the system of capital punishment seems to beg for an overhaul.  Whether you’re a Republican, Democrat or Independent, you’ve got to admit that this is pretty weird stuff.

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When does “new” become comfortable? (Part 1)

Sunday, March 21st, 2010
Old friends reconnect after 30 years

Old friends reconnect after 30 years

I had the pleasure of recently reconnecting with an old friend from college.

I hadn’t seen Chris (Rahi) Hassab for nearly 30 years.  We met as classmates at Wayne State University.

Apparently, our mutual friend, John Austerberry, mentioned my name to Chris so she reached out to me and we arranged lunch.  When we got together, it was like being reunited with a long-lost friend!

But here’s the weird part–Chris and I weren’t that close in school.

Time, however, has somehow made us closer and I felt like we had much in common, even though Chris and I had absolutely no communication for nearly three decades.

Our conversation was remarkably unreserved as we happily shared  personal details about our respective lives–information that we hadn’t shared with each other even back in the day.

How is this possible?  What suddenly made us perceive each other as “safe” confidants?

When does “new” become comfortable?  How can people develop the ability to help relationships blossom faster at work?

Salespeople covet skills that help shorten the selling cycle.  Managers would love to get new employees to plug in sooner rather than later.  Customers adore service providers who can practically read minds.  What is the secret sauce that allows relationships to blossom quickly and easily?

When does “new” become comfortable and how can we get comfortable sooner?

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The Perfect Apology–at Work and at Home

Sunday, February 21st, 2010
The perfect apology?

The perfect apology?

[You may reprint this article.  Please include the link to my site -- www.MichaelAngeloCaruso.com  --Thanks for spreading the word!]

Apparently, it’s not easy to master the art of apology. We sure have had enough practice lately.  Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina, baseballer Mark McGuire, Presidential candidate John Edwards, TV host David Letterman and former New York Governor, Eliot Spitzer are just a few of the famous people who have had reason to issue an acceptable apology.

Except for Letterman–ironically the only professional comedian in the bunch–none of the apologies were taken very seriously.

Tiger Woods gave a very public mea culpa last week, proving that the perfect apology is beyond the grasp of the golf perfectionist.  Most people felt his speech suffered from too much stagecraft.

A while back, the United States Air Force shot a Chinese fighter pilot out of the sky. The pilot had flown too close to an American aircraft and did not respond to radio warnings. The unfortunate incident occurred during peace time, yet the United States did not apologize until months after the event.

When official condolences were finally issued, the language was stiff and heavily cloaked in qualification.  Political analysts surmised that U.S. politicos felt that an apology framed in remorse would somehow be an admission of guilt.

In the business world, warring departments, feuding workers and militant customers can make an apology just as challenging.   Image management and legal exposure often come into play, as well.

Spitzer’s apology, in particular, was a weird scenario.  You may recall that the former Governor got caught in a prostitution ring.   Spitzer resigned and apologized, but never mentioned or admitted that he broke the law.

Whether you’re famous or not, here are 5 Cool Ideas for words that heal at work and at home:

1. Be convincingly sympathetic.
A person’s greatest need is to be understood.   Of course, the best way to be convincingly sympathetic is to actually feel sympathy.  When apologizing, find time to listen to the people involved, even if you don’t necessarily agree with them.  Try not to be defensive.  This shared time is a great opportunity to stage an apology, but not if you’re argumentative.


2. Let people be “right,” even if they are wrong.
In our hyper-competitive society, many people are infatuated with being “right.”  Being right can be complicated because what is “right” for one person may not suit another.  Of course, in order to be “right,” someone has to spend time and energy proving someone else “wrong.”

When apologizing, it’s important to validate the other person.  Allow that person to cultivate and defend his or her opinions.  If you must argue, find ways to take yourself out of the argument by offering non-biased documentation to support opposing views.


3. You can apologize without admitting guilt.
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary lists three definitions of the word “apology.”  The most meaning is “an admission of error or discourtesy accompanied by an expression of regret.”  But an apology is also “a formal justification” such as a defense or an excuse.  The apology is a lost art.

Years ago, attorneys began winning court cases by depicting apologies as an admission of guilt.  An apology is not about admitting culpability or even involvement.  After all, I can tell an employee, “I’m sorry you’ve been so sick,” without actually having caused the illness.  If an employee takes a few days off due to a death in the family, you are certainly within your bounds to say something like, “I’m sorry for your loss” without being implicated in the death.


4. You can apologize without the other person apologizing.
Please forgive me.  These three words will put you on the fast track to healing, especially if they are delivered directly following your apology.  The words “please forgive me,” put the onus on the other person to set aside his or her resentment and anger.


5. Repeat the apology as necessary.
Remember the shampoo label directions when using “please forgive me.”  Repeat when necessary.  This tact worked magic when I first used it with one of my brothers.  I said, “I want to take complete responsibility for the bad things that have happened between us. I’m very sorry and would like to start over.  Please forgive me.”

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New Year’s resolutions that pay big dividends

Tuesday, December 29th, 2009

31If you’re like me, you’re looking for ways to have a better year starting January 1.

Below are nine  easy ways you can become an even better person in 2010.  Call them New Year’s Resolutions, goals or whatever, they offer a great return on investment.

Many of these improvements offer a double dip.  If you become a better leader at work, for example, you are likely to become a better leader at home or for your condo association.

I’ve created easy-to-read e-books on the following topics and they will be instantly sent to you, when you place your order.  You’ll receive tips you can use right away and the information is very affordable at less than $10 per e-book.

If, from now on, you want to:

1  Serve people better

The secret to improved customer service is more focused dialog with the customer.  Unfortunately, auto-responders, Web site forms, reduced staffing and a faster speed of life tend to reduce the amount of focused dialog . . .

2  Be a more effective leader

Freud–and Aristotle before him–noted that two things motivate most humans.  Effective leaders know how to leverage what Freud called the Pain/Pleasure Principle.  I’m referring to the anticipation of pleasure (which isn’t usually  money) and the avoidance of pain . . .

3  Manage time better

Time, of course, is a limited commodity, but almost all of us can manage time by using systems.  A system, for example, will keep you from losing things, which ultimately saves time . . .

4  Cope with stress

Let’s be clear–stress is not natural.  Sure, there’s good such a thing as good stress, but it is not normal to always be edgy.  Many people are surprised to learn that stress is actually a choice–or more likely, a series of choices . . .

5  Deal with difficult people

I teach how to deal with a dozen types of difficult people.  The first step in dealing with them is to realize that the resulting conflict is because of you, not because of them.  With a couple of easy techniques, your situation can be much better . . .

6  Give better presentatations

One of the easiest ways to become a better presenter is to deliver a unique message.  A simple way to be different than other speakers is to not use PowerPoint.  If you must use a projector, only use it during the middle third of your program because  . . .

7  Negotiate to win

The best negotiations result in both parties wanting to do business again, but the Survivor mentality of modern businesspeople usually a conquer and destroy mentality . . .

8  Start a business

There’s never been a better time to start a business.  Digital products cost practically nothing to produce.  Marketing programs are as inexpensive as ever, thanks to the clever use of social media and video marketing . . .

9  Become known as an industry expert

There are two ways to become an industry expert FAST.  The first is to become known as a speaker in your area of expertise.  The second method is to become a published author.  Self-publishing makes this much easier than you think . . .

As always, you will be completely satisfied with my info products or I will make things right.

“Michael Angelo Caruso is a leader in the field of human development.  An inspirational writer, Michael draws from a wide variety of teachings to help create positive growth for individuals and their companies.”

-Jerry Nehr, President, Creative Discoveries Training and Consulting

Here’s wishing you a safe, happy and prosperous New Year!

Sincerely,

Michael Angelo Caruso

P.S.   For more on the power of New Year’s resolutions at work and at home, read my blog for DBusiness magazine.

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Bad customer service is bad for business

Thursday, July 16th, 2009

No one has trouble coming up with bad examples of customer service.

Here's mine . . .  I had a problem with my car and decided to try a new mechanic.  The company gave me eleven reasons to not come back.

The gentleman handling the front desk didn't seem particularly glad to see me (1), which is surprising because new customers can be hard to come by these days.  He didn't smile (2), thank me for coming in (3) or to establish any sort of positive expectation (4).

I had to leave the vehicle at the garage, but my new vendor didn't tell me when he would contact me with a repair plan until prompted (5).  

He said would call me before noon, but I didn't hear from him until 2 PM (6). I expected to receive details of the problem, a recommended course of action and a request for repair authorization, but didn't learn any of these details (7-9).  Instead, the representative told me he had already fixed it. 

The dollar amount of the repair was only in the $50 dollar range, but I was prepared to pay more (10).

I was happy with the inexpensive fix, but because of all the missed cues I had lingering doubts about whether he knew what he was doing (11). 

The "safety check" section of the invoice listed some specific recommendations, i.e., transmission flush, battery replacement.  He didn't go over any of these safety issues with me verbally and of course, I didn't take time to read the fine print at the service counter. 

Here's my point– the guy did all the hard stuff correctly.  He properly diagnosed the problem and fixed it.

It's the easy stuff he messed up, like communication and dialog–the essence of customer service.  Granted, I'm a little sensitive about being treated badly because I teach customer service, but it seems like the situation is getting worse all the time.

What's your recent example of poor customer service?

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