Chip R. Bell's Blog, page 10

Take Your Customers on a Camping Trip

I am an avid fan of camping. Not the KOA type with too many loud TV’s, barking dogs and kids with no governor on their decibel level. I prefer primitive camping in a tent and sleeping bag in a remote area with no amenities but the ones you bring or create. You are surrounded by pure serenity and raw nature. Cooking breakfast is a creation done slowly and all by hand. Bacon cooked on a camp stove tastes far better the same bacon nuked by a microwave.

Evening activities include stories, s’mores...

Taking Your Customers on a Camping Trip

I am an avid fan of camping. Not the KOA type with too many loud TV’s, barking dogs and kids with no governor on their decibel level. I prefer primitive camping in a tent and sleeping bag in a remote area with no amenities but the ones you bring or create. You are surrounded by pure serenity and raw nature. Cooking breakfast is a creation done slowly and all by hand. Bacon cooked on a camp stove tastes far better the same bacon nuked by a microwave.

Evening activities include stories, s’mores...

Service Without an Upcharge

It was a small gesture. But, it was one that carried a giant meaning. Plus, it was a detail that played out in many ways from start to finish.

My wife and I had an early morning breakfast at the Huddle House in Clarkesville, GA, a few miles from our river home. Their colorful menu had a favorite of mine—a fluffy western omelet with ham, cheese, bell peppers, and onions. But, I also spotted jalapenos as a 99-cent side item at the bottom of the menu. Being a Texas transplant, my bias is to put...

Where is the Lid on Your Customers?

The volume of a grand piano is determined by more than how hard the pianist presses the keys. The position of the piano lid can impact the decibel level of the sound coming from the instrument. All grand pianos have three positions: closed, half-way open and fully raised. The choice of lid positioning has to do with the priority the grand piano is to play in a performance.

Fully raised piano lids are used when the grand piano has center billing—it is the star of the show. You see this positio...

Why Fearless Leadership Matters

I am excited to support Flynn Heath Holt in the launch week of their newest publication, the Influence Effect. The following is a guest post from Diana Faison.

I once attended a women’s conference that made me realize one very important lesson – I continue to be amazed and inspired by fearless, female leaders.

Fearless Leadership is a topic that I think on and write about often because I know there’s a magic, power, and spirit to it that will shape the future of women in business. Ironically,...

My Tree Guy Goes Barefooted!

Brand loyalty starts and ends with the physical investment of its caretakers. When Ford turnaround CEO, Alan McNally, was CEO of Boeing, he drove a high-end Lexus. But, once his business address changed from Seattle to Detroit, his car preference changed to a Ford. Even Ford Chairman Bill Ford, whose great-grandfather started the company, selected a Mustang over a pricier Ford-owned brand like Aston Martin or Jaguar.

Brand loyalty, however, is not just about the actions of the residents of ma...

Rocky Horror Service

I love Halloween. It comes with permission to dress up as something or someone else giving you the license behind the mask to be very silly and extreme. The accouterments that accompany this special day are also super cool—pumpkins with scary faces and candles inside, witches on broomsticks, spiders in webs, ghosts, and the best part—extra candy! When I was growing up, we made Halloween over-the-top. But, my best memory of Halloween was going to see the Rocky Horror Picture Show at midnight.

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Hurricane-Force Service

Jerry’s Bait and Tackle is a watering hole near my lakefront home. It is an old-fashioned, all-purpose grocery store that sells everything from gasoline to fish bait to lottery tickets. Jerry’s know where the fish are biting, the latest community gossip, and where to buy anything your heart desires. They have been an institution at Lake Oconee for many, many years. Practically everyone within fifty miles of the lake knows Jerry’s. So, it is not surprising they would be customer-centric in cha...

Take Risk and Find the Fire Again

 

I am excited to introduce a guest post written by Scott Mautz, the author of Find Your Fire: Ignite Your Inspiration – and Make Work Exciting Again. Enjoy! – Chip

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When my daughter was younger and we headed to the playground together, my first thought didn’t go to the lack of risk found there. In fact, taking her to the playground felt like enough risk by itself.

Through the last several years, though, researchers and more keen observers have brought to light a new phenomenon: risk-avers...

Insuring Great Service

“Would you like the extended warranty with that?”

the clerk asked me, as I was checking out of a local retail store.  Earlier that day I had attempted to pick up a chair I was having reupholstered. “It’s not quite ready,” said the man.  “We need to Scotchguard® the fabric, especially since you have grandkids.”   L.L. Bean will take back my fly-fishing boots and refund my money if I am not satisfied, even I have worn the boots a very long time.

Customers value the Good Housekeeping feeling the...