Rick Conlow's Blog, page 28
September 8, 2016
Achieving Customer Experience Leadership
This customer experience training video will share the state of the art in the field. Unfortunately it’s not that good. Companies lose billions of dollars a year because of poor customer service. Few companies have learned how to get better and lead their markets. Most try, and end up failing. They most often fail because they lack the commitment, patience, investment, values and they don’t know how. The lack of competence means no disrespect. Leaders are so often focused on their industry, finances and marketing, they aren’t experts in helping customers. While they may talk a good game, they inadvertently sabotage any serious level of change and improvement.
Rick shares how to improve the customers’ experience in your company. You will learn about:
1. Current industry results,
2. 10 reasons companies fail to get better,
3. The 5 cultural habits of customer driven companies,
4. The key formula for success in any organization,
5. Bottom-line impact for improving the customer experience.
Every company delivers a customer experience. A few excel at it. Watch this video and take note on what is required to succeed. While it takes hard work and persistence, the formula for success is ever present. Those leaders and companies who persevere (Wegmans, Disney, Nordstroms and others), receive the payoff in greater sales growth, customer loyalty and profit.
By the way, do you want to more detail on the CX formula for success? If so, check out this white paper: Creating Sustainable Customer Loyalty and Sales Growth.
Or, do you want a proven game-plan for career success? If so, check out Doug and Rick’s Superstar Leadership book.
WCW Partners is a business consulting and training company that coaches leaders to achieve record-breaking performances in sales growth, customer experience improvement, employee engagement and leadership effectiveness. Rick Conlow International delivers online coaching and training resources for managers worldwide.
Call for more information – 888-313-0514 or email Rick@rickconlow.com
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September 7, 2016
Become One of the Rare Customer Service Superstars
Customer service superstars are rare. Are you listening? The bottom-line to excellent customer service is defined by the quality of the customer engagement. This requires you treat customers with respect, dignity and care. Poor employee attitudes and a lack of courtesy drives customers away. Duh? It only makes sense. Or, does it? For example, a customer service rep at a well known coffee house, responded to texts before serving waiting customers. She greeted, with a curt, “Yeah.” This lackadaisical approach is all to common today.
Two Ways to Deal with CustomersConsider two approaches in dealing with people and customers. The first one is a self-centered approach to relating to people. This means your focus is on you not others. What’s most important is what’s happening to you and how it affects you and why you don’t like it or do. If it doesn’t go your way, you get irritated, frustrated and angry and let people know. This is the wrong approach for customer service. It comes from a lack of maturity or a non-caring attitude. Not caring is a disease that has to be cured.
The alternative method is an other-centered approach. Your goal here is to help other people, in this case-customers or co-workers. A highly successful and respected businessman named Bob Conklin. said, ‘Help other people get what they want and you will get what you want.” Notice how he said this. First you help, then you get. This is a caring approach when done genuinely and with integrity. In other words, you care how others are affected by your actions. You wish them well and try to do the right thing for them. This is a prerequisite for customer service superstars.
Here are four ways to define customer engagement:
Moment of Truth-anything you do that directly affects customers’ perception of you (Remember, you are the company you work for) or your organization.Moment of Misery-when you do less than the customer expects. This is poor service.Moment of Mediocrity-when you only meet a customer’s expectation. This is average service.Moment of Magnificence -when you exceed the customer’s expectation. This is exceptional customer service.
Customer service superstars have the goal to treat customers much better than they expect by self-managing each moment of truth so the customer experiences exceptional if not memorable service. To learn what to do, think of what impresses you as a customer. Also, think of what you wish people in customer service roles would do. All great service begins with courtesy and friendliness. Next, the service provider needs to be engaging and positive. This could include asking a few questions and listening to what the customer wants or needs. The service providers needs to begin to solve the customer’s problem. This may include defining the product or service, offering options, handling a concern or problem, and just taking an order. An excellent conclusion to serving the customer includes a summary, positive final words and a thank you. The best service providers always follow-up to add that extra value.
You do all of this within the realm of the moments of truth in the our job. It’s a science because certain steps must be followed. It’s an art because you add your personality and flair to it while dealing with each customer as a unique individual. This is the essence of customer service superstars and it pays off in terms of career opportunities.
For coaching and guidance in improving your customer experience, contact Rick at: 1-651-275-0514 or rickconlow@gmail.com.
Do you want to achieve your career goals and reach more success? If so, check out this complimentary GoalPower guide.
Do you want to fast track your customer service success? If you do, check out our latest book, Superstar Customer Service.
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August 31, 2016
Do ONE More…Today!
Coach George Allen had a skill for making winners out of losing football teams. He had the highest winning percentage in history for the Washington Redskins and Los Angeles Rams. In both cases he made champions out of losing franchises. He was a bit eccentric, passionate and hard working. He believed in veterans.
I saw a video of him that reviewed his coaching techniques. He shared his favorite motivational phrase when asked how he built winners. It was “Do one more.” He defined it as going the extra mile, working out a little bit more, and preparing better than your opponents. He believed the difference between winning and losing was slight, so that second effort often determined the outcome of a game.
“DO one more” for Leaders
“Do one more”is a philosophy that applies to all of us. While we don’t have to become workaholics, doing one more than we wanted to do or could do, just might give us a significantly improved result. This kind of initiative positively affects our confidence, character and commitment to excellence.
George Allen’s last coaching assignment was at Long Beach State. Its college football team was perennial losers. He made them winners with a 6-5 record and called it his most satisfying coaching role. Mr. George Allen proved once again, that his, “Do one more”philosophy works. This simple phrase is a reminder to leaders that all individuals have tremendous personal potential, and that a great coach will find it.
Do you want more ideas on how to engage and inspire your team? Check this complimentary eBook, How to Motivate-NO-Inspire People, 10 keys to Employee Engagement.
Or, do you want a proven game-plan for career success? If so, check out Doug and Rick’s Superstar Leadership book.
Rick Conlow International is an online management coaching and training company. WCW Partners is a business consulting and training company that coaches leaders to achieve record-breaking performances in sales growth, customer experience improvement, employee engagement and leadership effectiveness.
Online RICK CONLOW LEADERSHIP & Coaching Resources
Consulting Services
Books & Training Resources
Call for more information – 888-313-0514 OR EMAIL RICK: RICK@WCWPARTNERS.COM OR RICKCONLOW@GMAIL.COM.
The post Do ONE More…Today! appeared first on Rick Conlow.
Do ONE More…today!
Coach George Allen had a skill for making winners out of losing football teams. He had the highest winning percentage in history for the Washington Redskins and Los Angeles Rams. In both cases he made champions out of losing franchises. He was a bit eccentric, passionate and hard working. He believed in veterans.
I saw a video of him that reviewed his coaching techniques. He shared his favorite motivational phrase when asked how he built winners. It was “Do one more.” He defined it as going the extra mile, working out a little bit more, and preparing better than your opponents. He believed the difference between winning and losing was slight, so that second effort often determined the outcome of a game.
“DO one more” for Leaders
“Do one more”is a philosophy that applies to all of us. While we don’t have to become workaholics, doing one more than we wanted to do or could do, just might give us a significantly improved result. This kind of initiative positively affects our confidence, character and commitment to excellence.
George Allen’s last coaching assignment was at Long Beach State. Its college football team was perennial losers. He made them winners with a 6-5 record and called it his most satisfying coaching role. Mr. George Allen proved once again, that his, “Do one more”philosophy works. This simple phrase is a reminder to leaders that all individuals have tremendous personal potential, and that a great coach will find it.
Do you want more ideas on how to engage and inspire your team? Check this complimentary eBook, How to Motivate-NO-Inspire People, 10 keys to Employee Engagement.
Or, do you want a proven game-plan for career success? If so, check out Doug and Rick’s Superstar Leadership book.
Rick Conlow International is an online management coaching and training company. WCW Partners is a business consulting and training company that coaches leaders to achieve record-breaking performances in sales growth, customer experience improvement, employee engagement and leadership effectiveness.
Online RICK CONLOW LEADERSHIP & Coaching Resources
Consulting Services
Books & Training Resources
Call for more information – 888-313-0514 OR EMAIL RICK: RICK@WCWPARTNERS.COM OR RICKCONLOW@GMAIL.COM.
The post Do ONE More…today! appeared first on Rick Conlow.
August 29, 2016
Employees Come First in Great Companies
Employees’ are disengaged to the tune of 87% worldwide. In the US it’s 70%. Either number is disastrously poor. What does this mean to a company? High employee disengagement equals:
Poor moraleMore employee turnoverAbsenteeismPoor customer serviceLower productivityFewer salesLack of employee loyaltyNo company in its right mind would want this. Yet, every day far too many companies, and managers treat people in ways that generate a unproductive work environment.
3 Primary Reasons Companies Neglect Employees
The first reason for neglect, is the thirst for profit sidetracks their commitment to people. The focus is on the bottom-line, the end result. Much of this has been taught in business schools around the world. Managers haven’t been trained well enough in the process that employee engagement drives customer engagement which sparks greater profitability. The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) has long proven the connection between customer satisfaction and a company’s financial success. The service profit chain has clearly demonstrated the relationship between employee engagement, customer engagement and profits.
The second reason is that way too many managers lack basic leadership competencies. Too many managers are poor leaders. Derailment studies consistently show that a least 50% of managers fail. Managers falter because of poor:
results-usually because of people issues or bad judgmentpeople skills (insensitive, arrogant, dictator)delegationconflict resolutiontrust levelsplanning and decision-makingadaption of their leadership approach to situations and peopleFinally, companies don’t care, really. They see employees as a cost and a commodity not as their greatest resource. These companies and their cultures lack integrity. Their approach involves only the selfish goals of their executives and shareholders. The best example of that is when a Fortune 500 company, in response to a slower growth rate, lays off thousands to restructure to satisfy Wall Street analysts. It happens time and again.
What can companies do?If you study the “Best Places to Work”, companies, you will find these characteristics:
Clear mission, vision and valuesPay fairlyBenefits are above averageLots of communicationProvide extraordinary amounts of training and educationTeamworkEffective leadersPositive performance managementPraise, recognition and celebrationListening, feedback, inclusion and improvementIf a company wants to(the key is if the executives care) it can begin to improve employees’ attitudes almost overnight by changing leadership and business practices. Effective change requires hard work, diligence and a willingness to be better. CS Lewis said, It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad.”
Do you want more ideas on how to engage and inspire your team? Check this complimentary eBook, How to Motivate-NO-Inspire People, 10 keys to Employee Engagement.
Or, do you want a proven game-plan for career success? If so, check out Doug and Rick’s Superstar Leadership book.
Rick Conlow International is an online management coaching and training company. WCW Partners is a business consulting and training company that coaches leaders to achieve record-breaking performances in sales growth, customer experience improvement, employee engagement and leadership effectiveness.
Online RICK CONLOW LEADERSHIP Resources
Consulting Services
Books & Training Resources
Call for more information – 888-313-0514 OR EMAIL RICK: RICK@WCWPARTNERS.COM OR RICKCONLOW@GMAIL.COM.
The post Employees Come First in Great Companies appeared first on Rick Conlow.
August 23, 2016
Superstar Leadership: 12 Difficulties that Define a Manager’s Destiny
Management problems are like a tsunami that never ends. Everyday I hear about problems from managers at all levels. This leadership video training will identify the top 12 problems for managers. It will also provide a few tips for dealing with them. Successful managers learn to absorb the issues as nourishment, to build a high performance team. Others become swamped, panicked, and succumb to a never ending nightmare.
Believe it or not, a manager’s destiny is a choice. Here are twelve of the most persistent problems managers face and a few ideas on
1. Getting everything done
2. Reaching Team Goals
3. Giving negative feedback
4. Dealing with Poor Performance
5. Handling team conflict
6. Firing an employee
7. Communicating with the boss
8. Losing key employees
9. Solving co-worker issues
10. Creating buy-in to a team plan
11. Managing Change
12. Grappling with Personal Stress
There is little work/life balance. Maybe the biggest problem facing managers is taking care of themselves so they can do their best work, stay sane and healthy
Consider this leadership training clip and the ideas presented. While managers do face many problems, they become true leaders when they learn to constructively and consistently handle them.
By the way, do you want to elevate your coaching effectiveness and success? If so, check out this complimentary article, Coaching for Excellence.
Also, do you want more ideas on how to inspire your team? Check this eBook, How to Motivate-NO-Inspire People.
Or, do you want a proven game-plan for career success? If so, check out Doug and Rick’s Superstar Leadership book.
Rick Conlow International is an online management coaching and training company. WCW Partners is a business consulting and training company that coaches leaders to achieve record-breaking performances in sales growth, customer experience improvement, employee engagement and leadership effectiveness.
Online RICK CONLOW LEADERSHIP Resources
Consulting Services
Books & Training Resources
Call for more information – 888-313-0514 OR EMAIL RICK: RICK@WCWPARTNERS.COM OR RICKCONLOW@GMAIL.COM.
The post Superstar Leadership: 12 Difficulties that Define a Manager’s Destiny appeared first on Rick Conlow.
August 19, 2016
How Good is 99.9% Quality or Service?
Who can perfect? Did you ever hear that 99.9% service is good enough? Check out these statistics and reconsider your thoughts.
For 99.9% service effectiveness you get:1,314 phone call misplaced by phone companies every minute107 incorrect medical procedures performed by doctors daily18,322 pieces of mail mishandled in the next hour (the US Postal Service Rating is only 73)810 commercial airline flights would crash every month20,00 incorrect drug prescriptions will written in the next 12 months22,000 checks deducted from the wrong bank account every 60 minutes2 new born babies dropped by doctors each day!
Some things you have to be perfect at, wouldn’t you agree? Some areas of life are high stakes involving the personal safety of customers, and you can’t afford a do-over or mulligan. Other situations aren’t life threatening but certainly will cause the ire, annoyance or frustration of those affected. If you were affected by any of these statistical areas you wouldn’t like it, would you? Regardless, quality and customer service are important. Too many people and companies are nonchalant about it. The American Customer Satisfaction Index tracks customer service in over 500 companies and has been doing since 1994. The US measurement has decreased from 74.2 to 73.7.
Companies have improved in many areas particularly related to technology enhancements, but customer expectations are higher. Customers want it all-lower price, higher product quality, and a superior experience. Yet, companies have failed to meet these standards and so the overall impression of customer service has declined. At the same time, manners and civility have taken a beating in our modern society and so customer interactions have deteriorated as well. We all need to remember that customers that are ignored go elsewhere. Customer loyalty is becoming more important than profit.
While all is this sounds like bad news, it’s really a good news opportunity. Companies that deliver a better customer experience are more successful.Employees that are ethical, have good manners and provide great service are golden and move forward faster in their careers. The bottom-line question is this: how are you doing with your quality and service?
By the way, do you want to enhance your career by increasing the customer experience of your organization today? If so, download our complimentary guide:Creating Sustainable Customer Loyalty and Sales Increases.
Or, do you want to enhance your customer service skills so you are one of the best? If so, check out our customer service books:
Rick Conlow has helped companies win 48 quality service awards including JD Power, Ford’s President’s Award and Canada’s Consumer Choice recognition. To achieve similar results contact Rick at rick@wcwpartners.com or call 1-888-313-0514.
The post How Good is 99.9% Quality or Service? appeared first on Rick Conlow.
August 15, 2016
4 Potent Questions to Crystallize Your Success in Life
Consider, four potent questions, and how you answer them will crystallize your success in life. First, it all begins with a story.
There’s a young boy who, in sixth grade, had a difficult time in school. He figured that once he got to junior high, life would be easier. Then in junior high, he was only disappointed by the way things didn’t go as he had expected they would; his voice changed and he received poor grades. That was when he decided that life must get much better after high school. Then one day, just barely, he graduated high school. After high school, he realized he had to pay his own way, which made life that much harder.
When he married his special someone, life seemed to get a little bit better; but not before long, married life presented a different set of problems. Then children came, along with new demands of his time and energy. Life continued, day after day, year after year, in the same discouraging pattern.
Yet, he assumed that when he retired, the last years of his life would be grand. He would finally be able to be what he wanted to be and do what he wanted to do. Then, he retired, and as he sat on his favorite chair one afternoon, he reflected on his life. Tears came to his eyes as he thought about his sixth-grade experience and realized how much he had missed in life. As the years passed, his dissatisfaction with life continued, and his hope for a happy future faded.
The 4 Potent Questions
What’s one thing little children do that can drive parents crazy? That’s right-they ask questions! They want to know why, why, why? Children are inquisitive, curious, and excited about life, so they ask questions to learn and grow. Adults are expected to have the answers. Too many adults lose their creativity and imagination for life. Here are the four potent questions about your life that have echoed in the minds of human kind through the ages:
Most people ignore these questions. How you answer these questions determines your success in life. Why? Because you make deliberate positive choices about what you want. Not choosing leaves you living randomly, often negatively, and in a life of quiet desperation as Thoreau declared. Life is no dress rehearsal; it is more like “Saturday Night Live.”
By answering these potent questions you begin to choose that you are a success today. It’s a state of being not a destination or journey. Your answers and corresponding action will accelerate your career and personal achievement. You do not have to prove it anymore. Like an acorn that has the same DNA of a mighty oak tree, you have tremendous personal potential. There is no need to become someone you are not, only an adjusted focus to enhance your ability to step into who you really are. Virtually all self-help authors like Napoleon Hill, Earl Nightingale, Tony Robbins, Deepak Chopra, Marianne Williamson, Susan Cain and Denis Waitley and others, emphasize this similar dynamic success concept.
By believing you are a success now, you awaken an internal power and energy that propels you to a more fulfilling life.
Do you want more details for achieving your goals? If so, check out this complimentary GoalPower guide.
If you are a manager or want to be, check out this powerful complimentary Excellence in Management training.
If you haven’t read it yet, get a copy of Rick’s best selling book, Superstar Leadership.
Contact Rick for consulting or coaching services at: rickconlow@gmail.com or call 888-313-0514.
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August 7, 2016
15 QUOTES THAT ENCOURAGE CHANGE
Want to accelerate your career? Enroll in this one of a kind complimentary Excellence in Management training for managers.
Rick and his business partner Doug published these approaches in their book, Superstar Leadership.They created the Superstar Leadership Model as a way to remember and apply the principles.
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July 25, 2016
Dreams are the Pledge of the Dedicated!
What’s your dream? Did you ever toss a penny into a fountain or wishing well? Closing your eyes, holding the penny tight, wishing for something specific, and then throwing the penny into the water? Then, you would excitedly skip along as you kept your secret. After all, it wouldn’t come true if you told anyone, right?
The truth is that for most people, wishes vanish quickly. They often fade faster than the water ripples calm after a penny is dropped. And as adults, we rarely believe in wishes any more than we believe in Santa Claus or the tooth fairy.
Wishes, Dreams… RealityMy positive thought for the day is…dreams are the pledge of the dedicated! Hold your dreams tight. Create a dream list. Identify your most cherished dreams. Set a goal! Write it down. Create a plan. Take one step today, and another tomorrow. Don’t give up.
Years ago I had a dream to publish a book. I wrote one, and over 20 publishers turned me down. I was really discouraged. After eight years I was ready to give up. Then I mentioned to a consultant friend that I had written a book, called Excellence in Management. He said, “I know someone you can contact.” Within a year it was published. Since, I have published twenty other books.
You have dreams. You must hang on. Keep believing, learning, growing and taking action. Get help from those you can trust. Most of our dreams require the support of others. Imagination creates our reality! Yes, there will be ups and downs. Problems will arise. So will everything we need to succeed if we keep our hearts and minds open. It’s never too late.
Col.Sanders loved chicken and had a super recipe that people really liked. He retired at age 65 and received a $105 check from Social Security. When most people started taking it easy, he started traveling and living in his car to sell his recipe to restaurants. He was turned down 1,009 times before his chicken was accepted! Did you get that? He persevered in spite of the obstacles. He went on to build an empire called Kentucky Fried Chicken.
It’s been said, “Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” Have a great week!
Want to achieve your dreams? Check out my GoalPower book for over ninety pages of enlightening discussions and activities designed for your success.
Want to accelerate your career as a manager or employee? Get leadership coaching help, go here: WCW Coaching Breakthrough BluePrint Programs. Or, for employees see: SuperSTAR Customer Service Self-Study Performance Plan.
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