Archive For: Relationships

What Does Great Service Cost?

Steak
What Does Great Service Cost?
When it comes to Customer Service, I don’t need Outstanding Service, I don’t need Great Service, I would settle for Good service!
As you know from last week, it was my birthday on Thursday (by the way, thanks for all the birthday wishes!) Wifey took me to Number 8, an upmarket restaurant in the Crown casino complex. It had great reviews and seemed suitable for a posh night of celebration. It’s not cheap (about $50 for a steak) but I am happy to pay for “an experience”.

The summary is that the food was good (presentation was a bit ordinary) but the service was atrocious for what I expected from such a high quality establishment.

Simple things like:

  • They were advised this booking was for my birthday, but made no reference to it
  • The waiter did not engage with us at all – merely asked if we had finished when he took plates
  • The waiter offered to get another drink when we had 2/3 of a glass (when we didn’t need it) and did not offer when it was empty
  • We waited so long to give our dessert order that we left and bought ice cream as we walked along the Yarra River

Notice how these things are incredibly minor? As I said, customers do not expect a great deal. Get the basics right and they will be impressed. All they had to do was listen to what we said, and be observant for our needs.

What about in your business? Do you listen to what your customer wants? Are you observant to what you think they will need next? It could be an internal customer (you know, your colleagues) or an external one. Great Service does not cost much extra effort to provide but it pays off big time. Can you afford not to provide great service?


PS For more tips on Great Service when Exhibiting, check out our 2 hr, $29 Exhibit Like a Pro session on next Monday in Melbourne.

PPS Don’t get me wrong. I get that this situation is a real “First World Problem”. Can’t get good service for my $50 steak – really! The idea is what small thing can you do to improve your service?

Image: Flikr TinyApartmentCrafts – This image is a vegetarian friendly steak. I didn’t want to upset anyone!

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Happy Birthday

I like birthdays. I figure every year that I have one is a good year and to be quite honest, as I get older I feel more comfortable with myself and my life. This week it is my 44th birthday.


Naturally wifey has been asking what I want for my birthday. The reality is that I have everything that I need. I don’t really need anything extravagant just for the sake of it.

But Wifey is persistent.

The lawnmower died a couple of weeks ago, so on Saturday I got a brand spanking new lawnmower for my birthday. Thanks Wifey!

I wanted to give you a gift as well. It’s my way of saying thank you for receiving the Get More Goer every week and tolerating some of my literary indulgences and tilted perspective on the world. A few years ago I created the Birthday Bash. It is an easy to use two page document that enables you to do a quick assessment of the year past and the year ahead. You can download it here as my birthday gift to you.

Whether you use it on my birthday (this Thursday) or wait until your own birthday is

up to you, as long as you use it.

Happy Birthday to me, I hope you enjoy it. I know I will!




PS Speaking of gifts, if you struggle to think what is the best gift or freebie to give when you are exhibiting, sign up to our 2 hr Exhibit Like A Pro session to be held in Melbourne on Monday 30th April. This is just one of the many things we will be covering. Find out more info here.

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What Did You Give?

Easter Egg
I had Easter lunch with some of my family on Sunday. My niece and nephews were all fired up on chocolate. The question that most people would ask them in relation to the Easter Bunny is “What did you get?” After considering this for the last 24 hours, I think “What did you Give?” would be a better question to ask.


Our modern society is so focussed on the individual that we forget the community. Some people say “It is better to give than receive” but they are not the actions that I see in the world.


Business is no different. A lot of people talk about Win-Win but would you err in the side of caution and make sure your customer wins first or maybe even your supplier? How can you Give to those at your workplace rather than looking at what you get?


So today, my question for you

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is What Did You Give?

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Are You In or Out?

singh is king
Wifey and I had a brilliant trip to India. The worst part of travelling is being treated like a tourist, so it was fabulous to be treated like family during our first week. This was when we attended the wedding of our friend Gagan.

Indian weddings are amazing. Over the course of 8 days we were able to join in 5 different celebratory events. The bride requested that I wear a turban (which looks funny without a beard so I had to grow one of them too) and I felt quite stylish in it. Yes, that’s me in the picture.

With all of the different celebrations, customs and rituals going on, it would be very easy to stand on the sidelines and merely be an observer. Wifey and I decided that we would do everything and experience all the ceremonies as much as we could. So much so that at the end of the trip, the mother of the groom invited us back in October for the wedding of her other son who we had only just met!

It is the same with everything: Work, hobbies, projects, events… you name it. The more you commit to something and go full on, the better the results you will have.

So what about you, are you In or Out?

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Another Sign

As a follow- up

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to my previous blog, here is a great sign I saw at Readings book store in Malvern.

I like it because it gets the message across in a friendly manner. Rather than telling you what you can’t do, it tells you what you can do. So not “NO FOOD” but a pleasant please enjoy before entering our store.

It doesn’t get your potential customers back up before they even enter the store.

Have you seen any other signs you like? Let me know or post them on my Facebook page www.facebook.com/GetMoreGuy


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Is Your Body Where It Needs to Be?


dads
The late, great Kevin Merry (my Dad – the one on the right) often said to me, “sometimes your body just has to be there whether you want to go or not.” Usually he was talking about funerals, wedding, celebrations and events where you could choose to go or not.

That message always stuck with me. It was reinforced when I missed one of my best friend’s wedding – a decision I will always regret (Sorry Simon).

But I am one who learns from mistakes. So this week Wifey and I are at her friend’s wedding. It is an Indian wedding in India. In fact, it is a Punjabi Sikh wedding so that means 4 days of celebration spread over a week. I have even grown a beard for the occasion to go with my turban!

Three weeks out of my business this early in the year was not really what I had planned. It has set me back on a few things but Wifey and I decided that our bodies had to be here. The bridal couple are fabulous people, it will be an amazing cultural experience, we get to spend a little extra time enjoying the delights of India and I don’t have to shave for a month. So many great reasons to be here. If I really wanted, I could come up with many why it would be better to be at home.

Sometimes your body just has to be there.

Image: My father in law and father at Wifey and my wedding in 2007

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Email Auto Responders

I love email auto responders.

When I am travelling they give me a chance to let clients and prospects know what I am doing and I can set them up so they are almost self service. A few links here and there and clients can get what they need.

They are great marketing showing your contacts the development and work that you are doing for others or the growth you are experiencing yourself.

I got an auto responder message from a client today and I loved it. It is so cool I just had to share it.

“Thank you for your enquiry. We are currently travelling in the Arctic Circle in pursuit of the Northern Lights. We will be on email though so should be able to respond shortly to your enquiry.”

How fantastic is that!!
Better make sure my autoresponder message

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is that cool for next week – shoot me an email next week and test it!

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What About the Little Guys?


In the last couple of weeks I have been on three different airline; Qantas, REX and Jetstar. The service I got varied with each one. More importantly, it varied against my expectation.

The first flight was Qantas. To make things easier for them they now have autobaggage book in. In fact, it is ok for the traveller too, unless you have unusual luggage. I had a guitar with me. The auto check in wanted to charge me an extra $30 as I had an extra bag. I spoke to the assistant (when I could find her) and had a conversation about luggage andwhat was allowed in the cabin etc.  This was from the premium airline. I had 25kg allocation and still I was hassled.

Compare that to REX airlines. When I booked I noticed that the luggage allowance was 15kg. I knew I would be over with the guitar, amp and other things I had so I rang them to try and buy more luggage allowance as it is usually cheaper to buy beforehand than at the airport. I was advised that I could only get it at the airport. I steeled myself for the $5.50 per kilo extra I would have to pay (I guessed about $40) and then checked in when I was in Sydney. At check-in the bag and guitar weighed a total of 22.5 kg. As I waited to be told “That’s $40 please” he actually said, “Let’s say that’s 20kg and there is no extra charge. By the way, would you like an exit row? It would be more comfortable for a guy your height.” I was stunned.

In an age where the focus is cost cutting and bottom line focussed (particularly in the airline industry), it was a delight to get great service. This service continued on the flight – but that’s another story.

As a small to medium business, how can you beat the big guys at their game? As a big business, what can you learn from the little guys?

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12 Days of Christmas

12 Days of Christmas
Welcome to the twelve days for Christmas for 2011.  Maybe you don’t celebrate Christmas, maybe you are more a Haj, Chanuka or Bodi day kind of person. It doesn’t matter, this applies to everyone.

Inspired by the 12 Days of Christmas carol, wifey and I came up with some ideas that spread the spirit of the season. So rather than thinking about what your true love can give to you, my challenge for you is to think what you can give not only to your true love, but others in your life as well.

Here is your challenge for the next twelve days.  Don’t forget, that they are cumulative, just like the song.  That is, on the first day, you give the first thing. One the second day, you give the second thing and then the first thing.  On the third day you give the third thing, the second thing and then the first and so on.

Your Twelve Days and their challenges:
On the first day of Christmas I gave to my partner or best friend, an extra long and extra firm hug.
On the second day of Christmas I gave to a person on the road, 2 moments to cut in ahead of me.

On the third day of Christmas I gave to the person on the street $3 for a coffee treat.
On the fourth day of Christmas I gave to a member of my team, 4 minutes to tell me what they thought of me.
On the fifth day of Christmas I gave to myself 5 minutes of mediation.
On the sixth day of Christmas I gave to my family, six minutes of singing silly songs.
On the seventh day of Christmas I gave to my kids, seven minutes of undivided attention.
On the eighth day of Christmas I searched my memory for eight things I learned from this year.
On the ninth day of Christmas I wrote in my diary, nine goals for the coming year.
On the tenth day of Christmas I gave to my friends, ten minutes of non-stop praise.
On the eleventh day of Christmas for my sanity, I gave myself an eleven minute bath (Frankincense and Myrrh is optional).
On the twelfth day of Christmas I committed to the community twelve hours of my time as a volunteer.

It is ALMOST singable to the original tune!!  Don’t be discouraged if you don’t get it perfect but do act on as many as you can.  Carry the spirit of Christmas and giving with you as you do.

I’d love to hear how you went!


PS I know that the 12 Days of Christmas don’t officially start until the 29th of December but I thought I would get in early!

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Is Your Reward Relevant?

Santa Trophy
Regular readers will know that I believe we need to let people in our team (including suppliers, customers and family) know how much we value them and their contribution.  Too often we just assume they know we appreciate what they do. As you get in the habit of rewarding people, make sure it is relevant.

A financial bonus typically has a minimal impact because how much is enough. No matter how much a person receives, they always have that small thought in the back of their head “Is that it?”  One of my clients has stopped issuing movie tickets as they have given away so many, they no longer mean anything. You have to make the reward relevant and it doesn’t have to cost too much!

Recently I did two lots of Santa work for a friend of mine. I was happy to do it and it was a lot of fun. To say thanks he unexpectedly gave me the trophy in the picture. It was incredibly relevant and a load of fun. Will I do it again if he asks me, you bet I will. I probably would have anyway, but a cool gift like this means it would be nearly impossible to say no.

Now that we are in the festive spirit, what rewards or gifts are you giving those in your team? 
Is Your Reward Relevant?

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How Are Your Relationships?

I interviewed Yvonne Allen this morning and as you would expect, our topic was relationships. Not just intimate relationships but working relationships, friend relationships and even relationships with service providers.

It will come as no surprise to you to know that many of our relationships are suffering. While there is a large “man drought” for 25-45 year old women, there is also a lot of confusion with how to act and react. Yvonne refers to this as the “Gender Agenda”. We seem to have a lot of confusion out there. Women who are told to be more like men to succeed and men who are told to be more like women to understand them. No wonder there is confusion!!

Yvonne’s tips for relationship success include:

  • Start with the relationship you have with yourself and make sure it is healthy
  • Consider what the other person in the relationship (or you want in the relationship) wants and is looking for
  • Focus on the positives of the relationship
  • Communicate so that everyone knows exactly where they stand without having to read minds
  • Commit to the relationship so that it can grow in depth rather than ending at the first sign of trouble.

When Yvonne was talking I couldn’t help but notice that these points are exactly what business needs as well. Think about your team, your suppliers, your direct reports, your boss, your customers, your friends and your family. Would applying Yvonne’s tips help any of them?

So how are your relationships?

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Where Is It From?

Farmer Logo
In today’s competitive market, it is easy to lose track of where our supplies come from or even who our suppliers really are. For those of us who are suppliers, this can be scary. All of a sudden, everything is dependent on being the lowest price. But who wants to be a low price supplier? As I wrote in an earlier post, no one wins a price war.

Let me tell you about Sir Francis (and if you are a bit sensitive about animals, you may want to skip to the next paragraph). Sir Francis is our pig, named after Sir Francis Bacon. He was lovingly raised by Lou and Stew from The Farmers Larder.  Wifey and I met Sir Francis and he was a cute little piggy. He is now in our freezer (all 62 KG of him) ready to be invited to dinner. When I tell friends about Sir Francis, some say, “How can you name and pat the pig you will eat?”

If I buy pork at the supermarket, I have no idea where it is from. I have no control over how the pigs were kept or cared for. Knowing my supplier, The Farmers Larder, I KNEW Sir Francis was loved, well cared for and humanely processed. I trusted my supplier to do what was in my best interest as well as theirs. In terms of cost, I was willing to pay whatever they told me (which turned out to be a great price).

Danielle from The Cartridge Family was talking to me about printer paper. I had always used Reflex and was happy with it. She educated me on AA paper and how it was better for the printer for a couple of reasons. Because I have a level of trust with Danielle, I will be switching to AA paper and I am yet to find out the price difference.

If you are a supplier, what are you doing to add value or at the very least, show the existing value to your clients? If your value proposition is strong and proven, price will not be a sticking point.

What about your suppliers? Where do your supplies come from? Is your supplier looking after your needs, not just short term price but your long term value? Now days, there is ALWAYS a cheaper version (typically from China) but never before has the adage “You get what you pay for” been truer.

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Why Have The Day Off?

The Cup
It’s the Melbourne Cup. In Australia it is referred to as “The Race that Stops the Nation”. In Victoria it is a Public Holiday. It amazes me that we have a public holiday for a horse race!
 
Don’t get me wrong, a day off appeals to my laid back and relaxed Australian attitude to life, but for a horse race? It also strikes me as funny that in one of furthest away parts of the Commonwealth, we have a public holiday to celebrate the Queen’s birthday, yet they don’t have one in England where she lives!

It strikes me as ludicrous that earlier this year there were discussions and media rumblings about having a public holiday for the AFL Grand Final (don’t get me started on that!).
There are so many good reasons to have a day off where we DON’T, why do it for a simple sporting event?

Here are a few reasons to take a day off in no order of importance (except the first one):

  • Your birthday (NEVER work on your birthday – it’s against the rules)
  • Your partner’s birthday
  • Your anniversary
  • Your child’s graduation
  • Your child’s performance (sport, play, dance, music, whatever)
  • A funeral of someone dear to a dear friend of yours
  • An impulse family adventure
  • A surprise visit to your grandparents
  • A full health check up
  • To celebrate a major milestone achievement (personal or professional)
  • To spend time with someone you love but don’t see often
  • For personal or professional development (training course – regardless of who pays for it)
  • To pick up the new car/motorbike/motorhome and spend the day taking it for a test run
  • Because you are sick! (Don’t struggle through work, stay home and get better)
  • Because someone you love is sick (kid, pet, partner, parent or friend)

I am sure you can come up with a stack of other reasons far more worthy than a horse race.
So what would it take for you to have the day off?



Image: www.MelbourneCup.com

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Do You Share?

Concert Poster
It is amazing how many people in the workplace do not share who they really are with their colleagues. 

They have strong boundaries (almost barriers) around their distinct groups.  Their work friends are never allowed to mix with their social friends and neither of these groups are allowed anywhere near family.

Why would you do this?  While I am all for a sense of privacy and not sharing every single detail about yourself, why would you not share with your friends all of who you are? What are you trying to hide?


While you may have weird hobbies that may raise some questions or work in a job or role that your social group may not expect, don’t hold back on who you are.  We are complete beings with varied, colourful and complex parts to ourselves.


One of the most valuable gifts you can give to the world is your Authenticity.  It also takes less effort than putting up a facade or remembering to not tell certain people certain things.  Share of yourself with the world. The world will be a better place for it.

So do you share?






PS As part of my sharing, I need to let you know I sing in an A Cappella choir. It is fabulous and a whole lot of fun. We have a concert in North Melbourne at the Comic’s Lounge this Sunday at 2pm. It’s only $15 and kids are free. If you are in Melbourne next Sunday, I would love to see you there. Further details and samples of our work at www.MoodSwingChoir.com

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