What About Me

I tried to complete the Starbuck's application (see yesterday's post) and thought two things:

1. How hard should it be to tell about a time when I delivered excellent customer service? In other words, should it be such a part of my performance, that I have trouble narrowing it down to just one instance? Or am I so "busy" that I don't have time to deliver excellent customer service?
   
2. Not just for hiring, although I think you're nuts if you don't include it on your job applications, but for day-in-day-out self reporting. If you asked your staff to submit a story every month or once a quarter or twice a year, think what that would do. Not only does it show that you value service, it drives your employees to that performance, AND you start building those service stories about your business. Your culture becomes service because it isn't just written on a plaque on a wall, but something that every employee strives to deliver so they can tell about it
   

Set the Standard & Have Them Give an Example

I've written and talked to you before about Starbuck's as an example, make that THE BEST, example of customer service. I ran across another reason for their consistency and high levels of performance: their job application.

You can pick it up at any physical Starbuck's location, or you can download a copy online. You cannot complete the app online for a retail position, you must download the application, print it, complete it, and take it to a physical Starbuck's. That's a very good thing.

Here's the excellent part, here is the standard that they set before you even interview for a job. They ask four important questions on the front page of the app - even before they have you chronicle your work experience. They are:

1. Have you ever visited a Starbuck's coffee location? Where? Describe your experience.
2. What do you like about coffee?
3. Why would you like to work for Starbuck's Coffee Company?
4. Describe a specific situation where you have provided excellent customer service in your most recent position. Why was it effective?

WOW! Those are powerful questions. They gather important information on several levels. First, they prune out the uninitiated, the inarticulate, and the people just filling out apps to verify that they are looking for work. Second, they give the Starbuck's manager insight into what the applicant values. Third, they make you prove that you've successfully done the MOST IMPORTANT thing to them: provided excellent customer service. Finally, it shows the applicant what Starbuck's values most.

What an outstanding way to start employees out on the right track before they begin their first day. What an outstanding way to help you filter the applications you receive. What an outstanding way to set a standard, a standard of excellence.

Right now, go look at your job application forms. If this isn't included on yours, why not? Look at your advertising for applicants. If this sort of standard is not evident, why not? If you want excellent employees, and delighted customers, you have no reason not to set excellent standards in the way you recruit and the way you hire. Your training and orientation can't undo non-service orientation. It can't create service orientation. They've got to bring that to the party. Set this standard now and see what happens to your selection pool, to your turnover rate, and especially to your customers' experiences.

Milestones

Today's a milestone. A new president is sworn into office and brings a new team all full of energy and enthusiasm. That enthusiasm is so infectuous. Whether the enthusiasm or the skills pay a more important part of success, undeniably they both play off each other. Think of a time when you were so confident and enthusiastic and felt like you had a clean sheet to start writing on. That's what milestones do. Every year when the calendar starts again, we feel enthusiastic that this clean sheet can mean something better.

While we watch this new administration start we are anticipating better things. Even though the economy has taken center stage in a very bad way these past few months, today I'm willing to think about something else. I am willing to suspend belief and have hope that a new page will start being wrtten on and better things will be written.

And now that it's finally here, the launch of the Obama presidency, I want to hear plans and ideas that are fresh and powerful.

Likewise, and I bet you know where I'm going, it's the best time ever to think big things, to try something fresh and powerful. Why not? Really, why not try something new in this moment when our enthusiasm should be bigger? Our goal setting is a good thing. We give ourselves the permission to dream and more importantly, permission to stop doing the things that we know aren't as good as we could be, we have permission to start doing things differently and even better.

Nose Hair

Can't believe I have to say this, but guys, please, keep your nose hairs trimmed. It doesn't matter how smart you are, how well you answer questions, how shiny that new car is, how well you repaired my vehicle... if you have a hair bush coming out of your nose, I can't pay attention. Remember that especially if you are tall, most of us are looking up into your nose, so if the hairs are unruly, we see them. Yuck. Even if I'm sitting next to you, if hairs are coming out of your nose, I can't pay attention to anything else because the hair is grossing me out.

Subliminal

Did you see the story in Sunday's Parade magazine on subliminal advertising? What caught my eye was the point on background music. It said that if background music has a beat that is faster than the human heart beat, then shoppers shop quickly and therefore buy less. The slower the beat of the music, the more time shoppers take. Music also directs us to certain products. For instance the researchers tested wine buyers and found that French-sounding music resulted in 77% of consumers buying French wine, while German-sounding music encouraged consumers to buy German wine. When the shoppers were interviewed after check out only 1 in 44 mentioned the music.
What I extracted from this is the whole of the shopping experience is critical! We talk about creating a great experience for our customers and some of us have done a great job at focusing on speed, and friendliness, and clear explanations. How much attention do we pay to all aspects of our shoppers experience? What does the driveway look and feel like, what's the temperature, how comfortable are the chairs for sitting in longer than 30 minutes, how hot is the coffee, WHAT SOUNDS ARE THEY SUBJECTED TO (musical and otherwise).
Just makes me go "hmmm", now that's a project for a CIT!

It Takes All Kinds

Are your familiar with the terms Finders, Minders, and Grinders? I ran across this in a book i was reading and really like the concept. Originally I think the terms come from law firms, but see how it translates for you. In a nutshell, here it is:
FINDERS go out and find business or work. Sometimes they are called "rainmakers"
MINDERS perform all the administrative tasks and coordinate all the work coming in so it get done
GRINDERS "grind" out the actual work that the company promises it will do
It's the best model of a team when I think of it. I mean, you can't be successful without all three and one depends on the others. If you have all Grinders, then what work will they perform without Finders bringing it in? If you have all Finders and Grinders, what will happen if there are no Minders to organize the work, pay the bills, etc.?
What makes us look down on the other types is all about our personal preference. As you were reading the definitions, you already categorized yourself into one function. That's your preference, your comfort zone. You are good at it. Nobody is really comfortable or excellent at all three. You might be able to do one or another in a pinch, for limited stretches of time, to limited success. But you're best at one of them. The problem comes when you devalue on of the others. If you don't see how they compliment you or how you depend on them, then you are in deep trouble.
Try to categorize all your job functions this way. Then use this as an interview question when you're trying to fill a position, how does the applicant categorize her/himself: as a Finder, a Minder, or a Grinder? If you're hiring Finders, you don't want someone who sees himself as a Grinder in that position. It's all aobut fit. You can teach tasks, but you want them to bring with them their strengths in the approach they take to the work.