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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Boca Raton, FL - April 18, 2006
Is Workplace Happiness a Business Decision? Authentic Happiness Coach Says These 8 Tips Will Increase "Business Resilience"
Want a more positive workplace where you and your co-workers feel happy and motivated? Want to make customers happier so that their loyalty - and your profits - grow? Want to work more efficiently and effectively and improve your health? Authentic Happiness Coach and customer care expert JoAnna Brandi shared tips for transforming these wants into "haves" recently at the Customer Care Institute Annual Forum in Atlanta, Georgia. Her overall message: Happiness creates resilient employees who, in turn, create resilient, thriving companies.
"As an Authentic Happiness Coach, my goal is to raise the tonnage of happiness on the planet - especially in the workplace," said JoAnna Brandi, as she opened her presentation on the benefits of "workplace happiness" at the annual Customer Care Institute Forum in Atlanta, Georgia.
What's happiness got to do with customer care and loyalty? Brandi, an expert on customer care, customer loyalty and happiness, said the level of happiness one feels is largely in one's control - and there's plenty of evidence that keeping it up can has far reaching business benefits. She should know; she's a graduate of the Authentic Happiness program developed by Martin Seligman, the founder of positive psychology.
"Research proves that positive feelings reduce stress, build up the immune system and even enable people to think more holistically - to be open to new ideas and solve problems more quickly, efficiently and intelligently," said Brandi. "Happy employees have a broader range of options to draw from; they are more creative and helpful. They are better equipped emotionally to create happy, loyal, referral generating customers."
"Ultimately, happy employees are more resilient. They help create resilient companies - ones that can withstand the challenges of an ever changing, increasingly competitive marketplace."
Brandi explained that to get started at "adding happiness to your customer care tool kit," it helps to practice eight happiness factors that are in everyone's control. She said, "No matter what personality you were born with, no matter what your circumstances are, you can boost your feelings of happiness by taking charge of these eight factors."
Happiness factors within one's control include:
1) Optimism. "Despite what people say, optimism can be learned," said Brandi. It's about perspective, how a person chooses to interpret and explain what he experiences during the day. She said, "We are continuously making choices about how we explain the world to ourselves. If something challenging occurs and you think, 'Just my luck. Bad things always happen to me,' you are reducing your happiness. You can increase your happiness simply by choosing to think, 'Hmmm. There must be something good about this situation - what could it be?'" She added that the power of optimism is not to be minimized - evidence shows that optimists live nine to ten years longer than people who are not optimistic.
2) Gratitude. Consciously, willingly and deliberately take moments throughout the day to feel gratitude, and to express it to others. Said Brandi, "I've advised businesses to start an "employee gratitude journal" in which everyone is encouraged to write down something for which they're grateful every day. They're always amazed at how powerful this inexpensive, quick and easy exercise is in creating a positive work environment and helping to transform the culture."
3) Forgiveness. Brandi said that letting go of ill will toward others and oneself, surrendering resentments and regrets, and making peace with the past clears the way for happiness to be felt more often and more deeply.
4) Improve your self-talk. It's important to transform your self-talk from negative and punishing to positive and energizing. Brandi said, "When you make a mistake and find yourself thinking, 'You idiot,' you know it's time to take a deep breath, and ask yourself a question like, 'How can I use my smarts to make this better?' Positive self-talk diffuses stressful situations, and when the brain relaxes it is more creative and better at problem solving."
5) "Flow." Is there any activity, interest or hobby you enjoy so much that you lose all track of time when you're engaged in it? Brandi explained that that state of being where you forget about everything else is called "flow." Being in a state of flow actually increases one's happiness.
6) Savor. "Savoring is about being in the moment," said Brandi. "The great thing about savoring is that you can do it before an activity - by happily anticipating what's to come, you can do it while you're enjoying the activity, and you can savor your memories afterward. Savoring is a powerful tool!"
7) Reframe. This is another tool for shifting one's perspective. Brandi suggested looking at a situation as if it were an actual photograph, and thinking about the dozens of way you could reframe it. She explained, "You can crop it, enlarge it, make it smaller. Whatever you do, you're creating a different view and perspective of the same picture, which can help you to transform negative feelings and responses to a situation into positive, happier ones."
8) Build on Strengths. Research shows that enduring happiness comes from spending time in one's strengths - having the opportunity to do the things one does well even better. Brandi suggested, "Identify your strengths, then deliberately and creatively build on them. Evidence shows that over time, this skill works better at creating lasting happiness than antidepressants."
"When you choose to be happy you're choosing to create and work with a powerful business tool," Brandi concluded. "Happiness restores humanity to the workplace so that everyone thrives in every way. The emotional well being of employees and customers is directly linked to a company's profitability and resilience."
In addition to offering keynotes, workshops and presentations on Authentic Happiness, customer care and customer loyalty, Brandi is the author of "54 Ways to Stay Positive in a Changing, Challenging and Sometimes Negative World," and is the publisher of the Customer Care Coach®. For more information, visit www.customercarecoach.com.
For a Sample of one of JoAnna's Customer Care Coach ® lessons: "Everything You've Always Needed to Know About Stress - But Didn't Know to Ask," go to
http://www.customercarecoach.com/public/sample.asp
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February 2006
Customer Care Expert Shares "The 7 'Sweet Somethings' That Mean Everything to Customers:" Simple Ways to Make Every Day Valentine's Day For Customers
Want to give your customers "valentines" every day to increase their customer loyalty, customer satisfaction and referrals? Customer care expert JoAnna Brandi says a good place to start is by improving your communications with customers to ensure that you'll make a positive, memorable impact on them.
As Valentine's Day approaches, customer care expert JoAnna Brandi asserts that this is the perfect time to take a close look at your customer communications. She says, "Do you say a lot of 'sweet nothings' that ultimately mean nothing to customers, or do you communicate in ways that build customer relationships? Sweet nothings - using wishy-washy language, making insincere promises - can backfire on you, causing you to lose customers and profits.
"'Sweet somethings,' on the other hand, build trust and rapport while creating positive customer experiences that can give businesses a profitable boost."
Brandi offers the following seven tips for replacing sweet nothings with "sweet somethings that mean everything to customers:"
1) When you say "yes" to a customer, say it in a positive, joy-building way. "Words like 'Certainly,' 'It's my pleasure' or 'Yes, I'll gladly take care of that for you' make customers feel appreciated and cared for ˆ which makes them more likely to buy more from you," says Brandi. "When you use words like, 'Yeah,''OK,' and especially the phrase 'No problem,' it turns customers off. No customer wants to hear the word 'no,' which automatically creates the kind of negative feelings that undo customer care efforts."
2) Build and maintain rapport. The word 'rapport' means accord, conformity or harmony, and Brandi says that when people achieve it with their customers, something "magical" happens. She explains, "When customers feel that they truly connect with you - when they feel understood by you and trusting in you - it increases customer loyalty and your chances of getting referrals." Building rapport begins by asking customers their names, and respectfully referring to them by name throughout the conversation.
Next, Brandi recommends that people listen carefully to discern if the language customers use is more visual, auditory or kinesthetic - and then use the same kinds of words in the conversation. She says, "Visual people use words like 'focus,' 'see,' 'perspective' and 'view.' Auditory people use words like 'hear,' 'call,' 'discuss,' and 'dialog.' Kinesthetic folks favor terms like 'touch,' 'handle,' 'irritate,' and 'concrete.' When you speak to customers in the style they favor, it's like you're speaking their language - something customers love and appreciate."
3) Make sure all communications are clear, concise and correct. "If your honey sends you a Valentine's card with your name and other words misspelled, would it endear you to him or her? Highly unlikely," says Brandi. She strongly recommends good grammar, use of spell check, and a final read before hitting the 'send' button - especially if there's any emotional content in the correspondence (as there usually is when dealing with a customer complaint).
4) Ask one question of customers that will enable you to get to know them a little better. Brandi says this both shows that you're interested in and care about the customer, and it give you some rapport building info you can use in the next conversation. She explains, "Even those we're closest with appreciate when you show an extra interest in them by asking them about themselves - and they always feel special when you remember what you learned."
5) Smile! Whether you take care of customers in person or on the phone, Brandi says that smiles release "happy hormones" that are actually good for you - and when you feel good, your customers are bound to feel great when they deal with you.
6) Give customers your undivided attention. Have you ever walked into an office and been ignored by the person at the front desk? Ever have your groceries rung up by a cashier who paid more attention to her friend at the next register than to you? Ever speak to someone on the phone while the person was checking emails and talking with her assistant? "These experiences have become far too common for customers," says Brandi. "The people who are supposed to be helping customers are either multi-tasking, distracted, clueless, self-absorbed, or poorly trained.
"This sweet something is about eye contact, listening skills, positive body language, and engagement in communications. It's about making customers feel welcome, comfortable and appreciated."
7) Follow through and follow up. Ever have someone break a promise to you? Brandi says the feelings you experience in those situations - hurt, disappointment, let down - are the same feelings customers experience when you don't "close the loop" on all interactions. "Do what you say you're going to do, and then let customers know you did it."
For more customer care tips, visit Brandi's web site at www.customercarecoach.com. To find out if you provide the kind of "exquisite" customer care Brandi says companies today must provide to stay competitive in today's marketplace, take her quiz at /public/quiz.asp.
Happiness Coach Says Being Grateful All Year - Not Just on Thanksgiving - Can Make a Difference to Your Health and Your Business
7 Tips for Developing a "Practice" of Gratitude and Happiness
The holidays can be a time of both joy and stress. Authentic Happiness Coach JoAnna Brandi encourages business leaders to create a regular "practice" of creating feelings of joy that reduce stress - both for their overall well-being, and for the increased success of their businesses.
(Boca Raton, FL - November 14, 2005) What could gratitude and happiness possibly have to do with success on the job? And if you're stressed out at work, how could you even pretend to feel thankful and happy around the holidays or any time? According to Authentic Happiness Coach and Customer Care Coach® publisher JoAnna Brandi, developing a "practice" of gratitude and happiness can create positive changes in a person that can lead to positive changes throughout a business all year 'round.
Brandi explains, "There's plenty of proof that there are health benefits to feeling grateful and happy; such feelings can reduce stress, boost your immune system, open your mind to new possibilities and make it easier to be kind and creative. There's also evidence that feeling good can be 'contagious,' and positively impact those around you.
"So if you intentionally set out to feel grateful and happy every day, the benefits will ripple both inward and outward, enhancing your well being, and the lives of your co-workers and customers. This translates into a healthier more positive work environment that can lead to increased profits. Why? Evidence abounds that links employee happiness and customer happiness."
Brandi, who is author of the book "54 Ways to Stay Positive in a Changing, Challenging and Sometimes Negative World," offers the following seven tips for developing a practice of gratitude and happiness:
1) Write a Letter of Gratitude - Identify someone who has made a difference in your life. This could be a mentor, manager, someone in another department, a co-worker from a former job, a customer... Anyone who has impacted you in a positive way. Then write that person a letter, specifically thanking them for the way they touched your life. It could be that that person encouraged you in a career decision, helped you through a difficult time, coached you, taught you new skills, or perhaps saw something in you that no one else did. Send it out or, better yet, deliver it in person and notice how terrific you feel. "This works like magic, creating happiness for you and the recipient," says Brandi.
2) Create a Gratitude Journal - Write in your personal Gratitude Journal nightly and you'll have sweet dreams. Create a "departmental" Gratitude Journal and you'll help build a dream team. Keep it in an easily accessible spot in your department, and encourage everyone on your team to write at least one line daily about something for which they're grateful. Brandi says, "This simple exercise in focusing people on something that makes them happy and appreciative gets them to be on the lookout for more of the same. Being focused on what's positive will have an powerful impact on the way co-workers interact and the way they treat customers as well."
3) Breathe - That's right: Stop what you're doing and breathe deeply. As you do this, think about something you deeply appreciate, or imagine your heart smiling. "Even the busiest person in the world can make time for this powerful mood-altering and stress-relieving exercise," Brandi asserts. "Most people don't realize that the mind can't tell the difference between that which is real and that which is vividly imagined. If you recall a pleasant and calming scene and breathe deeply and fully into it, your body will relax as if you are there."
4) Rethink the way you open staff meetings - Brandi suggests that before you get down to business, you begin every meeting by having each person in the room share something for which they're grateful. "This creates camaraderie and inspires creativity," she says. "It literally gets everyone on the same 'wavelength.' Every emotion has a vibration, getting everyone on the vibration of appreciation gets the team to the heart of the matter quickly."
5) Send "Thank You" cards to customers, employees and suppliers. "Make sure they're personal and handwritten," Brandi advises. "And not to worry if you don't think you're a 'great writer.' Simply thanking customers or other stakeholders for their business goes a long way."
6) Send Thanksgiving gifts instead of traditional holiday presents - With this simple shift of gears, you can really stand out from your competitors.
7) Genuinely thank employees on a regular basis-If you're a manager, make it a point to tell each and every employee what it is about them that you're specifically grateful for. You can focus on a special characteristic you really appreciate - a sense of humor, a can-do attitude - or actions they took that made a difference in the company.
"Remember, what you focus on expands," says Brandi. "Focus on the good and you'll get more of it."
In addition to her expertise in happiness, which she learned from renowned happiness expert Martin Seligman, Brandi is a customer care and customer loyalty expert. To subscribe to Brandi's f#ee, bi-weekly newsletter, visit www.customercarecoach.com. To find out if your customer care is exquisite, take her QUIZ at http://www.customercarecoach.com/public/quiz.asp
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CONTACT INFORMATION
Tracey Paradiso
JoAnna Brandi's Customer Care Coach®
(908) 272-3312
http://www.customercarecoach.com
As Fall Business Picks Up, Use Customer Care Expert's Tips to Stay in Control
Autumn is almost officially here, and in most industries as the leaves fall business picks up. JoAnna Brandi, publisher of the Customer Care Coach ® , says this is the perfect time to get a grip on what Stephen R. Covey refers to as your "Q2" list - things that are "important, but not urgent" - so that you'll be well prepared to stay on top of those items while taking on the fast-paced challenges fall brings, enabling you to keep improving your customer care.
(Boca Raton, FL - September 7, 2005) -- "As kids go back to school and adults get serious about work again, it's very easy to drown in the fast pace and extra workload," says JoAnna Brandi, publisher of the Customer Care Coach ® . "My advice: Before things get hairy, assess the items on your Q2 list and plan for how you'll take care of them. This is critical if you want to maintain and, better yet, improve your customer care standards and the profitable loyalty you can get in return."
The "Q2 list" Brandi refers to is a concept developed by Stephen R. Covey, renowned author of books including "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People." In his book "First Things First," Covey categorizes activities into four quadrants, and Q2 features "activities that are important, but not urgent."
He writes, "This is the Quadrant of Quality. Here's where we do our long-range planning, anticipate and prevent problems, empower others, broaden our minds and increase our skills though reading and continuous professional development . . . prepare for important meetings and presentations, or invest in relationships through deep, honest listening. Increasing time spent in this quadrant increases our ability to do."
Brandi agrees, and believes that early September is a great time to reflect upon the way you do business and to identify what is and isn't working to help your organization build loyal customer and employee relationships.
She says, "The dog days of summer are over, the fog of vacation-mind has lifted, and now you can key in on important issues, planning thoughtfully how you'll address them as business gets busy. This will prevent crises that can impact your customer relationships during the busy time of year." To that end, she offers the following checklist to get you thinking about the responsibilities you have that are important, but not urgent:
1) How are you managing your energy? Are you taking care of yourself - getting enough rest, eating well, exercising and drinking plenty of water? "Don't laugh, says Brandi. "These things are important to you personally AND professionally. Take care of yourself, so you can be your best at work and at play and have a firm, healthy foundation for when work gets busy again."
2) Did customer needs change over the summer? Have you taken the time to ASK them if their needs have changed? This is the perfect time to pick up the phone and have some short, friendly conversations to find out how they feel about your organization. A great question to stimulate their thinking is: "Is everything about doing business with us perfect in your eyes?" Chances are they'll say no, which will give you a great opportunity to learn about gaps in your service or problems with your product.
3) Are your employees knowledgeable about what they do? When was the last time they received training to update them on industry trends or your product lines? When was the last time they received customer care or communications training? Have some informal sit-downs to discuss such issues, or to book some more formal or ongoing training to keep them at the top of their game.
4) Are your processes up to date? Review your hiring process, conflict resolution process, and your methods for measuring customer loyalty. Then read some great new business books, making notes of simple but effective ways you can improve processes, creating more loyal employees and customers.
5) Get organized! Says Brandi, "Nothing says stress relief at work like a clutter-free, well organized work space. Get yours together, and encourage your employees and co-workers to do the same!"
To subscribe to Brandi's free, bi-weekly newsletter, visit http://www.customercarecoach.com. To find out if your customer care is exquisite, take her QUIZ at /public/quiz.asp
Contact: JoAnna Brandi & Company 7491 N. Federal Hwy, C-5 #304 Boca Raton, FL 33487 Phone: 561-279-0027 Fax: 561-279-9400 Web: www.customercarecoach.com
Competitive Edge Getting Dull? "Sharpen it with Creativity!" says Customer Care Expert
Do you routinely encourage absurdity? Let people know they're safe to question the norm, suggest the unusual? Do you set aside time to work on your challenges and tap the brainpower of all your team members? Do you honor ideas? According to Customer Care Coach ® Publisher JoAnna Brandi, if you're not, you could be developing "hardening of the categories" - and in danger of losing your competitive edge.
Brandi explains, "Hardening of the categories occurs in organizations where they're inflexible, complacent and satisfied with the ordinary -- where they operate from preconceived notions and assumptions. These businesses get stuck on the way they've always done things, and start focusing on what can't be done instead of what's possible.
"The result: Your service goes stale while competitors creating fresh new service innovations attract your best employees and precious customers. Companies that accept service innovation to be as critical as product innovation are setting themselves up to succeed for the long haul."
Why? Brandi says that a global, experience-based economy coupled with unprecedented, accelerated change are forcing companies to anticipate customers' needs by looking at them from all-new vantage points - and then be flexible and brave enough to go the extra mile to be different. "Companies have to think not only outside the box, but as if the box never existed in the first place," she says.
According to Brandi, innovative corporate cultures that can anticipate and meet customer needs are known for being curious, inquisitive, appreciative and playful. She explains that creativity grows out of a culture that is not afraid to be absurd or challenge the status quo, is willing to be wrong and that nurtures questioning - and it thrives in a company that's committed to continuous improvement and learning.
But such cultures don't spring up overnight, and she says they don't happen at all if managers don't nurture a culture where it's safe to be a little crazy. Brandi offers three tips to help managers heal hardening categories in their companies and start building creative, profitable corporate cultures:
1) Set aside time for creativity. Ideally, you want to do this quarterly, outside of the office, and you want to hire someone to facilitate the sessions so that the managers can fully participate. 'Limber up' by brainstorming about silly things: See how many uses you can come up with for a brick, tea bag, or anything not related to work. When everyone's warmed up, kick into high gear with crazy, no restrictions brainstorming on ways to improve your customer care. Remember the rules: All ideas are good ideas at this phase, and judgment, killer phrases ("it's not in the budget") and killer looks (armed crossed, mouth twisted, head shaking) are not allowed. You're looking for quantity here. After lunch, sort through those ideas, combine them in different ways and start developing workable, doable plans.
2) Start an 'Idea of the Month Club.' Get everyone into the practice of questioning or looking at things differently, using questions like, "How can I make this better? How can we improve the customer experience at this touchpoint? How can I create more value? How can I do my job better?" Offer a monetary reward for the ideas that are selected for action. Or offer a small monetary reward for all the ideas and deliver it in cash. You'll be amazed at what people will come up with if you focus their attention on "How can I make it better?" and then reward them for their efforts. The first time you get an idea that saves the company thousands of dollars (and you will) you'll know this kind of program pays for itself.
3) Invest in creativity. There are fabulous books, products, cards, games and activities out there to help you break out of 'normal' thinking patterns. Build a wonderful library of tools for your company. Google the word "creativity" and have fun following the links wherever they take you. Find resources to support you.
"If necessity is the mother of invention, I'd guess the father is curiosity, absurdity, dissatisfaction, playfulness, consideration, imagination, or any number of qualities that aren't typically a part of standard business models," says Brandi. "In most companies, marketing and research get to be creative while the rest of us wait to hear from them. Let's break out of the old molds and make 'creative flow' a standard part of our organizational cultures!"
To subscribe to Brandi's f#ee, bi-weekly newsletter, visit http://www.customercarecoach.com . To find out if your customer care is exquisite, take her QUIZ at /quiz
Customer Care Expert JoAnna Brandi Adds 'Happiness' to Her Employee Engagement and Customer Loyalty Building Strategies
Customer Care expert JoAnna Brandi is one of only 1000 students trained by the "Father of Positive Psychology," Martin Seligman, Ph.D., in the "science of happiness." The goal is for the students to apply and teach what they learned with Dr. Seligman in their own professional fields. Brandi intends to use her new skills in helping companies increase their success with employee engagement and customer loyalty efforts.
Boca Raton, FL July 17, 2005 -- Customer Care expert JoAnna Brandi has announced that she has completed her studies with Martin Seligman, Ph.D., a pioneer in the study of happiness who's also known as the "Father of Positive Psychology." Brandi was one of only 1000 students trained worldwide by Seligman to take his work on the "science of happiness" out beyond the academic community. Seligman's goal was to teach his cutting edge thinking and strategies to people from different industries so that they, in turn, could bring what they learned into their fields.
Brandi will use her new expertise to assist her customer care clients in achieving greater customer satisfaction and customer loyalty by supporting their employees at a deeper level. She explains, "If you work backwards from the goals of creating happy, loyal, returning customers who make you profitable, where do you wind up? You land squarely on the employees, of course.
"There's increasing proof of the link between employees who are happy with and engaged in what they do, and loyal customers. Now I can better help businesses that intend to thrive in our 'experience economy' move their visions of creating employee engagement into reality."
What struck Brandi about the course was Seligman's proactive use of psychology as a tool to increase happiness - not to decrease unhappiness, as it's traditionally been practiced. She says, "It was wonderful to discover that happiness doesn't just float in and out of our lives; it's actually a state of mind and body one can actively work toward that has physical and emotional benefits. Happiness can keep a person healthier - and living longer."
Brandi sees many applications of Seligman's approach to the workplace, especially now that there are tools to measure employee engagement, productivity and happiness. She explains, "Now that we can measure happiness and its growth - or lack of growth - over time, as well as assess strengths and pinpoint positive interventions, we can prove the value of teaching employees the skills they need to have more control of their happiness.
"I predict that those companies bold enough to embrace this new way of thinking will be setting a powerful, positive precedent for all those businesses that still force employees to leave their emotions at home. After all, a successful 'Customer Experience' is all about emotions. If customers feel good about the value you provided - if they are happy doing business with you - they are more likely to come back and buy again."
For information about JoAnna Brandi, visit www.customercarecoach.com or www.customerretention.com.
...aving you the marketing and advertising costs of acquiring customers.
3) Loyal customers are more forgiving when you make mistakes - even big ones (especially if you have a system in place that empowers employees to correct errors on the spot. Then loyal customers become even more loyal!).
4) A loyal customer's endorsement can surpass the most extravagant marketing efforts. Proof of the pudding: A low-budget film can become a blockbuster hit thanks to positive word of mouth (My Big Fat Greek Wedding). Mega stars and publicity blitzes can't prevent high-profile films from tanking (Alexander the Great); the word 'on the street' is more powerful.
5) Thriving companies with high customer loyalty usually have loyal employees who are genuinely engaged in their work - and loyal employees save you money in a variety of ways. You don't have to spend money attracting, hiring and training new employees, and you have knowledgeable people at all levels of the organization serving the customers and each other. And those employees get very smart over time - in a culture that values them and their contributions they can be responsible for countless system improvements - and millions in savings.
6) Thriving companies with high customer and employee loyalty are generally known to outpace their competitors in innovation. (Think Gore-Tex, Southwest Airlines (the twenty minute turn-around), Progressive insurance) In addition, their cultures support continuous learning. Brandi comments, "In today's market, if you're not continuously learning and innovating, there's no question that you're falling behind."
7) Loyal customers understand your processes and can offer suggestions for improvement. Their feedback can help with R&D efforts as well as improvement efforts.
8) Profits, Profits, and did we say Profits? An increase in your retention of customers can boost your bottom line profit 25-100% depending on your fixed costs.
Based on these benefits and more, Brandi advises, "Make this the Year of the Customer, and you're much more likely to achieve your New Year's business resolutions."
For the month of January, Brandi is offering free copies of "The Nine Foundation Principles of Exquisite Customer Care, "a list of essential qualities for creating loyalty-building customer experiences and thriving organizations. To obtain a copy, please send an email to special report specialreport@customercarecoach.com and place "The Nine Foundation Principles" in the subject line.
The Customer Care Coach® is a customer care leadership training program for managers. For more information, visit or contact Tracey Paradiso at e-mail protected from spam bots.
Thanksgiving Dinner as a Customer Care Model? You Bet!
What does Thanksgiving dinner have to do with customer care? According to nationally renowned customer care expert JoAnna Brandi, there are three aspects of holiday meal planning that apply to an organization's customer care efforts. When consistently done well, she says they can help build and fortify the kinds of loyal customer relationships that create profits.
Boca Raton, FL (PRWEB) November 14, 2004 -- Managers and business leaders intent on creating customer loyalty can learn a thing or three from planning their Thanksgiving dinners, says customer care expert JoAnna Brandi. She explains, "Thanksgiving dinner is the ultimate in service experiences. From the 'strategic planning' of the event right down to 'delivery and implementation,' each step is carefully thought out with the guests' satisfaction being the primary goal."
According to Brandi, just as planning and executing a Thanksgiving gala that's talked about for months on end requires careful attention to details so, too, does that same detailed planning apply to the service an organization delivers. She points out three ways managers can apply Turkey Day strategies to creating the ultimate customer experience:
1) Table Presentation is (almost) EVERYTHING!
A holiday table setting should be clean, attractive and arranged in a practical and easy manner that enables smooth flow from one course to the next. Likewise, Brandi suggests that the 'face' your organization presents to customers at every touchpoint should have the same features.
She explains, "Think about it. What happens if you contact a service center and the person on the other end of the phone is chewing gum or doesn't speak clearly? You wonder what the heck's going on behind the scenes. Your faith and credibility in the service you're about to receive is diminished, and this means the service agent now has a twofold task: To change your perception by regaining your respect and to resolve your problem!"
She urges leaders of service organizations to ensure that each member of the organization understands the importance of presentation. How to begin? By asking yourself and others: What are the key success ingredients of our presentation to customers? Then double-check that you're right by asking some customers the same question. Compare your answers and zero in on what aspects of presentation matter most.
2) The Bird's Got to be MEATY!
Presentation creates a tone and an expectation, but Brandi says if the table looks great and the food is awful, chances are that guests will leave the meal remembering the bad taste. She points to a dinner scene from the movie Christmas Vacation to illustrate her point, "The entire family is gathered around the table for what looks to be the perfect feast. Sparky (Chevy Chase) begins to tear up as he carefully begins to carve the bird when...it explodes into a smoky haze of shell of bones! Suddenly the table presentation is meaningless."
She explains that your organization is in trouble if it 'looks' good but 'explodes in a cloud of gas and bones' when presented with a customer problem. Her advice: "Your service - the bird - has to be meaty! It has to have substance or, as they say, your company's just 'full of hot air.' So, Turkey Day tip #2 is to make sure your people are properly skilled to do the job right and to provide solutions to customer challenges."
To help you get more meat on your bones, she suggests you ask your service staff, "How many times have you had a customer interaction where you were unable to solve the problem - or find the right resource to solve the problem? What did you do? What was the result? What would help you do your job better? Then give them what they need, and make sure they're getting continuous training to keep them up to snuff."
3) The Sweet Finish Line!
Just as Thanksgiving Dinner would be incomplete without some lip-smacking sweets, Brandi says 'incomplete service' can ruin a company's efforts at creating loyal customer relationships.
She explains, "All too many service providers unknowingly cut out when 80% of the job is done; they fix the customer's problem and call it a day! Customer caring leaders make sure their staffs know to confirm that the problem has been resolved to the customer's satisfaction. And they don't stop there...they also encourage their team to take a proactive approach and ask the customer if there's anything else he or she needs!
"If the customer says, 'I couldn't possibly take another bite I'm so stuffed,' thank them for their time and their support of your organization."
To get your wheels turning about whether or not you deprive your customers of 'dessert' (and your company of loyalty and profits), Brandi urges you to consider these questions: Do you have a standard set of questions or comments you pose to customers after you resolve their problems? Do you have a similar protocol to end any customer interaction? If yes, are they being used consistently? Says Brandi, "If you've answered 'no' to these questions, develop a proactive follow-up plan and put it into action!"
Whether you're preparing a holiday meal or delivering exquisite service, Brandi notes that success takes hard work and attention to detail. If preparing for the ultimate customer experience begins to feel overwhelming, she says, "Just remember, when everyone is happily dozing after your succulent feast, you'll be able to sit back and enjoy your own dessert - and in the workplace that means customer loyalty and profits!"
JoAnna Brandi is publisher of The Customer Care Coach®, an email-based customer care training program for managers. For more information, visit http://www.customercarecoach.com or contact Tracey Paradiso by e-mail.
Its Almost September Time for Managers to Make the Most of Teachable Moments
Managers don't have to take employees away from their desks for days at a time to train them in customer service. According to JoAnna Brandi, the Customer Care Coach, one of the most effective ways to create a profitable, customer-focused culture is to make the most of everyday, on-the-spot learning opportunities. Here are six quick tips for putting Teachable Moments into action.
Boca Raton, FL (PRWEB) August 24, 2004 -- Aah, school days. Even if it's been decades since you last started a new grade or studies, for many the season evokes the sense of a new start, anticipation and sharper attention and focus. Customer Care Coach JoAnna Brandi recommends that you make the most of those feelings in yourself and your team by adding more "Teachable Moments" to your management style.
"Teachable Moments are spontaneous opportunities to use an experience at hand to demonstrate a skill or principle, to train your staff in some way, shape or form," says Brandi. "They're one of the best, most effective ways I can think of to support your staff in developing powerful 'soft skills' that create the kinds of customer experiences that yield profits."
Brandi offers six quick tips for making the most of everyday Teachable Moments:
1) When you hear team members talk about their experiences as customers, ask them how they felt during and after they purchased the product or service. Was the experience positive or negative? Was the service provider attentive, friendly and responsive or cold and removed? If the service was poor, what choices might the provider have made to make it better? Did the company live up to the expectations it created? What word best describes the overall customer experience? Will they return as a customer? Will they refer friends to the business? When they understand the emotional impact that their service providers have upon them, they'll better understand the impact that they have upon your customers - how everything they say and do can make or break a valuable customer relationship.
2) When you see team members 'walking the company talk,' acknowledge and appreciate them for delivering the value your company promises to deliver, being as specific as possible. For example, when you overhear an employee patiently talk a customer through your company's delivery process, that's the perfect time to say, "I'm really happy about the way you just showed your customer how knowledgeable, thorough and dependable our company is. Keep up the great work!" If you notice that a team member is returning customer calls quickly, praise him for demonstrating how responsive your organization is. You might add, "Responsiveness is something that we promise the customer, and that's what you're delivering-- super job!"
3) When your radar picks up grumbling about customer complaints, gently assist your team in reframing their perspective of customer complaints as 'gifts' to your company; they offer 'free consulting' that lets your company know where there are gaps in your service and problems with your products. Questions will help you to positively shift your team's focus (and decrease their defensiveness).
Ask your team:
* How is that information a gift to us?
* What opportunity does that information open up to us to improve our customer care?
* What gap in our service did our 'free consultant' just identify?
* How can we use this information to add value to our customer experiences?
* Wasn't it thoughtful of that customer to take the time to share that important information?
* Wasn't it brave of that customer to approach us with that difficult situation?
4) When you become aware that employees are making tough choices that will benefit your company in the long run, praise them for thinking ahead, for thinking about the effects and outcomes of their words and actions and how they're impacting others. Say, "I like the way you think." It's a simple statement, but it's packed with appreciation, motivation and affirmation that will fuel your team to keep up their great work. "I like the way you're thinking about that."
5) When you notice team members are visibly stressed, remind them, kindly to "Breathe." Taking a few deep breaths is one of the most simple and effective ways to handle oneself in a stressful moment. Better yet, give them a few minutes to walk away from their desks, stretch, or get a glass of water. They're likely to return with a fresh perspective, which makes them better able to provide excellent customer care. It's also important that managers themselves handle their stress well. Says Brandi, "When you're a leader in any situation, what you DO is always louder than what you SAY."
6) When your staff needs a shot of empowerment or an attitude adjustment, 'deputize' everyone to be on the lookout for co-workers who are doing things RIGHT, who are delivering value, who are creating the kinds of feel-good customer experiences that keep customers coming back. Have them submit their findings to you in writing at the end of each day, and then post the "great news" in a weekly "Brag Board" email message or on a poster board conspicuously displayed in a high-traffic area of the office.
Says Brandi, "Teachable Moments are a free, convenient and powerful way to teach your team and to create a positive environment of continuous learning and improvement. The more you make the most of them, the more focused everyone will be on adding value and taking care of customers. And don't be surprised if improved soft skills yield hard, bankable results as customers become happy and loyal and talented staff sticks around because they love where they work."
The Customer Care Coach® is a customer service training program for managers. For more information, visit http://www.customercarecoach.com or contact Amy Schulman by e-mail.
Want Customer Loyalty? Get Clear on Your Corporate Values First
Many organizations make the mistake of launching customer loyalty programs and CRM systems before they identify their values. Customer Care Coach JoAnna Brandi explains the benefits of knowing and living organizational values first - and gives tips for beginning the process of identifying and implementing them in corporate culture.
Boca Raton, FL (PRWEB) August 3, 2004 -- "You can encourage your staff to deliver excellent customer service until the cows come home, and you can buy a top-of-the-line CRM system. But if your organization isn't clear on its values - on what it stands for - you'll very likely undermine your efforts," says Customer Care Coach JoAnna Brandi.
Brandi, a Florida-based expert on customer care and loyalty, asserts that for employees to be fully empowered to consistently create customer experiences that foster loyalty, they must understand and live the organization's values - what they are, and how they show up in employee behaviors. Values provide a valuable framework for the day-to-day choices employees make and actions they take toward organizational goals.
She explains, "Unifying values are the blueprints that drive an organization's culture. If employees know that 'excellence' is an organizational value, they will make more choices toward that end. If 'teamwork' is a corporate value, they're more likely to make choices and take actions with the team's best interests in mind." In addition, she says that values:
* Make it easier for employees to figure out how to 'do the right thing'
* Foster strong feelings of personal effectiveness and pride
* Facilitate consensus about goals and understanding about job expectations
* Reduce levels of job stress and tension
* Provide a sense of order without imposing 'rules'
* Promote high levels of company loyalty
Brandi says one of the biggest mistakes companies make is believing that they're already living the values they feature in public relations and marketing materials. "There's often a huge gap between the values organizations say they have, and the values they'd like to have or are actually living."
To close that gap, she offers the following steps for defining, refining and reinforcing organizational values:
1) Brainstorm, explore and clarify organizational values. Give everyone a clear, common everyday understanding of how you define your values and what they look like in daily behavior. Just using words like 'integrity' or 'balance' is not enough since everyone has their own definition of what words mean. Says Brandi, "The time it takes to zero in on what your organization is really about is well worth it."
2) To achieve or maintain your competitive edge, make sure your values are 'customer-focused.' This means you've taken the time to look at what your customers value, and usually requires an 'outside-in' view of your organization. Spend some time truly understanding what the customer expects from you, what their goals and dreams are and how they feel about doing business with you.
3) Give each and every employee the opportunity to uncover his or her personal values. Why? Research shows that even if personal values are not in sync with corporate values, employees who are clear on what their own personal values are tend to be more engaged in and committed to their work.
4) Reinforce values. Make sure they're an integral part of your hiring, orientation and ongoing training programs. Management should consciously model organizational values, and encourage and praise staff members when they exhibit behaviors that support them.
5) Revisit values regularly to determine if they still make sense, or if changes may be necessary.
The bottom line: Brandi says that companies that live by their values and keep customers more easily create profits. She explains, "Today's more cynical, demanding customers are looking for companies that are driven by their values - not just their profit motives. Organizations that know and live their values tend to create great places to work for and to do business with. They enjoy healthy profits as a result of their customers returning to buy more, with their friends and colleagues in tow."
To obtain her special report, "Making the Intangible Tangible: Identify Your Values & Transform Them Into Action!" visit /public/values_report.asp. There is a $39 fee for the report, which features a process for identifying and defining values and the behaviors that support them. The Customer Care Coach® is a customer service training program for managers. For more information, visit /welcome.asp or contact Tracey Paradiso at e-mail protected from spam bots.
Renovations, Relationships & Women: Tips for Contractors to Keep Everyone Happy
The secret to maintaining positive customer relationships during home renovations is out! Read on to learn what your business looks like through your customers' eyes, along with some easy tips for keeping everyone happy.
Boca Raton, FL. April 29, 2004 - "Stop playing games!" I shouted into the phone, and then I slammed it into its cradle for emphasis. It was over.
I was tired of the broken promises. The lack of attention. The poor communications. I'd been tolerating him for months, and what I'd just found out was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back.
No, I'm not referring to a boyfriend, lover or husband. In fact, he was my contractor. And I'd just found out that his lack of follow through regarding our malfunctioning central air might cost me hundreds of dollars - maybe more - than we'd already shelled out for extensive home renovations.
The homeowner/contractor relationship can easily sour over the course of major renovations. Let's face it, contractors create chaos even as they make things better, and a homeowner's construction naiveté can drive a builder bonkers.
Contractors might be interested to learn that if they want to create an awesome customer experience - thereby increasing the likelihood of being paid in a timely fashion and being referred to their customers' friends - they'll aim to please the woman of the house.
Tom Peters, one of the most influential 'thought leaders' in business today, says in his presentation entitled "The B-I-G Opportunity: Women & Boomers," that "women's increasing power - leadership skills and purchasing power - is the strongest and most dynamic force at work in the American economy today."
He backs up his claim with statistic after statistic: "Women make 94% of home furnishings decisions...91% of housing decisions...80% of major 'home projects' decisions...67% of all household investment decisions...and 83% of all consumer purchases." Peters' conclusion: "Women roar." And when they roar happily they tend to be much more loyal than male customers. When they're unhappy, they talk to their friends - not to do a business wrong, but to process what's happened, and to gather different viewpoints of the situation.
I've talked to my friends about my experience with my contractor, and gathered many viewpoints. Lucky for me, my friend JoAnna Brandi also happens to be my business partner and an expert at assisting businesses in creating the kinds of exquisite customer experiences that keep customers happy, coming back and referring their friends. Together, the nationally renown 'Customer Care Coach' and I came up with some easy, effective guidelines that might help builders who have those goals to earn the status of "Mr. Right for the Job." After compiling them we realized that they can be modified to help to any business and are useful as a guideline for customers when expressing their expectations to their suppliers:
Ten Tips for Teaming Up with Female Customers
1) Keep your promises. Your promises create an expectation. When you fail to deliver on that expectation you create negative feelings. The Golden Rule: Underpromise and overdeliver. That way you're more likely to surprise and delight your customers. And remember, women thrive on happy connections with the people they do business with.
2) Keep in touch. No, you don't have to call daily. But it's most appreciated when you give customers a heads up regarding what to expect next, and an explanation when nothing at all will be happening for a few days (or a few weeks, or a few months, as in the case of my contractor). Program your customer's phone number in your cell phone for the short-term and use it.
3) As Walt Disney said, "The magic is in the details." When you're renovating someone's home, details revolve around simple thoughtful acts like: "He takes his shoes off every time he walks in so he doesn't track debris all over the house...The crews completely clean up at the end of every day...They put boards down over the mud in the front yard so we can avoid getting mucked up on our way to our front door...He referred us to a great hardware store/cabinet supplier/appliance outlet...He's really nice to the kids/the dog/the canary..."
4) Remember the all-important words: "I'm sorry." This is especially important for contractors who make renovations to remember, as they are working in someone's home. While a contractor knows accidents are part of the job, a homeowner may feel much differently about them (angry, frustrated, upset), and can be soothed with lines as simple as: "I'm sorry we broke your window when we installed it; I'll be sure to replace it...I'm sorry I couldn't get back to you sooner; I've had another job that's just a bear...I'm sorry I disappeared for eight months; I'll be sure to finish up right away...I'm sorry I didn't explain this to you more clearly; do we understand each other now?...I'm sorry your brand new upstairs bathroom is leaking into the brand new downstairs bathroom; we'll get right on it...I'm sorry our framer dropped his power saw, which cut through your second floor, landed on your first floor and damaged your laundry room. We're fully responsible and we'll do everything possible to make everything as good as new."
5) Once again, remember that you're working in someone's HOME. Even when your customers are gung ho about their renovations, chances are they're going to feel vulnerable and even violated as your crew traipses through every inch of their personal space. Just acknowledging that you're aware of your customers' feelings can help. Try: "I know it can be difficult to have so many strangers in your home. Hang in there, we'll be done before you know it." Or: "One of my customers once said that renovations are like childbirth; the labor is hell, but the results are so wonderful that you eventually forget all about the pain." Or: "You've been a real trooper. It's a pleasure to work for you."
6) Adding to the customers' feelings of vulnerability is the fact that if they discover they're not pleased with your service at any point, they'll very likely stick with you anyway to avoid the multi-dimensional hassles of replacing you - and tolerating your presence is frustrating! That's another good reason to create an excellent customer experience; it makes things pleasant for both the customer AND for you.
7) Do some simple tasks for 'free.' Your customers put a lot of money and emotion into your business - it may be one of the largest purchases a homeowner ever makes outside of buying the house itself. Especially toward the end of the project, when they've just about had it under even the best circumstances, offer some 'freebies' like installation of towel racks, the labor for replacing the screen door, installation of a mailbox and house numbers, one free shrub to replace the one of the shrubs that were damaged...you get the idea.
8) Answer your customers' questions from a mindset of 'positive possibilities.' In other words, be imaginative and share their enthusiasm. "Wow, it would be great if we could install louver doors here. The thing is, the doors only come in two sizes, neither of which will fit this space properly. The good news is, there are other things we CAN do..."
9) Collaborate. Think of yourself and your customers as a collaborative team - even if they're not the teammates you'd choose. In collaborations, everyone is respected as having something valuable to contribute to the process and, in the end, everyone wins.
10) Call a few weeks after the project is complete to find out if everything is OK, then send a post card every four months featuring a home decorating tip, lawn care tip, etc. The woman of the house will think you're "such a nice guy" - and you better believe she'll spread the word.
Tracey Paradiso is the editor for JoAnna Brandi's Customer Care Coach®, a company dedicated to assisting managers in creating thriving cultures that deliver exquisite customer experiences.
(908) 272-3312
Email Tracey
http://www.customercarecoach.com
Practice Makes Perfect? Perhaps. Practice Makes Profit? You bet!
Think you can take shortcuts to improve the customer service at your organization? According to service experts JoAnna Brandi, the Customer Care Coach, and Pete Winemiller, Senior Director of Guest Relations and Premium Seating Services for the Seattle NBA's SuperSonics & WNBA's Seattle Storm, service excellence can only be achieved and maintained through ongoing practice.
Boca Raton, FL March 25, 2004 -- "In an era of speed dating and sound bites, it's seductive to think there are shortcuts for everything - including the creation of customer loyalty," says JoAnna Brandi, the Customer Care Coach. "In reality, loyal customer relationships and the profits they make possible are built the old fashioned way, one step at a time.
"The bottom line: as with any discipline you'd like to master - martial arts, sports, your profession - you have to continuously learn, practice and integrate exquisite customer care into your business to build and maintain profitable customer relationships."
Pete Winemiller agrees. The Senior Director of Guest Relations and Premium Seating Services for the NBA's Seattle SuperSonics & the WNBA's Seattle Storm uses the Customer Care Coach® training program as a resource for continuously improving their customer experience. He says that ongoing, one-step-at-a-time training for all 500+ frontline people who serve their 'Guests' (fans) at KeyArena is one of the reasons his organization has been described as "setting the gold standard for the NBA fan experience," by David Stern, Commissioner of the NBA.
Winemiller explains, "The goal of everyone on our staff is to create superior value by providing a quality Guest experience, with the pay-off being the creation of repeat Guests. While we can't control the play on the floor, what we can control is how we treat our Guests. That's why continuous training is non-negotiable here. We know that Guest care doesn't 'start and stop.' It's an ongoing practice and process.
"When you consistently put the effort into proactive Guest care you're less vulnerable to damaging incidents. And when they do happen, as they inevitably will, you can handle them on-the-spot and actually enhance the Guest relationship."
So how can your organization implement the profitable 'practice' that Winemiller advocates and Brandi calls 'Exquisite Customer Care?' How can you and your team begin a 'discipline' that will help your organization set the 'gold standard for the customer experience' in your industry? To launch a practice of customer care, Brandi advises managers to:
- Have a crystal clear vision. In other words, you've got to know what you intend to achieve, having a detailed picture of the end result in mind. "As the saying goes, if you can imagine it you can achieve it," says Brandi. So when you imagine your customers signing a check for your company, leaving your store, or putting the phone down after speaking with one of your reps, are they 'glowing' with happiness and satisfaction? Are they smiling? Are they 'evangelists' rushing to tell a colleague or friend about their experience with your company?
- Look at the organization from the customers' point of view. This entails a lot of tough questions: Do you know what your customers expect and value in the first place? (Be aware - what they want this week may be different from what they wanted last week!) How do they use your product or service? What works well for them, and what doesn't? Are you keeping them at 'arm's length' with complicated phone systems and poor service? Why would they want to be in a loyal relationship with you? What might be causing those who leave you for a competitor to do so?
- Be on the lookout for a collaborator, mentor or teacher who can assist you in achieving your vision. As the Taoist saying goes, "When the student is ready, the teacher appears." If you can't find the right mentor inside your organization, look for someone on the outside. Start networking, reading books on service and exploring online resources until you find a person or approach that's in alignment with your goals and style. In today's information rich world there's no excuse for not improving.
- Define your strategy, making sure your customer care vision and your corporate values are in alignment. Some questions to stimulate thinking about your strategy include: How can we make it easier for customers to do business with us? How can we assist them in becoming more profitable? Do we have different segments of customers who need and value different things?
- Bring your strategy to life by putting it into practice! Brandi says it's best to do this a little at a time. She explains, "After sharing your strategy with your staff, begin with 'step one,' and encourage them do one thing differently every day for 21 days in support of that step. This way they're learning over time as you provide guidance, encouragement and role modeling. They're also firmly integrating what they're learning in their daily rounds. Customers in our own incremental training program find this kind of 'drip training' in the 'real world' of their work environment to be wildly effective."
Brandi concludes, "Forget about shortcuts. When it comes to the practice of Exquisite Customer Care and creating profits, slow and steady wins the race."
Both Brandi & Winemiller are available for speaking engagements, training and workshops. For more information regarding JoAnna Brandi, one of the country's highest rated speakers on customer care, visit www.customercarecoach.com
Email Tracey or (908) 272-3312. To contact Pete Winemiller call toll-free: (800) 743-7021.
Int'l Study Hints at Reasons Behind Poor Customer Service
Boca Raton, FL & Queensland, Australia; March 1, 2004 --
An international study into corporate cultures reveals many of the underpinnings of poor customer service, says JoAnna Brandi, Publisher of JoAnna Brandi's Customer Care Coach®, who co-authored the study with Steve Simpson, CSP, of Keystone Management Services. The study included participants from 19 countries, the majority of respondents being from the US, Australia and the UK.
According to Brandi, the 'UGRs® World Survey' was designed to measure people's perceptions of organizational UGRs®, or Unwritten Ground Rules. Simpson, who coined the term and wrote the book, says UGRs® are "People's perceptions of 'the way we do things around here.' Since perception is reality, they drive people's behavior at work and combined, they constitute an organization's culture."
The authors asked participants to complete seven statements:
- Around here, customers are...
- Around here, if you've got a problem, the bosses...
- Around here, initiative is...
- Around here, loyalty is...
- Around here, you are valued when...
- Around here, if you are stressed at work...
- Around here, excellence is...
The authors then divided the responses into three categories: positive, negative and neutral. Based on their analysis, Simpson and Brandi discovered that:
- Only 60% of respondents regard customers in a positive way. The balance are either overtly negative ("Around here, customers are seen as money - not relationships...DEMANDING!...largely ignored.") or feel neutral - which Brandi says is a red light indicating that customer relationships are in a 'danger zone.' She explains, "In my experience, people who feel neutral about their customers tend to be prey to negative views and opinions - and the companies they work for tend to lack alignment and power in creating positive customer experiences."
- Managers are much more optimistic about their cultures than the workers - the people on the frontlines who
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