The Secret to Customer (and Team Member) Loyalty

Having already confessed to spending too much time and money in Starbucks, it should come as no surprise that I have been the recipient (and subsequent respondent) to numerous on-line customer surveys.  "Thank you for visiting Starbucks at Springfield and Fifth.  Please take a few minutes to tell us. . ."

Yes, there are the usual questions about the quality of the food and beverage and condition of the store.  One question, however, really stands out to me.    The respondent is asked to rate their recent customer experience via this statement, "They (the team) made an effort to get to know me. . ."

I have originated and viewed many consumer surveys - never have I seen a question quite like this.  It is brilliant.   Internally, organizations are often so concerned about efficiency that they strive to avoid spending time with the customers.  "Get the drink order, get the money and move on."   Starbucks wisely acknowledges the value of "getting to know."

Why is this important from both a retail perspective as well as in a team situation?      Getting to know someone creates bonds.    It creates caring.   It creates ownership.

Ask yourself to identify two distinctly different retail experiences;   one in which you are a nameless wallet vs. the one in which people really know you.   Which store are you likely to visit more often?    Which experience makes you feel better about your investment?     Which approach builds loyalty?

The same is true in the workplace.   Often the popular concern is that getting to know team members on a personal level could somehow be dangerous:    that we may slip and fall on harassment claims or charges of unequal treatment.    But come on already - we all recognize what harassment is and what unequal treatment is. . .and it's not getting to know team members better.   There is also the fear that if we become too familiar with team members that we are  somehow compromised.     Not true.   We know boundaries and we can abide by boundaries;   and we can also empathize and coach and promote team members with the knowledge we have of them.

There is also the matter of time.   "I don't have time to spend with my team" is the workplace equivalent of "Get the drink order, get the money and move on."  The time spent with team is richly rewarded not only with a greater human experience, but also with increased commitment to mission, a stronger knowledge of the workplace and greater efficiency.


By getting to know our team members, they are likely to visit with us more often.   They will feel better about their investment of time at work.   And it will build two-way loyalty.

And loyalty is a very good thing.

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My book "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available on Amazon Kindle

The Smartest Answer of the Week

Beyond a shadow of a doubt, the smartest answer of the week. . .maybe of the year. . .maybe of the entire presidential campaign, came from. . .

Skittles.

More accurately, it came from their parent organization, Wrigley, which was unwittingly forced into the spotlight by Donald Trump Jr's  comparison of refugees to a bowl of Skittles.    From a "being-put-on-the-spot" position, this would stand out as a company's worst nightmare:   due to nothing that they  initiated, suddenly they are placed in a potentially unfavorable position because of the actions of a third party.    Wrigley's response was brilliant. . .

"Skittles are candy; refugees are people. It's an inappropriate analogy. We respectfully refrain from further comment, as that could be misinterpreted as marketing."

Here is what we can learn.    With a succinct, firm statement Wrigley took a stand and quickly extracted itself from potential PR chaos.   Here's what is so right about their response. . .

They firmly re-stated their product market position.   Yes, Skittles is a candy. . .we all know that.  When a third party ties a product into a controversial statement, often the product itself can get all tangled up in public perceptions of that third party statement.  Skittles came out and firmly said - we are a candy company, nothing more.     You can practically hear America's collective sigh of relief.

They went one step further to acknowledge humanity.  Then, they enhanced their statement with  "Refugees are people."   Again, they are re-stating the obvious - but the tone of the simple statement is forceful and positive - and in differentiating people from product - solidly reaffirmed the value of human life.

And. . .we aren't going to talk about this any more and here's why.   Less there be any doubt among the media or public that they could further involve Wrigley in an ongoing chaos. . .Wrigley firmly put their foot down and said why:  " . . .that could be misinterpreted as marketing."   Here again, Wrigley differentiated the value of human life from marketing.

Timing is everything.   This is the icing on the cake.    Wrigley's response was lightning quick.   They were totally on top of their game.

Stating one's position.  Acknowledging humanity.   Stating what to expect/what not to expect in the future.  Timing.  All elements of a successful response and positioning statement.       Let's remember and value that.

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My book "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders"   is available on Amazon Kindle. 

Really Caring

This is our inspiration.

I walk into Starbucks to get my iced grande caramel macchiato and a pumpkin scone (400+ calories, but I  just worked out!).   As usual, the Starbucks team members behind the counter are busy with everything they have to do:   make drinks ("half caf/half decaf, 180 degrees"), get pastries, grind coffee, heat sandwiches. . .these are busy, busy people.

After I place my order, a woman approaches the counter and says something that is not only totally unrelated to procuring one's morning coffee, but it makes no sense.  In a pleasant,  but somewhat haltering delivery she asked whether it ever "gets light" in Seattle like it does in Tacoma.    (Right there is the off ramp for many people - they are going to find a way to get out of this conversation as quickly as possible).   Instead of sliding by the remark, the busy, busy barista is attentive and engages her in further conversation.   After a few exchanges back and forth, I hear the barista ask her, "Are you concerned that you can't find your home?"

And the heartbreaking answer comes back.  "Why, yes, I am."

He then asks  a series of questions about where "home" is and makes preparations to call (it turns out it is a group home) so that he can secure this individual's  passage back to where she feels safe and secure.

Don't you wish someone cared about you that much?  A busy barista, he could have easily sidestepped the out-of-place question and gone about the tasks that make up his job. He could have justified  that it "wasn't his job" and he "would let someone better suited figure out what was wrong."    Instead, he wandered into the fray of this individual's dilemma and proceeded to do what ultimately we all want and need someone to do. . . take care of us.

The power of putting the  job lists "on hold" to really take care of someone is immense.  By helping an individual you have demonstrated that you truly do care. . .yes, about the individual but also about the state of the community.     The little time it takes to invest in caring has a wide-ranging impact.  The barista was self-less;  in that act he demonstrated incredible leadership.

Stop.   Really care.   Do what you can.

This is how you change the world.

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My book "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available on Amazon Kindle.

To Be You

You have met RoboManager (or RoboDirector or RoboVicePresident or RoboSupervisor).   May also go by the title of "StepfordManager."

RoboManager is very precise.

RoboManager communicates in sound-bites "Do this. . ."   "Do that. . ."

RoboManager only smiles if they deem it as a necessary courtesy.    Apart from that, it is an inefficient exertion of facial muscles.

RoboManager.  Sense of humor.   See - they can't even be in the same sentence.

RoboManager is cool, calm efficiency - much like your car's AC.

People do not talk to RoboManager much because. . .well, they don't want to.   That is just fine with RoboManager.

RoboManager never shares their personal life with anyone at the office;  office team members have justified their acceptance of this with the thought that there probably isn't much personal life there anyway.

RoboManager has the work personality of gravel.

RoboManager claims that they don't care if anyone likes them.   The karmic beauty in this is that no one really does.  Unfortunately, this makes it very difficult for RoboManager to establish and maintain strong working relationships.

Don't be RoboManager.

It is weird that in this age in which we should be celebrating diversity that some team leaders allow so little of themselves to show in the office.   We spend over a third of our day at work, life is too short to not be ourselves (and not share ourselves with others) while working in a team environment.   Personality makes the world go around.  It makes the workplace fun and interesting and innovative.  Personality is what enables us to establish strong working relationships.  And no, we don't need to sacrifice the boundaries of political correctness to be ourselves .

Point is. . .be yourself at work.  One of the greatest gifts you have is you.  Please share it.


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My book "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available on Amazon Kindle.

How to Not Hate Work

When it comes to work, we are our own worst enemy.   Truth is, work is part of our lives.  Seriously, even if you have won the lottery and "quit work," you will be doing some kind of work nonetheless.  Culturally, however, it   has become part of our DNA to hate work (work=bad, play=good).   And if that isn't enough to make us dread getting up and going to make a living - we have managed to instill some truly horrific practices in the workplace that if you didn't already hate it work, you will now.

Why do we insist on hating work?   So the first big "what if" is this. . .what if we started to change our attitudes about work?    What if we accepted that it is part of life and, as such, is to be enjoyed?    That would get us a long way toward better work places.  Truth be told, however, there is more to hating work than just attitude.   Here are some major tactical things we can all own and do to make work more enjoyable.

What if . . .we embraced work as a  place to be productive and socialize and that there was actually no stigma attached to saying out loud and proud "I really like what I do. . .and I really like my company and I really like my co-workers."

What if. . .we shake off that dodgy old adage of "It's not my job to be liked. . ." and decided that it truly is part of our job to be liked?   (In addition to others liking us more. . .we would like ourselves more).

What if. . .we decided there shouldn't be any martyr merit badge for hating work?    Just saying how hard your work is doesn't actually make it so - and it doesn't make you a stronger professional.

What if. . .we conducted ourselves at work like we really wanted to be proud of our ability to collaborate and work together?

What if. . .we were way less concerned about "writing people up" and more focused on creating work environments that are supportive and nurture team members to be at their best?

What if . . .we decided that for every critical thing we sling. . . we would find at least five positive things to send someone's way?

What if. . . we placed as much priority on training as we do on project completion?

What if. . .we said "thank you" more often and made it a practice to celebrate achievement?

What if. . .our workplace isn't so great?   What would happen if we banded together to make it truly one of the best places to work?

Like it?   What if. . .you shared it?   Please.

My book "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available on Amazon Kindle.