The term brainstorming may remind you of an out-of-date practice used by the corporate masses a couple of decades ago, but it’s worth taking a second look at the advantages of this exercise when contemplating your next big move.  Guy Farmer from Unconventional Training takes a fresh look at brainstorming, and reminds us what all the hype is about: The Overlooked Leadership Tool.

Building and maintaining your ideal culture begins from the point a potential employee makes contact with your organization.  So how do you infuse your culture in your new employees?  Start before they are employees!

A company’s culture is expressed in many forms, including your company’s communication with the outside world, its association with groups such as charities and community organizations, and even the physical objects in your organization communicate some aspect of your culture.

So when a potential employee drops by your office to drop-off a resume or complete an application, what do they see?  Do you have a professional, organized building or space that makes a positive impression?  Who is the first person your applicants come in contact with, and what impression does that person make for your company?  Are your interview teams well prepared, organized, and professional?  Do you follow-up with all candidates?  What about your web presence – are applicants able to easily navigate to your application page?  Do they know where to park when they arrive for their interview?  Are they offered coffee or water upon arrival?  Is your organization giving potential employees an impression that will make them want to be part of your organization even if you know it’s unlikely they’ll be hired? 

The goal should always be for applicants to walk away from your business feeling that they had a great experience and were treated with fairness and respect, even if they weren’t ultimately selected for the position.

That’s a lot of power this group is holding in their hands (and wallets) – enough to make you think twice about how you and your team treat them.  Start by considering the name you attach to this significant group of people.  Many organizations are trending toward taking the sometimes cold, unfriendly term, “customer” out of their vocabulary, and replacing it with a word that better represents the relationship between client and business.  Biltmore (and many other organizations) refers to our customers as “guests.”  After all, George Vanderbilt welcomed his personal guests onto Biltmore Estate over a century ago, and we continue to welcome our guests still today.   The word, itself, stirs feelings of welcome, warmth, and hospitality – things that almost all organizations, regardless of industry, want their customers to associate with them in a sometimes aloof business climate. 

Consider other terms and phrases you use that should be replaced with friendlier and more professional vocabulary.  Be sure to train your staff on these three “Best of the Worst” phrases, and how to confidently restate them:

“Sorry, but we don’t have that.”.  Ouch!  That’s another way of saying, “Please take your business to our competitor.”  While it may be inevitable that a guest requests a product or service you do not offer, there are alternative ways of relaying that information that will keep their business under your roof.  Train your team to retain those guests by saying, “Let me tell you about a similar service we offer that’s even more comprehensive…”

 “I’m sorry, but that’s against company policy.”  While company policies are necessary for various reasons, a guest doesn’t care about standard policy and procedure when their needs are not being met.  Again, train your staff to put a positive spin on this interaction by focusing on what is allowed, and what they can offer the guest that goes beyond what is required.  While a refund may be against policy, your employee can often satisfy a disgruntled guest with, “I’d be happy to order you a replacement and, until then, would you please accept this gift card (or other small token) in appreciation of your patronage?”

“That’s not my job/department/responsibility.”  Who can’t identify with this situation?  You have a legitimate question or concern that is evaded by a total shift in blame.  Regardless of their position or department, each of your employees represents your entire organization to the guests they interact with.  Of course, the more appropriate response would be, “I’m not sure, but let me find someone who can answer that question for you.”  Remember – your guests will make judgments about your entire business based on the interaction they have with any one of your employees.  Be sure your team knows the impact phrases like this can have on your bottom line.

On occasion, we all encounter disgruntled customers.  Sometimes their attitude is no reflection of their experience with your business, but has more to do with the argument they had with their spouse that morning or the challenging lesson they’re teaching their kid.  Either way, they are your customer now, and offering them a smile and friendly greeting can be an intimidating task for any employee. 

Approaching the unapproachable customer can seem as if you’re walking into a minefield, but it’s actually an opportunity to turn-around a negative experience and make a positive, lasting impression for your business.  When approaching disappointed customers and soliciting their input, you may receive a clear message to move along.  On the other hand, when an unhappy client chooses to opens-up, you’re given a golden opportunity to get to the root of the issue and offer a solution – for this client and future clients for your organization.  Engaging the unapproachable – intimidating?  Yes.  A priceless opportunity for service recovery and building a life-long business relationship?  Absolutely.  Take courage and smile…it’s almost always the right answer.

Start by helping your staff see a clear link between your clients’ satisfaction and your business’ bottom line. Your clients are the reason your business exists, so if they aren’t happy with their experience for any reason, you should always be sorry and do what you can to rectify the situation.  Without satisfied customers, there is no business, no pay check, and no jobs.  Of course, there are always exceptions, and pleasing a client should never be done at the expense of your employees’ integrity or well-being.

After experiencing a difficult customer exchange that ends with an apology, allow your employee(s) to come to you and vent so they don’t feel like the customers’ punching bag at the end of the day.  As important as it is to please the customer, it is just as important to retain quality employees.

We all have clients to serve – some internal and others external.  A simple, “I’m sorry” can go a long way in meeting those customers’ needs and expectations, although it often seems the hardest thing to say.  Coach your employees to see the significance of your customers’ satisfaction on the bottom line (including their jobs), and be there when they swallow the toughest of pills to save a client relationship.

Memorable and inspiring stories give your employees a sense of being part of something bigger than themselves; of being connected to something they can identify with and be proud to share with others.  It’s not just your employees who are affected by these stories – it’s your customers, too.  Your stories often trickle down to your clientele, and can create an emotional connection.  They can illuminate aspects of your company that create pride and interest, and, after all, wouldn’t we all prefer to patronize a business with a unique or inspiring story to tell?

• What’s your story, and how do you promote it within your organization? 
• What unique or inspiring stories about your organization do your employees pass down to new staff? 
• What stories do your customers hear about your company that connects them to your vision and mission? 

When reevaluating your tasks, systems, and processes, ask yourself:

• Is this activity contributing to my company’s mission?  How, and is it a significant contribution?
• What is the ROI this activity is producing?
• Does this activity add value to my clients’ experience with me and my business?
• Is this activity valued by my clients and my colleagues?  Is it still relevant in today’s economic climate?

By streamlining your processes, you create true efficiency by letting go of unnecessary tasks to free-up time for projects that make a long-term contribution to your business’ mission and purpose.  Be sure to carefully consider the worth of each task before dropping it from your to-do list, as some of those tedious reports may actually be necessary.  In the end, you’ll find yourself working with a new efficiency that produces the results you want to see – results that really matter.

To view a full-length preview of the DVD and purchase your own copy at the introductory rate of $629 (30% off), click HERE.