Leadership Training

The employee/employer relationship can be a tenuous one, especially in the modern workplace.  Now more than ever, both sides have demands and expectations that need to be met in order to maintain a happy and mutually beneficial arrangement.

In the past, we’ve talked about how important it is for employers to be loyal to their employees.  However, sometimes the employee does not reciprocate.  As an employer, the difficult question that sometimes needs to be asked is, “when do I need to let a bad apple go in order to save the rest of the bunch?”  Consider the following behavioral patterns:

- The employee in question is always negative and complaining.  

Employers constantly have various issues and problems that they need to address.  But if one employee always seems to be one of those problems, it’s time to take action.  Especially if the “bad apple” starts to spread their complaining directly to the other employees.

While many employees will complain about certain situations, they will also express their gratitude to employers when issues are resolved.  The tell-tale signs of the “bad apple” are the ones who continue to be negative, even after the problem has been fixed.

- The employee’s productivity has decreased drastically.

It can begin with small signs, such as arriving to work 10-15 minutes late.  But it can expand to meetings missed, poorly done assignments, and even missed deliverables.  It’s always critical to be proactive and take action before an employee’s poor work ethic affects the entire company on a larger scale.

- The employee starts communicating in a mutinous manner.

Too bad Captain Bligh did not know about this warning sign!  Fletcher Christian said everything but “I’m taking this ship!” before finally relieving him of command of the Bounty…

As it was in this story, this behavior is the most dangerous, and the one that demands immediate action.  Employees certainly have the right to voice their displeasure or disagreement with certain company actions, but the way they do it says a great deal about how they feel about their employer.  

For example, let’s say their paycheck arrives late due to a processing error (which the company has corrected).  How do they react?

A.  ”Although I’m disappointed that my check was not processed on time, I understand that an issue came up that needed to be handled.  I thank the company for their communication on the matter, and just hope it doesn’t happen again!”

B.  ”I find the situation unacceptable.  Perhaps the regular pay of the company directors should be suspended as well.”

If the employee responded with B, then there’s a serious problem.  No matter what the situation, the employee still needs to realize that it’s not their company.  It’s YOUR company, and having an employee talking like they’re getting ready to unlock the muskets from the ship’s armory needs to be stopped before the rest of the crew joins them!

So what to do about these bad apples?  I always recommend a 1-on-1 meeting or counselling to occur.  It should be a way to find out what the employer can do to help resolve the situation, but should also put the employee on notice that their behavior is not acceptable and needs to change.

And if that doesn’t work?  Simply put, it’s time to end the relationship, for the best interest of both parties.  In the long run, it will be a GOOD thing for the employee, as they will be able to move on to a different situation that they may not have found if they continued to stay at your organization.

As for you?  You will have saved all those good apples in your basket!

Leadership Training, bad apples, employee employer relationships

In the business world (and life in general), you represent yourself by the promises you make and whether or not you are able to deliver on them.  As a small business owner, it baffles me to watch how some people conduct themselves in an everyday fashion when they make promises that they simply cannot keep.

Here are three simple guidelines to stick with to make sure you don’t become one of those people:

(1)  Do not promise something that you’re not sure you can deliver.

I wish this rule was tattooed onto the hand of every salesman alive.  That way, when a potential client asks them an utterly outrageous demand, they could look at that tattoo before opening their mouths.

Look, everyone understands that sales reps need to make some exaggerations and bend a few rules every once in awhile.  In this instance, I’m talking about the rep who promises 100 units in 10 days when normal production is 10 units in 100 days.  When his/her company is unable to come through with the order, then what?  I’ll tell you what; the client gets angry and spreads the word throughout the industry that the company can’t deliver on their promises.  Good luck getting another order again, much less one from that client.

(2)  If you say that you are going to do something, best be sure to do it, and do it on time.

Sounds pretty straight-forward, doesn’t it?  Do what you say you’re going to.  This should be the case whether or not you talking with a client, customer, employee, contractor, or your parents.  Yet it amazes me to see just how many people will promise to do something (a report, an assignment, process a check) an then simply don’t follow through.  Do they realize just what they’ve done to their personal reputation, let alone their company’s rep?  People may not complain, but they certainly are filing that little incident away and will keep it in mind the next time they have to do business with that person or company.

(3)  If you think you’re going to miss a deadline, be proactive and let someone know.

Again, common sense should prevail here, but quite frequently it doesn’t.  If you promised a deliverable by a certain date, but something comes up (either at work or in your personal life), why not say so?  Most people are understanding enough, and will appreciate you letting them know ahead of time that their might be a delay.

Measure that against the alternative, when your client asks, “hey, what happened to X that I was expecting last week?”  And all you have for an answer is, “sorry, it just didn’t get done.”  In that case, your next deliverable is to start looking for a new client.

A wise man once said, “It’s not who I am underneath, but what I *do* that defines me.”

Sure, he might wear a funny costume, but the same principle applies here.  It’s not what you say you will do, but what you actually *do* that defines your reputation.

Leadership, Keeping Your Word, Promises

A good friend of mine works as a waitress in an upscale restaurant.  Her boss likes to employ what he calls “fresh talks” every morning, which he utilizes to help instruct and manage the staff.  On paper, it sounds like a good practice.  However, there’s one major problem; he also uses the time to point out things that people are doing wrong, and makes examples of them.

“I had a problem with a table the day before,” she lamented.  ”and went to him for help.  I’ll admit I was upset, but I knew that going to my manager for help was the right thing to do.  The next day, sure enough, he talked about a server who got ‘flustered’ by a customer, and proceeded to talk about exactly what she had done wrong in front of everyone.  

“He didn’t mention me by name, but everyone knew who he was talking about.  It was so embarrassing.  I was furious - why would he do that to me?”

I don’t have a good answer for that question, and it’s baffling to me that managers still do things like this.  Does this guy think that she’ll ever feel comfortable going back to him with a problem again?  How many employees has he lost through this kind of behavior?

“Compliment in Public, Criticize in Private” is a business basic; pure common sense.  If there’s a problem, call the employee into your office (politely and confidentially), and rationally discuss the situation. Conversely, a good deed is what should be brought up in a daily team meeting.  Positive recognition will make a person take more pride and care in their work, and it will be reflected in the courtesy they show your customers.

Incidentally, that same restaurant manager apparently spent over 2 hours last week trying to persuade a hostess that was tired of working for him not to quit.  What a stunner!  I’m sure that’s completely unrelated to the nature of those “fresh talks”…

Compliment in Public, Criticize in Private

Is it just me, or does their seem to be a growing lack of common courtesy in the business world today?  (If it’s just me, you can go ahead and say it.  I’d rather someone confront me with the fact that I may be turning into a grumpy old man…)

When I was growing up, my mother & father made sure that please and thank you were part of nearly every conversation I had with an adult.

(Fortunately for me, Barney was well after my time as a toddler…)

My parents’ lessons hold true today, and are a valuable asset when it comes to talking with other people in business environments today.

I recently started a new job, and had my first prospective client meeting just a few months ago.  When I came in for the meeting, the first thing I did was to thank the manager for her time.  I knew how busy someone in her position was, and understood that granting an outside vendor such as myself an hour of her time was extremely considerate.

After the meeting concluded, I immediately mailed her a thank you note on company stationary.  I thought about sending an email, but as Judith Bowman writes in her book Don’t Take the Last Donut:

A handwritten thank-you note on quality stationary, in professional blank ink…is the mark of respect and proper protocol.

I didn’t ask for a follow-up time to talk, or call her to ask for the sale, I simply thanked her again for her time.  Just two days after I sent that note, she got in touch with me to talk about closing the deal.  I didn’t even need to ask for it…

So thanks again, Mom & Dad, for keeping on me about my P’s and TY’s!

business etiquette, please, thank you

Today’s company is only as good as the customer service it provides. You don’t need to go far in today’s headlines to find examples of poor service, and how it can adversely affect a corporation’s image. Time Warner Cable is certainly discovering this in Los Angeles right now.

So what are some of the keys to providing good customer service from a call center perspective? In the past, the mantra was, “the customer is always right”. What’s even more important these days is “how is the customer service experience for the customer?” While there are enough topics on how to properly run & maintain a call center to start an entire new blog based on customer relationship management (CRM), I for one, don’t have the time (or money) to do so! But here are three basics etched in stone for all call centers to follow:

Rule 1: Get the person talking to a live customer service representative ASAP.

Unfortunately, many companies still employ a maze of user prompted call options that resembles Pan’s Labyrinth in order to get to a CS rep. However, due to the degree of complaints and frustrations that have come with these automated systems, more and more call centers are going back to the “press 0 to speak with someone” alternative. Evidence of this movement can be found at the popular website Get Human which provides a listing of over 500 companies and the quickest way to get in touch with a person.

They’ve also provided their own grading system for each call center’s operations. How did they do? Well, let’s just say the boys over at the Delta House would be mighty proud of these marks…

As a rule of thumb, customers shouldn’t be on hold waiting for a call center representative for more than 30 seconds. According to the LA Times article, the average wait time for a Time Warner Cable customer late last year was over nine minutes. Other companies have customers who routinely are on hold for a half-hour to an hour. That’ll raise anyone’s blood pressure a few notches, and leave you with a very fired-up customer. Which leads to the second rule…

Rule 2: The customer service representative should be as friendly as courteous as possible.

Customers can take out their anger and aggressions on a call center rep with a vengeance. Colorful tirades, insults and even threats are not out of the ordinary. Your CS team must be trained and ready for these customers. Empathy is the key. Phrases such as “I understand you are frustrated,” and “let me see what I can do to help your situation,” should be used while in the process of finding a resolution.

Above all, a representative can NEVER lose their temper with a customer. If they are starting to lose their patience even slightly, the call should immediately be forwarded to a manager.

Rule 3: If a call back is requested or needed, make sure it is done when you promise it will be done, with an acceptable resolution provided.

It’s at this point that I’d like to bring up a GOOD customer service experience I just had with Verizon Wireless. It’s important to note here that I do not work for Verizon, nor did they pay me to write this - I just felt this was an instance of good customer service that should be noted. Like many of you readers, I have plenty of negative experiences to share, but I figured a positive experience was the better story…

I recently contested an overage in my monthly minute allowance. The reason? A Verizon 800 number put me on hold for over two hours. Naturally, when I called & argued that I should not be charged for those minutes, I was not in the best mood. Yet the CS rep was very professional and let me make my argument without interrupting. To make a long story short, she agreed to call me after my billing statement was processed on March 1st, and would eliminate any overage charges.

On March 1st, at exactly noon, I received my follow-up call from the very same CS rep, who told me that the $12 charged to my account for going over my minutes would be removed from my bill. It was perfectly fair, and the rep did her job by calling me back promptly on the promised date. Good work, Verizon!

For larger companies, a CRM software package (such as ACT!) should be utilized for customer contact records and call reminders. If you’re a small business, you can get by with Microsoft Outlook (or Entourage for the Mac). Whatever tool you use, just make sure it works and that your employees are organized enough to make those call backs! Of all the things that will enrage a customer the most, it will be the unreturned phone call…

customer service, call center, representative, courtesy, on hold, wait time, return call, Time Warner Cable, Verizon Wireless

Prior to an interview, the above average candidate will diligently prepare by researching as much as they can about the company he or she is interviewing with; by visiting the website, googling the name of the interviewer, writing up pointed questions to ask, etc.

The real question is - what is the interviewer doing to prepare for the candidate? Hopefully, just as much, if not more.

More than ever, today’s interview is a two way street. It’s just as much about whether or not the position and the company is the right fit for the interviewee, as it is vice versa. The candidate wants to make sure everything is a good fit: the career path offered, the office culture, salary and benefits. Most importantly, they want to make sure they get along with the person that will be their boss (which, more often than not, could be the person performing the interview).

Here then, is a list of points & guidelines for the interviewer to use in preparation for the interview. By no means is this a complete reference; it’s simply a guideline to use in addition to your company’s traditional checklist for interviews:

1) Be on time and enthusiastic. Do you currently let the applicant wait in the office lobby for 10-15 minutes just to let ‘em sweat? Time to stop. Unless you’re in the middle of an important meeting or call, the interview should begin on time. This is the very first impression you make to the candidate; if you’re late, that impression becomes, “I’m not very important to this company.”

When you meet the candidate, you should do so with a smile and a firm handshake. Immediately ask if there’s anything you can get them (coffee, water), and engage in some small talk; how was the commute? Have they been to the area before?

If you are at all uncomfortable with how to initially greet job applicants, find a sales rep at your company, and ask them what they do when they meet a prospective client for the first time. Because, like it or not, you are selling your company’s open position, and in this instance, you are the sales rep.

2) Let the candidate talk, and listen closely. Amazing as it may seem, some managers get so involved talking about the company and themselves, that they don’t listen nearly as well as they should to the job applicants. I believe the best interviews start with open-ended questions about them, such as:

- What was it about our company that interested you the most?
- What is the most important thing to you (salary, work environment, benefits, etc.) when it comes to your next job?
- Tell me what your greatest strength is, along with your greatest weakness.

You want to have them talking about themselves, their hopes for their new job, and what’s most important to them. That puts you on the right path to finding out whether or not they’re the right fit for your company.

3) When talking about your company and the job, be prepared and energetic. Again, think of this as your sales pitch. If you drone on about the company’s history for a half-hour like you’re reciting it for the 800th time, you’ll put the interviewee and yourself to sleep! Start off with something that catches their interest: “Let me tell you about a company that has tripled its revenue in less than a year, and will soon be a worldwide leader in our industry.”

You should have your summary about your company memorized and ready to recite to the applicant, much like an actor’s audition. It should be rehearsed, but still come out naturally. And be sure to have all the key information handy that the job seeker will want to know, such as company benefits, outings, vacation policy, 401k programs, etc. And make note of which benefits are more important to each applicant. Some may be more concerned about medical insurance, while others will be more focused on company stock options and bonuses.

4) Above all else, be honest. Many people can speak from personal experience that this is the most important aspect of the job interview. When I was just out of college, I interviewed for a telemarketing position, and the manager I interviewed with promised me that if I worked hard & made sales, I would easily make $60,000 to $70,000 per year. I took the job, and became the number one sales rep in the company within six months. Yet I was on pace to make under $30,000 for the year, even with commission. When I confronted the manager & asked him if I would get a raise, he responded with, “Let me think about it, and get back to you.” But he never did. Less than a month later, I quit the job.

Was it partially my fault that I was suckered in by a salesman in recruiter’s clothing? Absolutely. I was naive and took him for his word. But if someone brought his name & the name of his company up to me today, I would strongly recommend that person to steer clear. Your word is your bond, and a measure of both your own worth and that of your company’s. If you are not upfront with candidates, it will come back to haunt you.

I hope you found these tips useful. Of course, if you’d like to try something completely different, perhaps the approach used in this four-minute video will work better for you. Enjoy!

interview, interviewing, interviewer, interviewee