H/T Simple Catholic Living

H/T Simple Catholic Living

Working in a BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) environment has placed me on both sides of the coin; one side, being the customer service personnel and the other side, being the customer. Since the customers’ feedback is our basis for productivity, I’ve learned few notable things about how customers give them:

One, people will send a commendation if they experienced exemplary service that they don’t deserve.
Two, these same people will not hesitate to criticize, blame, condemn companies and agents if they received abysmal service instead of the service they deserve.
Three, if these customers received mediocre service; they simply wouldn’t care much giving feedback.

Any thoughts for today?

“What’s all these talk about service, customers and feedback has to do with me?” I hear you say.

I am going to park that question for now and answer towards the end of this post. I recently read a short book about providing service (The Simple Truths of Service by Ken Blanchard & Barbara Glanz). The story of Johnny the bagger inspired that book. I urge you to read the inspiring story.

The story is about a nineteen-year-old guy named Johnny, a Down’s syndrome youngster, who works as a bagger at a certain grocery store. One day the grocery manager notified every employee to think of something that could make their customers remember the store. Johnny’s idea was to print and cut out fifty pages of ‘thoughts for the day’. He did that with his dad’s help signing his name on the back of every cut out. Whenever he finishes bagging someone’s grocery, he would put the thought for the day in the bag and say a “Thanks for shopping with us!”

A month later, the grocery manager, while making his daily rounds, noticed the long line on Johnny’s checkout. It was longer than anyone else’s that it went all the way to the frozen food aisle. When the manager asked one of the customers to transfer to other cashiers instead, she replied “It’s ok, we want to be in this lane; we want Johnny’s quote for the day.”

To answer the parked question, service is a common commodity for human beings. We all need each other’s help.  It does not always entail monetary profit but the rewards are real

~~~

Colossians 3:23-24

New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

²³ Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, ²⁴ since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Even one of the books I read, Tribes, We Need You To Lead Us, by Seth Godin, also talks about this concept. 

I grasp the concept.  I agree with the concept.  But for some reason, I’m unsettled about the term itself.

I prefer the term “Leading from WithIn” instead.

Let me explain what is meant by the original term, “leading from the bottom”. 

Most people look at the idea of leadership and it scares them away.  I’m not a leader. I have no authority to do such.  I’m not one of the bigwigs at the top.  Status quo is just so much more comfortable.  Someone else can shake the apple cart.   That’s not for me! 

On occasion, someone does shake the apple cart, someone with no authority, someone not of the upper ranks, someone from the bottom. 

Seth Godin’s example was of Thomas Barnett.  Thomas Barnett was an individual within the Pentagon with no status, no rank, no authority, just a researcher with a big idea.  Mr. Barnett believed so passionately his ideas of change post-9/11, that he created a 3-hour PowerPoint presentation that resembled performing arts rather than a Pentagon briefing.  Senior military officials say his ideas are influencing the way the Pentagon views its enemies, vulnerabilities and future structure.  A seemingly insignificant person from within, with no authority, is changing the stiff, bureaucratic Pentagon, –  thus, ”leading from the bottom”.  

In this situation, because Barnett was acting upon a belief from “within” himself and, because he was acting, not because he did have authority or did not have authority, not because he was upper ranked or lower ranked, but because he was a part of the Pentagon, in other words, “within” the Pentagon, this is why I believe “Leading From Within” is a better term. 

Following is a heartwarming video which touches on this concept of “leading from within”.  Take a few minutes to watch.  It’s just a simple, inspiring, little example of someone making a difference. 

People and moments can be catalysts.  This is a moment in my life from a trip to Cancun.  I like to look at when I need to relax. (IDEA! If you have a photo that does the same for you, print it and put it where you can see it every day!  Your car dashboard, bathroom mirror, on your desk, in your wallet….)   

Aaaaaah....Cancun.

(Update on Challenge Monday. Tonight I called Jo Anne who is someone I hadn’t talked to in about 15 years.  She was VERY dear to my daughter Ariana and I when we lived in Chicago in the late 1980′s and early 1990′s.  She was a great support and certainly a catalyst in my life.  She was family without truly being family.  Enough so that Ariana affectionately called her “Grandmom”.  I moved back to Minnesota and later she also moved and that is when we lost touch.  Over the years I have tried to find her and her son many times by searching on the Internet and making phone calls.  I didn’t seem to ever have any luck. I even thought about calling Oprah or Maury or Montel and asking for help when they had a reunion show.  But this past Sunday morning the kings of Facebook smiled upon me and I had a message from her son!!  I seriously could not have been more exited!  Tonight, I called Jo Anne and we chatted for quite some time.  What a gift it was to catch up and reconnect with her!  Thank you Jo Anne for being a catalyst in my life – you are loved so much!)

TODAY’S ShiFT (by Jess) … 

Yesterday I vowed to jump when the opportunity for today’s ShiFT presented itself, and I am happy to report that I did indeed seize the moment today! We were at Glen’s Market in Michigan, picking up the items we had forgotten on our grocery run yesterday.  I overheard the cashier talking to the gentleman who had arrived to pick her up from work. She mentioned it would go quicker if someone could bag for her… he joked and said, “I would if I knew how”.  

I know how. 

Both my daughter and I started bagging for her. She thanked us twice. She thought it was awesome. She even went so far as to call my daughter ‘sweetheart’. It was a good ShiFT. 

My Daughter Emma after Helping Me ShiFT

No matter who you are,  your station in life,  or the kind of job you have, you too can touch peoples lives in small and positive ways. Just ask Johnny.

If you know of a local treasure that needs to be unburied, or have a vision of your own for Holley, contact me at Theresa@tothewhitelight.com and be sure to visit my website at www.tothewhitelight.com to find out how I can help.

Not sure that you have the ability to make a difference in the lives of others? Well, if Johnny can make such a profound impact, just imagine what you can do… 

This is a good one to share with your kids.  Watch it together and then ask them what their thoughts are on what they just watched. 

• Why did Johnny have such a big impact? 
• Why did people want to get in Johnny’s line?
• What could you do in your life based on the inspiration from this film?

Communication is magic…

Catherine

For more tips to help parents communicate better with kids, sign-up for the Parenting Tips ezine at http://talkaboutanything.ca/

Once in a great while you will see something that will bypass the brain and go straight to the heart.  This short three minute movie will be one of those times. http://www.stservicemovie.com/
No matter how many times you watch this,  you’ll love it more each time you watch it.  Not only does it bring service into perspective, it brings life into perspective!

Many thanks to my friend Ty Houston for sharing.

Enjoy!

A friend of mine suggested that I read Ken Blanchard’s Simple Truths of Services: Inspired by Johnny the Bagger.  He hands out the book to all of his new managers and is constantly promoting customer service.

While waiting to get the book, I did some exploring on the Internet.  This story is about how even small contributions can make a difference.  Johnny who has Down Syndrome and is a bagger at a grocery store that was going through a customer loyalty training.  Johnny was inspired by the presentation to come up with a new special saying each night. He would type up the saying and would then put them in customers’ bags the next day. This small gesture ultimately transformed the whole store and inspired other employees to ‘delight’ their customers too.

A great challenge to all companies is to have their employees:

Think about something you can do for your customer to make them feel special – a memory that will make them come back.

If you don’t have time to read the book, at least take the time to watch this 3-minute movie about the story. I am confident that you will be as inspired by the story too:

]]> http://richestpeopleinamerica.com/2008/07/28/a-lesson-in-giving/ Mon, 28 Jul 2008 13:46:14 +0000 timdrichardson http://richestpeopleinamerica.com/2008/07/28/a-lesson-in-giving/ What would you do IF you found some money that wasn’t yours? My speaking colleague and friend Barbara Glanz has a solution. See her blog post titled a lesson in giving. Barbara has the unique distinction of being the first professional speaker on record to speak on all seven continents. She also discoved Johnny the Bagger, and amazing story of a young man with Downs Syndrome who has touched the lives of many.

Written by Ken Blanchard and Barbara Glanz, The Simple Truths of Service is inspired by a true story about an unforgettable young man with Down’s Syndrome. Known as Johnny the Bagger, he changes the culture of a grocery store by being creative and giving the customers more than they expect.

I just finished watching a video entitled Johnny the Bagger from KarmaTube. The video inspired me to be more creative with giving services beyond customers expectations. Johnny is a person with Down Syndrome who changed the culture of a grocery store by inspiring their customers with his “Thought of the Day” which he patiently wrote in cards and give to the groceries customers. The number of customers grew because of the sincere attitude of this young man to serve.

Personally, I know the value of this “Thought of Day” messages. Everyday, I send messages to friends, old and new, messages to inspire them. Every time we meet, they usually thank me before anything else for the “words of wisdom” I share with them. Lately, I even noticed that in some toastmasters clubs meetings, I was asked to give few words of wisdom before we adjourn the meeting. Last Thursday during my visit at the Farm at San Benito, Perla requested me to give “few words of wisdom” to the people gathered to celebrate the wonderful experience and feedback from the guests they had during the holy week. On that day, I saw Dr Jean, and again she also thanked for the words of wisdom I shared with her. I smiled when I heard the phrase words of wisdoms. It seemed to me that the Universe agree that the quotations which inspire me everyday, and which I also share with my friends, are the words of wisdom for them.

There were also times that friends texted me to say their thanks. They told me that the “words of wisdom” guided them through the crises they experienced the whole day. I am also thankful to them for every good deeds we do, no matter how small, make us better persons. I also realized that some friends even started sending their “words of wisdom” every now and then.

Going back to Johnny the Bagger, I suggest you watch the video yourself. You can find it here. I also looked for a video at google video. I found a preview here. No person has so little that he or she cannot share it with anyone. Each of us is given the opportunity to make other people feel good which, I have long realized, is the best way to make us also feel good about ourselves.

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Related blog entries:

Keep the Customers Happy Everyday

Johnny the Bagger

How to Deal with Upset Customers

Creating Loyal Customers

Dealing With Your Customers

Beware with Deadly Service Attitudes

Using the RATER model in Customer Service

Power of Personal Values

Functions of Vision

Anatomy of a Vision

Create A Customer-Centered Vision

Walk the Talk in customer Service

How to Make Your Customers Happy

Customer Service Resources