Zing Train Take-away

Marigold brought Zing Train to town last week and the 150 people who took part in all or some of the day have been raving about the content shared by Stas' and Ann from Zingerman's. I think each person had a different aha moment that they wanted to share as soon as they got back to their own business.

Mine was this: Customer service isn't just for customers. Customer service extends to employees, co-workers, vendors and yes, even competitors. How we treat other people and organizations contributes to our brand and reputation in the community.

If a co-worker is being crabby, instead of blowing them off or complaining about their bad attitude, maybe an offer of help would break their bad-day cycle.

• To the receptionist about to explode: "Looks like some one really teed you off, can I answer phones for you for 5 minutes so you can take a break?".
• To the vendor or supplier sounding overwhelmed by your order: "I know you guys are crazy right now, want me to call you back in an hour?"
• To your business partner who can't focus on your conversation: "I can see you have something important going on that's distracting you, should we shelve this project for a few days?'

In each of these cases we could legitimately complain that the other person was not being "professional" or whatever other derogatory term you choose. But haven't we all been there, when a kind word of understanding without a bunch of questions would have been sooo appreciated.

Unless this is a chronic situation, being helpful in their "moment" creates such a better environment for everybody.

Mary

Shake?

I believe I am an "over-shaker". I shake hands with students, little old ladies, the paper boy... I'm a shaker, always have been. Every so often, I detect a level of discomfort from the shaken one. Have I misjudged the appropriateness of the shake? How do YOU feel about shaking hands? Is there a male/female rule about this business of shaking hands? Do you shake hands at a baby shower?

Bill Marsh, Jr. and I recently had this conversation. He wondered how customers at his dealerships, females in particular, would feel about a salesperson offering their hand for a welcome shake? Too personal? Intrusive? Neighborly? Bill also shared this CareerBuilder.com article on shaking hands. I think you will find it interesting

I told him that I am a bad measure for most women on this one, I'm an enthusiastic shaker.

How do YOU feel about shaking? Please share your thoughts!

Bad manners?

In these days of a down economy, it has become a faux pas to declare that your business is actually going strong. The problem with this is that sharing stories of despair has become the norm.

There are indeed, pockets of the northern Michigan business landscape showing strong signs of growth. Funny though, that these business owners speak in hushed tones. Perhaps, if they were more vocal in sharing the good news, others would feel a sense of hope and promise for the near future. Or is it simply bad manners to say "business is great"?

What do you think?