CUSTOMER SERVICE is EVERYONE'S JOB

The management of a big corporation invited us to give a presentation in their office. 

When we entered their building, the guards demanded for our IDs and pointed to us the location of the office in a rude manner. They failed to address us properly, didn't even look at us in the eye, and used their sticks to tap the table, saying "put your IDs here."

They treated everyone who entered the building this way, as if they were the bosses. 

We met the management team and found them all to be courteous and kind. They welcomed us like VIPs.

Here's the funny part, when we asked them about their training needs, the first thing they said was, "Customer Service!" 

Customer Service is everyone's job. 

Whether it's the people in the frontline (guards, attendants, delivery) or the people in the backroom, (accounting, clerks, cooks, designers, maintenance crew) they all have a contribution to customer satisfaction. 

Each person represents the company – possesing the power to "make or break" the company's reputation or brand.  

In your organization, make it everyone's job to make your customers happy.

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SELL WITHOUT SELLING

Recently, my partners and I started a new training firm. (We help organizations improve their productivity, bring out their creativity and increase their sales)

Every Friday, we grab some donuts and coffee and discuss ways on how we can run our business effectively. 

One of our recent topics was the implementation of our 'Sales calls'.

We've agreed on one main thing – We need to sell 'without really selling'.

Here's what we came up with:

1. Focus on helping people rather than just closing the sale.

You don't want an aggressive or pushy salesman. Somehow, we need to show you (our clients) that we are here to help you – and that we're in it for the long-haul. We know you're smart! – You'll know if someone is just after your business.

This is challenging, but it's the right thing to do for our customers. 

2. Respect and value the time of our prospective clients.

How we present our services will show how much we care. A long presentation isn't always better. Our sales call will need to be short, sweet and enriching. We need to design it really well. 

[Tip : a superior 1-hour presentation will take at least 30 hours to design]

3. Be generous.

The "old marketing" was about taking from people. But we believe that being generous will pay better – It has always been better to give than to receive. 

That's why instead of selling to you right now, we've decided to give first. It may be a free book, a complimentary seat in a seminar, or a preview session – we believe that if we remain generous – sooner or later – it will pay off. (in direct or indirect ways)

In today's economy, organizations who are willing to give freely – will thrive.

4. We need to differentiate our promise. 

At the end of the conversation, the question remains... 

"Why hire us?" 

That's what we intend to answer! 

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WHAT I LEARNED FROM JON SANTOS ... MASTERY THEN SPONTANEITY

Jon Santos rocked the fundraising I attended last night in The Peninsula. It was so fun to see him perform in person.

He impersonated three known people in the country and came in as Sen. Defensive Santiago, Pres. Erap Espada and Aling Dionisio.

He was breathing each character. No doubt, he researched thoroughly. He knew his material and found humor in every story. Yet, even with a script, he was able to interact with the crowd in a fun and spontaneous manner.

Whether in business or music, spontaneity goes well with mastery. It's easy to go with the flow, when you excel in what you do.

The take away for us artists, professionals and entrepreneurs – First, master your craft. Then spontaneity will follow.

Photo Credit

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IN THE BUSINESS OF BRINGING OUT THE BEST IN PEOPLE...

Putting up a business is exciting. One of the keys to success is to find something you can do that help others in a big way.

Entrepreneurship is rarely about what you can get as an entrepreneur. The rewards pour in when you see others benefit from what you give or deliver.

After 15 years in business, several talks and consulting work around the country, it is my privilege to partner with Ryan Peralta and Bob Barcebal.  

Ryan is the founder of Drumstart, the only certified drum circle facilitator/trainer in the country, and currently the drummer of Rivermaya. While Bob is a dynamic sales coach, facilitator of the 'Pinoy Sales Champ' workshop, and maybe the only person left on earth who think 'sales' is fun!

Together, we form SPARK CONSULTANCY. A training/learning firm geared to improve productivity, inspire creativity and help you increase sales.

*Official Website coming soon. For now, you may get in touch with my (self-proclaimed) good looking business partner…  

Bob Barcebal

Email: sparktrainingph@gmail.com 

Mobile: 0926–7242109 

Landline: 9046371

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Lessons from Kodak, Beepers and Continuous Change

Using the Easy Call paging service wasn't as easy as you would think. Telling an operator to say sorry for you is humiliating. (Dyahe!) Not only that it is hard to dictate an apology to someone you don’t know, the agent seems to always take on a sleepy (bedroom) voice every time you call.

Operator: Easy call Pager Number 141-14344. Your name please? (male bedroom voice)

You: Jhun.

Operator: Is that Juliet, Uniform, November? (confirming)

You: No, Ju-hun, with an 'H'.

Operator: Message please.

You: Ummmm... I'm sorry na...

Operator: [typing sound] Is there anything else?

You: Ummm...Yes. Umm... I won't do it again? (hesitant, but you continue anyway) Ikaw kasi eh, kung di mo lang ginawa yun...

After dictating your insincere apology, you still end up with the four words you should've said, “Please call me now” or "Turn on your cellphone, I will call you." (During that era, to conserve the 2-hour battery life of cell phones, people only turn it on when someone beeped them.)

In the mid-90s, Globe introduced a better way to communicate – via text messages. (Post star-tac era) The idea that you can send messages without calling an operator was a big relief.

Today, try to design a beeper with state-of-the-art features, sell it at the cheapest price possible, then add extra functionality, still, no one will buy it.

It's simply obsolete.

Somehow, there's a tendency for us to think that if we offer something that's cheaper, bigger, better or with more features of the same-old-boring-product, we will succeed. (Big–Sameness)

Take Kodak for example. They filed their bankruptcy just today. (1/20/12) Even though they were an early pioneer of digital photography, (they had the patents and expertise) they chose to hold on (too long) to their film business. (old success) Obviously, that didn't do them well.  

To succeed in business today requires : 

1. The willingness to let go of what worked yesterday.

2. The ability to make quick decisions.

3. The courage to embrace change. 

Get rid of the old ideas that you've heard from your non-practicing professors. 

The world has changed. 

Keep your core values and principles, but when it comes to doing things, consider new ways. Adapt to new technologies. Better yet, create it. 

Don't wait for your competitor to come up with a category-killer. Instead, make your own product obsolete by building the next big thing.

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MEETINGS CAN BE FUN, FUNNY OR AMUSING

Meetings can be fun. Especially when you are working with enthusiastic and creative people. 

The typical scenario – The management made new plans, and in the meeting, you were thrilled to hear about it. You leave excited for what's about to happen.

However, the fun becomes funny when you attend the next meeting and find out that nothing has been done. (yet)

In spite of the lack of progress, the funny becomes amusing, when the leader starts to introduce 'new plans' in the same meeting!

Sabi nga nila "Di pa tapos yung sa isa, may ibang plano na!"

Realize that 'meetings' should allow you to work effectively, not distract you from real work.

~ 

*To learn how to conduct an effective meeting, get a copy of the book, PRODUCTIVE PINOY. Visit National Bookstore, Powerbooks or Fully Booked.

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From Cagayan Valley to Silicon Valley : A Story of a Pinoy Billionaire

 "A member of the technical staff" – a humble job title Mr. Banatao owned the first time he worked as a young man. Not as glamorous as he is known today – a technology tycoon.

Diosdado "Dado" Banatao is a Pinoy billionaire who made a mark in the US tech industry.

He developed computer-related technologies that the typical person (like you and me – not engineers) won't probably comprehend. You can find the technicalities of his work in here.

He is so good in what he does, that in the past, Intel wanted to compete with his start-up company but couldn't. Intel had no other choice but to buy Dado's company. That was just one of his first ventures.

Today, his company, Tallwood Venture Capital, exclusively invests in entrepreneurs who are pursuing distinctive ideas that further develop semi-conductor related technologies.

Mr. Banatao also believes in giving back. He funds Filipino-American scholars in schools all over the US. On top of that, he also has a program where he sends UP professors to University of California Berkeley for a year to work with some of their brightest professors. It's his way of helping them generate new ideas or technologies that they can use back home.

Mr. Dado flies his own private jet once in a while. But that's only a perk that he enjoys today, out of his tenacity and passion for his work.

It takes years to build a company; it’s not an overnight success; there are no shortcuts. - Dado Banatao

What's admirable about this Pinoy is not the billions that his bank enjoys to hold for him. It's his vision and passion to pursue 'what could be' rather than just settling for 'what is'.

Dado Banatao is truly a PRODUCTIVE PINOY.


*If you find this post helpful, the 'Productive Pinoy' book might be able to help you further. See the book reviews here. To get a copy, visit National Bookstore, Powerbooks or Fullybooked. Or buy it online and have it delivered for FREE – click here.

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Free Haircut on Site for Google Employees

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
A Google employee gets a free haircut on site.

"If an employee's bangs are getting in the way during a furious coding session, he or she can schedule an on-site haircut free of charge" - HowStuffWorks

Give employees enough reasons to stick around and you'll likely see productivity go up. Why head home when everything you need is at work?

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