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By Laurie Guest
When I was in my early 20s, I left a job solely because I felt undervalued and under-appreciated. When I look back on that experience, I realize that may not have been true. I probably needed a little maturity to understand what was really going on. Regardless, I left a field in which I received a degree, a good job with several years of experience in my pocket, and an opportunity to grow within that practice. In fact, most people leave a job because of feeling under-appreciated by coworkers or leadership. However, we can actually retain more staff if everyone, bosses and coworkers alike, learned to be more appreciative of the people around them. What’s the proper way to do this? The Appreciation Formula. There’s a formula for that? Think of it like frosting on a cake. You want it evenly spread, not too thick in any one spot. The formula is very simple. It’s the person’s name, followed by what you’re praising them for, and ending with why it makes a difference. Imagine hearing someone say, “Hey everybody, good job today.” That’s just white noise, a blanket praise. Now listen to the difference here: Look the person in the eye, use her first name, tell her why you’re thanking her, and include why it makes a difference. It sounds like this, “Betty, the way you handled that angry patient today was fantastic. By the time we did her exam, she had calmed down, and things went much, much better. Thank you.” Hear the difference? Though it sounds a little odd and rehearsed, in real life with the sincerity of the situation, it is a huge improvement over “Thanks a lot” or “Great job today.” Simple, right? Get out there and praise someone today. It’s the gasoline between paychecks and one of the easiest staff development tools that I offer. Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success!
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By Laurie Guest
During my years as a professional speaker and trainer, I have paid close attention to the actions of successful business management teams. One factor that seems consistent is the ability to retain good staff. I have a few common sense ideas, often overlooked by employers, for retaining good people and building long-term professional relationships... Appreciate good work Watch staff members in action and comment on their good work. When was the last time you gave a sincere thank you to the staff for arriving early to open, staying late to close, or making your day go smoothly? A quick “Thanks a lot!” yelled over your shoulder as you are halfway out the door does not count. Take the time for sincere gratitude. Acknowledge productivity Increased customer volume directly benefits the owner. The staff, on the other hand, may only see it as more work. Recognize hard work with an individualized reward system that increases morale. The key to this idea is to determine what each staff member feels a good “reward” would be. Donuts for breakfast may not always be the extra special treat you anticipated. While one person would like a small cash bonus, a working mother might appreciate time off to catch her child’s soccer game on a Saturday afternoon. Provide continuing education Make it a top priority to send your staff to educational programs in your industry. Encourage your team to become members of any state or local organizations that are pertinent to your product or service. If there is no such thing, then create “on-site” teaching opportunities. Employees that feel they are growing in their position will stay longer. You would not think of denying your children a chance to go to school, yet many staff people are denied “work schooling” that could make a big difference to their careers. Build opportunities for growth Plan annual retreats and develop long-term action plans. Focus on personal growth for each team member along with business goals. Allow shadowing of different areas of the company so overall knowledge is as widespread as possible. On occasion, send key staff people to visit others in your industry in a non-compete area in order to bring back business building ideas to share in the workplace. In summary, if you want to know how to find and keep good people, think of it like a good marriage. Find staff people who have similar interests and values, then treat them like treasured family members. Open communication, mutual respect, time for fun, and plans for a future together will build a long-term professional relationship. Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success! By Laurie Guest
Onboarding is the current buzzword for new employee orientation. No matter what you name it, please tell me you do it. Why? Onboarding is a must because the success of a new employee depends on not only learning how to do the tasks required in a job but also learning all the rules and regulations that go into the job. After all, many of these might be rules you haven’t thought to tell someone without an existing onboarding process. Onboarding contains knowledge, skills, and behaviors that lead to long-term success and proper understanding of the culture of your organization. Something so important cannot be left to chance. How Onboarding Works Begin with a structured plan for all new hires to follow during the first few days or even weeks on the job, depending upon the depth of the position and the size of your company. Oddly enough, it may even begin before their first day of work. When the job offer is given, set the expectation of the onboarding process so the applicant knows what to expect. In our organization, we started a buddy system where veteran staff people volunteered to take a new hire to lunch the first day or at least sit with them in the lunch room. This may sound like junior high, but not knowing how to fit in the first day is a moment of stress no matter what your age. Informing the new hire in advance who his or her veteran will be on the first day is a simple way to introduce the social aspect of the job. Make sure that the system you put in place for big picture exposure is the same for all new employees. I know of a hospital that didn’t take the time for big picture explanations for certain positions, like housekeeping and dietary roles. This proved to be a mistake for them. It indicated the gap between departments and how they were respected within the system. Include everyone in the same orientation until it is time for a job-specific task training. Also, be sure to include indoctrination into appropriate work culture on day one. What are the expectations of proper behavior? Is it in writing? How is it taught? What are the consequences of noncompliance? Why is the culture important to the success of the company? Finally, what words do you use to show the new hires how important they are to the organization regardless of position? Why put it in writing? Prepare a written policy and procedure guidebook for new hires to review and keep. It’s a good idea to have a signature page at the back for the new hire to sign and return to you after he or she has read and understands the guidelines. In our organization, we had a policy manual that was the same for every employee that included mostly human resource information: time-off policies, dress code, and disciplinary matters. In addition, each department had a policy and procedure manual specific to that team. Be purposeful about the documents you prepare. If you treat the policies with the respect they deserve, you demonstrate to the new hire that we take the rules seriously. If you don’t do that, too much is left to chance. Consequently, learning then comes by making mistakes. Take the unspoken rule in our medical facility: No microwave popcorn allowed. Our doctor felt that a medical facility should not smell like a movie theater, and everyone who worked there knew we were not allowed to make popcorn. However, no one thought to tell the new people this. Sure enough, within the first few weeks, a new staff member ultimately ended up making popcorn for lunch, and every employee came in going, “Who’s making popcorn? Who’s making popcorn?” As you can imagine, the new employee felt foolish! Eventually, we added that rule to the onboarding information sheet. Though that sounds like a silly example, put yourself in the shoes of the new employee. Even little things can make a big impact on the success of the first quarter on the job. Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success! By Laurie Guest
Reframing issues, a specialized topic in communication, assists in restructuring thinking and addressing problems. Because mindsets are powerful and influence future choices and behaviors, successful reframing puts your organization in a favorable position through accurate communication. When should you consider reframing your issues? When the public perception of a situation is skewed or when false information is floating in your marketplace, consider reframing. What does reframing look like? When I worked for two doctors who were married, we photographed them separately any time we planned a special event so we could get more photos done with our guests in a shorter period of time. She would be seen with some referral sources while he would be seen with others. Those professional photos would then be sent to the local papers of the referring source as a press release. As a result of the published photos, the rumors started that they were headed for a divorce. How did we reframe it? We simply took the photos with three people in the picture so they no longer looked separated. Another even wider known example is with Domino’s Pizza. For years, they’ve had a reputation of producing subpar pizza. Taking the issue head on, they put it in their advertising, “We want to make our pizza taste better.” They called it as people were seeing it, which was a very bold move. It was also a great way to reframe how consumers felt about their product. Most of the time, thinking in advance about framing the issue pays off. If there’s a false rumor surrounding your organization or maybe a truth to the gossip, you need to take a stand for your position. Steps to Reframing An Issue What are the steps to reframe an issue and avoid pitfalls? Begin by asking what is the issue, who’s involved, what lead to the problem, and what’s the best solution? Does the public need to know about this? What will be different in the public opinion after we reframe? You may be wondering how staff play a role in this topic. It may seem like this is a management and business owner issue. However, staff play a large role in keeping the issues rolling. Sharing inside gossip at backyard barbecues with friends and family exacerbates the rumor mill. Like the old game of telephone, the retelling of data is rarely exactly the same. By the time it has passed between several people, the message becomes unrecognizable from the original. Though this is certainly easier said than done, remember what goes on at work should stay at work. What is the image you send to the community? If a friend asks, “How are things going at work?” and you respond, “Man, I’m telling you, things are so messed up over there. I don’t know how much longer we can even keep the doors open,” you just pushed yourself one more millimeter out of a job. Instead, reframe the issue in positive language. Say, “Well, things have been stressful lately, but I really believe in the work we’re doing. I’m hoping the new management will make things easier.” When you reframe your image, remember to choose words to your advantage. As a team, discuss whether you need to reframe current issues in the marketplace. If you do, then develop a campaign to reframe and improve your image. Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success! By Laurie Guest
Scripting, an often-overlooked technique in customer service, can make a big difference in the impression you give your guests. For example, a customer at a retail location asks where a certain item is located. The response could be, “Hey, it’s over there in aisle three.” The better, scripted response is, “I’d be happy to show you. Please follow me.” See the difference? We feel totally engaged with the person who used the scripted response. I learned this concept at an early age. My dad would come in from a night of farming, go upstairs to take a shower, and then settle into his La-Z-Boy in the living room. On more than one occasion, he would turn to me and ask, “Pumpkin, will you run upstairs and get my slippers?” Boy, did this drive me crazy. That man was just upstairs! Why couldn’t he get the slippers himself? One day I decided to educate my father to that fact. I said, “Dad, you were just upstairs. Why didn’t you get your slippers yourself?” He then proceeded to teach me the best four words I’ve ever learned in my life. He explained, “Laurie, I’m your dad, and when I ask you to do something, you would be much better saying I’d – be – happy – to. I will feel better about asking you, and you will feel better about doing it.” I didn’t understand at the time, but the lesson remained with me. Years later when I entered the work force and was taught the concept of scripting, I heard Dad’s words. I realized my dad had first taught me about putting the right words together to communicate the best possible impression. Another area that falls under the topic of scripting is the taboo word list. These are words that our team had decided not to use. Of course, the list varies among industries. I’ve chosen my universal taboo words and provided replacement words or phrases. The first one is the word “no.” Replace it with the word “actually.” When somebody questions, “Can I expect to receive that order tomorrow?” and you reply, “No, not going to be here,” it comes across as rude. If instead you respond, “Actually, it’s due to arrive on Friday,” it sounds courteous. Another taboo word at our office was the word “busy.” We replaced is with the phase “currently assisting other patients.” Next is the expression “there’s nothing we can do.” That is like throwing gasoline on a fire. There is always something more you can do. You can listen, empathize, or redirect. For my healthcare clients, remember not to call guests by what they need, “Hey, we got a pap in room two.” There’s not a pap in room two. There’s a patient who needs a pap test in room two. Instead, refer to them by their names. My final taboo phrase isn’t really taboo, but more of a pet peeve. It’s the sentence in our culture that bothers me more than any other, and it is so common. In fact, it’s impossible to go a day without hearing it. Any guesses? The phrase is “How are you?” Although it is a common greeting, do we expect an honest answer and then stick around to hear it? I think the replacement phrase for that is a simple “Hello,” or “Hello, nice to see you.” Only ask “How are you?” if you mean it and plan to stay engaged long enough to hear the answer. Remember, if we don’t teach scripting, the staff will bring their own personalities and previous experiences in communication to the position. If they naturally excel at this task, you are all set. But years of training have taught me that many need help on this concept... Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success! By Laurie Guest
“Thank you.” Somewhere along the line, these two easy words have become hard for people to say. I don’t mean the robotic phrase used at the end of a transaction: “Thank you. Have a nice day.” I mean the sincere appreciation that should follow every contract signed or every referral delivered. I am surprised how rare this genuine thank you seems to be! The Stair-Step Approach An appreciation program can be viewed as a stair-step approach. The first level is a verbal thank you at the time of transaction. It is most often a simple sentence used repeatedly: “Thank you for shopping with us.” The second level is a written thank you. Though not time-consuming, it has a similar sentiment each time. Email counts, but the handwritten note sent by mail is better. This makes sense with professional services more than it does with retail, but I’ve seen amazing exceptions to that rule. Handwritten notes have gone by the wayside in personal and professional relationships, but it is astonishing how meaningful they can be to someone. The next level is the appreciation phone call. This is more content-specific to the person you’re calling. Pick up that phone, and thank the referral source every time you obtain a new customer who can be traced back to a specific person. Even higher in appreciation is the token gift. Although it requires an investment, a universal gift works fine. Many companies have a standard item they give to new guests. However, ask yourself if your customer really has a use for a paperweight with your company’s logo on it. The money might be better spent on a coffee shop gift card. If you choose to send a token gift, try to find something that builds a connection with your company. Finally, the top level: a unique gift to the receiver. This requires thought, money, and time, but it can make an amazing impact. My favorite example is a referral gift I sent to an employee of a well-known company. Instead of sending a stock gift, I researched his interests. I looked on Facebook, and I found out he and his wife were big fans of an obscure band. Luckily, that band was coming to the area where he lives. So I reached out to him and said that I would love to treat him and his wife to tickets to this band’s concert. He wrote back and was so surprised that I knew he liked this band and graciously accepted the offer. I bought the tickets and sent them to him with a note of thanks. Another referral followed, which was appreciation reciprocated. Appreciate Your Guests No matter what your product or service is, there is room to appreciate your guests. If you’re a staff person, focus on your sincerity at level one. Add things like, “We appreciate you choosing to do business with us.” If you’re a business owner, you’re in a position to put an appreciative campaign in place. I encourage you to have a team meeting to brainstorm ideas and then create a budget for giving thanks. Making an effort to say “thank you” has benefits you will reap for a long time to come. Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success! By Laurie Guest
One area that receives the lowest scores when we conduct a guest encounter audit for a client is the lack of smooth transitions during the transaction. Imagine a track relay team: one runner has the baton. As he approaches the next runner, they stride in unison for several lengths. He then passes the baton without losing stride. What does this look like in a business setting? When a Transition Does Not Work Let’s say we follow a couple into a bank. They are greeted by a teller at a teller window, and they explain that they want to see a loan officer about buying a car. They share the story of car shopping with the teller who nods, smiles, and listens. However, when she phones the personal banker, she only says, “Somebody’s here to see you.” A failed transition. A dropped baton. When a Transition Works Again, our couple enters the bank. They share their car shopping story. This time, a teller calls the personal banker and says, “I have a couple who would like to see you. Are you available?” She then escorts them to the office and makes a transitional introduction. “Amy, I’d like you to meet Ted and Martha Brown, clients of ours. They would like to talk to you about a car loan. Ted and Martha, this is Amy Thompson, one of our personal bankers, and she will be happy to provide the information you need.” If the teller is unable to leave the counter, then the same message can be communicated by phone without the formal introduction. When the personal banker comes out of the waiting area to greet the clients, she needs to communicate that the baton was passed. “Good afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Brown. I’m Amy Thompson, your personal banker. Please follow me to my office.” Once in the confidential space, she continues, “Mary tells me you’re interested in getting a car loan, and I’m happy to help you with this.” A successful transition. A smooth baton pass. A transition that works leaves a favorable impression. Transitions by phone are also important. Have you ever called somewhere knowing that the first person who picks up is not going to be the person to answer the question you have? In order to transfer you to the right person, they ask you to tell the long version of what you need. When you’re done, they say, “One moment. Let me connect you.” And then you have to start all over! Better service would sound like this: “After getting enough information from you, I’m going to call and give a summary to the staff person who’s going to help you.” After the staff person makes a smooth baton transition, the next person in line to take care of you would say, “Mrs. Larson, this is Kelly in the billing department. Mary tells me that you have a question on your last statement. I have it pulled up here on my screen. Let me just confirm that I have the right account, and we’ll see where that extra charge is coming from.” That is a smooth transition. Put Transitions in Place Put professional, planned transitions in place using these simple steps:
However, if your team is not accustomed to proper transitions, you may need to have a few practice sessions. Work to find the right sentences to use, and make sure that every team member understands his or her role in the pass off. Soon it will be second nature in your sales process, and the positive customer service reviews will be sure to increase. Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success! By Laurie Guest
In an episode of Seinfeld, George Costanza says, “You can stuff your sorries in a sack, mister.” He meant, “Your apologies are not accepted!” Are you using sorry statements in your business or organization? Many companies are quick to say “I’m sorry,” because they believe the statement comes across as great service. That’s just not true. I urge you to save your “Sorry” statements for when an apology is truly owed. I am amazed how often I see “Sorry” signs that could be worded differently. Several years ago, I was in an electronics store with a choice of four cash registers to ring up purchases. Even though it was a busy holiday shopping day, only one register was busy; two were open with no waiting, and the fourth had a sign on it that read, “Sorry for the inconvenience. This register temporarily closed.” First off, I noticed the sign was a professionally printed one, so there was nothing temporary about the situation. This sign was put in front of any register they didn’t want to use as a way of saying “We’re not using this lane right now.” “Sorry” is the first word on the sign. Way back in their subconscious minds when customers see “Sorry,” they feel slighted rather than served. The sign should read, “We would be delighted to help you at any one of our open registers.” See how much better that sounds? Do you have any “Sorry” signs up right now in your place of business? What about verbal “Sorries” to customers? Recently, I did a training session at a hospital. Twelve different groups of employees with an average of 50 people in each group attended. During each session, I asked this question: “How many of you say sorry to someone every day at work?” More than half of the hands went up in every class. That means that this organization says “Sorry” over 9,125 times per year to their patients and patients’ families. Great service? Perhaps stuffing the “Sorries” is in order. Take a tour of your building or office and look for the “Sorry” signs. Revise what you say to give the information without the apology. Discuss how often and in what situation you find yourself apologizing to your guest. When you determine an apology is owed, find the best way to say it. If you decide an apology isn’t owed or it’s just a habit, start creating your list of replacement sentences. Yes, stuff your sorries in a sack. You will not miss them. Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success! By Laurie Guest
You achieve a unique stamp in your marketplace by delivering a noteworthy guest experience, making extras count without a doubt, and providing value-added benefits to your offerings. Deliver a Noteworthy Experience Think of an experience where you felt the customer service was worth talking about. Mine was at a bed and breakfast in Madison, Wisconsin in 1990. It remains noteworthy to this day. the service was so impressive starting with the first call to book a room. Friends referred my husband and me, so when I called, I mentioned my friend to the owner. She not only remembered my friend by name but also complimented his wife. When I called, I mentioned that I was looking for a quiet getaway with a water view. Later, when we checked in, the owner referenced my request before leading us to the top floor suite overlooking the lake. She remembered what was important and referenced it. At the conclusion of my initial call, she asked for our favorite beverages and if we had any food allergies. When we arrived, we found a welcome basket in our room. It was filled with our favorite beverages on ice along with brochures of sites to see and shops to explore in town, a calendar of events, and a map of the area. What an amazing first impression! When you peel away the little things, it was just a bed and breakfast stay. The special touches made a huge impact. They are the reason I am still talking about it over twenty years later. What could you do in your business to up the experience to noteworthy? Are there things you once did that have somehow gone by the wayside? Is it time to dust the ideas off and bring them back? Make Extras Count I know a breakfast shop that gives us two doughnut holes free with every purchase. My car dealership runs the vehicles through the car wash with every service, and they have popcorn and soda fountain drinks that I can help myself to while I wait. What about the hotel that has fresh baked cookies waiting upon my arrival or free high-speed WiFi? In fact, I have reached the point where I choose my hotel based on the WiFi options. Do you offer any little extras with your product or service? Do not make the mistake of failing to let your guests know when you offer something extra. For example, I know an attorney and an accountant who often choose to reduce their fee a little bit as a courtesy to certain clients. For instance, if the bill is supposed to be $850, they might mark it down to $700. However, when they send the invoice, it just reads $700. Show the fee for the service of $850 with a single line through it and $700 written next to it. Then underneath, provide a short explanation for the reduction: courtesy discount or whatever the reason might be. If you’re adding extras, but you’re not letting the client know you’ve done something special, it defeats the purpose. Provide Value-Added Benefits A value-add is one step above the little extra. My bank provides a great example of a value-add. I have six banks in my community, and I choose the one closest to my house. They offer the same banking service as everyone else and claim to have great customer service just like all the others. However, the value-add that I like about my bank is that one teller lane is a dedicated mail services area. Our post office is on the opposite end of town from my home and bank. When I need to mail things, I no longer have to drive to the other end of town. What can you create as value add for your guests? Deliver a noteworthy experience, make extras count, and provide value-added benefits. Dig deep to stand out in your marketplace. Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success! By Laurie Guest
It’s so important to factor in body language when it comes to making a first impression. Before you open your mouth to speak, you have already delivered a message. The words you speak, intertwined with your body language, communicate whether you are approachable or unapproachable, and so much more. My experience in learning body language started when I was about 19 years old and working in health care. I had a habit of folding my arms over my mid-section and leaning against door jams or registration desks with a hip out (and a little bit of attitude out, too). I was standing like that one day when the doctor I was working with walked up, pointed to my folded arms, and said, “Knock off the attitude!” I clearly remember responding, with complete attitude all over my face, “What attitude?” She handed me a book on body language and told me it was mandatory reading, complete with a book report. I rolled my eyes and made that sound in my throat that says, “This is stupid.” She noted, “You will find those behaviors on page fifty-two.” I took the book home against my will, and I can say today that it’s one of the five books that changed the course of my life. After studying my own body language, I learned how to change several key things. First, I adopted an open stance when engaging with people. That means arms not crossed, but rather down at my sides or loosely bent at elbows with fingertips touching. Instead of leaning on things, which causes one hip to protrude out giving a cue of boredom, I trained myself to stand up straight with both feet firmly planted and weight equally distributed. Most importantly, however, I concentrated on eye contact and smiling. Maintaining eye contact doesn’t mean staring at a person to the point of awkwardness! It means looking right at the person you are speaking to rather than over his/her shoulder or down at your feet. A smile doesn’t have to be so big your cheeks hurt. A slight upturn of the corners so that your mouth leaves the neutral position is enough. (Interestingly, a mouth in neutral position actually looks like attitude. A slight upturn makes all the difference.) Once I made these subtle changes, I noticed my ability to connect with our customers and with my coworkers improved. Now as a speaker meeting hundreds of new people each month, I am amazed at how strong the signal can be from those who have not studied the consequences of bad body language. Learning how to improve body language will impact your customer service. Concentrate on eye contact and smiling, the two keys to positive body language. Body language influences a customer’s perspective of your business from the first moment of contact. Keeping your posture open and welcoming, rather than bored or busy, makes an impact. It’s also important to remember that not only should you think about the body language you share, but you also need to read the body language of the customer. For example, in retail, body language tells you to back off and give the customer some space. Take notice of this and follow up with the right words like, “Hey, let me give you some time to browse. Just wave at me if I can be of help.” What about the opposite of that: the customer that needs our attention immediately? Think about the body language of restaurant guests when they’re in a rush. Picking up on that and leaving the check right after the plate is placed would be a great way to anticipate their needs. Say something like, “I thought you might be in a hurry, so here’s your check right away. I’ll swing back in a little bit to see if you’d like anything else.” A happy diner will likely be a repeat diner! Being a pro at body language comes with being aware and paying attention to the tells. Small movements and gestures give you clues into what a person thinks. Regardless of your business, apply the principles of non-verbal cues. It will be an impactful contributing factor to your overall success. Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success! |
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