The Airplane Oxygen Mask
June 30, 2009
With come creativity, you can add a little comic relief to even the most mundane chores in your work group as this individual did with a rubber chicken.
In our work there are many tasks which are repetitious by nature, and over time, we tend to just “go through the motions” to get them done. Once in a while, though, you will find a person who tries to make these mundane tasks a little more interesting.
If you ask anyone who flies frequently, they can probably recite the pre-flight announcements by heart:
“In preparation for take off, please make sure your seats are in their full and upright positions and your tray tables are stowed…”
The plane then pushes back from the gate and begins to travel to the runway. Next come the safety announcements.
“Please remove the safety briefing card form your seat back as our flight attendants explain the safety features of our Boeing 727 aircraft…”
As one flight attendant reads the descriptions, one or two others will stand in the aisles pointing or demonstrating. After explaining about the emergency exits, the next topic is the oxygen masks.
“In the unlikely event that supplemental oxygen is needed, an oxygen mask will be released from a compartment over your head…”
Normally, at this point in the demonstration, the flight attendant in the aisle holds up his hand and releases the bright yellow oxygen mask, which he holds by the plastic tube. Not on this flight. In this case, the flight attendant, a man in is ‘50s, released a rubber chicken that he held, upside down, by its legs. (In case you’re wondering, no, it wasn’t Southwest Airlines, it was American!)
The announcement continued, “Please secure the mask to your face by placing the plastic straps around your head and tighten by pulling on the ends…”
At this point, the flight attendant put the “rear end” of the rubber chicken over his face and “secured” it in place by wrapping the chicken’s legs around his ears.
“Pull down gently on the tube to begin the flow of oxygen; the rubber bag will not inflate even though oxygen is flowing.”
The flight attendant “started the flow of oxygen” by pulling down on the neck of the rubber chicken which was hanging from his head.
As this was going on, a funny thing happened: one person looked up from his newspaper and did a double take as the chicken was released. He tapped the shoulder of the woman sitting next to him and pointed into the aisle. She did a double take, then started paying attention herself. One by one, people in the cabin started watching, until every passenger was viewing this spectacle, tears in their eyes from laughing so hard.
When he had everyone’s attention, of course, he did the demonstration properly with an actual oxygen mask.
I take as many as 100 flights a year. I have heard the safety announcements so often and so regularly that I really don’t pay attention any more. And yet on this trip, the flight attendant found a way to vary his work routine and, in the bargain, got me, as well as everyone else in the cabin, to pay attention to the safety announcements.
In your own work, there are many tasks that are boring or routine. The trick is to find a way to make them more exciting – for you and for the people around you. And while a rubber chicken may not be appropriate in your work, with a little creativity, you can add a little comic relief to even the most mundane chore.
Thanks for Not Attending My Meeting
June 25, 2009
A manager earns the respect of his employees and makes them more productive simply by commending an employee for putting his family first.
We hear a lot of talk these days about “balance” and how to make sure that we take time to have a personal life without becoming too caught up in our work. Unfortunately, in many companies, the people who get promoted and recognized are the ones who put in the 90-hour weeks.
I presented a program for a company in North Carolina a few weeks ago. To kick off the meeting, the vice president in charge of the group made some introductory comments. He talked about the progress the team had made in the last six months. He pointed out some of the roadblocks they were still facing. He singled out several employees for the significant contributions they had made throughout the year.
Then he recognized a person who wasn’t present.
“You’ll notice that Mike isn’t here today. He had a family matter to attend to that was more important than this meeting. This is an extremely important session we’re holding today, but anyone in this room would have made the same decision.”
“While we’ll miss Mike’s participation today, he made the right choice, and he’s to be commended for being with his family and not at this meeting.”
I was sitting in the corner of the room, out of sight, but I’m sure the look on my face was one of astonishment. To me, this was incredible. I had never heard a manager publicly praise an employee for choosing family over a critical work activity.
His comments, of course, were the perfect kick off to the program. The teams were energized by his message and they had an outstanding and productive session.
Too many times, we see a set of core values posted on the walls, but the actions of our leaders communicate a different set of values altogether. If you claim that a balance between work and home is important in your organization, then make sure that you recognize the person who takes you up on that claim.
Prestigious Non-Accredited Universities
June 23, 2009
Focus on providing “true” value and you’ll be amazed how easy it is to establish a loyal customer base.
Value is an important concept upon which we base our free enterprise system. A company has a product or service to sell and you have some form of compensation to pay. When you establish the point at which you both feel the value equals the compensation, you have a deal.
It sounds simple enough, yet I am often amazed at the lengths at which companies will go to offer value. I actually received the following email, which contained a very interesting offer:
UNIVERSITY DIPLOMAS
Obtain a prosperous future, money-earning power,
and the admiration of all.
Diplomas from prestigious non-accredited
universities based on your present knowledge
and life experience.
No required tests, classes, books, or interviews.
Bachelors, masters, MBA, and doctorate (PhD)
diplomas available in the field of your choice.
As I read the message, one phrase jumped out at me: ”prestigious non-accredited universities.”
Now, clearly, it is not necessary to attend college to be successful. Many people have built thriving businesses and careers without having done so, and certainly practical experience is at least as important as formal education.
However, if you are going to attend college, whether as a full- or part-time student, would you rather attend a school with a solid reputation or one where you could “mail order” your degree in the same way you might buy a $25 “Rolex” from a street vendor in New York City?
While this seems like an extreme case, I often see organizations make offers that are similarly suspect. Car dealers advertising that they’re “practically giving the cars away!!!” ”Free” vacation packages requiring you to buy $300 worth of vitamins. ”Bonus checks” which switch your long-distance service if you cash them without reading the fine print.
As a general rule, people are smart. They know you can’t buy a Rolex for $25; they know that nothing is actually free; and they know that it’s virtually impossible to get a legitimate, recognized Ph.D. from a mail-order catalog.
When attempting to increase sales for your business, it can be tempting to use offers like the ones above. But people appreciate value – paying a fair price for the actual product or service delivered. Focus on providing “true” value and you’ll be amazed how easy it is to establish a loyal customer base.
No, You Can’t Go on the Earlier Flight!
June 18, 2009
When the process prevents a company from doing what is clearly in the best interests of the customer, it ceases to be a tool for business excellence.
When dealing with customers, many businesses today refuse to make common-sense decisions because “it’s not their policy.” A participant in one of my recent programs shared this story with me.
Bill had finished his work early and wanted to try to get an earlier flight home to Atlanta. He called the airline to see if seats were available and was told that although there were seats on the flight, because he had a restricted airfare, he would have to go to the airport to change his flights there.
When he arrived at the ticket counter, the agent confirmed that there were seats available and asked to see his ticket. As she studied the information on the ticket, a disapproving look crossed her face.
“I’m sorry,” she said, “this is an excursion fare and we have no seats left in inventory in this fare class.”
“But there are seats available on the flight?” Bill asked.
“Oh yes, it’s wide open.”
“So let me understand this,” Bill said. “If you move me up to the earlier flight, you would free up my seat on the next flight which you could then sell to a last-minute passenger at the full fare.”
“Yes sir, but that’s not our policy. You can only stand by on an earlier flight if there are seats available in the same fare class as your original ticket.”
Two levels of supervisor who were called to the scene gave the same party line; and as convincing as I’m sure Bill was, they were not going to bend the rules for him. As a result, Bill had to sit around the airport for three hours to wait for his original flight, while the earlier plane left with around twenty empty seats.
To top off the story, Bill’s original flight was oversold. Badly oversold. The airline had to offer several people $500 travel vouchers to give up their seats and take a later flight. If Bill had been allowed to take the earlier flight, the airline wouldn’t have had to pay an additional $500 and would have had two more satisfied customers—Bill and the person who got bumped.
Don’t get me wrong, processes are good. They allow an organization to present a consistent face to the customer and provide a foundation upon which to base improvement activities. But when the process prevents a company from doing what is clearly in the best interests of the customer, it ceases to be a tool for business excellence and becomes an excuse for policies that lack common sense.
With proper training and a clear understanding of the company’s vision and values, your people can make intelligent decisions at the point of contact that will lead to customer satisfaction and loyalty. Make sure that your business policies – especially the ones that relate to customer interaction – provide enough flexibility so that your employees can do the right thing when it’s appropriate.
Whose Picture is That on the Wall?
June 16, 2009
By trying to find ways to maintain excellent relationships with your customers, you’ll reap tremendous benefits in customer loyalty.
Customer loyalty is something every business strives to maintain. And as you will see, one company has a very unique way of accomplishing this.
On a recent trip to California, I had an afternoon off between two training programs at which I was presenting. I decided to take a trip to Laguna Beach to visit some shops and have dinner. As I left each of the stores, I asked for restaurant recommendations. When several people suggested the same restaurant, I figured it was probably a good bet.
When I arrived at the restaurant, the first thing I noticed were charcoal drawings of various people sketched along the walls of the restaurant. I assumed they were of famous celebrities who had eaten at the restaurant (it was southern California, after all), but I didn’t recognize any of them.
As the hostess greeted me, I asked her who the people were on the walls. “Are they famous people?” I asked, “Because I don’t seem to know any of them.” She smiled, so I imagine this was a question she was used to hearing. “They’re our regulars,” she replied.
Apparently, if you’re a regular customer at this restaurant, your picture is drawn on the wall of the restaurant to show the restaurant’s appreciation for your loyalty.
Now think about it. If you have some friends visiting from out of town, where would you be more likely to take them to dinner? Would you select a restaurant where you’re just another patron or a place where the management appreciates your business so much that they have your picture sketched on the wall?
One key to managing customer relationships is to make your customers feel special. This can involve giving them special “preferred customer” offers, sending them free gifts with their order, mailing them interesting magazine articles, or having their picture displayed prominently on the wall.
Given a choice, people will do business with people they like and with businesses that they feel appreciate them. Try to find ways to maintain excellent relationships with your customers and show your appreciation for their loyalty.
“Captain Baggage Man”
June 11, 2009
Find opportunities where you can contribute to your organization and you’ll find that it has a positive effect on your employees and your customers as well.
The level of motivation and dedication that your employees bring to their jobs can be influenced, either positively or negatively, by the examples set by their leaders. I had the opportunity to witness one such instance on a flight home from Newark last week.
I was traveling on a small regional jet, so as you can probably guess, overhead space is somewhat limited. Large bags, such as rollaboard cases, have to be checked at the gate. The attendant takes your luggage on the jetway, stores it in the baggage compartment, and then returns it to you on the jetway as you leave the plane.
This process of retrieving luggage can be very slow as the luggage handlers have to pass up the bags to each person waiting on the jetway, and this usually happens one bag at a time.
Fortunately, on this flight there was some additional help. The captain for the next flight happened to be standing on the jetway waiting to board the plane. Seeing how many people were waiting and sensing that they were all anxious to get to their destinations, he started carrying bags onto the jetway along with the other employees. He didn’t complain about lending a hand; he didn’t make an exasperated face; he just pitched right in and helped to speed up a lengthy process.
Now, I don’t have an inside track on airline procedures, but I’m quite sure that assisting arriving passengers with their luggage is not in the general job description of an airline captain. But you can rest assured that the effect it had on the baggage handlers and the passengers waiting on the jetway was extremely favorable.
Too many managers have the attitude that some types of work are “menial” or “beneath them.” Or they may think that it’s simply not their job! I have always found that companies with the best service records are the ones where the leaders set the example for their employees. It’s where the restaurant manager walks the floor helping bus tables, where the vice president of product development surveys customers at random, or where airline captains assist passengers with luggage.
Try to find opportunities where you can contribute to your organization and you’ll find that it has a positive effect on your employees and your customers as well.
The “Flight Attendant Special”
June 10, 2009
I had to make an unexpected trip to New York City last week. My mother had a very bad infection and had to be admitted to the hospital. It was actually touch and go for a few days before the IV antibiotics finally kicked in. Thankfully, she’s out of the hospital now, and is recovering nicely.
After three days of hospital vigil, I was heading back home, both physically and emotionally drained. The flights between Raleigh and LaGuardia Airport are on small regional jets. And because I had to book these tickets at the last minute, I didn’t get my customary, roomy exit-row seat.
So there I am, fatigued and cramped into a small seat on a small plane. I knew it was going to be a long two hours when the person in front of me reclined his seat all the way, nearly breaking the screen on my laptop computer in the process.
Then, after we were airborne, things started to look up as the lone flight attendant on the flight came on the PA system to tell us about the beverage service.
“Welcome aboard American Airlines Flight 4716 with non-stop service to the Raleigh-Durham International Airport. I’m not going to bring the beverage cart down the aisle because we’re expecting some choppy air along the way, and the cart is a little tricky to put away when it’s bumpy. Besides, I think that wheeling a big metal cart down the aisle is kind of impersonal, so here’s what we’re going to do today:
Since most people order water or Diet Coke, I’m going to bring those out first. Then I’m going to bring my “Flight Attendant Special,” which is cranapple juice, orange juice, and ginger ale.”
I had to wait a bit since I was sitting somewhere in the middle of the plane, but I’ll tell you, that flight-attendant special was actually quite good! And, as an unexpected bonus, she served it on a paper napkin on which she had hand-written: “Enjoy your drink! – Lynn” – not just for me, mind you, she did this for every passenger she served on that flight!
When she passed by later, I complimented her on her creation and asked if I might get another glass. Not only did she mix up another batch, she also came back on the PA system and taught us all how to make the drink, complete with the correct ratios of cranapple juice, orange juice, and ginger ale, and even two variations some people preferred.
Naturally, I gave her one of the special recognition coupons American sends to its frequent flyers so they can recognize outstanding employees.
More importantly, the whole experience brought a smile to my face when just a few days earlier it looked like we were going to lose my mother.
Hopefully your customers, clients, patients, and members won’t find themselves in the same situation I was in up in New York, but people’s lives are extremely busy, and they’re continually stressed, fatigued, and overextended.
Anything you can do to brighten up their days and bring a smile to their face is a good thing. It may not directly lead to trackable sales and increased revenue, but it’s nice to do and it will make you both feel good.
The Montblanc “White Thing”
June 10, 2009
If your business is struggling in the face of this recession, then maybe it’s time to try something different, and it’s always best to start with what’s working for other people.
A while back I was in a local office supply store, and happened to be near the glass case with the pens. Not the basic 12-black-pens-in-a-box-for-$3.99 pens; no, I’m talking about the really nice (and equally expensive) Montblanc pens – you know the ones with the little white “crown” at the top.
On a lark, I asked the clerk to take one of them out. She told me a little about the pen, and then she told me the price: $119.95. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed another pen lower down in the case that looked very similar to the one I was holding in my hand.
I asked to see that one, and discovered that it was, in fact, virtually identical to the Montblanc pen, same weight, same balance, even the exact same ink cartridge! Two things were different: the second pen didn’t have the “crown” at the top, and it only cost $49.95.
A little puzzled, I asked the clerk why one pen cost $70 more than the other. She smiled and said, “The white thing,” pointing at the crown on the top of the Montblanc pen.
In this challenging economy, you have to constantly try and find the “white thing” in your business. What makes you so unique, valuable, and special that people will be willing not only to do business with you, but to pay a premium price for the privilege of doing so.
That’s a strategy you should write down – with whatever pen happens to be lying around!
What Are You Paying For?
June 9, 2009
Try to find the unique benefit that your product or service provides and you may not be perceived as just another vendor selling cheap T-shirts.
As consumers, we are continually asked to make purchases on the basis of value. The advent of internet commerce has made it very easy to find the vendor with the lowest price, but it is not always best to compete on price alone. If you offer added value, you can charge more than your competitors.
On a recent family trip to Washington, DC, my family and some friends of ours were walking near the Smithsonian. All along the road were vendors selling food, souvenirs, and T-shirts.
“T-shirts; three for $10!” was a common offer. After hearing the “three-for-$10” T-shirt offer several times, we came upon another vendor shouting, “Top-quality T-shirts; $4 each!” Curious about his higher price, I approached the vendor and he repeated his offer: “Top-quality T-shirts; $4 each!”
I asked him, half jokingly, “How much are the ‘low-quality’ shirts?” He smiled, and answered, “The low-quality shirts are 3 for $10; you can get them from the guy down the street.”
Here was a street vendor who understood the importance of value. I’m not sure if the T-shirts were actually of better quality, but he found a way to distinguish his product from everyone else’s. In this way, the T-shirts ceased to be a commodity item, only to be bought for the lowest price.
Try to find the unique benefit that your product or service provides. Then you won’t be perceived as just another vendor selling cheap T-shirts.
It’s the Little Things
June 4, 2009
Learn how serious mistakes, when taken as opportunities to learn, can literally transform us into new people.
One of the ways I help participants remember key points in my presentations is to incorporate magical effects that make the programs more memorable and much more fun. And just as my participants come to my programs for specialized training, I also need training from time to time to improve my own skills in magic.
At a recent magical convention, where I witnessed magic from some of the best performers in the business, I had the good fortune to spend some time with Michael Close. In addition to being a brilliant performer of close-up magic, he is a gifted teacher as well. (For those of you who have ever seen me do the “frog prince” or “lie detector” magical effects, you have witnessed some of Michael’s outstanding creations.)
At one of his lectures, he explained that at magic conventions, as at other social gatherings, you’ll find those individuals who are new to the field simply trying to find their way around, while the “heavy hitters” are off in some corner sharing their special “insider knowledge.” He went on to explain that when he was a newcomer he couldn’t wait for the day when he would be good enough to mingle with the experienced magicians so he could learn the “big secrets” of performing magic.
When he finally reached the level where the advanced magicians accepted him as a peer, he discovered something very important: there were no big secrets. Successful magic was, in fact, a collection of hundreds of little secrets. The environment, the relationship with the spectators, the emotional attachment to the effect, the context of the trick, and many other areas all contributed to the creation of a successful magical effect.
Similarly, in your own business, there probably is no “one big secret” that will make you successful. Rather, it’s the hundreds of little things you do for your customers that create the loyalty that will propel your organization to success.
Instead of looking for the “silver bullet” that will take your organization to the next level, or keep it from sinking, focus instead on the little things that will help you build an overall image of quality. You’ll find that some of the small things you do for your customers will help create big rewards for you.
