They Turned Lemons into Lemonade
Can you think of a time when you were the customer, “they” made a mistake, but handled it in such a way that you ended up happy, kept doing business with them, and maybe even recommended them to others?
Isn’t it great when that happens?
Don’t you wish it happened more? It would be a whole lot easier for everybody in the long run.
With the hope of raising the awareness of and promoting the mastery of Mistake Management, we have declared September Mistake Management Month. And we are looking for lemons to lemonade stories.
Here are a few to get things started….about Domino’s, Outback Steak House and Four Corners Restaurant. Read more
We beat the heat & turned lemons into lemonade.
Can you think of a time your organization made a mistake and then handled it so well that the customer was pleased, kept doing business with you, and maybe even recommended you to others?
If so, congratulations! I hope it’s part of your company folklore so that everyone there can learn from it – both the mechanics and the philosophy.
And I hope you will share the story here so that people outside your organization can learn from it. Who knows…you might be on the receiving end of better mistake management because of it!
Need some examples first to trigger some memories? Here are a few stories we have collected over the years. Read more
Yes! We celebrate mistakes!
Does your organization celebrate mistakes? Reward mistakes? Make it safe to make and learn from mistakes?
Like the ones below about Ben & Jerry’s, Keebler Cookies & Crackers and Brogan & Partners.
We’d love to hear your story too!
It’s Mistake Management Month!
September is Mistake Management Month here at Business Class.
The purpose is to raise awareness of mistake management and to celebrate those who do it masterfully.
The mechanics of and the philosophy behind managing mistakes is missing in most Customer Service Plans.
Let’s hear it for small business!
Next week (May 23-29) is National Small Business Week.
As we all know, small businesses have a big impact on our economy. And despite a tough economic environment over the last couple of years, there’s reason to celebrate.
- There are an estimated 27.2 million small businesses in the United States.
- Small businesses are major contributors to the strength of the American economy.
- More than half of Americans either own or work for a small business.
- Small businesses create 60-80% of new jobs in the country.
- Small businesses drive innovation, create 21st century jobs and increase U.S. competitiveness. Read more
Clear Expectations at The Eden Roc Hotel
For managers to get the results they want, they must make expectations clear.
It’s easier for all when managers do this from the start the way Joe Hakan did at The Dean Dome and at The Siena Hotel. But the manager can’t stop there. She must follow up, coach, reinforce, remind and recognize. That’s because people forget. It’s not that they weren’t listening. It’s just that there is so much to remember. So many distractions and demands. Read more
Clear Expectations at Performance Acura
The #1 killer of productivity is unclear expectations. How can you make yours clear?
Some managers do a good job of stating expectations from the start the way Joe Hakan did at The Dean Dome and at The Siena Hotel. But many times, they don’t follow up, coach, reinforce or recognize. So people forget. It’s not that they weren’t listening. It’s just that there is so much to remember. So many distractions and demands. Read more
Don’t Lose Out!
There’s a great opportunity coming up for you to boost morale and productivity. Or bust it.
Yep – we’re talking about March Madness.
How do you manage the mad clash between business and basketball during March?
Do you:
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ban office pools and game watching sessions?
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pretend they don’t exist?
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participate?
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embrace and enjoy all the opportunities and benefits that come with it?
Or are you even concerned?
Your concern and how you handle it will depend on many factors, one of which is your interest in basketball. Even if you aren’t interested in basketball, I think you will be interested to know that Read more
They Do Business with Heart at Phelps High in DC
Note from Jan: This is a beautiful story about a group of individuals who do their business with heart and the impact it has on the morale and productivity of those around them. Thank you, Josie, for sharing this story.
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I teach at a public high school in Washington, DC. I am convinced that our custodial staff consists of some of the warmest men in the city. They arrive before the rest of the staff, stay later, and brightly greet us all. Going above the call of their job description, they act as mentors and coaches for the students of our school. Throughout the day they can be found counseling students and checking up on them in class.
The “Saturday Scholars” committee held a meeting to discuss incentives to boost student attendance to this weekend tutorial program. Our custodial foreman was in attendance to discuss building issues. While we brainstormed, he chimed in that he would be happy to bring his grills and host a cookout when the weather warmed up. Read more
VIETRI Does Business with Heart
If you are Serious About Service then you probably already do business with heart. And you probably already know that one of the best ways to establish, grow and nurture such a culture is by reading and sharing stories about people inside and outside of your organization who do business with heart.
If you have seen their products in the stores or have spent any time on their website, you probably already have the feeling that VIETRI, wholesaler of handcrafted Italian home products, does business with heart. After having had the pleasure of spending some time with their management team, I can tell you that it’s more than just a feeling. Doing business with heart seems to be part of the VIETRI culture – running deep and wide throughout their organization. Here are two stories to demonstrate.
*****
One Friday after closing time, the last three employees were shutting off the last lights in the VIETRI reception area, when the phone rang.
It was a store owner in Georgia who said she had a top customer standing beside her who desperately needed four place settings of dinnerware shipped to her overnight. Her husband’s bosses were coming to dinner Saturday night(the very next day). Could they help her? She was desperate! Read more
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