They Turned Lemons into Lemonade

lemons & 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 RestaurantRead more

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We beat the heat & turned lemons into lemonade.

September 3, 2010 · Filed Under 2 Little Time, Be a Better Manager, Get 2 Goal, Serious About Service · Comment 

lemons & 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

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Yes! We celebrate mistakes!

September 3, 2010 · Filed Under 2 Little Time, Be a Better Manager, Get 2 Goal, Serious About Service · Comment 

Mistake Cake

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!

Read more

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It’s Mistake Management Month!

September 3, 2010 · Filed Under 2 Little Time, Be a Better Manager, Get 2 Goal, Serious About Service · Comment 

   

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.   

And that is a BIG mistake.   Because as much as we all try not to make mistakes, we will make them from time to time.  And if we aren’t prepared to handle them,  we leave ourselves wide open for aftershocks such as: Read more

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Let’s hear it for small business!

May 20, 2010 · Filed Under Be a Better Manager, Get 2 Goal, Serious About Service · 2 Comments 

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.

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Clear Expectations at The Eden Roc Hotel

May 13, 2010 · Filed Under Be a Better Manager, Get 2 Goal, Serious About Service · Comment 

Eden Roc HotelFor 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

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Clear Expectations at Performance Acura

May 13, 2010 · Filed Under Be a Better Manager, Get 2 Goal, Serious About Service · Comment 

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

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Don’t Lose Out!

March 11, 2010 · Filed Under 2 Little Time, Be a Better Manager, Get 2 Goal · 1 Comment 

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:

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

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They Do Business with Heart at Phelps High in DC

February 12, 2010 · Filed Under Be a Better Manager, Serious About Service · Comment 

blue heartNote 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.

*****

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

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VIETRI Does Business with Heart

February 10, 2010 · Filed Under Be a Better Manager, Serious About Service · 1 Comment 

blue heartIf 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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