Whole Foods Does Business with Heart

April 11, 2010 · Filed Under Be a Better Manager, Serious About Service · Comment 

expectant mothers

 

 When I saw this sign (actually two of them) in front of the Chapel Hill, NC store, I smiled and thought, “Wow!  How cool!” 

It was the last thing I would have expected when I was expecting. 

It’s a good thing I’m not because both spaces were occupied.

When checking out, I asked the cashier about it.  He seemed proud.  Said expectant mothers are very appreciative.  It seems like the signs boost the morale of insiders and outsiders, expectant or not.

Such a nice and clever touch.  A special way to show care and concern and connect with customers.   A little extra that  makes every day ordinary service  extraordinary.

Thanks again* to Whole Foods for doing business with heart.

 copyright 2010 – Business Class Inc

Resources to Help You Establish, Grow & Nurture a Culture of Doing Business with Heart : Read more

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Stefany Picquet Does Business with Heart at Starbucks

April 6, 2010 · Filed Under Be a Better Manager, Get 2 Goal, Serious About Service · Comment 

blue heartI didn’t get to pick up The Daily Tar Heel(UNC’s campus newspaper) this morning and so thank goodness for Twitter.  Because otherwise I might have missed reading about Stefany Picquet, otherwise known as “The Rock”, who works at Starbucks in Chapel Hill.

She totally embodies the spirit that we refer to here at Business Class as “doing business with heart” which tends to works wonders on morale, productivity and customer loyalty.

According to the very well written article by Christina Taylor, other employees say that Stefany “bubbles with personality from the moment she wakes up at 4:45 a.m. until she’s done for the day.” 

Why is she known as “The Rock”?    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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Genuine Concern – A Lesson from Dean Smith (shared by Phil Ford)

February 9, 2010 · Filed Under Be a Better Manager, Get 2 Goal, Serious About Service · 6 Comments 

Note:  As you may know, we  love to collect stories about people doing business with heart.    In reading through some of them today,  I saw many different traits demonstrated – like generosity, kindness and courage.    Through all the stories was a running theme  - genuine concern for those involved.   That genuine concern reminded me of  this great story about a strong leader, a strong coach, doing his business with heart.  

*****

 A few years ago, I had the pleasure of interviewing former Carolina basketball player and coach, Phil Ford, on the topic of business and basketball.

Here is a 2-minute excerpt from the interview during which he shares some of the leadership traits of Coach Dean Smith.

 

I can’t agree with you calling yourself an “old man, Coach Ford, but I can see your point – that genuine interest in individual team members, their goals and their victories – is a powerful leadership quality.

And I believe it’s the foundation for doing business with heart.

copyright 2010 – Business Class Inc

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Movie of the Week: Johnny the Bagger

When brainstorming what movie to feature in conjunction with our current theme  of insignificance (feeling too small or too powerless to make a difference)…and with our running theme of doing business with heart…

well..

it was obvious that we should feature a movie we first mentioned back in December of 2008.

It’s called:  Johnny the Bagger (about 3 minutes long).

So get the popcorn, Milk Duds and Raisinettes, gather everyone around and push PLAY and enjoy.

***

Related materials for follow up and/or further discussion:

copyright 2010 – Business Class Inc

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Ready-2-Go Meeting – On Customer Service

 Title:  Doing Business with Heart

blue heartIf you are trying to establish, build or nurture a customer service culture, here’s a Ready-2-Go Meeting segment using the concept of “Doing Business with Heart”.  While it’s seasonally appropriate to introduce during Valentine season, it’s also appropriate to introduce and pursue all year long.    By sharing heart stories in meetings,  you:

All of that by just sharing stories!

Here is a suggested plan for making heart stories a 5-minute agenda item for your regular staff meeting. Read more

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Don’t You Love It?

blue heartIn this rough, tough, seemingly heartless, bottom-line oriented world of strategizing for survival through takeovers, layoffs and budget cuts, don’t you love it when people do business with heart?

They seem to love their work. They get the job done. They really care. They make you feel good. They warm your heart doing business with heart.

Below are a few classic stories about doing business with heart.  I share them with 3 hopes.

Hope #1  is  that you will read and share them with co-workers, family members and friends.

Hope #2 is thayou will share some stories of your own - and encourage others to do the same.

By the way – if you hold a regular meetings of any kind - sharing heart stories can be a great addition to your agenda.  It sets a positive mood for the meeting and beyond.  Get details for Ready-2-Go Meeting segment. 

Hope #3  is that  you will join me in thanking people around you who do business with heart.  You can do this verbally or with a handwritten note or with one of our Heart Cards

Spreading the word and spreading appreciation for doing business with heart is so very important now more than ever.  Because the more people do business with heart….the more people will do business with heart.     And as more people do business with heart…even more people will do business with heart.

Warming hearts everywhere by doing business with heart.

Okay – it’s story time. Here are a few classic examples of people doing business with heart.  Read more

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Doing Business with Heart – Part 2

February 12, 2009 · Filed Under Serious About Service · Comment 

Don’t you just love it when you find people who do business with heart?

People like Antwon, C.H., Frances, Laurie and Tommie.  People like Mr Rich at The Siena Hotel and Reggie at The Marriott and Kermit at Wellspring Grocery.  And by others at Sun Trust and Harris Teeter.  And at Kidzu and the Chapel Hill Museum and all who were involved in Art from the Heart.   If you haven’t read their stories, please do by going to People Doing Business with Heart.

Today, I’d like to share one more story.   A very special one  Read more

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People Doing Business with Heart

February 6, 2009 · Filed Under Be a Better Manager, Serious About Service · 9 Comments 

blue heartDon’t You Just Love It?  is our feature article about Doing Business with Heart.

Below is a collection of stories about People Doing Business with Heart.

I hope you will read and enjoy them. Add stories of your own. Share them with your co-workers. Invite them to add stories at Don’t You Just Love It? Read more

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