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Customer Service, Upside Down, Backwards and Green Side Down Part II
Author: Steve Hoogenakker  | Posted: 18-10-2007 | Views: 12 | Rating: (51)  (?) 
If you don't love customer service, then DON'T do it. If you aren't in LOVE with the idea of valuing people over nearly all else, then I suggest you hire someone who does.
If you aren't good at this, and you hire someone who is passionate about it, you can double your profits, guaranteed, or you owe me lunch.
If you care more about profits, or controlling the world, or stroking your ego, That's OK. At least you're honest with yourself. Focus on Sales, Production, Financial Management, your golf game. Just do what you care about, and find the right people to handle the rest. If you're responsible for customer satisfaction, and you don't love it, you'll lose anyway. Pick YOUR battles!
CUSTOMER SERVICE IS #2, or MAYBE #3
The previous 3 items are crucial to business and customer service success, but this is the most important of all.
CUSTOMER SERVICE - TURNED UPSIDE DOWN or GREEN SIDE DOWN
Do NOT put this on your marketing materials!!!, but understand the Truth of it.
CUSTOMER SERVICE IS NOT #1
WHAT IS #1
Equipment?
Marketing?
Cash in the bank?
Nice clean trucks?
Communication?
Financial Management?
Production?
Sales?
NO - I already hinted at the answer
"In war, three quarters turns on personal character and relations; the balance of manpower and materials counts only for the remaining quarter."
Napoleon Bonaparte
WHAT IS #1
YOUR PEOPLE.
EMPLOYEES
Also, who you choose for clients, suppliers, professionals, and even your friends in this business. LET'S FOCUS ON EMPLOYEES
PEOPLE #1 Determination for Success.
Mower, Mr Smith expects nice stripes. Make it happen. Blower. Mrs. Jones won't put up with leaves in the beds. Ford 550 - You're awesome, I love you, talk to the HOA president and find out what's important this week...Sounds Ridiculous, right?
No matter how COOL the equipment, or how great the plan is, it is ALL filtered through the employees mind and their motivation filter.
One Last Time, It's ALL about PEOPLE!
OK, if you have to get your work done through employees, then how do we get them to do what we want?
You can't make anyone do anything. You can give them unpalatable choices like "do it or lose your job", but of course that doesn't work long term either.
If an employee is motivated the RIGHT way, (and you provide tools and a plan) That's right, you can still justify a cool truck and new mower, they will make the right decisions in the field every day every time. They don't require a manager, and how much will that save you in a year? $40,000?
OK, let's break it down to more specific pieces:
It all starts with your company "culture" Your values, your stated goals. This is why customer service has to be #3 to make it #1.
Moving along...
If you are the owner or a manager,
If YOU are not motivated or don't love what you do, customer service will be more of an accident than a way of life. So #1 is loving what you do, or changing what you do to something you love. #2 Your People.
People want to have a "Life of Meaning" You have to build the story so everything they do contributes to building a "Life of Meaning". Doing this will give you 20 salespeople in the field, 20 recruiters and 20 managers, all without spending a single DIME.
My favorite Bonaparte quote:
"I believe one bad general to be worth two good ones".
Steve Hoogenakker provides a solid, common sense approach to solving problems and answering questions relating to business management, leadership, consumer loan products and landscape and lawn problems and solutions. Steve has 20 years in the landscaping and leadership field. He can be reached by email at Steve@Landscape.Pro.
Steve Hoogenakker, MHA, CAI, CIC Midwest, MNLA, PLANET, MTGF, Showcase Landscape, Minnesota.
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About the Author:Steve Hoogenakker provides a solid, common sense approach to solving problems and answering questions relating to business management, leadership, consumer loan products and landscape and lawn problems and solutions. Steve has 20 years in the landscaping and leadership field. He can be reached by email at Steve@Landscape.Pro. Steve Hoogenakker, MHA, CAI, CIC Midwest, MNLA, PLANET, MTGF, Showcase Landscape, Minnesota, Delano his wife Teri Hoogenakker should be sainted and his kids, Paul Hoogenakker, Kirsten Hoogenakker and Gerrit Hoogenakker are the best people anyone could hope for.
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