Monthly Archives: May 2017

Thank you Connelly School of the Holy Child!  I had a great time speaking with the Junior class as part of their Entrepreneurship Program.  My topic?  What else?  Customer Service. It would be easy to put the service aspect on a back burner with the myriad of additional important matters demanded of a new business owner.  My goal was to help them see the benefits of having a customer focused approach front and center at all times.  We talked about…..

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In this case, the expression ‘worth the wait’ does not apply. I am looking for a new primary care doctor.  I am making my decision of which practice to sign up with by how long I was on the phone during the initial call to inquire if they were taking new patients and what insurance plans they accepted. The number of redirected prompts, the hold times, and the receptionist’s receptiveness are all weighing into my decision. I might be missing…..

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I don’t understand how people who are hired for jobs that require interacting with customers, either in person or by phone, can retain their jobs while giving the impression that they really do not enjoy dealing with the public. Eighty percent of businesses have direct contact with the consumers they serve, so obviously it is a scenario that employees will encounter far more frequently than not. I guess we would have to take a closer look at a company’s interview,…..

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My take on a famous movie line sums up my feelings about continuing to patronize an Italian restaurant chain after attempting to place a phone order for pick up. The phone call lasted as long as it takes me to make chicken parmesan because of the number of times I was put on hold while the order taker checked with others at the establishment. I must confess I was asking for a few modifications to the regular menu. The restaurant…..

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I think boards of many companies need to take a harder look at what their checklist includes for deeming qualified candidates for the position of CEO to the organization that they serve. I talk about this in WHY?. Intuitively, I think leadership skills are instinctive and difficult to teach. You either are a leader, or it is not in your DNA. You either have the skills to inspire your employees to be motivated or you don’t. Evidently, Gallup studies confirm…..

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