Where: Indigo Books, Princess St at Sydenham St, Kingston ON
When: Wednesday, December 5, 5pm - 630pm
What: Book Signing for Trucker Management, free goodies
Who: Lindsey Fair and Matt Hutcheon
Shameless Act of Promotion
We try not to do this often, but don't want to miss the chance for the holiday season. For all you supporters, friends, contributors and people that just plain like our book - it's coming down to the wire to get a copy of the book to put under the tree this holiday season. To purchase the book simply go to: http://www.truckermanagement.com/. We'll even send you a signed copy! Happy Holidays everyone!
The Power of Performance
In many businesses, as the year nears an end, it's performance review time. Review of the team, the business and you the owner. I just recently finished performance reviews for my staff and although I have done several of these over the years, I actually think I got more out of giving them than I ever did on the receiving end.
As I took time to reflect on the strengths and weaknesses (opportunities right?) of each person, I would analyze where those weaknesses derived from. Was it their actions that contributed to lack of results, or did it actually come down to mis-communication or mis-expectation on my part? More often than not, as I seriously thought this through I realized that it was that the full objective of the tasks wasn't disseminated down or that the bar that they would be measured against wasn't clear. I was often expecting them to be adaptable and resilient and remain on task, but in many cases I didn't provide the tools to do so.
The power of the performance review comes in the delivery sometimes not just in the receiving end. So make sure to take the time to do a thorough review, for your staff but also for your own learning.
As I took time to reflect on the strengths and weaknesses (opportunities right?) of each person, I would analyze where those weaknesses derived from. Was it their actions that contributed to lack of results, or did it actually come down to mis-communication or mis-expectation on my part? More often than not, as I seriously thought this through I realized that it was that the full objective of the tasks wasn't disseminated down or that the bar that they would be measured against wasn't clear. I was often expecting them to be adaptable and resilient and remain on task, but in many cases I didn't provide the tools to do so.
The power of the performance review comes in the delivery sometimes not just in the receiving end. So make sure to take the time to do a thorough review, for your staff but also for your own learning.
From Circle Check to Sound Check
The Trucker Management approach to managing your small business uses a Circle Check to monitor the physical premises of your business - examining, watching, observing your space and your staff. But as I was reminded this morning, its important to do a "sound check" as part of your Circle Checks as well.
I was going through a drive-thru for my morning caffeine fix, and the person on the microphone today spoke very quickly and was muffled, so it was difficult to understand what she was saying. I have been there in the past and also endured "low-talkers" that were hard to hear as well. Most staff are quite easy to understand, but there are sometimes others who are not - I wonder if the manager knows about these differences in their staff and the impact on the customers' experiences?
Most of you won't be running your business through a drive-thru speaker like this, but the lessons are just as important. How do each of your staff sound, and from different locations in your space? Is one too loud, too quiet, speak too quickly? And without a drive-thru, you still have "invisible" communications with others in your business - how does each person in your business answer the phone? Like me, you have probably called businesses and been totally underwhelmed by the bored or apathetic voice on the other end of the phone. Or are people who call your business bombarded by a greeting recited so quickly from habit and routine that it is hard to follow or seems less than genuine?
Be sure to do your Circle Checks regularly....but also include a sound check as well. It will let you adjust the volume or change the channel amongst your staff if need be, and leave only music to the ears of your customers!
I was going through a drive-thru for my morning caffeine fix, and the person on the microphone today spoke very quickly and was muffled, so it was difficult to understand what she was saying. I have been there in the past and also endured "low-talkers" that were hard to hear as well. Most staff are quite easy to understand, but there are sometimes others who are not - I wonder if the manager knows about these differences in their staff and the impact on the customers' experiences?
Most of you won't be running your business through a drive-thru speaker like this, but the lessons are just as important. How do each of your staff sound, and from different locations in your space? Is one too loud, too quiet, speak too quickly? And without a drive-thru, you still have "invisible" communications with others in your business - how does each person in your business answer the phone? Like me, you have probably called businesses and been totally underwhelmed by the bored or apathetic voice on the other end of the phone. Or are people who call your business bombarded by a greeting recited so quickly from habit and routine that it is hard to follow or seems less than genuine?
Be sure to do your Circle Checks regularly....but also include a sound check as well. It will let you adjust the volume or change the channel amongst your staff if need be, and leave only music to the ears of your customers!
Avoid a "custom"-ized welcome
As I entered the customs hall yesterday in Toronto to come back home from two weeks abroad, I was pleased to see a nice, modern well-lit sign welcoming everyone into Canada. My joy was short-lived, however, as further into the hall, everyone was met by not one but two shouting, impatient and unfriendly ladies, directing people into one line or another based on if they had connecting flights.
As I listened to their shrill voices, directing us as if we were either a group of misbehaving school children or a flock of sheep, I looked around at the faces of my fellow passengers, most of whom were coming into Canada as visitors. How embarassing. I could tell they were smirking at the tone and manner of these first Canadians they encountered, obviously unimpressed.
Lining up to go through customs is serious business, but it need not be so unfriendly. Proper training of staff to say "Welcome - connecting passengers in this line, and those staying in Toronto in this line" would be such an improvement over what I saw yesterday, and easily accomplish the same thing. Another example of how such a simple little thing can make a world of difference, as we have mentioned in previous posts.
In your business, is the welcome and first impression your visitors are getting better than that of the customs hall? You need more than a nice sign - the actions and comments of your staff can undo any other efforts you make, so watch them carefully to ensure they give the first impression you hope for!
As I listened to their shrill voices, directing us as if we were either a group of misbehaving school children or a flock of sheep, I looked around at the faces of my fellow passengers, most of whom were coming into Canada as visitors. How embarassing. I could tell they were smirking at the tone and manner of these first Canadians they encountered, obviously unimpressed.
Lining up to go through customs is serious business, but it need not be so unfriendly. Proper training of staff to say "Welcome - connecting passengers in this line, and those staying in Toronto in this line" would be such an improvement over what I saw yesterday, and easily accomplish the same thing. Another example of how such a simple little thing can make a world of difference, as we have mentioned in previous posts.
In your business, is the welcome and first impression your visitors are getting better than that of the customs hall? You need more than a nice sign - the actions and comments of your staff can undo any other efforts you make, so watch them carefully to ensure they give the first impression you hope for!
Exceeding expectations on the mediterranean
The Trucker Management World Tour has seen some networking and prospecting this past week in Antalya, Turkey at the JCI World Congress, meeting with young leaders & entrepreneurs from 106 countries.
Today, on my way to Cyprus for some needed R&R, I had braced myself for a terribly long layover in Athens due to the way the flights were originally scheduled. When I checked in for the first flight this morning, I then found out that the last flight was rescheduled now for over three hours later, making the layover about 11 hours.
Much to my surprise, and without asking or expecting it, the airline offered to give me a hotel room for the day along with lunch and dinner. Suddenly, the value I have received from this ticket purchase has grown incrementally, and as I write this post from the lobby computer, I am thoroughly impressed by the way Olympic Airlines has more than exceeded my wildest expectations.
What ways can you surprise your customers or clients with unexpected, but significant, value-adds to blow away their expectations??
Today, on my way to Cyprus for some needed R&R, I had braced myself for a terribly long layover in Athens due to the way the flights were originally scheduled. When I checked in for the first flight this morning, I then found out that the last flight was rescheduled now for over three hours later, making the layover about 11 hours.
Much to my surprise, and without asking or expecting it, the airline offered to give me a hotel room for the day along with lunch and dinner. Suddenly, the value I have received from this ticket purchase has grown incrementally, and as I write this post from the lobby computer, I am thoroughly impressed by the way Olympic Airlines has more than exceeded my wildest expectations.
What ways can you surprise your customers or clients with unexpected, but significant, value-adds to blow away their expectations??
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