Four Pillars of Customer Service--from a Baseball Team

The differentiator for so many businesses these days isn't your product, it is the service presenting and supporting it. We see it time and again in many industries from automobiles to restaurants to consumer products.

But it really works in baseball.

The Texas Rangers use a simple four-point formula for their entire staff on a daily basis:

1. Welcome guests ("Welcome to the Ballpark.")
2. Address their needs and wants ("How can I help you?")
3. Thank them for coming ("Thank you for coming today.")
4. Invite them back ("Please come again.")

Simple. Direct. Effective. Attendance is up, the brand is consistent and guests are happy. And the team is winning.

Consider these simple steps in your own everyday life.

Relentless

Social Media and Networking

There are a number of popular press stories lately on social media. Mainstream writers, who haven't already discovered the tool, are now just getting into it and writing about it. And discovering interesting things about themselves, the tools and the reaction to the whole trend.

My neighbor, Rick Wamre, the publisher of Advocate Magazine (www.advocatemag.com) pointed out in his April issues' opening remarks column about how Facebook and Twitter "might hinder us more than they help" us.

He may have a point.

While I am an advocate of social media, many of us are like Rick: note that these things are tools to help you reach out to people, not to shield you from contact. As Rick points out (and he ties the concept well to his lead story), you need to understand the balance of being constantly tethered to "just about anyone and everyone" and being alone and contemplative.

I agree, but with this qualifier: know the balance and strive to achieve it. Like the students the magazine profiled, you need to think in this life. Gather information, study it and take action. Each of those those elements doesn't work well without the other.

A case in point: as a relentless networker, just knowing the events to attend doesn't do any good if you don't go. If you don't have a strategy (study before you go, even), then you're not maximizing the experience. And if you go without knowing the right places to go or why you are going, why go at all?

As with the students in Rick's story, event when you are completely "untethered" you can still make a difference. Think what can be done if you use these tools carefully and strategically.

For Rick's whole column, visit http://www.advocatemag.com/lake-highlands/magazine/Social_media_recluse.html.

Relentless

More on personal brand

From a seminar this morning on social media (where it is critical to manage your personal brand):

We are all brokers of three things:

• Knowledge
• Resources
• Relationships

Equal parts of these are the fuel of networking, marketing and sales.

Relentless

Thanks to Sean Piket, president of the Dallas SMEI chapter

Loyalty and integrity

Yesterday I had the good fortune to be able to spend some time with one of Dallas' leading business people, Gail Warrior-Lawrence.

As a part of our duties as volunteers for the North Dallas Chamber, my colleague, Bob Trice of New York Life, and I interviewed Ms. Warrior-Lawrence for the NDCC Business of the Year Award for 2009.

From this interview, not only did we learn Warrior Group's worthiness as a candidate for this award, I also heard networking ideas from an honored and respected businessperson.

The clearest message from this CEO was not to forget those who help you get where you are. As every business, they have had their crises and ups and downs. But through it all, they have been loyal to a core set of employees and key suppliers and people in their network. While some have gone on because one or the other party outgrew the relationship, others have stayed. If they stayed, they may have taken on a new or revised role.

The point is that a network (and relationships) are dynamic and ever-changing. However, showing clear, intelligent loyalty and exhibiting integrity in how you work within these relationships is incredibly important to both the health of the relationship and your personal health.

Relentless

Unbelievable

Today I heard one of the more positive speakers I've heard in some time. And he used a device that can be trite, but he made it work.

The old "how are you today" asked to a crowded room.

When Vince Puente of Dallas' Southwest Office Systems asked the group at the North Dallas Chamber this morning, "How are you?" he was at first greeted with the usual mumbles and random "OK," "fine" and so one.

The real answer was "unbelievable."

As they used to say on The Family Feud, "good answer!"

It sounds very positive but could also mean other things. I'm having an unbelievably bad day or an unbelievably good day. At least it can mostly be construed as positive.

Thanks, Vince, for starting the day off right.

Relentless

Have energy

One of the ten rules of networking we floated out from this space earlier is to "have energy."

That is to say, have enthusiasm for your conversation, for the people you are interacting with, for what you are saying, for the event you are attending.

It comes, too, from a positive attitude.

At a North Dallas Chamber of Commerce gathering of regional education leaders, one of the panelists spoke up on how he dealt with stress. Dr. Michael Hinojosa, Superintendent of the Dallas Independent School District (DISD) said, as an aside to a comment he was making about dealing with changes:

"I don't get stressed, I give stress--I'm a carrier!"

While some might misinterpret this quote or take it out of context, the truth is Dr. H is correct--stay in shape, stay healthy, stay positive and you will keep things in perspective. Stress will roll off of you, but, more importantly, you will see the way clearly.

As to having e nergy in a networking situation: it helps to be focused and clear of mind.

Relentless