How do you “DO WHATEVER?”
I used to play tennis all the time with a person who had the license plate WEIT. I remember looking at it for a few minutes one day and was trying to break the code - figure out what it meant. After a few minutes I was stumped and forced to ask my friend. Their response was "what ever it takes"! I thought to myself that is great. My friend was in real estate and was very successful–always one of the top performers in the office. Each and everyday the person would live by "what ever it takes" always going above and beyond for clients.
I read an article recently that reminded me of WEIT. The article featured Tommy Dean who works the concierge desk at the Four Seasons in Austin. He prides himself at doing "whatever" to satisfy his guests.
- Yes he has played piano at a wedding when the pianist was a no show
- Yes he made arrangements (rented a private jet) in a minutes notice when a famous guest wanted to go and visit the desert.
- And of course Tommy once arranged a sunrise hot-air balloon ride for a young couple. The man intended to ask his girlfriend to marry him once they were aloft. There was one problem, however: Afraid to take the ride, she refused to go up in the balloon. Panic-stricken, the man called Tommy from the balloon. Their solution: That night, after a romantic dinner at the hotel, the couple returned to their room, where they found a miniature hot-air balloon—made by Dean from a truffle box that contained the engagement ring, and a helium-filled, red balloon—floating around. Dean said the girlfriend “howled with laughter at the sight of it, but her laughter turned to tears of joy when she discovered the ring and the real meaning of the entire day’s events.”
Tommy Dean’s motto is "Do Whatever!"
- Describe the last time someone did whatever for you?
- How do you do whatever for your clients?
I look forward to your comments.
January 25th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
as the director of a focus group facility we receive some odd client requests! our feeling is, we are here to help and if you want it we are going to get it for you!
I am going to ask all of the qualitative assistants what the crazy thing they have been asked to purchase for a client. the only thing i can think of is a MAC Laptop charger and a size 34 belt. I know there have to be ones that are more fun.
Once i talk to the staff, I’ll send another post!
January 26th, 2008 at 10:37 am
Merrill:
I’d like to offer a contrary view.
While it is important to “go out of your way” or “find a better way” or “make your client delighted,” “Do whatever it takes” communicates to this grizzled veteran of MR a means-end conflict which focuses on the means.
In my career, I have seen field services make up interviews to fill a quota, research companies weight-up a sample to reflect sample sizes that were contracted for, interviewers stretch quota requirements to fill quotas, and companies bid low to get the study and find a way to do it cheaply by compromising quality.
WEIT is too “now” to me. No room to tell the client that some things can’t be done without compromising.
I would not chose it for my license plate.
January 28th, 2008 at 10:16 am
Of course you can look at it as a negative - do whatever it takes, even if it is underhanded…but I prefer to always combine ethics and quality behind that statement. In a client development position, WEIT means that I will go the extra mile to find out if fulfilling specs is possible and telling the truth when another methodology is recommended. Going above and beyond means never just telling a client - we can’t do it or we can do it, but how and why. Fulfilling a request to the best of your ability is part of it, but also problem solving when something goes wrong is another part. Whatever it takes; If it means answering my cell on a weekend or reaching out to friends in the industry for advice and support. It means making sure the client knows that you have gone above and beyond in solving a problem for them or being proactive and catching potential problems before they happen. The “whatever it takes to make you happy” attitude is something I wish I got more of whenever I am the customer.
January 28th, 2008 at 10:44 am
Harry,
Interesting perspective.
When I wrote this I never thought about it in the sense of doing whatever it takes like making up interviews, falsifying reports or anything like that. To me it means going above and beyond for your clients.
I wouldn’t have taken it that way at all but appreciate you pointing out your thoughts.
Merrill
January 28th, 2008 at 8:06 pm
What stands out in my mind in the time a facility went above and beyond the realm of their job to make my job possible. I was conducting some groups in Boston that were extremely difficult to recruit due to the low incidence. The clients had flown in from all over the country and were very anxious to see these groups. Thirty minutes before the 1st group the facility lost power. Canceling these groups at this point was really not an option. Yet there was no way for the clients to hear the groups. The facility manager, with only 30 minutes to go went out and got baby monitors, hurricane lamps, candles, tape recorders with batteries and all the necessities to make it possible for the clients to see and hear the groups. They really saved the day and did it all with a smile!
January 29th, 2008 at 9:40 am
Stacey,
That is a great story - thanks for sharing!
Merrill
January 29th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
I’m putting together a Culinary Trip this summer with The Royal Chef, Darren McGrady…former private chef of Princess Diana !
I went to his Cooking Class here in Dallas on Saturday….and we did a “soft” announcement as I am just finishing up final details. This chef has a huge following….and one of the “students” there, called me immediately to get more information for her and her mother.
It seems the mother flew out from Washington DC last year to take a “High Tea” class with him here, only to have him change the dates because of his child’s soccer game.
For the inconvenience, the Royal Chef, came to this woman’s home and did
a private high-tea for her and her mother, and a few friends.
To me that’s definitely…WEIT…
Now I know why he has such raving fans….
January 29th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
Our Qualitative Assistants turned in a couple of stories, and this was one of my favorites:
Kadi W. once had a moderator who was very stressed during her project because her interviews were stacked back to back. While waiting on her second to last respondent to show, Kadi asked if there was anything she could to help her feel less stressed. The moderator replied jokingly, “I would kill for some brownies…”.
As soon as the interview started Kadi rushed to the grocery store, grabbed a the ingredients to make brownies and rushed back to the facility to whip up a batch.
Kadi knew she had to leave immediately after her last interview, so she packed up the brownies along with a person container of milk to take with her in the car to the airport.
A look of suprise and excitement swept over the moderator’s face when she was presented with the bag of fresh baked brownies!
I call that “WEIT”!
January 29th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Stephenie,
Fun story to share - Congrads to Kadi for going above and beyond.
By the way - I am hungry for some brownies!
Merrill
February 13th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Merrill,
I guess I’m going to have to keep up a little better with your blogs. I am catching up on the last few weeks and I can’t tell you how surprised I was at this entry. Thank you for your high opinion of my business skills and success. To all the readers who have not figured it out, I am WEIT.
I have had this license plate for almost 25 years and there have been occasions that clients interpreted the meaning to be that I would stoop at nothing to hawk their worthless swampland to the innocent and clueless.
WEIT for me does not and will never mean “stooping”. To me it means ELEVATING. Elevating my services through experience, education, and the goal to make things happen. Only when I achieve success for my clients am I rewarded with personal success.
I also believe that WEIT applies to my reputation- one that is based on doing everything to be a fair, honest, ethical, and hardworking professional and being respected by my colleagues and clients. Without that respect your “successful” life is hollow.
The stories from everyone of going above and beyond are great!
On another note- so happy to see baseball season beginning!
Judy
February 15th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
Judy,
Thank you so much for your comments. I have always admired what you do for your clients. You truly go above and beyond for everyone of them regardless of size. You make them feel special everyday.
Keep up the good work.
Merrill