The Merrill Dubrow Blog

I find some of the best people watching at the airport and actually the earlier the better. I have seen some very amazing things, met some very interesting people and even heard some very meaningful things as well.

Well last month was no different. I was at LaGuardia at about 5:30am and sitting about 5 feet away from where people check in at the gate. I was close enough to hear what the customer service rep was saying and how they were responding to the traveler.

The first person came up and wanted to know if they were going to make it on the flight since they were number four on the stand-by list. The American Airlines Customer Service Rep not only answered them in a very, very comforting manner, but also smiled as she said something very interesting. She said, "This is what is happening and I will try my best to make sure you get on the flight." The next person in line asked a question about the boarding process. Again as part of her answer she said, "I will try my best to make the process very easy for you."

I listened to a few more conversations and everyone included that phrase "I will try my best." I thought it was GREAT! Meaningful! Appropriate! Comforting! And frankly I was amazed that she did that with every passenger. As most of the readers know, I fly a lot and frankly have NEVER heard one person say that to a customer.

• Have you ever heard someone say this to you?
   
• Don’t we want our staff to say that to our clients?
   
• Don’t we want our staff to say that to our team members?
   
• What other phrases or comments do you like to hear from customer service reps?

I look forward to reading your comments.

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Six months ago I asked the question, "What has the economy taught you?" Six months later the economy is still horrible–yes all of us still have friends who have lost their jobs and know companies that have had major layoffs and even some that have gone out of business.

The question is, what did you learn over the past year? I truly believe that every situation is a learning experience and clearly there are many learnings from the past year.

Did the last year teach you:

• That you should have saved more money for a rainy day?
   
• To stay in touch with industry contacts?
   
• To make sure you are improving your skills every day?
   
• To work harder and smarter at work?

For me the last year taught me about speed–that I wasn’t making decisions as quickly as I should. When things are going well it’s easy to put off decisions that you should make – and I fell into that trap. This is a mistake I will try and learn from.

Now your turn.

What did the last year teach you?

I look forward to reading your comments.

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So you need your pool fixed, want to build an addition to your house, or you need a new engine for your 1967 Corvette. Or perhaps you want to put in central air or need your driveway paved.  Or what about a need to conduct some market research?

What do all these things have in common?

Yes there is a buyer and a seller. But that’s not what I am referring to. All of those things involve a proposal. Someone needs to understand the requirements of the buyer and prepare a proposal. As we all know, preparing a proposal can take a while and in some ways costs money. Yes it is at times mostly labor but it does cost money.

Let me know if this sounds familiar:

You have a great discussion with a client or prospect, you take down all of the specifications and you know in your heart that you could do a great job. You prepare the proposal and include what you think is a fair price. What happens next? You wait, sometimes for weeks, months or longer and you never hear anything. Not one word.

• How do you feel?
   
• Do you wonder what happened?
   
• Was the project awarded?
   
• Do you wonder why your company didn’t win the business?

I am sure all of us have experienced those feelings and questions.

The question is, what is the responsibility of the person receiving the proposal?

• Shouldn’t they get back to you in a timely fashion with some feedback?
   
• Do you get back to your vendors when they send you a proposal?
   
• How frustrating is this process in today’s economy?
   
• Any ideas on how to make the process better?

I look forward to reading your comments.

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Some days I leave the office and ask, "What did I do today?" The day starts early–usually around 6:00 am and continues until around 5:00pm. Most days, time goes by very fast – sometimes so fast it’s a blur. And at times when I try and replay the day it is difficult to say I did this or that.

I know there are a few things that I try and accomplish every day. I try and move the business forward. Try to see if anyone needs help. If anyone needs a set of eyes to review some tables, if anyone needs some assistance preparing a proposal, if anyone is too busy doing whatever and needs help making a client deadline. I am not suggesting that I am the person to help but I am saying that I can find someone to help.

Also I try and stay in touch with our clients and prospects. During this year I have made more of an effort to see and reach out to our clients.

I also try and look at things differently. Is there a better way to do this or that? Is there a more efficient way to accomplish something? This person appears to have some available time.  How can they help another department?

In addition to those things, I also watch the bottom line. How are we doing financially? Where do we have wasted spending? Can we accomplish the same thing for less?

So when I review my day it looks something like this:

• Try and find ways to help the staff
   
• Stay in touch with our clients and prospects
   
• Try and find ways to do something better
   
• Watch the bottom line

 That’s what I try and do every day.

What about you?

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Okay, let me start by saying I shop at Best Buy. Yes I have a Rewards Card and use it often and yes I run (actually sprint) to the store every time I get a Rewards Coupon. I love the store and really enjoy shopping there. As you walk into the store you are always greeted by a greeter who welcomes you. When you are in the checkout line the cashier will always ask "Did you find everything that you were looking for?"  Great question–appropriate for sure. I am sure some customers say, "Well actually, I was looking for blank and didn’t locate it."

Last week my son wanted me to go to Best Buy and purchase a new DVD movie. As always I walk into the store and the greeter welcomes me and I go in and browse. But this time something different happens: I look around and can’t find the DVD. I assume it is coming out next week. So I walk out of the store without buying anything.

Yes a "good-bye" – from the greeter – but nothing else?

I say why is that?

I believe they are missing a great opportunity to engage a customer who just was in their store and didn’t buy anything. Why aren’t they asking me:

• I noticed you didn’t buy anything – can I help you find the item you were looking for?
   
• Oh – I know you were looking for this but this item will also accomplish the same thing.

To me, they aren’t taking customer service to the next level.

They are missing a great opportunity and frankly they are letting revenue walk right out the front door.

What are your thoughts?

• What do you think about what I described?
   
• Are there other stores that do the same thing?
   
• Do any stores stop customers that are leaving empty handed?

I look forward to reading your comments.

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If you want to go to dinner and the movies with your friends, you need to make plans and then follow up to make sure it happens. If you want to play tennis or baseball you need to make some calls, coordinate everyone and follow up. If you go to a conference and meet a few prospects, in order to turn that into revenue and a new client you need to follow up. When you are in the middle of a client presentation and one of your contacts asks a question that you might not be 100% sure of the answer, you need to follow up in a timely fashion.  If not, your customer service will take a hit and frankly your contact will probably be unhappy.

To me it’s all about follow up. You interview for a job. Send a follow-up email/letter. You win a project . . . send a follow-up email/letter. You lose a project . . . the same thing should happen. Someone gave you a birthday present . . . Guess what? Follow up.

The question is, how is your follow-up?

• Are you really good at it?
   
• Do you have some best practices you could share?
   
• Do you have friends that you make plans with and they never follow up and you never see them?
   
• How do you feel when you give a gift and there isn’t any follow up?
   
• How are your vendors/partners follow-up skills?

I look forward to reading your comments.

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Close your eyes and when you say or hear the words "The Shack", what comes to mind first? For me it is either Shaquille O’Neil or a greasy spoon restaurant at the beach–somewhere I would go wearing a bathing suit, no shirt, sandals and sun glasses. Well there is another meaning for The Shack. The Shack sells lots of stuff and the Shack just became the Shack very recently. Prior to being called the Shack, it was a company that was founded in 1921 close to 90 years ago as RadioShack.

I realize that over time things change and the word radio means less than it ever did. Yes technology in the past 90 years has exploded and come away from the traditional radio that my parents and their parents listened to music and ballgames on.

I won’t argue the name change. I don’t pretend to be a "name change guru" and perhaps they needed to change the name of the company.  But The Shack? A 4 billion dollar company with over 35,000 employees is called The Shack!

Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t get it.

I must admit I don’t shop there and can’t even remember the last time I was in one of their stores. So I might be missing something. I believe there is a Shack in one of my towns but it isn’t in an area that I go to often, so I never go in.

• When you hear the word Shack what comes to mind?
   
• What do you think of the new name?
   
• Does it work for you?
   
• What other names could they have gone with?
   
• Did you shop at RadioShack?
   
• Will you shop at The Shack?

I look forward to reading your comments.

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