service statement: pay it forward continued…

thinking of you

It is impossible to completely remove my customer experience leader hat. On a shopping expedition of any sort, I can’t help but overhear conversations between customers and associates/management.

What does the exchange look and sound like? What types of people already shop there? These and other questions I ask to help guide my choices.

a shocked checker

Last week, while placing my groceries on the conveyer belt at Winco Foods, I turned off the music playing on my iPhone when I overheard a conversation between the checker and the elderly couple at the cash wrap.

It seemed as though the couple had to choose which items they were going to leave as they did not have enough money to cover the bill. I quietly removed the debit card from my pocket, put down the bag of frozen blueberries into the shopping bag and circled back to the checker.

“Please put the remainder on this,” I offered to the couple and the checker. “Are you sure? People don’t do this” answered the checker.

What I want to know is why the heck not? This was not the first time I helped someone in line while grocery shopping. No one could believe that I would help a complete stranger.

what was my motive?

The couple asked for my phone number so they could pay me back. Knowing I was able to help someone who needed it was reward enough for me, so I  declined. Instead I suggested that the next time they see someone who could use their assistance, pay if forward.

Paying it forward can take many forms. Of course it can be money, but it could be your time, a shoulder to cry on, a hug when you feel alone and destitute, a warm meal. The list is endless.

I gave them both hug before rolling my cart out to the car.  They promised to keep me in their prayers. To me, this was more than sufficient.

lesson learned: keep your heart open

It is never wrong to do the right thing. In customer experience, it is easy to become distracted by drama. There are those you can never please, and others you may not care to oblige. I found the secret to great customer service is to carefully consider why you are offering service in the first place.

When is the last time you did something completely unexpected to help someone you didn’t know? Share your thoughts and stories and let’s continue to pay it forward.

Related articles

• Held hostage by poor customer service (mhutchess.wordpress.com)
• Top 5 Customer Service Statistics for 2012 (customerthink.com)
• Pay It Forward: Charitable Community Contributions Don’t Always Come in Cash (thesunshinestand.com)
• We don’t accept tips, but we will PAY IT FORWARD everyday! (bakeddessertcafe.wordpress.com)

Building a Myth on Klout

What constitutes social influence and how do you get it? How important is it anyway? The dictionary defines influence as:

noun

• 1 [mass noun] the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behaviour of someone or something, or the effect itself: the influence of television violence I was still under the influence of my parents [count noun]: their friends are having a bad influence on them
• the power to shape policy or ensure favourable treatment from someone, especially through status, contacts, or wealth: the institute has considerable influence with teachers Oxford English Dictionary

Welcome to the mythical world of influence according to Klout.

Actually, I owe Klout a debt of gratitude for leading me to one of my dearest friends Pamela Morse whom I met through the social networking site LinkedIn. Pamela was instrumental in my discovery of the K+ game played on Klout, which is where you tag friends with a topic of influence.

A select group of fellow #kloutjuicers and I spend a few minutes per day recognizing each other for influential topics, by awarding K+ and broadcasting it on Twitter or Facebook. The sillier the subject, the less likely there will be others on the list, and the better chance you have of becoming the #1topic authority.

Tag you’re it!

Currently I am the #1 influencer of Lobster. The really boring version of why is that I saw a post about a man who was shoplifting in a grocery store. In a hurry to get out unseen, he shoved a live lobster down his pants. Several impressions later, I became the lobster queen.

Once, my rank in lobster slipped to #2, and Pam graciously announced on Twitter that was a travesty that needed immediate remedy. Hence, people came out of the Twitersphere donning me with K+ so that I could maintain my status.

What could possibly be more influential than that? Getting people to respond/react to something completely meaningless is a great form of influence.

OK, I am not the first (or last) to write about Klout or their perception of your social influence. I am surprised there are not many (if any) posts about building your myth around Klout.

Like a big fish, I became the myth

Somehow I transformed from a professional customer experience manager into Mimi the Lobster Queen. My life is forever changed as I continue doing Spreecasts outfitted in a red sequined mermaid costume with long blonde hair and a seashell crown.

A few weeks ago, I participated in a Reno event, Cirque Du Mar as Mimi. The reason this event was pivotal is because this is where the myth became complete. Pam and I decided that if we were to be in character, we needed to understand where we came from.

Sebastian and Lana

After careful consideration, the myth of my heritage was born. Sebastian, who some think is a crab, is my father. Unfortunately, he has been maligned as a crab when in reality he was in a kitchen accident that left him without a tail. My mermaid mother is Lana Turner, the famous movie star.

The point here is that I do not take myself or my influence seriously. It is all a big game which is best played with friends. In general, I believe people need to chill out where Klout is concerned and have fun with it instead. You never know what your myth can become.

Mimi goes shopping at Smiths

Related articles

• 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Klout (mashable.com)
• Kill Me If I Klout [Humor] (gizmodo.com)

Invisible Shopping Experience; How to Lose Customers

When I look into the mirror, I see my reflection which tells me I am visible to the naked eye. The inner monologuegoes like, “Yup, here I am.”

The invisible shopper

I don’t possess any magical skills that render me invisible. Admittedly, there are times I wish I were invisible just so I could do pranks on people. I wouldn’t worry about what to wear or what my hair looked like. Do I have lipstick on my teeth? You get the picture.

Why do I feel invisible?

Now that I have firmly established the fact that I am flesh and bone, lacking any magical transformation powers, I wonder how others cannot see me. I am 5’8″ brunette with a big smile and friendly disposition. I am pretty hard to miss.

Recently I went shopping (I know shocking, isn’t it?) for a few last minute items I needed for an upcoming trip to Las Vegas. I needed a pair or shoes (stop snickering) a cosmetics bag, and something new to wear.

The invisible shopper

The shopping expedition began at Victoria’s Secret, where I was completely ignored. Two associates were yakking at the cash register and were way to involved in conversation to notice me as I perused the store. Disappointingly, I left there empty-handed.

Next I wandered into Macy’s with the same effect. The difference was that I walked through 4 departments completely undetected. Hmm… I discovered a pattern that I had to investigate further.

Next came Dillard’s, Cache, then Target. Still invisible, I wondered if anyone would notice if I took all of my clothes off and shopped naked? At this rate, I felt there was a great chance, no one would look.

Take off the blinders and observe your customers!

I cannot lodge a complaint about one of these stores, because I was invisible to all of them. Everyone says that we have entered an era where consumers expect hyper-customer service. It looks as though the message was filed away with other nonsensical memos floating around.

What makes management believe this is OK? Obviously they must advocate ignoring potential customers. Leaders can claim they are unaware, but this is a weak excuse. Staff models behavior after their leadership team.

It’s time to love your customers up!

With countless choices where we shop, it is imperative that customers are acknowledged. I shop where I am valued, not ignored. It is true that the self-help era is ending in favor of a more service intense experience.

I still would like to be invisible just for the entertainment factor. Invisibility is not the goal when shopping. Share your stories of invisibility. How did you feel? How did you react?

Spreecast from Atlantis with the screaming sirens

http://www.spreecast.com/events/screaming-sirens-atlantis-found/embed-large-900

 

Pam and I are spa’ing down at the Atlantis resort in Reno in anticipation of the Cirque Du Mar tomorrow. We will be hosting mermaids in the desert from here next year.

Here is to the good life

Don’t look for easy, look for possible

I have been a leader most of my adult life. One trait shared with other effective dynamic leaders is that I don’t think I know it all. I  am continually enhancing knowledge and skills with something new.

watch out world!

 

Sitting in the airport writing this post for the past hour has given me opportunity to reflect on a leadership conference I just attended in Las Vegas. There were so many inspiring stories told during these past three days, that my heart is still overflowing with inspiration.

Key note speaker extraordinaire: Debbie Neal

One speaker in particular Debbie Neal, Executive National Vice President at Arbonne stood out from all the rest for me. During her presentation, I was moved to tears at least twice (OK those of you who know me, understand I cry easily) because I was able to see her dream and understand exactly what is required of me to achieve the possible.

See your vision of success. Be the vision. Believing in your dream is key to success. What does it look like for you? What sacrifices are you willing to make to achieve it? These are questions you should be asking yourself.

One caveat is we tend to over think the process. We spend inordinate amounts of time pondering how to do it, yet take no real action. A powerful message was relayed in that you have the ability to change peoples lives through action.

Direct your team by painting them a picture of your vision. When setting expectations, don’t lower the bar where you think others want to be. Easy is not worth hitting. Expect your best every single day and lead the way towards your goal.

consistently build upon success

Once success is achieved, do you take a break? Alternatively, t is imperative you don’t rest on triumph, but continue building. Excellence is more of a habit than a skill and takes daily practice.

You do your team no favors by holding back. Be relentless and consistently raise the bar higher. It is better to fear losing an extraordinary team because you don’t stretch them enough than to give them less than they deserve. Your goal should be to build and develop them to their fullest potential.

a powerful take-home message

Debbie is such a spirited leader, that I had to take notice. She defies the ordinary in everything she does. The biggest take-home message I received was that her path was never easy, and certainly not probable for most leaders. However, Debbie’s vision is conceivable.

It is time to take a stand, even if you are the only one in the room standing. Stop looking for the easy road, and begin searching for the possible.

 

Earth Day Special: Sustainability

Reblogged from SocialMediumSphere:

When I see the word sustainability I think about being self sufficient complete with growing my own food, being off the grid, and at one with Mother Nature. There is that part of me that would feel at home with the simple life. Imagine my inner green nerd excitement when I came across Wiser Earth, or W.E.

Wiser Earth is a community of 68,368 people around the world who are connecting, collaborating, and sharing knowledge.

Read more… 102 more words

Something to think about on Earth Day

How to SpreeCast on your blog with Screaming Sirens Mimi Lobster Queen and Mother of all Mermaids

Screaming Mimi (film) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

http://www.spreecast.com/events/screaming-sirens-liberated/embed-large-900

We have all read the news that SEO is dead. A more personal affect is established through video and pictures a la newer platforms such as Pinterest and Spreecast. Being a visual learner I absolutely adore this type of media.

Still a newbie

Spreecast is still in Beta and is growing steadily in popularity. My good friend Pamela Morse and I try to spree at least once a week in an attempt to perfect the art. Basically, it is an interactive chat that is later archived for further viewing. People jump in and out of different productions and my favorite part is getting on camera.

My first endeavor was disastrous in that I couldn’t figure out how to do anything but sit there appearing lost. It made little sense how to get someone on camera with me (one of the main points of Spreecast). I still have over 200 views of this train-wreck, which blows my mind completely. Luckily, the creators produce a series of Spreecast 101′s that helped me out immensely. Each time I participate, I acquire a new skill.

Getting all technical by embedding episodes…

One question I had is how to spread the word about these quasi show/chat things I am doing. Duh! Embed them on my blog, tweet about them, post to Facebook, etc. Ok, Now that I have realized how to embed my Spreecasts, I realized it was time to share my (not so) secrets.

So here is my basic list

1. Pick a topic: mine is usually Screaming Sirens, although I have done impromptu chats with friends for different reasons as well, or no real reason at all.
2. It is better to script out the first minute rather than to stammer a lot. A veteran Spreecaster and friend told me this trick and it really works.
3. If no one shows up to interact with you, don’t take it personally. Remember it will be archived for later viewing pleasure. Wrap it up in about 5-10 minutes and move on.
4. As painful as it may be, revisit and watch what you recorded. You may see some easy opportunities for improvement.
5. Have fun with it! I am still learning how to do this effectively. I discovered that when doing the Screaming Sirens, I get a better reaction when doing it in costume. What is your shtick?
6. Once you discover it, be consistent. I will probably never record another Screaming Sirens episode without my lovely blonde locks and lobster crown.

What is keeping you from trying? All you need is a webcam and computer. If I can Spree, so can you! Why not join me sometime on Spreecast on a chat and let’s learn how to liberate ourselves from SEO!

 

Related articles

• Take a Break with the Mermaids (miriamgomberg.wordpress.com)
• float with the mermaids… (miriamgomberg.wordpress.com)
• SEO – The Makeup of Blogs (howtowithcourtney.com)

Last minute Spreecast girl chat at Starbucks

http://www.spreecast.com/events/last-minute-starbucks-chat-p/embed-large-900

 

This was Karen’s first Spreecast. We decided to goof around at the last minute and I am so glad that we did. Karen is a close friend, colleague and she has a cool accent!

I hope to spree with her again soon.

Related articles

• Spreecast Extends Reach Of Social Video Platform With Embed Feature (techcrunch.com)

Are you a vamp or a diva?

Cleopatra as portrayed by Theda Bara in the 1917 movie Cleopatra, in a costume of dubious historical accuracy (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A Mermaid by John William Waterhouse. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you think about it, how many expressions can you find to characterize women?

1. Chick
2. Gal
3. Bitch
4. Broad
5. Dame
6. Lady
7. Vamp
8. Diva

Each descriptive paints a different portrait as to her persona. A dame or lady is classy, chick or bitch is someone you don’t like or ironically reserved for your best friends. What about vamp or diva?

People confuse vamp with diva by placing them both in the catagory of high maintenance women. The dictionary defines vamp as, “a woman who uses sexual attraction to exploit men.” In comparison, Diva is defined as  “a woman regarded as temperamental or haughty.”

 Sexy and I know it…

The word vamp was popularized in the early 1900′s. Famous vamp’s include Theda Bara, Clara Bow, and Gene Tierney. A vamp capitalizes on her sex appeal to get what she wants, realizing and celebrating her physical assets in the process. Vamps are strong women with a cutting edge, and it makes no difference how others perceive her because she is not attempting to please the masses.

A diva also gets what she wants, but is whiny about it. Traditionally reserved for singers and stemming from the Italian word for goddess, diva’s act as if everyone else is below them in status. They will only perform in perfect conditions.

Given a choice, I would rather be a vamp. I am not reluctant to be sexy and utilize assets to my best advantage. Lately, I have discovered my inner vamp through being a beginner mermaid (yes, I said mermaid).

I recently partnered with the fabulous Pamela Morse and mermaid photographer extraordinaire Cate Vail to produce a mermaid camp where we celebrate  feminine spirit. The further I delve into a mermaids life, the more I unleash my vampy side.

my best vamp pose

Which word describes you or a loved one? What brings you to this conclusion? Share your thoughts and stories.

Related articles

• Take a Break with the Mermaids (miriamgomberg.wordpress.com)
• A Year in Books/Day 70: Vamp The Rise and Fall of Theda Bara (onetrackmuse.com)
• Odd Jobs: Professional Mermaid – Businessweek (exitbusiness.wordpress.com)

are we sales people or zombies?

am I a zombie or a sales person?

Help Please?

When embarking on a shopping trip, what does the sales staff’s level of service look like? You may be wondering how it should appear?  Customer service can take different forms. Are you greeted by a sales associate or made to feel unwelcome or in the way? Is your experience adequate, below target or remarkable?

Recently, I read an article on RetailWire that delved into the subject. David Zahn from Zahn’s consulting questioned whether sales training is fact-based or relationship driven. Focus is placed on product features including technology, fashion, or price. David argues that a sales person’s people skills have been taken largely for granted and are not developed and nurtured through training.

As a customer experience manager, I am not sure I agree with this theory because many companies (including the one I work for) have re-examined how to obtain and retain a superior sales force. Two key practices, hiring and instruction, are evolving in order to meet or exceed customer’s expectations.

zombies need not apply

OK, you probably haven’t had too many zombies helping you through the checkout at your favorite shopping spot. Think deeper into why you prefer this establishment. Is it the superior product, or the likability of those who work there and the company culture that attracts these associates?

When hiring for a sales staff, it is crucial that he or she is a fair representation of your brand, and that he or she is passionate about the company as well as the product. Too often emphasis is based on experience and not personality.

Are candidates able to think on their feet and improvise when necessary? Of course you want someone who can follow rules, but someone who is creative in her approach and empathetic towards others beats experience in my book. You can teach someone sales, not empathy.

not even a well trained zombie?

Once you establish who you want working with your customers, they need proper training how to offer unmatched service. You have the people who love what they do, and where they do it, now capitalize on it by investing time into them.

If you want them to create a perfect denim fold, teach them how and give them the necessary tools. But, by all means don’t forget that although your store will look prettier because of the way product is displayed, it doesn’t take the place of customer service. By teaching them to be attentive to customers instead of being task focused, you will see better customer satisfaction results.

is it measure able?

There is more than one way to measure customer satisfaction. Here are a few I could think of:

1. Top-line sale increase
2. Repeat clientele
3. Customer experience survey scores increase
4. Less employee turnover (well, that is more about the internal customer, but it still counts!)

What are your thoughts about the state of retail customer service? Please share your thoughts and stories about good and bad experiences.