Newsletter November 2000A

HAVE WE LOWERED THE BAR?: Is this acceptable?

Have we lowered the bar? Why are we allowing our schools, businesses, institutions and government to employ people without the proper training? On a recent plane ride, a Cornell University professor, who teaches future teachers, mentioned that we need the $5.75 people. I disagree. We are one of the lowest rated of industrialized countries in the world in the subjects of math, science and English. We need to develop people in all levels of corporate life so that everyone may benefit. We need to shot for the highest educational base possible not to fill low end jobs.

On a recent trip to Chicago, my wife decided to pick up a couple of souvenirs for our children. Limited were the gift options for young children throughout the Chicago O'Hare airport. Oddly, a franchised hat store did not sell any Chicago Bulls items that she thought our eldest would enjoy. We finally found some items and purchased them.

After eating, she decided that one items was just not going to work and proceeded back to the store to return the merchandise. Approaching the counter, she stated that she would like to return the item. Without hesitation he responded, "Do you want a refund?"...as if she frequented the the Chicago airport and would be looking for store credit (so that we could fly in again and make a selection.) Expecting a two minute credit transaction I found myself eventually sitting on our rolling suitcase, holding my head and face in my hands, watching the cashier stand idle until he could push the task of processing the refund onto his fellow worker. It gets worse.

Worker Number 2 eventually untangled some string that she had been fumbling with, took the paperwork from Worker Number 1and pulled out form after form to hand write the SKUs and record the transaction. Neither worker was capable of processing this simple transaction, yet both were put in charge of very highly trafficked stations. Our little stop became a 27-minute charade, ending with the arrival of a manager who had been pulled "from downstairs" by Worker Number 2. To add insult to injury Worker Number 1 seemed comforted by stating that he'd only received an hour of training. His customers were not impressed and I wanted to see the certificate or diploma.

Who's at fault? Is it the employee who isn't equipped to do his/her job, or the management staff who places them in the position. Both. The manager should have properly trained his employees before he ever left them alone in the store. He could have used this particular transaction as his opportunity to educate each worker. He didn't. He vanished from the store more quickly than his customers did when the refund was issued...and we were rushing to catch a plane! The employees, in turn, could have watched how the transaction was completed and asked questions, yet they stared at the door of the store and paid no attention.

Front line employees are the people who meet the customers. They are integral to the life of the company. They represent everything for which the company stands in the eyes of the customers.

1. Train your staff to do the job right.

2. Create procedural manuals to aid when management is not around. At least give them some type of life jacket.

3. Make management aware of continuous improvements to staff. Don't stop the learning process.

4. Automate transactions to save time and reduce errors.

5. Offer education when assisting a customer to novice employees. On the job training is better than none at all.

6. Make sure to maintain experienced personnel with inexperienced personnel to insure continuous customer service.

Focus on the customers needs first and you will tend to be right 90% of the time in your management decisions.

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DON'T SUCK UP: See Them as Your Peers

"Sucking up" doesn't work. So many of us want to be recognized in social situations or in business environments that we lose track of the difference between being a peer and being a "brown-noser." Take a look around. The CEO's and presidents of the world take the position of power instead of the position of kneeling in awe. Mind you there is nothing wrong with admiration, but success in business comes from results associated with timing.

Too often we witness the person adding the extra, trying to get the last handshake, talking to the CEO instead of listening for advice. While in a meeting with Jimmy Carter this past year I witnessed well-known, talented people asking questions: the answers to which they obviously knew, just to be recognized....and everyone knew it.

There's an interesting book entitled How to Become a CEO. Although it provides valuable and interesting tips on how to move oneself up the corporate ladder, the book never really says how to conduct oneself as a CEO.

Here a few tips to make sure you're not making these mistakes:

1. Ask only questions that you really need to know. Don't ask for the sake of attention or to hear your own voice.

2. Dress for success. As Alan Weiss comments, you can always dress down by taking off a jacket, but you cannot dress up jeans

3. Take the position that the person is your peer. Ask yourself if you would act the way you do if everyone was not watching.

4. Mirror the person's activities. People attract themselves to others that appear to be equals.

5. Make your point quickly.

6. Focus on results rather than show.

7. Be yourself. Otherwise, others will eventually catch you and consider you to be a fraud.

As one moves around the business world, the report cards change. The higher the pay, the more that is expected of you. Use this as your business card. "I was the one who increased sales 21% in the NE." "I was responsible for the merger of our firm with XYZ." You will gain their attention by standing on your factual accomplishments and by conducting yourself as an equals. Everyone loves a winner.

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David & Lorrie Goldsmith are founders of the Syracuse based MetaMatrix Consulting Group Inc. Their firm specializes in consulting and speaking services. They can be reached at 315-476-0510  888-777-8857 or emailed at dgoldsmith@davidgoldsmith.com

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