In 1992, Barbara Jordan addressed the Democratic National Convention and railed against the greed and selfishness and divisiveness of the previous decade. (Sound familiar today!) People were ready for a change. “Change it to what?” she asked. “Change that environment of the 80s to an environment which is characterized by a devotion to the public interest, public service, tolerance, and love. Love. Love. Love.”Love. Love. Love. Love. Why? Because, as the Beatles put it, “In the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.” Not just in politics, not just in tolerance, but in our personal lives. There is almost no situation in which hatred helps. Yet almost every situation is made better by love—or empathy, understanding, appreciation—even situations in which you are in opposition to someone.And who knows, you might just get some of that
Markets are fluid. Nothing is certain or guaranteed.
Complacency, noun:a feeling of quiet pleasure or security, often while unaware of some potential danger, defect, or the like; self-satisfaction or smug satisfaction with an existing situation, condition, etc.In business, complacency is never a good place to be. Whether you’re first in the market or last, no one is exempt from complacency. Be humble and grateful for your successes yet remain focused and vigilant on improving yourself and your operation. Always ask, how can we improve our offerings…our product assortment, our merchandising skills, our customer service, our customer experience? How can we improve our relationships with ourselves, with our staff, with our vendors, with our customers, with our neighborhood and with our community?Remember, markets are fluid. Customers are choosing where they shop everyday. Nothing is certain or guaranteed. Today’s customer maybe tomorrow’s defection.How can we be better today?
Like the horizon, you can walk for miles and never reach it.
I’ll be happy when I graduate, we tell ourselves. I’ll be happy when I get this promotion, when this diet pays off, when I have the money that my parents never had. Conditional happiness is what psychologists call this kind of thinking. Like the horizon, you can walk for miles and never reach it. You won’t even get any closer.Eagerly anticipating some future event, passionately imagining something you desire, looking forward to some happy scenario—as pleasurable as these activities might seem, they ruin your chance at happiness here and now. Locate that yearning for more, better, someday and see it for what it is: the enemy of your contentment. Choose it or your happiness. The two are not compatible.
Delighting a customer will build customer loyalty and ultimately improve sales.
Yesterday I read an excellent blog post by Seth Godin on customer service. Seth’s insight on customer service reminded me of how critical a company’s overall service strategy is determined and implemented.Quoting from Seth Godin’s blog post…“Customer service is a choice.It’s either part of your strategy or you’re paying for your mistake.You can’t cost cut your way to greatness.Great customer service is expensive, but it’s also free. It’s free because delighting a customer who has an issue is the single cheapest way to not only keep that customer but have them spread the word.”Just an operational mindfulness of delighting a customer will build customer loyalty and ultimately improve sales.If you found Seth’s insights valuable, subscribing to his blog is a great way to further expand your knowledge on various topics related to business and marketing.I highly recommend subscribing to Seth’s Blog.
Riddles are fun. Well, for me anyway! You know the old riddle: If a tree crashes in a forest and there’s nobody there to hear it, does it make a sound? Well, sound requires an eardrum and a nervous system behind the eardrum. We can say that when the tree falls it makes air vibrate, and if there is anyone around with an ear and an appropriate nervous system, there will be a sound, because sound is a relationship between motion and air and ears. If there’s nobody around, the tree falling will make a vibration, but won’t make any sound. In the same way, a star sends light out into space, but the space surrounding the star is dark unless an object—a planet floating by, for example—enters that space. But if there isn’t anything in that space to relate to the star, there won’t actually be any light there.Wishing everyone a Healthy and Happy New Year!
January 1, 2024 is approaching. Too often we take time for granted. Too often we take life for granted. There’s always tomorrow, next week, the next year and so on. The past is a treasure of memories and experiences. The future is a sky scape of hopes, dreams and desires. But all we really have is NOW, this present moment. Our memories are created now, in this moment and our future unfolds now, in this present moment. Sometimes it’s difficult to live in the NOW. But to be totally present and aware of what’s happening in the present moment is a powerful place to live.Jeff Foster sums it up very well. “This moment is not life waiting to happen, goals waiting to be achieved, words waiting to be spoken, connections waiting to be made, regrets waiting to evaporate, aliveness waiting to be felt, enlightenment waiting to be gained. No. Nothing is waiting. This is it. This moment is life.”
Did you know the meaning the popular Christmas song 12 Days of Christmas? I just found this out…amazing!The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus Christ. Two turtle doves are the Old and New Testaments. Three French hens stand for faith, hope, and love. The four calling birds are the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament. The six geese a-laying stand for the six days of creation. Seven swans a-swimming represent the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit–Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy. The eight maids a-milking are the eight Beatitudes. Nine ladies dancing are the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit–Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control. The ten lords a-leaping are the Ten Commandments. The eleven pipers piping stand for the eleven faithful disciples. The twelve drummers drumming symbolize the twelve points of belief in the Apostles’ Creed. So there is your history lesson for today!The song. Performed by Perry Como! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to All! Much love…<...read more
Service is selling. Relationship is acknowledgement.
Service is selling. Relationship is acknowledgement. Who does not feel special when someone in a store or restaurant welcomes you by your name! Service involves a basic level of efficiency in a commercial exchange. It is what allows or prevents a sale from taking place. But relationship means that management and staff really seek to understand and appreciate who their customers are. It’s about being completely attentive and present in interactions with your customers. Truly listen to what they say. Acknowledge them for the person they are and express gratitude for their business.Kroger provides good service. Dorothy Lane Market excels at relationships.
Wise leaders treat their staff with courtesy, respect and dignity.
Yes, packaging and product presentation are very important. People buy with their eyes. And eat with their eyes. Strong visual cues are crucial to sales. Personal packaging is imperative too. Handsome, authentic uniforms and appropriate grooming standards say a lot about the professionalism, expertise and approachability of store employees.The internal “packaging” of associates is essential too. A smile versus a frown, a pleasant friendly tone versus a grumpy agitated one and a happy demeanor versus a dispirited disposition can make all the difference in delivering exceptional customer experience. Wise leaders treat their staff with courtesy, respect and dignity. They honor them for who they are and encourage them to be themselves. When individuals are acknowledged and feel that they are “heard” their job performance excels.We are all unique with our own special gifts and skills. Life is short; we can all make a difference in the world!
Logos in ancient Greek philosophy is the controlling principle in the universe. A logo is a graphic mark, emblem, or symbol used to aid and promote public identification and recognition. Logotherapy is a therapeutic approach that helps people find personal meaning in life.I wonder if there is any symmetry in meaning and expression between the Ancient Greek principle of Logos, the science of meaning through logotheraphy and the modern activity of logo design.In business, a company logo represents its identity, its values and meaning. The logo is the face of the company. It says welcome to our home, we’re here to serve!We could say that the original blueprint for everything that exists is relationship. The first blueprint for reality (Logos) was relationality. Relationality is not about comparison; it is about unity and kinship. A relational reality creates relationships between ideas or entities, it is an affective force that compels us to not just understand the world as relational, but feel the world as kin. So too with business. Business is about relationality. Think about it.