Pattern for Excellence. Brigham Dickinson
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and kids in Florida? What kind of plan is this? I don’t have a job—no income whatsoever! They will be here in three weeks, and I’m sitting here on a cot! It could be worse, right? I could still be in a failing business in Florida.”
Knowing that my family would be arriving soon and sensing I had no time to waste, I began reaching out to friends and former business associates. I tried my best not to sound desperate, even though that is exactly how I felt. I “worked my network” and was able to find a sub-contracting job selling internet advertising services for local SEO companies. The income was inconsistent, but I was able to make ends meet until I figured out a better idea.
Once my family arrived, we stayed for a month at a friend’s house and then moved into a small condo. It wasn’t our lovely home in Florida, but my wife and I were glad to be out on our own again.
Although a challenging time, we chose to work hard and keep a positive attitude. We had faith that opportunities would present themselves. In time, I found a niche in the call center training industry. Because of my background in the residential home services industry, I had several contacts and old friends that helped me get my start training call handling teams. The business grew quickly, and I soon was able to hire a staff to help support the workload.
Experience = Learning, if you choose to change
If hindsight is 20/20, I think I have 20/40! My experience taught me that it’s not what happens to us, but how we respond to what happens to us that makes the difference. Failure is an essential part of success. Henry Ford said, “Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.” Anyone who has ever done anything worthwhile knows that failing is a part of succeeding.
I began to see that I had a choice in how I acted. I realized that negativity was limiting my capacity to do something better and to create something new. The biggest roadblocks standing in my way were mental, not physical or financial. Circumstances are often outside of our control. Events occur whether we choose them or not. However, it is up to us individually, to choose our experience; to decide the outcome we want and respond accordingly.
I chose to work with a powerful belief, that when your time is devoted to a practice born out of principle, the work becomes greater than you—and you lose track of time. Your fears diminish. Technique and stamina are enhanced because of your inner drive to do the work. Habitual distractions dissipate. Outside forces and circumstances gradually fade until all that matters is the work itself. All that matters is the progress and success you experience in doing the work. As Chick-fil-A founder Truett Cathy said, “Fall in love with your work, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.” Truett always followed up this quote by saying, “If you are not having fun, then you are not doing something right.”
So how do we “fall in love with our work?” Easier said than done, right? It boils down to our commitment to a noble cause, mission, and purpose. It is truly believing in WHAT you do and WHY you are doing it. “I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know: The only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.” This quote by Albert Schweitzer speaks to the cause that is greater than you.It is the love of purpose, people, your product, your customer and a cause that is greater than yourself that will give you the ability to transform your relationships, career, and life.
My End in Mind
The why, who, what and how of WOW
I want to make my end in mind (my aim or overall objective) very clear up front by engaging in some preliminary Q&A:
Why am I driven to write this book? To show you how to recognize the service standard set by your competition, direct or otherwise, and give you the tools and know-how to exceed that standard in your service delivery.
What dramatic shift is taking place? I see a dramatic shift in customer expectations. Today, customers expect more from your business than simply the systems, parts, products or services you sell. They see that they have choices. They’re becoming more educated and more astute and nearly always turn to the internet first for information. Some either have less money or are less willing to part with their money.
What does this shift mean? Your customers are just a click away from learning your hard costs. They can access websites like HomeAdvisor to compare different services. When they Google your name, they instantly see other customer reviews—good, bad, or otherwise. This transparency means you must offer your customers more than what is expected in order to grow your business, and it starts with giving them an experience they can’t get anywhere else.
How can I set my company apart? To get out of the price war, you must win with phenomenal customer service. The internet has leveled the playing field for business. It doesn’t take anything more than a Google search to find out that there are plenty of companies that offer pretty much the same products and services at the same price as you—or at least, that is their claim.
In a sea of seemingly endless sameness, what are you doing to set your company apart?
How do you separate yourself from your competition? How can you be better in the eyes of your customers? What can you do that is different than the other guys? What will make you distinct and memorable?
The answer to these questions is simple: Learn to consistently provide an unparalleled customer experience.
What I expect of you, the reader or listener? To study and apply the pattern, principles and practices of WOW service performance. This expectation requires you to be more than a reader (a consumer of my ideas); you need to practice and apply the principles until you master the Pattern for Excellence. It is a journey, not a destination.
How have I designed the content of this book? I have structured the pattern, principles and practices of WOW service in a developmental sequence, and then I address how to apply them for consistent WOW performance.
What do I promise to do for you? To teach you and your team how to WOW more customers, to maximize your bottom line and that you will experience more joy and ROI through the Pattern for Excellence process.
PATTERN,
PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE
What we need to know before we open the door
In this first section, I introduce the foundational pattern, principles, and practices that create WOW Experiences for your customers.
“You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.”
—Zig Ziglar
Make great service the new normal
I magine this scenario: You’re driving down the road, and you see someone parked off to the side. They have a flat tire. Nothing new here, you see this all the time, but for whatever reason, you decide to act this time and pull off to the side of the road just behind the car with the flat. A young woman is pulling the spare tire out of her trunk. You can sense her anxiety and discomfort, so you offer to jump in and help. She seems somewhat embarrassed but grateful for your willingness.
When