The 2nd Weekend of March

Well here we are – the second weekend in March – spring forward time. The clocks go forward one hour Saturday night – just what we all need – one less hour of sleep. Oh well.

The week was a good one. The only exception was a trip in which the winds of spring interrupted a nice schedule. The airline industry is becoming like the bus industry. I still remember my first business flight. It was on a DC9 which American Airlines continues to use as the MD80. I sat in the bar in Montreal watching take offs and landings where it looked like the tail of the airplane was going to bottom out on the runway. That was quite a trip through O’Hare. Customs for the first time and was I ever green.

Well there is a lot to do over the weekend and plenty of work to get done too.  I hope you enjoy. Share quality time with family and friends.

The time is now.

Friday Filosophy #2

Great souls have wills; feeble ones have only wishes – Chinese Proverb

You can do anything if you have enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is the yeast that makes your hopes rise to the stars – Henry Ford

All dreams come true if we have the courage to pursue them

Words of Wisdom #2

I started working – an actual on a daily basis job when I was fifteen years old. Yes I did a bunch of stuff before that but I don’t count it. Sometime in those early years I took on this Sleeism #2. It has been heard by anyone who has ever worked with me or suffered a discussion with me or in one manner or another spent time with me – which leads to me two short stories. Remember me? I tell stories as a means of ensuring that people understand my strange mannerisms in communications.

Story #1: It is 1983 and my family and I have moved to Denver, CO. I was working for a computer software company, EBS. The VP of Sales was a gentleman named Bill McManes. He was one of the best sales people I have ever seen from a selling technique perspective. He was awesome in action. Well my family was invited to join Bill and his family for Thanksgiving Dinner. It was a wonderful gesture. We were new in town and we didn’t know that many people so it was appreciated. We sat down for the dinner and Caroline my daughter was sitting to Bill’s left and Marlene, my wife, and I were down at the other end of the table. Bill looks to Caroline and asks innocently “Caroline have you heard about your father’s three strikes rule?”  Caroline is an extremely wonderful person and she has a rather scary attribute – she is extremely intelligent. I know that is a father talking but I promise if anything I understate it. Well without missing a beat Caroline, who was somewhere around 8 years old at the time, said “Yes Bill I have one strike how many do you have?” Bill in amazement looked down the table and said “You do this to your kid???”

Story #2: It is about 2009 and my daughter Caroline is going through her student teaching assignments. She was in a rather rough school in an underprivileged area. Well Caroline is a small woman somewhere around 100 pounds soaking wet and about 5”3. She also is a runner so she is incredibly fit. She calls me after school one day and relates the following story.

One of the students was causing trouble. This was a grade 5 class and the students are always trying to be the center of attention. After politely attempting to get control of the room there was this one young man who continued on being a disturber. He wouldn’t stop. So what did my daughter do? She asked him to stand up and while he was standing, being watched by everyone in the room, she walked slowly up to him and get very close. She held up one finger and said to this astonished your person in the appropriate tone “That Is One” – she turned didn’t say anything else and walked away. When she turned around to face the class she told him that he could now sit down. He never caused trouble again. She said to me on the phone “Dad does that ever work.” And I asked her why she thought it worked. She said – and I love it – he didn’t know what #2 was going to be.

So there are two stories to explain Sleeism #2 here it is:-

Sleeism # 2

Once is happenstance; Twice is circumstance; Third time is Enemy Action

Words of Wisdom #1

Over the years I have come up with a series of thoughts – either unique or in some cases I am sure repeats of someone much more sensible than I. These comments have started taking on the name of a Sleeism.

Of course there is no such word and at the risk of appearing to be more arrogant than I am sure I seem to be I have adopted this “moniker” for these words of wisdom.

Sleeism # 1

From my youth – It is NEVER too early to start winning. It is ALWAYS too early to start losing.

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Points to Ponder v1.1

One of the advantages there is to travel is the ability to have time to read. In my cross country voyage yesterday I had a good chance to catch up on some of my late reading. One point came out that I really enjoyed.

“Social Cohesion at the risk of Truth” this is a quote from Jeff Bezos of Amazon fame.

I think it is amazing in its clarity. Ignoring the world around you, not implementing changes necessary, risks the truth. For some time, in my consulting life, there has is a constant. People are anxious, nervous, or just downright stubborn, when it comes to making the changes necessary. These changes might be required to improve customer service. They might be necessary to “save” the Company financially. They might be necessary for a whole host of solid rational sound reasons. Yet they are often approached with less than an excited mien. The status quo is much safer. This social cohesion – the comfort of everyone involved in many cases outweighs the needs to make change. The time is now.

The vagaries of travel

One of the truly remarkable things that has happened through my work life has been the availability of air travel. It is not as if airplanes were just invented and brought to the market but it is the availability of flights to almost everywhere you want to go and at a price that would once seem stupid low.

That having been said to some degree air travel has become a victim of “an industry.” We have many competing influences. The employer, the employee, the governments, shareholders and oh I nearly forget the customer. Yes there is that pesky little customer.

I spent most of the day flying across the country and through a connection in Chicago. Wonderful experience that is you know. A little wind and the place basically shuts down. It really is a shame to see a once proud airport, the one with the most take offs and landings of any airport in the world brought to its knees. I m not sure there is anyone to blame as there is more than enough blame to go around. What I do know is that the Customer is that last one of the stakeholders that anyone seems to care about in the chain of influencers. I feel much more like a victim than a respected customer. Am I alone? I certainly doubt it.

I use this metaphorically as well as literally as an entry point to the world of customer service. Customer service in America has gotten so bad that customers have stopped complaining. What do your employees do to make your customers feel special? In this world of service dominant marketing it is important that each customer touch be memorable. How do your customers respond to you?  It is all about how your employees, your heroes, perform with your customers? The time is now.

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Points to Ponder v1.0

When I was a little person we had an elder from the church that we went to by the name of Tony Doxsey. He took an interest in my family and was a wonderful man. He was sophisticated, incredibly well-mannered and an entrepreneur. He owned and operated an Interior Decorating/Design business. So you can imagine the impeccable taste he must have had.

He used to tell me all kinds of things – little words of wisdom. One year he gave me a little pamphlet called “The Ten Commandments of Business.” I would like to share just one of them with you today.

“Be happy in your work…or…. work and be happy. You have no choice you MUST work.

I have remembered that for over fifty years now and it has become a habit. I feel good when I work hard and it makes me happy. And I am truly blessed because I am happy in my work. I hope the same is true for you. The time is now.

Points to Ponder

This will become a regular feature of our blog. The points to ponder will be irregular in timing but they will be here often. Let’s start it off with some very pertinent questions.

In any classroom sessions I am involved with I ask for some simple definitions.

  • What is the definition of ignorance?
  • What is the definition of stupidity?
  • What is the definition of insanity?

Three simple questions and most people eventually can figure it out for themselves. Of course I want that to happen as it is much more memorable if you come up with the answer by yourselves.

Do you know the answers?

Yes of course….

  • Ignorance is not knowing what to do.
  • Stupidity is knowing what to do and not doing it.
  • Insanity is continuing to do what you have always done expecting different results.

I am sure you all got the right answer – didn’t you. The time is now.

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Service Management – Unit I March 21st & 22nd, 2012

The “New” Quest Service Management – Unit I

What it looks like when it is Right

A more professional, productive and profitable Service Operation is necessary for the distributors in the Capitals Goods Industries to be successful. To assist in the development of this Service Management team we have designed a new series of training courses aimed at enhancing the skills of those charged with this responsibility. The “New Quest Service Management Level I” consists of 4 elements presented during a two day seminar.

The Principles of Management

The Basic Principles of Management – what we call the Pursuit of Performance: Planning, Organizing and Control; Job Descriptions and Responsibilities, Performance Standards and Targets – what it looks like when it is right; Employee counseling with praise and constructive criticism in Personnel Management; Time Management to set yourself free; The Business of Change and how to overcome resistance to change; How to survive in spite of ourselves.

Introduction to Accounting & Finance for Service Personnel

Understand Financial Statements from the Service Department Perspective.  Clear and understandable definitions of the main financial terminology a supervisor/manager must have. Learn the Dealership Financial Fitness Model; and Profitability Pyramid. Asset Management and the value of Return On Assets. Pricing and Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) Discover new truths about the famous “Discount” and the consequences of it on the customer and the business.

The Operational and Process Foundation

Balancing Labor and Skills Availability with Customer Service: Work Order Process Management; simplification is not just a nice word it is very possible in this clear exposure of the flow and needs of a service management job function. The impossible made understandable. Completion Dates and Meeting Them. Unleash your true power of knowledge by learning about flat rating and shop floor scheduling.

It’s All about Customers

Satisfying everyone’s requirements and developing relationships: “Inspections” to ensure Machine Reliability, Technical knowledge and advice. How you should use price as a marketing tool; variable labor rates and their application. Value added selling; and the value of Customer Retention. Surveys to develop satisfied customers for life: Customer Profiles and all the background required to make customers your apostles.

This “New Quest Service Management Level I” provides a broad base introduction to Service Management for the 21st Century. It is intended for Service Lead hands, Instore Sales Lead hands, Supervisors, Managers and Executives. The material covers all management and operational disciplines of a Professional Service Manager.

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Parts Management – Unit I March 19th – 20th, 2012

The “New” Quest Parts Management – Unit I

What it looks like when it is Right

 A more professional, productive and profitable Parts Operation is necessary for the distributors in the Capitals Goods Industries to be successful. To assist in the development of this Parts Management team we have designed a new series of training courses aimed at enhancing the skills of those charged with this responsibility. The “New Quest Parts Management Unit I” consists of 4 elements presented during a two day seminar.

The Principles of Management

The Basic Principles of Management – what we call the Pursuit of Performance: Planning, Organizing and Control; Job Descriptions and Responsibilities, Performance Standards and Targets – what it looks like when it is right; Employee counseling with praise and constructive criticism in Personnel Management; Time Management to set yourself free; The Business of Change and how to overcome resistance to change; How to survive in spite of ourselves.

Introduction to Accounting & Finance for Parts Personnel

Understand Financial Statements from the Parts Department Perspective.  Clear and understandable definitions of the main financial terminology a supervisor/manager must have. Learn the Dealership Financial Fitness Model; and Profitability Pyramid. Asset Management and the value of Return On Assets. Pricing and Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) Discover new truths about the famous “Discount” and the consequences of it on the customer and the business.

The Operational and Process Foundation

Balancing Inventory Requirements with Customer Service: The impossible made understandable. Order Points and Order Quantities; Lead Times and the EOQ; Order Cost and Carrying Cost. Unleash your true power of knowledge by learning the theory of Inventory Control in all its glory. In physical distribution – the job everyone thinks they can do is easy but no one wants to do: Storage systems, transportation logistics; Shipping & Receiving; Parts Office, Sales Counter and Instore Merchandising Design and Layout that makes sense.

It’s All about Customers

Satisfying everyone’s requirements and developing relationships: “Up Selling”, Product knowledge, Features & Benefits selling, and effective telephone techniques. How you should use price as a marketing tool. Instore displays and merchandising; Value added selling; and the value of Customer Retention. Surveys to develop satisfied customers for life: Customer Profiles and all the background required to make customers your apostles.

This “New Quest Parts Management Unit I” provides a broad base introduction to Parts Management for the 21st Century. It is intended for Parts Lead hands, Instore Sales Lead hands, Supervisors, Managers and Executives. The material covers all of the management and operational disciplines required of a Professional Parts Manager.