Merry Christmas!
My last video of 2020! You're going to enjoy this. It has been a fun year. I'm thankful for family and friends and the wonderful clients who invited me to serve their companies in 2020. My best wishes for much good…
Disciplinary Action – Employee Conflict
“This isn’t fair. It’s not my fault. It’s his fault, not mine.” Sound familiar? Employee conflict is a fact of working life and disciplinary action is necessary, because conflict can lead to delays in workflow, substandard work or - even…
The Backhoe Song
Slowing down to enjoy the Christmas Holiday enables my wife (Ronnie) and I to do things we wouldn't usually do. One such activity involved an old VHS tape that I had converted to a DVD. We hadn't seen this footage for about twenty years. Knowing…
Why Relationships Matter
What do Tom Jackson and I have in common? The answer is passion. We both love what we do. We both believe in the power of relationships. The two aforementioned attributes translate into customer service excellence because customers would rather buy from and be served…
Listening Skills – At The Counter
Listening skills may not be the first thing that comes to mind at a plumbing and heating supply house. During one of my treks, I made the time to acquaint myself with the front counter people. I usually find an…
Technicians and Too Much Talk
Residential service companies provide more than skilled labor. A plumbing and heating technician is given a sacred trust when he or she enters the home of a valued customer. The customer’s home is their castle and they’re only concern is…
Building Rapport – Propane Perfection
Customer service superiority and building rapport were the themes throughout New Hampshire and Vermont as numerous fuel dealers attended my customer service seminars. Participating in small groups, attendees created diagrams and acrostics on flipcharts. Plus, internal follow up obstacles were…
Employee Development: Saying “May I”
Employee development includes the subtle behaviors that add finesse and professionalism. When asking a customer for their address, a service professional should ask, “May I please have the street address?” because this provides further courteous differentiation. Using the phrases “May I,” “Please,”…