Customer Service Lessons from a Taxi Driver

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I was content to enjoy my 15-minute taxi ride in silence but the driver had other ideas. He decided to make the trip to the airport more pleasant by engaging me in conversation. About his time in the Navy, his full time job in a chip manufacturing plant, then about how he came to live in upstate New York.

When I told him I was from the Chicago area, he talked about his brief stay in “Chi-town” and how much he loves the city.

We can learn so much about people when we slow down long enough to talk with them. We can also learn a lot about ourselves.

It's the Details Stupid - Part 2

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In my previous post, I described my stay at the StaybridgeSuites in Lincolnshire, Illinois as case study of neglecting attention to detail in customer service. In this article, I contrast an experience in the same town at a different hotel as an example of how to win over a customer for life.  The little gestures are the difference between average relationships and outstanding ones, whether in business or in life.

Customer Service - It's the Details Stupid

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I talk a lot about customer service and going the extra mile because as someone who has been in business for many years, I view everything through this lens. This has been no different with my recent travels. Over the last several weeks, I bounced back and forth between two hotels, fell in love with one, and disenchanted with the other. This article is not a hotel review, but a case study of the importance of attention to detail to win over customers. If you have a business, pay close attention.

When Leadership Means Being a Good Follower

What do you when thrust on a team or project where chaos runs amok? Do you "take the bull by the horns" and rest control from those you deem less competent or run for the exits before falling too deep into the abyss? I say neither, for sometimes leadership is not about taking control but being a good follower and team player instead.

Is Your Business Relationship Toxic?

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In business, as in life, relationships are everything. A good business relationship results in more than a satisfied customer but one who evangelizes on your behalf. A toxic relationship can destroy a worthy project and keep you up at night with anxiety. Recently, I experienced both types and went into details with this post over at SteamFeed.com. Head over there get the full story. For now here are 3 steps to help you cultivate a lasting business relationship.

Dinner With a Linchpin

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In SethGodin's Linchpin, he describes those who become indispensable to such a degree, their organizations cannot live without them. They approach work as an art form, whether they be accountants, lawyers or stay at home moms. I had what was supposed to be a casual catching up dinner with one such individual a few nights ago. Let's call her "Michelle."Soon, dinner morphed into a 5-hour training session on success, and I held on to every word like a student at the feet of a wise professor. The following are the key takeaways from our conversation.

Is Your Ladder of Success on the Wrong Wall?

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In "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People," Stephen Covey described those who work hard climbing the ladder of success only to find themselves years later standing atop the wrong wall. How does this happen and what can you do to solve the problem?