More great book news!  Tom Peters book “The Little BIG Things: 163 Ways To Pursue Excellence” is now available.  As many of you know, Tom Peters has been consolidating a lot of his best ideas into “Success Tips” for his blog.  These tips distill so many of the ideas that Tom has developed through his research.

After accumulating hundreds of these ideas (over several years), Tom decided to aggregate the best of these into a book.  In it, you will find ideas for improved customer service and leadership.  Tom also shares ideas on innovation, excellence, and organizational strategy.  I particularly like Tom’s advice on improving your communication abilities, and honing your leadership skills.  

These are 163 great ideas… and they are motivational, insightful, fun to read, and eminently useable (and, for that matter, sensible).  If you’re interested in Tom’s new book, click here to see the link on Amazon.com.

As many of you already know, Tom has also put a lot of these great ideas into a training video series.  We shot over 90 of Tom’s “Little BIG Things” over three fun and fascinating days.  I confess that we spent as much time chatting and laughing as we did shooting Tom’s segments.  Click here to preview a number of these at our website. 

Sam Glenn has just released a book called “A Kick In The Attitude,” which is published by Wiley.  Many of you know Sam from his hysterical video series (which includes the program “A Kick in The Attitude.”  Now, Sam has put his philosophy in print!

Sam’s book is filled with his usual great stories as well as lots of wonderful advice and tips for getting - and keeping - a great attitude.  I am always drawn to his customer service stories, and Sam’s book is filled with them.  But as I was reading Sam’s book, one other topic caught my attention.  It’s in Principle #17 (which is called “Attitude Is Like Chalk Dust - It Gets On Everything You Touch”). 

In this chapter, Sam has a section called “You Can’t Please Them All.”  In it he speaks about the challenge of delivering great customer service.  Sometimes you really can’t please everyone.  For example, if your customers are rude to your people, then maybe you can’t please them and you have to move on.  This is hard advice, but I also think it is great advice.  Herb Kelleher was also a fan of this philosophy.  In my interview with Herb, he said that at Southwest their philosophy was to put employees first.  Herb thought that if the employees were happy, then the customers will be well served and the shareholders will reap the benefits. It’s great advice!

Give Sam’s book a try!  It’s a fun read!  Click here to see more on www.amazon.com

As many of you know from previous posts, our customers and distributors often ask us which programs are our bestsellers.   I think this is useful to them as it shows how organizations are setting their training priorities (particularly last year, when times were challenging for so many people in business and government). Here is a list of our top 10 training Programs for 2009.   

1) Fish! Culture:   This program provides viewers with an in-depth year long training experience built on the successful program Fish!  The program includes the original Fish! video (which features a visit to Pikes Place Fish Market in Seattle).  In the program, you will learn how to really embed the “Fish! Philosophy” (that includes the four elements of Play, Make Their Day, Be There, and Choose Your Attitude) within your organization.  The “Fish!” program has been a worldwide bestseller for over a decade. 

2) Sam Glenn Series:  The launch of the Sam Glenn Series has been a huge success!  In particular, the two programs, “A Kick in the Attitude” and “Who Put A Lizard In My Lasagna” have been best sellers.  Sam is very funny and has a fantastic motivational and positive message.  His new book (also called “A Kick In The Attitude“) has just been released with rave reviews!   Sam’s humor and “glass half full” outlook on life has been a welcome addition to our customer’s training programs.
 
3) Succeeding In A Changing World with John Kotter:  Harvard Business School professor and best-selling author John Kotter presents examples of organizations that have changed successfully and organizations that have failed when faced with change.  He also provides an overview of his eight-step process for success.   This program was voted one of the top training programs by Training Media Review! With all of the change and stress that companies have faced over the past two years, John’s film has provided them with a place to start putting it all back together. 

4) The Tom Peters Little BIG Things Series:  Tom Peters, co-author of “In Search of Excellence,” the best-selling business book of all time has just released a new video series called “The Little BIG Things.”    This series is a radical departure from his previous films, as it is comprised of multiple short clips of Tom’s thoughts and advice on a variety of subjects.  Our customers have been overjoyed at being able to bring the wisdom of Tom Peters into their organization four minutes at a time! For over 25 years, Tom Peters has been inspiring people to achieve higher levels of excellence in customer service, leadership, and innovation.  A book version of “The Little BIG Things” will be out in March! 

5) Ben Zander’s two films: “Attitude: Radiating Possibility” and “Leadership: The Art Of Possibility” Ben Zander uses his experience as conductor of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra to energize people to become better leaders - and to realize their true potential.  These two programs are really learning tools that provide a new language, new practices, and unique results. The “Art of Possibility” isn’t just about creating a moment in time; it’s about turning those moments into a profound and sustainable transformation.  Zander’s unique humor and positive attitude has spread quickly through the organizations that included this in their training schedules.

6) Muppet Meeting Films:  Join Kermit, Grump, Leo, Sam Eagle, and other members of the Muppet ensemble as they add pizzazz to your meetings.  These humorous meeting videos are lots of fun and have been perennial bestsellers!  January and February are typically the time of year for kick-off meetings and the Muppets have been all over it!

7) The Lance Armstrong Series including “Who Says We Can’t Do It? Lance Armstrong’s Journey.”  I think one of the reasons this program has been a bestseller is the wonderful interview with Lance’s oncology nurse, LaTrice Haney.  It is very moving and motivational.  Many organizations use this program to really rally the troops.  Lance’s story can inspire any team to strive for better results and our customers have enjoyed this program very much.

8) “What You Are Is Where You Were When… AGAIN! With Morris Massey!”: Morris Massey’s programs remain top sellers for us year in and year out.  The bestseller of all is “What You Are is Where You Were When… Again!”  Funny. Irreverent. Provocative. Thought Provoking.  Morris Massey is all of these and more.  For over 30 years, he has explained how different generations think and how these different generations can work together successfully.  In the past two years many organizations have had to adjust their workforce and create new teams. This program and Morris has been essential in helping their teams communicate and succeed.

9) “Harassment Is“: This training program goes beyond Sexual Harassment and shows a whole variety of harassment situations. Our customers love it because it provides broad insights into the issues of harassment.  More importantly, it shows how harassment of all types can negatively affect employee satisfaction and productivity.  Our customers have embraced this film because it provides them with an overall training program that addresses the issues of harassment and diversity with their current staff but is also the right length for their new hires.  It’s a very cost effective purchase for many organizations.

10) “Love Your Customers” with John O’Hurley.  You probably know John O’Hurley fromhis appearances as J. Peterman on Seinfeld or on Family Feud.  But wait till you see him in this two-part program.   Part 1, “Love your Customers,” provides a blueprint for delivering great customer service.  The second, “Love Your Difficult Customers,” provides a step-by-step approach for working with customers who are angry or upset.  Throughout, you will laugh as John O’Hurley delivers his message in a funny and engaging manner.  Our customers have enjoyed using this program with their staff because it does well with Gens X, Y and Z as well as the Boomers who remember when Seinfeld first aired! 

We’re working on a number of really exciting new programs for 2010 - and we’ll keep you posted!

2009 was a challenging year for most of us. I know that we (and all of our customers) were challenged with tight budgets, slow business, and lots of generally unpleasant news. This morning, Amy sent us an e-mail that was a reminder that even though 2009 was a difficult year, we did learn a lot. So, without further ado, here are the things Enterprise Media has learned from 2009…

“Recession” doesn’t have to mean “depression.”

Despite your best efforts…some people just want to be sad.

Despite their best efforts…some people refuse to be sad.

Smiles are contagious!

Customers will buy what they need and pay a fair price for that. Supply them with the information and a pleasant conversation and you’re there.

Necessity is truly the mother of invention…and creativity…and resourcefulness…and ingenuity. People want to be happy and they want their group to be happy.

Encouragement doesn’t have to entail a full-scale rework of an employee’s day…a compliment, recognition, and “job well done…I know it’s been difficult” will do.

When times are challenging, you are even more grateful for your customers, coworkers, and vendors.

So, Thank You for Everything in 2009 - and I hope that 2010 will bring you happiness, health, prosperity, and success!

I love Christmas movies.  Every year I watch them with my family… and every year I still love them.  But did you know that you could actually use these movies to help with your leadership, management, and customer service?  Well you can… Here’s a sampling:

Miracle on 34th Street

Everyone seems so focused on the “commercial” from Mr. Macy and Mr. Gimbel all the way throughout New York City… But Macy’s Santa, aptly named Kris Kringle (and wonderfully played by Edmund Gwenn) really gets it. He helps customers get what they want - even when it’s something that Macy’s doesn’t carry.  Customers are so delighted that they become loyal customers of Macy’s.  Now that’s customer service!  Couldn’t we all learn from Macy’s Kris Kringle?  Give it a try!

Love Actually

I love this newer Christmas movie. In it, we hear a lot of stories about love, the holidays, and people.  But it is the opening of the movie that gets me.  In it, we hear the voice of the Prime Minister of England (played by Hugh Grant) saying, “Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow airport. General opinion makes out that we live in a world of hatred and greed. I don’t see that. Seems to me that love is everywhere. Often it’s not particularly dignified or newsworthy but it’s always there. Fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, none of the phone calls from people on board were messages of hate or revenge, they were all messages of love. lf you look for it, I’ve got a sneaky feeling you’ll find that love actually is all around.”  

It’s a great quote, but it also got me thinking of the interview I had with Herb Kelleher (for the film “The Excellence Files.”)  Herb said, “We’d rather be a company motivated by love than fear.”  You don’t often hear CEOs speak of love, but it is hard to argue with success.  Herb Kelleher built the most successful airline in the world.  And he did it by empowering, respecting and valuing (or even loving) his employees.  Maybe it is all about love! (By the way, if you watch this movie, make sure to watch the deleted scenes, they’re funny and heartwarming).

It’s a Wonderful Life

OK, there are so many wonderful lessons in this movie it’s hard to focus in on one.  The one I like the best is that you can’t do it alone.  As many of you already know so well, George Bailey (played by Jimmy Stewart) is in a pickle.  He thinks he has to solve the problems on his own and even considers suicide… But the town comes to the rescue and helps George out.  I love the scene at the end when everyone from Bedford Falls gathers in George Bailey’s living room to show support.  I also love it because it reminds all of us that we can’t do everything alone.  It is the collaboration of groups that make a difference.  Teamwork really does matter - at work, at home, and in the community.  It’s a nice lesson to remember at work - all year long.

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

Rudolph doesn’t seem to “fit into the crowd” because he has a red nose.  In fact, there is an entire island of toys that seem to be ignored because they don’t fit in.  But, as we know, Rudolph’s nose turns out to be a huge asset to Santa during the “Storm of the Century.”  Well, we know through research that diverse teams perform better than the teams that are all made up of the same kind of people.  Maybe we should be looking for the “misfits” and the Rudolph’s for our next team at work.  You never know, it might make the difference in your next project.

So, next time you watch your favorite Christmas movie, remember:  There may be more to the movie that you love than you think!

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and I hope that the New Year brings you much joy and success. 
 

I am not sure if we are supposed to be “tooting our own horn” in a blog, but I confess it is great when we get feedback (positive and negative) from customers.  I wanted to share some of the positive feedback that we’ve received recently.  As Tom Peters says in one of our new videos, “The brand of a company is directly related to the quality of the talent.”  We are very lucky to have such a great group of talented people here… and, as you can see, many of our customers think so, too!

Here’s a sampling of what we’ve heard:

1) Thanks for the follow up. Of all the media companies we have dealt with, you have been the most customer focused.  It’s greatly appreciated and encourages me to go your direction in the future.  Needs are fulfilled for now. Will look back to Enterprise Media again when the need arises. Thanks again for all of the wonderful support.

HR Executive
Manufacturing Company

2) Just wanted to let you know that the DVD rental I ordered late yesterday afternoon arrived just moments ago. You saved my meeting!! And I am sincerely appreciative of your quick response to my last minute request… Thank you again. You have made this HR Director a loyal customer of Enterprise Media for life!

Senior Director, Human Resources

3) Since I am now convinced that you are a real person and not an e-mailing robot (although that is a very marketable skill) and given that you actually wrote me back I am going to be even MORE serious about thinking of you for future training needs. I will be so bold as to say that I have added your contact information to my small but highly effective box of contacts (cleverly disguised as a box of business cards) - although I had to fill out a blank business card by hand. It’s the personal touch, I suppose. But you are worth it.
 
Thank you for responding!
Manager, Financial Institution

4) Thank you for the follow-up e-mail.  I am very impressed with your customer service. Not only did you make my return process painless, you have continued to follow-up and make sure I am happy with the process and the products. You definitely have our future business when it comes to employee training needs/products. Again, thank you, for your efficiency and your professionalism.
 
Executive, Medical Organization

5) Thank you so much for your quick response and wonderful customer service. It’s refreshing after working with some of the vendors I have had to deal with.

Have a wonderful day!

Reference & Management Librarian

6) Thank you so much for the great customer service that I have received.
You have made it very easy to do business with you and you answered all my questions!  I really appreciate all of the work you have done!

Manager, Non Profit
Finally, here is a great story we received a few years ago from one of our customers, Chip Bell.  Here is a story he posted on his website (http://www.chipbell.com/index.html):

Great Service Recovery Stories
 
We ordered a new VHS training video from Enterprise Media in Cambridge.  Putting the brand new videotape in a VCR, the sound was great but the picture fuzzy.  We concluded the videotape was defective.   We returned it to Enterprise Media with a note of explanation.  Immediately, we received a note back from one of the company owners sincerely apologizing for the problem.  She also indicated a new copy was being overnighter that very day (even before receipt of the “defect”).  Additionally, we were given a complimentary copy of another video in the same series.  Enterprise Media turned our disdain into delight. 
 
Postscript:  When the new videotape worked perfectly in the client’s VCR, we began to wonder if we had been the problem.  Since we have all moved to the DVD world, we had forgotten that many VCR machines might require adjustment of the tracking to make the picture clear.  We obviously never adjusted tracking which impacts the quality of the picture.
 
Lessons learned from the story:  Assume your customer’s explanation of the problem is fact.  Respond with great urgency.  Apologize, even if you suspect you might not be the source of the problem.  It shows customers you are concerned about their feelings not just their issues.  Offer some symbolic gesture or atonement to demonstrate your sincerity and sorrow.  Follow-up to make sure your recovery solution was satisfactory to your customer.  Look for ways to give customers a chance to try you again after recovery-turn an “oops” into an opportunity. 
 
Recommendation:  For all your video needs, contact www.enterprisemedia.com… I guess that is a plug for us!

This week, I read a small article in Business Week.  The article described a project where they created a “musical” staircase (and painted it to look like a piano keyboard).  The idea was to get people to climb the stairs instead of riding on the escalator.  It was a HUGE success!  Here is the clip on the piano staircase.
 

I then visited the website (http://www.thefuntheory.com/).  And there are even more examples of fun.  I particularly like the bottomless garbage bin.
 

For years, we have seen that fun makes a difference.  Our customers have seen this in the “Fish! Philosophy” videos as well as our new “Attitude” series with Sam Glenn. 

Fun does make a difference and we’ve seen it at work. For example, we found it when we filmed at the company Life is good and at the HealthWorks Kids Museum (which is part of the Tom Peters Re-imagine series).  We also found it when we filmed Herb Kelleher and the folks at Southwest Airlines. 

So what does this mean for you and your work?  I think the lesson is simple.  People are motivated by fun anywhere:  In the subway, walking in the park, recycling bottles, and even at work.  Think about what you can do to make work more fun.  How can you engage people?  How can you stimulate them to do more by making the experience fun?  I know it will make a difference (particularly when times are a little tough) and that you can think of fun things to add happiness to your workday!

The gloomy weather this weekend prompted me to pull out a Bloomingdales gift card that I had received last Christmas.  I thought why not look for something that I can wear in the cold (it has been extremely cold for October here in New England)?  So off I went to our local Bloomingdales in Chestnut Hill, MA. 

Now, in the past, my experiences at Bloomingdales have been mixed.  Sometimes, I wander around the store and can’t find anyone to help; and even if I do find someone, they often don’t seem very interested in helping me. But not this time! 

I saw a really nice sweater at the Ralph Lauren section.  I went to the sales woman and… WOW…I had a terrific customer experience. 

Let me explain. Seven months ago, I went shopping for a pair of jeans with my mom.  We went to the same Ralph Lauren boutique.  And to my amazement, seven months later, not only did the sales associate remember me; she remembered almost every detail of my visit in April.  She asked about my mom.  She also asked me how I liked my jeans.  She even noticed that I had lost more weight! 

OK.  I was blown away.  I thought to myself, “This sales associate is amazing!  She is so knowledgeable and helpful and genuinely cared! What else can I buy today - or how can she help me?”  So I asked her about winter shirts.  Once again, she jumped into help me.  She seemed to understand what I liked and didn’t like, so the suggestions were very helpful. 

Really great customer service often occurs when people truly care.  This sales associate genuinely cared - and it showed. 

I have certainly watched a lot of videos that teach about the importance of creating a great customer experience (and I’ve even worked on a few), so I know this is important.  But every now and then the message hits home with such force that it literally blows you away.  And that happened to me this past weekend.  Even though Bloomingdales is a little out of the way for me, I know I’ll go back.  And when I do, I’ll visit my friend at Ralph Lauren. 

Think about your own customer service.  Do you also try and personalize your relationship with the customer?  Do people care?  Do you make customers feel welcome?  I can tell you; it makes a difference (or at least it made a difference to me).  And that is something that can make a difference to your bottom line - now and for years to come. 
 

Several friends of mine recommended that I watch the program “Drop Dead Diva” (A new Lifetime series featuring Deb Dobson, an aspiring model who begs to return to earth after being killed in a car crash. Deb gets her wish, but is horrified to be brought back to life in the body of an intelligent, overweight lawyer named Jane Bingum.)  They told me the show was smart and funny, so I programmed it into my DVR.  I watched my first episode the other day entitled “The Dress.”   The protagonist, Jane was unable to get a dress because the store had decided that they didn’t want to sell to “Plus Sized Women” (even though this segment of the market represented the majority of the buying populace).  It was a great episode. 

That probably would be the end of my story, but….

I recently had my own “Drop Dead Diva” moment.  I was shopping for a new suit for a special event at an organization where I serve as a volunteer.  Since I have lost a lot of weight recently, I thought it would be a nice idea to treat myself to something new, so I  headed to Banana Republic.  As I was searching through the racks of clothing, I noticed that the largest size was a 44 regular.  Now, I am almost a 44 regular, but it’s still a little tight.  I asked the sales associate if they had anything larger.  The answer was, “No. If you want something larger, you’ll have to shop online.” Wow, that was discouraging.  The sale associate was informative, but I also felt that he wasn’t really interested in helping me.  Maybe I was also too large for the store?  Just like the episode of “The Dress.”

Well…the event was in a few days and I don’t like to buy expensive clothes on line since I think it’s important to see how things look when you put them on. Plus, I had procrastinated and needed to get this suit quickly, so Banana Republic was out.   I left the store and went to Neiman Marcus, which is of course a more expensive store in the mall.  “Out of the frying pan and into the fire,” I thought.  Will this place be too expensive?

Neiman Marcus (as you can imagine) had a great selection. Many of the clothes were too expensive but the sales associate was fantastic!   I told him my budget and how quickly I needed the outfit.  He was creative, proactive, and very helpful in suggesting items that could work within my budget… and I did get that new outfit.  When I wore it two days later at the event, I have to confess I looked great and what a fun way to celebrate the weight I’ve lost! 

But what about Banana Republic?  Well, Banana Republic lost a big sale.  And I am not sure how willing I’ll be to spend more time in the store.  Now, I wonder: How many other people have had the same experience?  How many retailers are dropping the “Drop Dead Divas” and losing out on customers, goodwill, and sales?  Probably more than they’d like.

What does this have to do with business, service, and you?  In the new series with Tom Peters that I have been editing, Tom goes into great lengths to point out the obvious.  He tells advertisers to pay attention to people over 50 (as they represent a huge market).  He reminds businesses not to ignore women as customers - after all they do represent 51% of the buying population.  Maybe Tom should also remind retailers that they should consider being more thoughtful to customers who are taller, larger, or shorter.  Maybe stores should be more welcoming of anyone who walks in the door because we all come in different sizes and most of us have money to spend! 

Just a thought…

I have been hard at work editing a series of video “Success Tips” from Tom Peters (more on that in a later post).  These video clips  cover everything from strategy to service to personal development, and one thing has struck me:  So much of what Tom has uncovered in his years of research and analysis boils down to very basic ideas. 

For example, Tom speaks about the power of communicating all the time (that includes MBWA - Managing By Wandering Around - and Listening).  He also speaks about the importance of experimentation and willingness to learn from mistakes.  He tells people not to get trapped by “best practices.”  He loves the power of thanking, apologizing when things go wrong, and simple courtesy. 

I know, this is so basic, but it is also really great advice.  We all need to be reminded about the power of apologizing.  We all can learn more from our colleagues, if we only listen.  In a way, Tom’s simple message reminds me of something that a friend told me.  He said that he went to a speech by Miss Manners (Judith Martin).  In the speech, she was asked about discrimination and sexual harassment in the office as well as nasty office politics.  As I understand it, her reply was that if people tried to be more courteous to each other and more considerate of each other - that if they had better manners - then many of these costly and demoralizing office issues would go away.   I’m not sure if she is totally right, but it sure does seem to make sense. 

So, I think both Tom and Judith Martin are right.  Perhaps one of the key ideas of success does boil down to common sense and manners.  Maybe a lot of success comes from simple courtesy, thanking, listening, apologizing, showing, up, and smiling.