Ron Kaufman's "The Best of Active Learning!" #83

Best of Active Learning!

Practical actions you can take to improve your service, partnerships and culture.

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The Best of Active Learning!
A free newsletter from Ron Kaufman
Issue #83, 2005

Contents This Month

Service Power: Little Things Can Mean A Lot!
On the Personal Side: That's so tasty
Events: Learn with Ron Kaufman -- LIVE!
Recommended: Resources for professional and personal growth
Learn With Ron Kaufman's Bestselling Video, Audio & Books
Share This Newsletter with a Friend!

Index of Newsletters

SERVICE POWER: Little Things Can Mean A Lot!

Dubai International Airport is one of my favorite airports in the world. It's big, clean, modern, and exciting. In such a terrific environment, little inconveniences stand out. Here are two that call for corrective action.

* * *

MARHABA PASSENGER LISTS: The official airport greeting service in Dubai is called "Marhaba". It is staffed by elegant men and women who meet passengers on arrival and escort them to immigration and customs. The uniforms are neat and the staff always friendly.

Marhaba posts long lists of arriving passengers who will receive this special service. But the list of names is printed in THICK, BLACK, BLOCK, CAPITAL LETTERS. The names are impossible to read unless passengers stand very close, looking and feeling foolish.

Changing the lettering style would be simple to do. By using an "upper and lower case serif font" (like you find in most books), passengers could more easily read the signs and see their names.

I have offered this suggestion several times to the friendly Marhaba staff. Each time they agree it would be a good idea, but then smile and say "it's always been like that". (That's a bad reason not to make a good improvement.)

Key Learning Point: The big things count in business and in life: quality products, fast delivery, friendly and competent staff. But little things count, too. And little things can make a big difference for your customer.

Action Steps: Ask your frontline staff what "little things" upset your customers. What "silly questions" do customers ask day after day. What complaints do your staff hear over and over again. What causes your customers frustration, confusion and anger? Find it. Then fix it.

* * *

AIRPORT HOTEL ELEVATOR SIGN: There is an elevator in the airport going up to the Airport Hotel. The buttons say: DEPARTURES, ARRIVALS, HOTEL 1, HOTEL 2.

If you wanted to check-in to the hotel, which button would you push?

We pushed "Hotel 1", which took us to a residential floor with no Reception Desk, only a long hallway with locked hotel room doors.

We got back in the elevator and pushed "Hotel 2", which took us up to another floor with a long hallway of locked doors.

We got back in the elevator and wondered where to go. Thinking we must have missed something, we returned to the Departure Level. Once again, however, there was nothing and no one to assist us.

Finally, with only one choice left, we got back in the elevator and pressed ARRIVALS.

Stepping out of the elevator we turned left and walked towards a bar in a large lobby area. It was early afternoon and no one was behind the counter.

We turned around and saw another counter across the lobby. There was no sign, but there were two people waving at us and smiling.

We crossed the landing and found ourselves, finally, at the Hotel Reception Counter.

When I explained what happened in the elevator, the staff apologized and said, "We know. It happens all the time."

I asked why there was no sign in the elevator pointing to the "Hotel Reception Desk". I asked why there was no sign outside the elevator directing guests to Reception. I asked why there was no sign even at the desk itself.

"We know," she said again politely. "Everyone asks us that. We have asked for signs many times, but we are still waiting. The airport did a renovation behind the desk recently to change the colors, and we were hoping for signs, but they did not come.

On my way out, we took a different elevator. Someone (in desperation?) had made a small sign marked "reception" and pasted it inside the elevator. The little sign is handmade and peeling. It looks pathetic amid such elegant steel and glass, but at least in one elevator someone did something, and that's better than nothing at all.

Key Learning Point: Awkward service situations can persist for days, months, even years, with no one looking carefully to improve them. Is this happening at your company or organization? If you look closely, can you find a "small thing" that could be done better? Will you make that change right now, or will you allow another day, month or year of customer inconvenience?

Action Steps: I always recommend improvements when I see the opportunity and the need. You can do this, too. But remember, action counts. Just talking about it doesn't count for much.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Dear Ron,

As a company director I receive so many e-mails that I made a decision to cut some back. Unfortunately yours was on my list to unsubscribe. It's not that I didn't enjoy it, just never had the time to read it.

Just before unsubscribing, I thought I'd give this last one a read. I was so inspired by your message that I withdrew my decision and will continue to be on your mailing list. p>Every single day, our company strives to deliver exceptional service, our people are passionate about the work they do. They know they are valued and in turn they value the company they work for and the clients they serve.

Our goal is to become a Great Australian company that delivers exceptional service. We plan to top that by becoming a Great International company one day in the future.

I look forward to bringing your email to our team on Monday!

Kind regards
M.S., Victoria, Australia

ON THE PERSONAL SIDE: That's so tasty

Brighten and I were having lunch in "Little India" and enjoying some curry and rice. I mentioned how nice the lunch was, but Brighten said the rice was not as good as she gets from her mother.

"What do you mean?", I asked her. "This rice is delicious."

"Dad," she replied, "The rice at home tastes like clouds."

* * *

Here's wishing you and yours a month of magnificent service, delicious treats and many small things that delight you.

Ron Kaufman

(Contents)

UPCOMING EVENTS: Learn with Ron Kaufman - LIVE!
Extraordinary opportunities to educate and motivate your entire service team. See you there!

WRITING BACK! Learn how to increase customer loyalty through effective written responses to customer complaints & compliments. This intensive, enjoyable two-day workshop has been proven many times in government, financial, medical and professional services, hospitality, manufacturing, retailing and more.

Singapore: 26-27 May, 6-7 July, 8-9 September, 24-25 November 2005
Call (65)6376-0777 or Mktg@sqcentre.com

Dubai: 3-4 May 2005
Call (9714)352-7803 or rightsel@emirates.net.ae

UP YOUR SERVICE 2005! Featuring Ron's most popular and powerful presentations: "The Secrets of Superior Service", "Partnership Power" and "Service Encounters of the Third Kind".

MANILA, Philippines: 12 September 2005
Call (63)-2-876-5200 or admin@teamasia.com

SINGAPORE: 22 March 2005
Call (65)6288-1273 or enquiries@partners-conference.com

HONG KONG, China: 10 May 2005
Call (852)8203-3260 or cecilia@srpl.net

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: 29 Sept 2005
Call (60)012-322-5707 or adc@synergyentire.com

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

RECOMMENDED: Resources for personal and professional growth.

Learn! Global Speakers Summit 2005. Hundreds of professional speakers. World Class Forum to succeed in a great profession. Singapore, March 31-April 2. http://www.asiaspeakers.org

Choose! Global Speakers Showcase 2005. The very best speakers from every continent doing their very best presentations. One day, 75 speakers! Perfect for Meeting Planners, Human Resource and Training Professionals. http://www.iffps.org

Listen! Global Motivation Congress 2005, Seven of the best motivational speakers on Earth. Singapore, 4 April 2005 http://www.ticketcharge.com.sg/

Engage! Landmark Education's "curriculum for living" is positive and profound. Integrity, responsibility, commitment. Live a life you really love. www.LandmarkEducation.com

Explore! The Hoffman Quadrinity Process is an intensive 7-day course in personal freedom, compassion and awakening. Proven and lasting results with solid credentials. See www.Quadrinity.com.au

Enjoy! Avatar courses are enlightening and esoteric. Building an Enlightened Planetary Civilization one thought at a time. Get the free e-book, "Living Deliberately", at www.AvatarEPC.com

LEARN WITH RON KAUFMAN'S BESTSELLING VIDEO, AUDIO & BOOKS:
Browse and order from RonKaufman.com or Amazon.com

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"Inspiring people to learn, improve and grow."

Ron Kaufman - Active Learning!
50 Bayshore Park #31-01, Aquamarine Tower
Singapore 469977
Tel: 65-6441-2760 Fax: 65-6444-8292
e-mail: Ron@RonKaufman.com
Visit the Website: http://www.RonKaufman.com

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associates and post it on your company bulletin board or website.

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Thank You!

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