Lis Calandrino

“No time to blink, no time to think.”

That’s how Jorge Morgado describes the experience and the day that would change his thoughts and his life forever. What started out as a normal day for Jorge didn’t end that way. He had his breakfast, coffee and a kiss goodbye. While most of us don’t think: will this be the last kiss?, for some reason Jorge did think about it on his way out the door.

This is how Jorge calmly describes to me what happened on January 15, 2009, the day that US Air flight 1549 crashed into the Hudson River with 155 passengers aboard.

It was a nasty, snowy day as the five golfers headed out on the Merritt Parkway to pick up their friends and cousins for the drive to LaGuardia Airport in NYC to catch their Spirit Air flight to Myrtle Beach, SC. The usually 1½ hour ride to the airport turns into a 3½ hour fiasco. The snowstorm on the Merritt, bumper-to-bumper traffic and a series of airport “mishaps” — missed flights, cancelled flights and an eventual rebooking on US Air’s flight 1549. As luck has it, the six golfers from Mass get the last six seats on this historic flight. Not only did they get the last six seats, but since it was only a one way (they were still on Spirit Air for the return home) they qualified for a one-on-one special screening by TSA. Weather delays, special screening, plane changes turned a group of strangers into fast friends. Little did they know how important this would prove to be. As it is often said, “things happen for a reason.”

Finally, the six board the plane, taking the last six seats and separating them during the flight. The six find themselves not sitting next to old friends, but next to — what would be — their “new and lifelong friends.”

Things seemed pretty normal. Snow, delays but finally a take off. “One of the last things I noticed was Trump’s plane while he was on the runway,” Jorge remembers. Take off, the booming sound of something in the engines, a funny smell (cooked geese in the engines, Jorge supposes). “I heard the Captain yell prepare for impact. I just saw everyone else with their heads down and I just followed. It was a hard landing, luggage flying all over, people praying and darkness. I felt the water coming up over my ankles.”

What followed next was not ordinary, but extraordinary. 155 passengers got out of the plane in one piece, without injury to each other.

“I yelled and looked for my brother in law and I found him,” says Jorge. “And then there were the children. People yelling, get the children out. There were three kids on board that were separated from their parents that we instinctively knew we had to get them and their parents off the plane. Then started the craziness, people wanting to swim from the plane, pushing out the door, and jumping into the water. I just knew this was wrong. It was about 20 degrees out. All of a sudden someone yelled, stop, don’t jump and let’s get organized. A passenger on board suddenly took charge.”

“In my mind,” Jorge continues, “this was the turning point. It was all about leadership. Someone who was willing to take charge and make it happen. Preparing us to work together for our survival. Slowly and methodically we grabbed our seat cushions, it seemed like a smart thing until we realized how cold the water was, and we filed out of the plane. As we got out of the plane we realized that getting us off the plane was a lot harder than we thought. Ferry boats with huge wakes making it impossible to board, helicopters causing more havoc and most of us freezing. We pulled the ‘swimmers’ out of the water and shared our dry clothing. We knew it would be a long day.”

“Eventually help was on the way and there was a briefing from law enforcement: were we terrorists? Then a hotel, food, dry clothes and calls to/from our families. We no sooner got in touch with them and we were on national TV and everyone’s Twitter.”

Who are all of these 155 passengers? About 100 are now best friends forever. “Many of us call each other daily, we will be in each other’s lives forever,” says Jorge. “Lots of kind people. An investment banker friend of Nick Faldo said he was sure Nick would want to help, and soon enough we were invited to his golf course and got autographed photos. Of course we lost our clubs and Titleist called and invited us down to their manufacturing plant to fit us all for custom clubs.”

I also met Rob, Jorge’s uncle-in-law who was also on the flight. Another person with memories and thoughts about going forward. “Living life every day has never been more true,” says Rob.

Here’s what Jorge’s keeps in mind these days — for both life and business:

• “How important life is, friends, family, even strangers.  If I didn’t know before of their importance, I really know now.”
• “Working together, how important team work can be. It saved our lives and prevented serious injury.”
• “Live each day with zest and excitement. Yes, it may be your last.”
• “Prepare for your future with today in mind. Make each day count for something.”
• “Everyone you meet and in your life matters—period.”
• “Don’t be afraid to ‘just do it.’ Sometimes you don’t know if it’s right or wrong; you just have to put yourself out there.
• “Give thanks daily, to those you love and make a difference. In a blink it can be over.”
• “Live life as if it matters. It does.”
• “Look for the humor in life. As we stood on the boat looking back at the plane, a fellow golfer  turned to me and said, ‘We can still drive [to Myrtle Beach], you know.’”

“Of course, we didn’t realize then that our golf clubs were in the Hudson!” Jorge says.

The group have since reunited for the golf outing, which took place in April. Photos here.

Thank you Jorge for sharing your memories and experience with us. If you haven’t seen it yet, this animated sequence shows what happened with Flight 1549 that day. The timing has been condensed so it’s more of a ‘fast-forward’ dramatization rather than a minute-by-minute one.

(photo at top: Jorge Morgado and Captain Chesley ‘Sully‘ Sullenberger)

Resources

• US Airways Plane Crashes In Hudson River
• Hudson River Plane Landing
• Twittering the USAirways Plane Crash
• WSJ

Lisbeth Calandrino is an author, speaker and business strategist focusing on retail sales and web marketing. She’s the author of the new book Red Hot Customer Service: 35 Ways to Heat Up Your Business and Ignite Your Sales. Here, Lis shares her insights on where retail is headed, and what you need to do to stay on board. This interview was first posted on bluepoint0.com.

That’s really a double-sided question: Things will eventually get better but if you mean do I think that things will go back to where they were 5 years ago, the answer is no. Many business owners I speak with are waiting for the economy to go back the way it was. This is impossible because the economy five years ago wasn’t very real. Consumers were overspending using their credit cards, not saving money, buying houses that they couldn’t afford. It’s all been brought to a halt. Institutions that we depended upon for strength, such as lending institutions, the car manufacturers, mortgage lenders and many investment brokers have all let the consumer down. We  will never go back to the reckless abandonment of spending. Many people have lost too much: homes, jobs, retirement—and we know who they are. It’s not happening to "them" it’s happening to us or our friends. Think about this, we are the next generation to say, "I remember the good old days." This recession has made everyone from 12 years and up cautious.

2. What can business owners be doing to weather the storm and keep customers?

The first thing is to realize that some things have not changed. Consumers are still looking for true value—the feeling that I got more than I paid and from a person I trusted. These two things are more important than ever and the business owner may have to work twice as hard to make it happen. The most important thing for any business is to have a plan, teach people about the plan and follow through. This may be tough for many business owners because of the consumers' previous pent up demand and their reliance on credit cards. You see any consumer with a credit card could get pretty much what they wanted and they did. As a business owner, you didn’t have to have a business strategy to acquire customers, you just had to open your doors. This lulled businesses into a false sense of security. "Build it and they will come" pretty much worked. The problem was that business owners thought that they were doing something to bring in customers but they weren’t. It was the consumers' ability to get credit and then buy what they wanted. Businesses that had a plan, even though the economy is pretty terrible, they have put their heads down, banded together and stayed focused. There are some areas such as the Detroit area that are pretty much disaster areas and still have retailers that are doing great business while everyone around them is falling apart. They have cut their overhead, found cost effective ways to bring in customers and are moving forward. They have adjusted their pricing and merchandising to meet the consumers demands. One of the keys is not to change your core business and become price driven. If this isn’t your business you are putting yourself in an arena where the competition is tougher, the margins are slimmer and one might not be familiar with the chain to obtain the right merchandise at the same price. The key is to be who you are, add as much value as you can and learn all there is to learn about your industry.

3. Why is it that the Web is still an overlooked part of a typical business' marketing strategy?

The business owner has probably not been involved with the evolution of the web. He was told 10 years ago that he needed a web site, and of course he knew nothing about the web or what it meant. He may not have even had an email account. It was out of his realm of everyday enticing customers. His world consisted of newspaper advertising, radio, direct mail and supporting the local Little League team. Remember he was also very busy. Customers had their credit cards and were just spending. The next thing that happened is he hired someone to build him a web site — not that he wanted to he was told that he needed to — in order to not get behind . He had little to do with the day to day activity  of the site or making changes to the content. It was all managed by someone else which made it easy for business owners to not know what was going on with their site. For some small businesses, the web site was more about pride than it was being involved. The web was very stagnant, more like a yellow pages than anything else. At this point the web and the consumer connection has changed immensely; the consumer is looking for something different such as an interaction and businesses are unprepared to move forward. They don’t know what forward means.

4. What are some challenges you've seen business owners face when it comes to improving their marketing efforts?

The challenges are many. One is to examine their past marketing strategies and look at what is working and what is not working. Rather than continue to do the same things over and expect different results (Einstein’s definition of insanity) and bring a halt to their thinking. It’s wise to look at one’s core customers—who are they, what do they like and where do they hang out.  The consumer isn’t coming out for sales so it’s time to stop running sales and ask, what will they come out for? This takes a true understanding of your customer. If it’s home furnishing most everyone knows that the consumer is female and that they shop much different than male shoppers. I use the analogy if you send a man out for a pair of blue pants what does he come back with? The answer invariably is a pair of blue pants. If you send that same man out for the blue pants with a female he may come back with several pairs of pants, maybe one blue, shoes, several shirts, ties and some cologne. Woman just see the process differently. Once this is established the business owner must begin to think, how do I get this person in my store?

Businesses should look to women for ideas, if they are trying to attract the female customer. It’s really impossible to understand how your consumer thinks unless you have done a ton of research or you actually share the gender. The other thing is to be aware of how this consumer has changed and what they expect.

There once was"push advertising" — when you put the ads out there and the customer has no choice but to see the ad and respond. Well, anyone who has been paying attention to their marketing knows there's something wrong—the customers aren't coming in like they used to. Many blamed it on the economy and continued advertising the same way. Again it’s the insanity rul
e, just keep at it and it will change. Consumers had decided that they were fed up with the “push”, it was never about them and turned to what’s known as the “pull.” If I want to get in touch with you I will; if I want to see your ads I will seek you out; if you invite me to “opt in”  via email then you are free to contact me. The customer is tired of not having a voice, they want a voice, they want to be heard. Look at Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn — these mediums allow people t be heard and even seen.

5. What is the number one thing businesses could be doing right now to improve their sales?

Businesses still profit from staying in touch with their past customers and figuring out ways to delight them. A satisfied customer will not necessarily refer a new customer. You know how that is. You go to a restaurant, have dinner, it’s okay, the waiter doesn’t spill soup on you, the food is on time, the price is reasonable and you go home. It’s pretty much what you receive and expect going out for dinner. Do you refer anyone, not necessarily. Let’s say you are greeted at the door by the hostess who has a great smile, makes a fuss over you, “it’s great to see you again,” and " how’s the family?" You feel special, the chef comes out to say hello, spends some extra time at your table and everything else being equal such as food and price, you are pretty happy, feel good and send in a friend. You go home, get a call thanking you for coming, maybe get a coupon for a free dessert and you again feel special. So special you decide to not only send a friend but go with them. You have gone from a customer to an ambassador for the business. Businesses should be creating ambassadors. Calling customers, following up, sending them tokens of friendships and inviting them to bring in their friends. Businesses should create Facebook pages and invite their customers to join them in getting to know their business and share their experiences with their friends—online. They should go to home furnishing sites, paint and flooring sites looking for possible customers and offer an invitation to join them on Facebook and learn more about their product and their friends.

6. In Red Hot Customer Service, you write about allowing customers to tell you how they want to be treated. What do you mean by this?

Consumers have long wanted to be part of the process; no one really ever asked them—only the smart businesses. Years ago no one asked you what you thought or even called you after you bought. In fact it was often said, “no news is good news.” This really wasn’t true — no news was just no news. You didn’t get the accolades, if they were there, or the opportunity to “repair” a relationship if necessary. Customers were just thought of as customers, in some instances just to be tolerated. Someone who complained was considered “a complainer or hard to please.” The business was not interested in fixing, finding our making better. They just moved on to the next one. Smart businesses continue to do online surveys, offer you a free meal if you fill out a survey, ask you to return for a special or just ask you—what do you think? When the customer gives them information they listen, and make changes.

The key is asking your customer what they think and knowing that what comes out of their mouths will be gold. Too often customers' opinions are thought of as opinions rather than the lifeblood of the business. Doing surveys of unhappy or lost customers yields amazing data as does information from customers who absolutely love you. Both will tell you what you don’t do so well and what you could to get better or keep your business. There is nothing so powerful as a customer who has taken their business to your competitor and trashes your store. Many businesses bask in the glory of a customer who says, I was at the Home Depot and they are just awful. Little do they realize that there were probably a dozen or so that left their store last month, went to Home Depot to pick up garbage bags and bought the same product that they looked at in your store, and paid more. This is a result of someone not following up and asking, “what do you think?”

I think that businesses think that customer service is just something that happens. You arrive on time, get the job done and are pleasant—customer service. This is just the beginning, it’s the ticket of admission if you want to play in the world of retail. If you can’t deliver the basics the customer won’t wait around for the end. Their mind is made up and you lose. Unhappy customers who allow you to repair the relationship are your best source of new revenue.

7. Who do you consider to be your role models in today's business world?

Companies that continue to innovate and stay close to their customers. I know Dell has been through a lot but I bought a mini computer from them about a year ago and they continued to call me, ask what I thought and what could they do better. Apple is certainly a leader, it’s obvious that they talked to their customers about the iPhone, made changes for their customers, charged more money and continue to move. The phone has such value that the Blackberry businessman now sees the phone as desirable. Before it was just seen as “their “ phone with pictures and stuff on it. Companies that are very involved with their customers and listen to what they have to say are at the front.

I was amazed to see that Dunkin' Donuts has 350,000 fans on their Facebook, monitor the conversation and offer new products based on their customers comments and preferences.

8. Do you have a favorite quote for times you find particularly challenging?

In 2004  I came down with lymphoma. It was pretty frightening going from feeling great, to maybe a little tired and then finding out you have a rare blood disease  – one with very little research done on it. I kept wondering how I'd get through this, what will I be like afterward. It was at that point I started reading about Lance Armstrong. I could really relate to his book, "It’s Not About the Bike." Being an athlete, I really understood what it was like to want to work out as hard and push yourself even if it hurt. Daily I would try to get on the treadmill and say to myself, "it’s not about the bike, Lis, it’s about your life." If he could do it I could do it or I would give it everything I had. For years I ran 7-10 miles a day in the worst weather, hail or rain and would have to get in bed with the electric blanket on. People thought I was crazy but it was all about pushing myself past the pain. I think things really start to change when you push past the pain. That’s when real progress occurs.

I think it's very important it is to have a connection to one’s body. Keeping it strong, feeding it well and giving it enough rest. It needs caring and exercise and good nutrition is very important. I am very conscious of what I eat, count my fruit and veggies as well as my intake of calcium and protein. It doesn’t take away from the joy of eating but I am aware of what I eat and the effects on my body. I
want to be able to maximize my body and my mind as long as I am on earth.

9. You travel a lot for business. What are a couple places you love going to and why?

I have several favorite places — all for different reasons. I was brought up in a desolate part of New York state on a wonderful lake in the Berkshire mountains. I love tiny charming towns  such as Colorado Springs which also brings the old west culture, horses, the outside and of course the beautiful Native American jewelry and rituals. I contrast this with New Orleans with its theater, art and Creole background and Zydago music. I love the French influence and the Cajun people. New Orleans and its people still have a great deal of energy despite their struggles. I also love to visit health clubs when I am in a city; I guess I’m a gym rat at heart. My favorite time is to visit factories or farms, to me it’s like a living museum. I loved the BMW plant, the Sunkist Raisin plant and my visit to the Louisville Slugger plant. I even took a tour at the Hellman’s plant. I guess the most fun I had was the Heineken Brewery in Amsterdam, Holland. I  have a lot of admiration for businesses with strong mission statements, prideful workers and a culture that is all about excellence.

10. What are your next steps?

I am always looking at a venue for my energy. People always say, where do you get it and what do eat. It’s part of who I am; for good and bad it’s what keeps me in touch with myself and the world. I get excited about new things, my acting and speaking classes and learning in general. Learning and education are probably my highest values. I love writing and speaking and helping people get in touch with the part of themselves that truly represents who they are and makes them unique.

I have become very interested in writing, I actually never thought I was that good but I love blogging and connecting with my readers. Both my mother and aunt wrote articles for a magazine called True Romance. I shudder to think that there is one of them lurking in my head.

I think my next step maybe more introspective and thoughtful about my place on the planet. I have become very interested in the area of micro-lending to cottage industries in other countries.

I am working on a series of marketing applications that combine traditional ways of attracting customers as well and the power of the internet. Oh and yes, to spend more time on a jet ski and wind surfing.

The rain held off and Baystate Rug held its first “Bounce House” event. President Joe Montemagni and General Manager Jorge Morgado purchased an inflatable “bounce house” — an Excalibur’s Castle model, which is one of the many different types of bounce houses.

This isn’t about peas and pasta. It’s about beet greens.

Anthony "Tony" Giles, a tuba and base trombone player from Manhattan, has led an interesting life. And today his life is going to get even more interesting. 

I've known Tony for a long time. He grew up in Detroit and at the age of 14 found himself studying bass trombone and loving it. “My band director in school was an aspiring conductor as well as a base trombone player. He taught me an appreciation of the trombone, but more important an appreciation of orchestral music and literature. It was both alluring and challenging.” 



Forget customer service, in most of my encounters it doesn’t exist. A survey of the airlines over 2007 – 2009 by BusinessWeek rated Southwest Airlines the Best Customer Service Champs. Was it 100%? No, not even close, but they still came out on top. And that leads me to wondering, is there such a thing as 100% customer service? What about 110%? Should a business strive for 100%? I thought we were supposed to strive better than 100% — to over promise and over deliver.

It was also announced recently that the Chicago transit is doing customer service training with the drivers: they’re going to teach them how to smile! I guess you have to start somewhere. If I was in charge of the Chicago transit I don’t know if I would bother to do any training. I mean, what’s the customer’s choice, to stay home? That’s probably what they’re wondering as well.

Paying customers are in short supply. It’s partly the economy, partly the abundance of merchandise, and partly the fact that we are tired of being tied to our credit cards. It would seem like a good idea to keep the customers that you have—happy!

Customer service is pretty limited, which is why I wrote the book, Red Hot Customer Service, 38 Sizzling Ways to Heat Up Your Business and Ignite Your Sales. Sales, as we once knew it, doesn’t exist anymore. We don’t sell anyone anything. In fact, the word “sell” implies convincing, making someone do something they don’t want to do. Sales is an outdated word from the dark ages, but it certainly is not an outdated profession, it’s simply been morphed into what we now call “customer service.”

Customers are too smart to really be sold anything. Do you go into a store to be sold anything? I doubt it, by the time you’ve gotten to the store you probably have already decided what you want — having tracked it down online. Or you wander into a store, see something you like and buy it. Maybe you have a conversation with a clerk or sales associate, or the concierge. (All clever disguises for the name “salesman”.) Maybe you want to ask a question or just seek some knowledge, “Where do you keep the tuna fish sandwiches?”

What we think of as sales is what I call customer service. The process is simple: define the problem or predicament or desire with the customer and then help them make a decision. That’s just good   business practice. The customer comes in for something, you have the something, or you have the solution. Hoping that your something is better, prettier, or smarter than the next guy’s.

That’s customer service.

So, the ice story. A perfect case of someone not delivering customer service but trying to sell the customer. Albany International Airport has about 4 or 5 places to buy coffee. One is Starbucks; the other is Mickey D’s, and then there are the no names. I love iced coffee. It’s what I drink instead of soda or pop. And what’s strange about that?

For the last three months I have been looking for iced coffee in the Albany Airport. No one except Mickey D’s has ice. But they’re at the other end of the airport and I usually go the other way.

So I keep asking for ice coffee at the normal no-name place I go to and they keep making excuses or rolling their eyes. Today Ms. Salesperson points me to the cooler and says everything in there is cold. Now that’s selling—and it doesn’t work. She dismissed my cries for help and tried to sell me a cold drink instead of what I wanted. There was no listening and no paying attention. So I explain it’s been 4 months and there’s still no ice at the coffee stands in terminal C. I ask her if she has ever heard of an airport without ice; to which she replies, “I’ve never been in any other airport!”

She tells me that McDonald’s has ice. Which is great, but she’s now sending a customer off to a competitor. If it were my coffee stand, I would have said “Watch my money and I will run down and get some ice.” Maybe I’m kidding and maybe not but the customer would if nothing else have been impressed with my commitment to her.

So I head on down about 4 blocks to McDonald’s and order a Big Mac — hold the meat and cheese — and an ice coffee, one pump of the flavored vanilla, 1% milk and the rest iced coffee, no sugar. I ask the cashier if she knows that no one other than Mickey D’s has ice.  To which she replies, how can you make your cold drinks really cold without ice?

My sentiments exactly.

Resources:

• McDonald’s
• Customer Service Blogs
• Albany Airport

Warren Buffet once said, "Price is what you pay and value is what you get."

Actually that's a pretty open-ended statement, and my hunch is the definition of value is different for all people. What Warren considers value is certainly different than what others consider value. From all that I've read, Warren eats meatloaf in his local diner and buys companies which he defines as having "built-in moats."  In the book "The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life" we find out that Warren has both a wife and a live-in girlfriend, more than I wanted to know about Warren, but it says something about Warren and of course what he values.

Value has changed over the years. In the old days, whenever people exchanged money for something you never even heard the word "value." When did the word value become important? It was more like an even exchange.  Value was getting the product, and "you get what you pay for" was a common retail theme.

Value is getting more than what you paid for. Customers are no longer interested in an even exchange.

When we buy products we will spend a lot of money if we feel we really need something. The retail price is a value that a seller thinks they can get for a product. The value of anything is determined by the supply and demand of that product. Sometimes it's hard to find what something is worth without trying to sell it for a lot of different prices. How do you know what to charge?

Many retailers undervalue what they offer; they also do standard mark ups on their products. They buy it for X and sell it for 2X. All of their prices are determined the same way. This doesn't help the consumer make decisions. Why? Because many of the prices are so similar that the customer can't tell the difference between the products. We don't expect the Mercedes to be the same price as a Ford; if the prices are similar Mercedes begins to look like they don't know what they're doing.

You either have the right customers to keep you in business or you don't.

Do you have too many similarly-priced products?

Do you undervalue your products?

Do you know what price your competitors are selling similar product for; do you think you have to undercut their prices to get sales?

The question is: what does retail value mean to you and your customer? If you undervalue yourself you can be sure your customers won't pay your prices.

Budget for a new reality

If you have an uncertain future, or think you might, then “scrub”your budget.

Build emergency savings for yourself and look at your major obligations. If you don’t want to give up your outside expenditures — trips to Starbucks, picking up a new cosmetic, that trip to the dollar store that never turns out to be a dollar — then plan to take less money with you and leave your credit cards at home. Take only enough cash to spend or make one less trip.

See how long you can keep that $20.00 in your wallet.

Refinance your house?

Take a look at the rates, what you save in both the short and long term. Sometimes the closing costs are as much as what you will save over the long run. This isn’t such a good deal.

Where is your money going?

Too many trips to the supermarket, buying large quanties and half gets thrown out because it doesn’t get used? Maybe this is the time to lose that weight your’ve been complaining about. You don’t have to eat less, just eat smart.

Get rid of your debt

Put away the credit cards, period. Start looking at what you’re buying and why. In the meantime, just don’t add anything to your debt. In times like these, since there is so much uncertainty, plan to make it easier in the future — not harder.

Check out these classic articles from Zen Habits on managing your finances in hard times.

• 8 Ways to Make Huge Savings in Your Budget
• 73 Great Debt Elimination Tips

Legal Sea Foods Knows!

So my friend and I decided to stop at a favorite restaurant, Legal Sea Foods. Legal Sea Foods started out as a market in Cambridge, MA and opened their first small restaurant next to the market in 1968. In 1994 they opened in Logan Airport outside of Boston. I have also discovered a LS in National Airport. The food is amazing and my friend who has eaten his way around the world says the clam chowder is second to none. I should also he add he never orders clam chowder—except at Legal Sea Foods.

At this point they operate over 30 family-owned restaurants, a mail-order business and a grocery products division. The Berkowitz family is into the third generation, which in itself flies against the statistics that 80% of third generation business go down the drain. My first culinary experience with LS was in the Logan Airport—what a surprise! Which leads me to why we should all take note.

Our server, Molly, was “texting” in our order. The device looks like a Blackberry but it’s called the Siva and is designed by Microsoft. The software it uses is called PAR. Molly has been accused of texting by the blue-haired bunch plenty of times. But she’s not — she’s doing her job the way it’s meant to be done. The Siva links the order directly to the kitchen, and if a customer has allergies she punches that in and everyone is alerted.

So, is Molly a good server, and does Legal Sea Foods have criteria for good service? Does she treat everyone well, up-sell when appropriate, mention the desserts and know how to present the right wine with the right fish? Well, with this technology, you might think it doesn’t matter so much. It’s all in her computer. The Siva can tell how long the customer stays at the table and what Molly is selling. In addition LS uses Ing@nico, which they call “pay at the table” so your credit card never leaves the guest’s hands.

While the technology is all well and good, it doesn’t replace the actual service and friendliness that Molly provides. She is a restaurant representative from their customer service department, essentially. And a large part of eating out — no matter how much we deny it — is being served and being served well.

So, if your store is based on technology, or your sales staff is able to be much more efficient with technology, don’t forget to check on whether they’re still using the same customer-service oriented approach that you trained them in. A computer does much to increase efficiency and measurement, but it can never replace a genuine smile and genuine hospitality.

Want a “Legal Clambake?” Legal Sea Foods offers full event planning, menu, staff, and the right equipment for an old-fashioned clambake. Contact 617-530-9455 or www.legalseafoods.com.

Everything I read and have thought about suggests that happy salespeople make happy customers. Lately I have begun to question that theory.  I know this sounds strange but I have been many places, seen happy people — or happily appearing — and they don’t seem to be doing any more for their customers than unhappy ones. A study by Cornell University in conjunction with  Fortune Magazine using the American Satisfaction Index measuring satisfaction  indicates in "some cases" a link between happy employees and happy customers. Another study conducted by Academy of Management Journal intimated that positive employee attitudes, in "some environments" directly effect attitudes.

What bothers me is "some cases" and in "some environments."

Why not "all" cases and "all" environments? Well, because it just isn’t so all the time — and it can't be. An interesting article by Rosa Chun and Gary Davies from the Manchester Business School in the UK believes this to be the case. Actually they call the idea that happy employees always make happy customer is "wishful thinking." I knew I had a problem as do many other business owners. Most businesses would like to believe it's so but it "just ain’t necessarily so" (I think that’s the name of an old jazz tune). In fact their study showed the factors that increased customer satisfaction actually decreased employee satisfaction. So, who makes who happy and is it important?

In order to run a good business, you first have to know what "good business" is. To make money and have repeat business, customers must be satisfied. Granted some customers are a lot harder to please than others and some appear to not be interested in being satisfied, but that’s another story.

But there is plenty of data to suggest a link between happy customers and higher profits. What makes it work?

If satisfied customers are your goal then you will have to first define what satisfied means. Is a satisfied customer one who pays the bill on time, writes you a glowing testimonial or sends you a referral? It’s easy to see how these connections can make you money.  Creating satisfied customers is certainly a worthwhile goal — it's doubtful that an unhappy customer will shop in your store.

Once you determine what you want you will have to teach it to your salespeople. Once you teach them, watch to see that they do it right.This is the place where many businesses fail; they fail in accountability 101– keeping  track and rewarding performance. I knew a retailer — now out of business for the third time — who was never interested in making customers happy. Everyone including the salespeople knew his philosophy: get the money and get out of town. The US is a pretty big country and last I heard he was considering another journey around the perimeter.

Nordstom, on the other hand, has a long history of accountability to their customers.  From the legendary story of a Nordstrom representative taking back a set of tires from a disgruntled customer (Nordstrom doesn't even sell tires), to their policy of having associates come out from behind the counter to hand you your purchase, make eye contact and thank you by name, Nordstrom continues to live a philosophy of accountability and of service.

No More Excuses Fast Company
It is appropriate to reward employees for doing a job well; in fact tying customer service to your employees' paychecks is a great way to  "produce" happy customers. Too many businesses talk about providing customer service but don’t hold their employees accountable.

Salespeople are rewarded for producing sales, not necessarily happy customers. Occasionally I shop at this fancy clothing store; they really have the most interesting and unusual clothing. The salespeople are happy but that happiness never translates to how they treat me. A year ago I had an allergy attack in the store while looking at some dresses and my friend ran to the drug store to get me an antihistamine to stop the rash that suddenly was creeping from my arms to the rest of my body. It was  quite obvious that I was in distress but the best they could do was offer me a cup of coffee as they went back to their chit chat.

Remember, in business as in life, you get what you reward.

Resources

• Employee Happiness Isn’t Enough to Satisfy Customers
• AccountAbility