One of my father's favorite sayings was, "If you have found that you have dug yourself into a hole, the very first thing you have to do is stop digging!"
We all get ourselves in trouble sometimes. It may be in our professional or personal lives. It may be in big ways or small. It happens to all of us.
When we realize that we have "dug ourselves into a hole" we need to determine what we did that got us into that situation and then stop doing it! It sounds so simple, and yet it can be very difficult. It forces us to honestly look at ourselves and our actions. It then forces us to evaluate what we did, why, and make corrections. Self-evaluation and change are hard!
If we do not, however, we will find that we will never get out of the hole that we have dug for ourselves.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Customer Satisfaction Surveys: If You Don't Want to Know, Don't Ask
A few weeks ago I took my car into the dealership for routine maintenance. I really like my car! I like the dealership. Everyone is professional and the environment is pleasant.
The service person said that I would be receiving a survey and to please give him all 10's or he would "fail." Later I heard another employee tell another customer the same thing.
When I got the survey, 10 equated to "truly exceptional." The dealership is very good, but to get a "truly exceptional" it needs to wash the inside as well as outside of my car; provide me with a private office to conduct business while I wait; and offer me cheese, crackers, fruit, and chocolate as a snack (for free) instead of the standard vending machine offerings. (And with me being a dietitian, this would have to be done while maintaining time/temperature control and avoid cross contamination!) In other words, it needs to do things that no one else does. Isn't that the definition of truly exceptional?
I ignored the first survey. The service manager sent a second. I emailed him back stating I wasn't going to waste my time with filling out a survey when obviously the dealership just wanted good grades rather than knowing what I really thought. I equated it to giving a child an A just for showing up for class. He did not respond!
I will return to the dealership because it is good. But I am not going to inflate grades. And I am not going to waste my time when the dealership really is not interested.
If you are conducting customer satisfaction surveys, I encourage you to question why you are really doing it. Is it just to show off your high scores? Or is it to really learn what your customers think and how you can improve? There is a difference!
The service person said that I would be receiving a survey and to please give him all 10's or he would "fail." Later I heard another employee tell another customer the same thing.
When I got the survey, 10 equated to "truly exceptional." The dealership is very good, but to get a "truly exceptional" it needs to wash the inside as well as outside of my car; provide me with a private office to conduct business while I wait; and offer me cheese, crackers, fruit, and chocolate as a snack (for free) instead of the standard vending machine offerings. (And with me being a dietitian, this would have to be done while maintaining time/temperature control and avoid cross contamination!) In other words, it needs to do things that no one else does. Isn't that the definition of truly exceptional?
I ignored the first survey. The service manager sent a second. I emailed him back stating I wasn't going to waste my time with filling out a survey when obviously the dealership just wanted good grades rather than knowing what I really thought. I equated it to giving a child an A just for showing up for class. He did not respond!
I will return to the dealership because it is good. But I am not going to inflate grades. And I am not going to waste my time when the dealership really is not interested.
If you are conducting customer satisfaction surveys, I encourage you to question why you are really doing it. Is it just to show off your high scores? Or is it to really learn what your customers think and how you can improve? There is a difference!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Older Americans Month
May is Older Americans Month. It is an occasion to show support and appreciation of our seniors. The theme for 2011 is "Fulfilling the Promise."
For additional information, including information on "Connecting Generations Video Challenge" and "The Community Connection Video Game Tournament," go to http://olderamericansmonth.org/. Another great resource is the U.S. Administration on Aging, http://aoa.gov/AoARoot/Press_Room/Observances/2011/Older_Americans.aspx.
Let's show a little support for those that have done so much for us!
For additional information, including information on "Connecting Generations Video Challenge" and "The Community Connection Video Game Tournament," go to http://olderamericansmonth.org/. Another great resource is the U.S. Administration on Aging, http://aoa.gov/AoARoot/Press_Room/Observances/2011/Older_Americans.aspx.
Let's show a little support for those that have done so much for us!
Monday, May 9, 2011
National Nursing Home Week
Did you know that May 8-14 is National Nursing Home Week? This week provides a formal opportunity to acknowledge and honor the contributions of residents, employees, families, and volunteers. The theme this year is "Fulfilling the Promise."
For more information, go to The American Health Care Association website at http://www.ahcancal.org/events/national_nursing_home_week/Pages/default.aspx. Resources for planning and community and media outreach are included.
For more information, go to The American Health Care Association website at http://www.ahcancal.org/events/national_nursing_home_week/Pages/default.aspx. Resources for planning and community and media outreach are included.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Success Strategy: "If You Always Do..."
"If you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you have always got."
I have not been able to find who originally said this. (If anyone knows, let me know!) There is a great deal of wisdom in this statement, however. How many times do we continue to do the same things, or think the same ways, or behave in the same manner, and then wonder why our life does not change? More than we should!
If we truly want to succeed in our professional and personal lives, we need to look at what we do not like, what we did to get there, and do something different!
We also need to look at what we like about our lives, how we got there, and continue to repeat it. I would guess that most of us do more good things than we do bad. We just need to figure out which is which, keep the good, and change the bad.
I have not been able to find who originally said this. (If anyone knows, let me know!) There is a great deal of wisdom in this statement, however. How many times do we continue to do the same things, or think the same ways, or behave in the same manner, and then wonder why our life does not change? More than we should!
If we truly want to succeed in our professional and personal lives, we need to look at what we do not like, what we did to get there, and do something different!
We also need to look at what we like about our lives, how we got there, and continue to repeat it. I would guess that most of us do more good things than we do bad. We just need to figure out which is which, keep the good, and change the bad.
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