10/26/2019

IMpatience is all around us. 😖


No doubt about it…FALL..ISHERE…and thank goodness because I was getting tired of waiting!

 

Something I noticed a few months ago that really surprises me – about me – I am growing in my IMpatience.  And while I am sure you are doing better than me – you are probably growing more impatient too. 

 

The particular "A-HA" moment was a few months ago after my bride and I had ordered a coffee and we had to wait an entire 5 minutes for them to call my name. "JAY, YOUR NITRO COLD BREW IS READY.." Sadly, this revelation occurred to me as I looked around the coffee shop and saw (literally) everybody around us with a look of disgust and frustration on their faces too. 

 

"HOW DARE THIS BUSINESS TAKE FIVE WHOLE MINUTES OF OUR LIVES WAITING ON COFFEE – SURELY THEY CAN MOVE FASTER THAN THAT!" – ok, I really didn't think or say this…but I probably looked like I did.

 

I did think to myself – "wow, how crazy is it that I am very impatiently sitting here (and all the people around us) waiting for a silly cup of coffee".

 

THE REALITY:  We live and do business in a culture of impatience.  Can you imagine if waiting for a coffee causes frustration – consider what bank customers could experience.  

 

Sure, there are people who are very patient – and I hope you are one of them – but as I look around I have come to the conclusion that we live in and serve in a culture (very) full of people growing in impatience toward those of us serving customers.

 

Not long ago I read a book by HORST SCHULZE (called "Excellence Wins")wherein he shares about the differences between serving customers (and their patience) back when he co-founded the Ritz Carlton in the early 1980's in contrast to today… this a high end – swanky hotel chain. 

 

In the early 1980's Horst had actually determined via a study of their customers…that they felt very well taken care of…IF… when they arrived to "check in" they were served within 4 ½ minutes.  Fast forward to a similar study in ~2018…the current Ritz Carlton customers feel totally dissatisfied IF they are not served within about 30 seconds.    THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE. 

 

I believe our customers (and you and I) are similar..

 

All of this to say – WE NEED TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THE CULTURE OF CUSTOMER WE ARE SERVING. 

 

So, a quick challenge for you:  the next time you go ANYWHERE (other than a Dr's office) – see how long it takes you to be served.  Better yet, send a text message to your pals and see how impatient you are in receiving a response.

 

OUR OPPORTUNITY:  to "flip the script" and serve customers politely, timely, answer the phone quickly, ask great questions and deliver in a big way AND ALWAYS Keep the "culture of impatience" on your mind as you serve customers.  

 

We should all be more patient as we deal with each other… and shop…and go to restaurants…and even order coffee, etc…but the reality is many of us (and our customers) usually are not very patient. 

 

You may be asking ask.. "So Jay…why does this matter?"

 

1)     We serve people like us.

2)     We serve people (in general) with low expectations of service and timeliness.  Because not many people/places deliver.

3)     We live in a culture of impatience.

4)     We should apply the "PLATINUM RULE" with customers (and each other) each and every day:

a.     THE PLATINUM RULE: "Treat others better than you want to be treated."

 

We do an incredible job of taking care of customers…but we need to never take them (or each other) for granted.  


As Horst says in his book…"We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen."

 

Serve Well and Serve using THE PLATINUM RULE.

 

Have a great week!!

 

Jay

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Thanks!
Jay