dispatches from the new world of work

Thought of the Day: To Get Service Give Service!

Sounds a bit like the Golden Rule—and I guess it is. This is obvious: If I treat EVERY service provider as my CUSTOMER (even when they are having a bad day) ... then I radically increase the odds of getting good-great service from my "customer." This notion is a first-class "Duh," but it struck me anew yesterday. I went into an electronics shop and badly needed help. The only clerk in the store is in no danger of winning the "employee of the month" award. Yet I showered him with love & affection, as it were, and got an unfair share of his time-attention; in the end he offered pretty damn good advice. (Moreover I didn't let the little prick ruin MY day! And he actually wasn't a L.P., he was mostly left holding the bag by his manager—perhaps a B.P.)

Hence my "golden rule" du jour: My service provider is my customer. To get good service give good service to those who service you.

As I said: Duh!

Tom Peters posted this on 06/15/06.

Comments

People seem to have human traits - everyone wants to feel special - we get back what we put out there.

Posted by Sean at June 15, 2006 8:54 AM

"we get back what we put out there"--ain't it true!

Posted by tom peters at June 15, 2006 9:20 AM

Tom,
Wow! What a powerful idea. This is an obvious strategy but I had never thought of it in those terms. I have often use examples of poor service that I have received as examples for my staff. Using this strategy will "cut down on my examples but I would rather receive good service.There will still be no shortage of inferior service.

I have read a number of your books but just discovered your Blog. I am at stage one in developing a blog for my own , small,CPA tax firm.

Posted by Ron Lykins at June 15, 2006 9:54 AM

Ron, this idea just occurred to me. (Thoough some credit goes to former Texas governor Ann Richards. At a speech once she said, "Bite your tongue and remember that at thet moment the airline checkin person is the ONLY PERSON who can make your life easier.")

Good luck with the Blog--I'm especially keen on Blogging by the likes of "small CPA tax firms"!!

Posted by tom peters at June 15, 2006 12:10 PM

Great!! Try it without looking at what you "Get". Then see what you "Get". More than you planned for is my guess. Giving positive motivation to people around you is a Win Win under all circumstances. I'm sensing some Covey coming out. If any readers have not read the 7 Habits and the 8th from Steven Covey they should head straight to the book store now.

Posted by Frank J. Foti at June 15, 2006 12:33 PM

Actually I like reading this post right after the earlier one about internal customers. It's the stuff my mother taught me about treating everyone with respect, even if they're having a bad day.

Or you can take the advice of Buddy Cianci, Mayor of Providence: "Remember, the toes you step on today may be connected to the ass you have to kiss tomorrow."

Being polite and helpful is not pointless, it's good business. One of the things that helped my father-in-law have an extravagantly successful career at a great big company is his wonderful manners. It's a good example.

Posted by Wally Bock at June 15, 2006 3:22 PM

An additional comment (spinning off the earlier discussion of "the problem is rarely the problem"): If you encounter a problem, and need to talk to a customer service person about it, always begin with the assumption that that person wants to SOLVE your problem as much as you do. Also, remember that that person most likely did not CAUSE your problem. If I'm a customer service rep, whose problem am I more likely to put my best efforts into solving: (1) "YOU SCREWED UP, YOU IDIOT!" or (2) "Can you please help me with something?"

Posted by Paula at June 15, 2006 4:07 PM

This same idea was explored by a Stanford Industrial Engineering Ph.D by the name of Jean Louise Kahwajy. See her 2000 thesis:

Toward a theory of social receiving : effects of target openness and modifiability on expectancy confirmation processes
Kahwajy, Jean Louise.

By the way her thesis advisor was Robert Sutton.

Posted by L.J. Scott at June 15, 2006 5:49 PM

Wally: Go Buddy! Providence transformed! (And a little stuck to his pocket.) My stepson graduated from RISD 2 Junes ago--he was a Buddy fan; had a "Save Buddy" sign in his window during the trial.

Posted by tom peters at June 15, 2006 9:58 PM

Wow!! now we really are on to something- treat people with respect and you get it back - whatever will we think of next? :-)

Posted by Trevor Gay at June 16, 2006 3:49 PM

Trevor, as some one said, "It's a funny old world."

Posted by tom peters at June 17, 2006 8:53 AM

GIVE AND KEEP GIVING VALUE = HEALTH AND WEALTH ROI - almost always.

Posted by Sean at June 17, 2006 11:23 AM

I agree with the sentiment. I think referring to the assistant as an LP kind of destroys the intent. I also wonder how many customers would read this and wonder "what does he think of me if he thinks his suppliers are LPs?

Nevertheless, treating everyone with respect costs nothing and puts positive energy into the world.

Posted by Bill Quinn at June 20, 2006 11:54 AM

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SERVICE INDUSTRY & MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY...TO ME, "EVERYBODY IS IN SERVICE". PERIOD.

Posted by K.Sriram at June 20, 2006 9:18 PM

Wasn't it Isaac Newton who discovered that bit about action and its relative reaction?

But you have said it better...

Posted by Vinod Dumblekar at June 22, 2006 12:18 PM