dispatches from the new world of work

100 Ways to Succeed #84:

If The Envelope Doesn't Fit, Forget It!
(So Check on the Envelopes.)

My local Starbucks stayed open a few minutes late—and fetched something already put away—to fill my order.

When I handed my other local Starbucks my thermos yesterday morning, they filled it up without question, even though that's a non-standard order. (I think they under-charged me—a two ventis price for what doubtless was three ventis in quantity. Oh, and they thoroughly washed the thermos before filling it without request.)

My local Whole Foods opens at 8:00 a.m. Several of us were waiting. They opened at about 7:45. And those folks define helpful—I got a full-bore dissertation on various cuts of beef, among other things.

Stanford sent me a questionnaire in prep for my MBA reunion. (# ???) I took some pains to fill it out. When I got ready to mail it, I discovered that it didn't fit into the envelope they'd enclosed—I tore the questionnaire up and tossed it in the recycle bin. (Ever wonder what's wrong with MBA programs? Lack of attention to misfitting envelopes! Think I'm kidding?)

Do you bend over backwards to go "beyond the book" to help customers? Do you open earlier than advertised? Are your envelopes the right size?

The 25 companies that made BusinessWeek's first "Customer Service Champs" list are very, very, very, very, very serious about the "little things."

And you?
Personally?
Your team?
Your company?
How do you know?
For sure?
What are you doing about it?
Today?
Now?

"Big aims" (I believe in them religiously!) are plain silliness without the "little" things executed to perfection—and constantly beyond the "best practices" you designed yourself.

"Little things"—I love the word "fanatic."

("Big" keys to "little" things: great hiring practices emphasizing "soft" factors, great and extensive and enjoyable training, fun, celebrations, routinely using words like "Wow," managers who are out and about, etc., etc.)

Tom Peters posted this on 03/05/07.

Comments

There's a Starbucks and WFM in Tinmouth, VT?

Posted by Red Island Rhodes at March 5, 2007 11:29 AM

Nah, in Boston where Susan & I spend a lot of time in the winter in particular.

Posted by tom peters at March 5, 2007 12:06 PM

I think someone is a great envelope salesperson - my business school did the same thing. Needless to say, the survey did not get returned.

As for Wholefoods. I couldn't agree more. We have one right around the corner that is like no other WF I've ever been in. Small, kind of dark, cramped and always crowded, but a fabulous place to shop. Sometimes the staff can be agonizing to work with, not because they don't care, but because they almost go overboard trying to be helpful.

Ask a simple question and someone will lead you all over the store showing you multiple ways to answer it. Order a sandwich and it seems to take forever because the person making it is trying to make make your lunch memorable. I love the place.

Posted by Andrew Hayden at March 5, 2007 12:29 PM

I caught a quick chuckle from this as I recalled a visit to the Post office when I stood outside the door peering in, along with all of the other customers who gathered in line, waiting until exactly 9:00am when one of the employees would slowly meander over to unlock the door. Not a minute sooner! I imagined the panic in their minds "if we open the doors at 8:50am, the customers will come in and expect to be served...next thing you know they'll be showing up at 8:30...then 8!" And all I could think is heaven forbid businesses design their services around the needs of their customers!

Posted by Darci at March 5, 2007 1:05 PM

I agree...it's amazing how the little things can really make or break an experience. If you do things like use the right size envelopes, your experience would have been good. If they had pre-stamped and pre-addressed it for you, it might have been a great experience. But because they didn't bother to even give you the right size envelope, your experience turned bad in a hurry. Little things really DO make a difference!

Posted by Amy Prior at March 5, 2007 1:28 PM

Your schools probably did this on purpose because they really didn't want to know what you thought. If you gave them criticisms, they might have to actually act on it and do something, which is contrary to academic bureaucracies everywhere.

Posted by Mike at March 5, 2007 1:39 PM

Let's focus on little things that matter TO CUSTOMERS above and beyond useless "administrivia"

PS: And Jetblue got scratched off BW's list at the last minute... basically for JB being way too zealous with having all flights depart, no matter what...

Posted by G Salcido at March 5, 2007 4:43 PM

Annie and I stayed in a lovely hotel in Glasgow last year and the thing we both remember most is the little sticker on the toilet roll holding the paper together - just a little touch . Was the food good? Was the customer care good? Was the cleanliness good? - I think so but the thing we talk about most is the little sticker. There really is message here about 'sweating the small stuff.'

Posted by Trevor Gay at March 5, 2007 6:54 PM

Taking care of the little things is not just for the customer, but also for ourselves. It is a discipline of pride and performance. The question for me is dealing with clients who are not interested in the little things, and as a result that don't take care of their responsibilities. This is why customer service is a relationship, not merely a transaction. Some how the relationship has to elevate both parties performance. That is the challenge that I find most daunting.
Good insights, Tom.

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Posted by Ed Brenegar at March 6, 2007 6:32 AM

I felt that I should share the information on how seriously one company takes their surveys. I thoughtfully and honestly answered a survey that Odyssey Cruises sent. There were a few critical pieces missing to making ours a satisfying experience and they offered us the opportunity to let them prove that they could do better. Will I speak of them more positively - you bet. Would I have shared my dissatisfaction - absolutely!

Posted by Christy Stadelmaier at March 6, 2007 11:53 AM

I can now breathe a big sigh of relief. I am so glad to hear that there are others that sweat the little stuff. I had a meeting yesterday about how my company creates and presents proposals to corporate customers. My basic opinion is that if it is a million dollar opportunity it should feel like one (presentation materials, documents, business cards all with the same font!!!). If it is a $10 deal it should still feel like a million dollar deal.

After sitting through several hours of people 'nodding to end the meeting' I felt like (and was told) that I was the only one that cares about trivial little details. TP thanks for hosting a forum where indeed I can have a sanity check.

Posted by Tom Frazier at March 6, 2007 5:32 PM

Tom,

Your comment "great and extensive and enjoyable training" caught me at the right, or wrong, moment, depending on how you look at it. I read this blog shortly after I'd approached my boss about participating in the Quinnipiac Business Leadership Forum that you will be at on March 16. The following questions ensued; What do you need that training for, you've had leadership training. What about the eight hours time off required? "I"ll have to think about about it and get back to you". I told him not to think too hard about it, I'll pay for it myself and take a vacation day. As a project manager (on large engineer/procure/construct projects) I'm always looking for opportunities to stay a little ahead of the game. If I could I'd drag him to the Forum as well. See you there. Mike

Posted by Mike at March 9, 2007 8:58 AM