Greg Smith is the President and Lead Navigator of Chart Your Course International. He shows executives and business owners how to become better leaders and transform their organizations into exceptional places to work. He focuses on helping businesses hire the right people,retain them as long as possible and accelerate their performance so they are as productive as possible. He has guided hundreds of organizations with measurable improvements in reduced employee turnover,increased sales and better customer service.
Money may attract employees to the front door,but something else has to keep them from going out the back. Managing people takes an entirely different approach than it did just a year ago. Managers and supervisors must place equal importance on employee development as they do on customer satisfaction and retention. Today’s workers don’t just expect a paycheck,but good employees also want personal fulfillment and a sense of accomplishment.
Reward and recognition programs are a vital part of creating a motivating work environment. A successful reward and recognition program does not have to be complicated to be effective. A well-administered program allows people to celebrate success,have fun,and feel good about who they are and whom they work for.
The size of your organization and the age of your workforce dictates which type of program works best. One organization improved motivation and almost eliminated turnover by creating a family environment including special incentives.
Every year employees celebrate their work anniversary with a cake and receive $100 for each year employed made out in a check.
Twice a year employees’ children receive a $50 savings bond when they bring in their “all A’s” report card.
They reward employees with a “Safety Bonus Program.” Each employee’s driving record is screened twice a year. Anyone who has a citation is removed from the program. Those employees remaining at the end of the year split $2000.
To minimize the “we-they” syndrome,every Friday employees rotate jobs for one hour. For example,the person in the Sales Department works on the front desk. Someone from Maintenance will work in the Customer Service etc. This builds a stronger team and improves communication within the company.
One of the easiest and most effective programs to initiate is peer recognition. Peer recognition gives employees the power to reward each other for doing a good job. It works because employees themselves know who works hard and deserves recognition. After all,managers can’t be everywhere all the time,and employees are in the best position to catch people doing the right things.
Queen or King for the Quarter. Dayton Metro Housing created the QUEST program to reward their workforce for demonstrating good customer service skills. Each quarter,employees receive three tokens. When they spot a fellow employee or manager providing good customer service,they hand them a QUEST token. At the end of the quarter,the person with the highest number of tokens is crowned king or queen. Those with eight or more tokens are “knighted.” All the King,Queens,and Knights attend a special banquet. At the end of the year all token winners can use their tokens to bid on various awards and prizes. Furthermore,the individual with the highest yearly number of tokens is bequeathed a “scepter.”
You’re Magnificent! At the MAG Insurance Company they use a form of recognition called “You’re Magnificent!” The form is printed in triplicate and given to all employees to nominate each other for outstanding behavior. The top copy goes to the recognized employee. The second copy goes to the employee’s supervisor. The third copy is posted for everyone to see on a bulletin board. Once a month they take the posted copies and randomly draw the names of five individuals called,“You’re Magnificents” for $10 gift certificates. Then three additional “Magnificents” are drawn each quarter for a $250 gift certificate.
Safety Bingo. For every accident free day at the Emory Conference Center Hotel,associates are awarded a bingo number. Each associate has a card and plays the game. A pot grows at the rate of $1 per day with a starting amount of $100. The associate who wins at safety bingo is awarded the cash in the pot. If they go over 100 days without an accident,it increases by $2 per day. If we have an accident,the pot falls back down to $100 and it starts over again. If someone wins,the pot remains at same pay out level,and continues to grow $1 or $2 per day. This program reduced accidents by 50% each year.
Guess Whose Pet This Is? At Industrial Developments International,the “Esprit” Committee organizes fun activities such as the Pet of the Month contest. A pet’s picture is put on the bulletin board and they guess who the owner is.
In its “Thank You Coupon” program,the Texas Credit Union gives each employee seven coupons a year to give to any employees they wish to recognize for going out of their way to help customers or fellow employees. The coupons are redeemed for $10 certificates for food,movies,golf,and the like. Everyone in the company,from the president and vice presidents down,is eligible for a coupon.
A work environment that attracts,keeps,and motivates its workforce is one that gives workers a sense of pride,accomplishment,and purpose in what they do. These informal programs provide an effective strategy for motivating employees and they are simple to administer. They do not cost much,do not take much time,and do not complicate the payroll. Instead of providing cash incentives,you can substitute by providing winners with extra breaks,movie tickets,time off,t-shirts,and other small gifts.
Greg Smith speaks about how a bus driver transformed his experience on a bus ride to the Atlanta airport. Greg Smith is a keynote speaker and author. One great employee is better than 100 average employees. One person can change your life,transform your attitude,grow your business and create a powerful bond with your customers.
Greg Smith | Lead Navigator | 770-860-9464 | Chart Your Course International
There is a direct correlation between bad management and high employee turnover.
Have you ever experienced a situation similar to this?
The president of the company was frustrated as he watched the sales slide lower during the past four quarters. The leadership team had a brainstorming session and decided the problem was their people. They needed to “motivate” them. So they spent several thousand dollars and hired a motivational speaker to get their workforce fired up.
She gave a great speech and told everyone to think positively,dream big and to make a list of the top ten goals they needed to do to improve their sales. Then they spent another thousand dollars purchasing motivational posters and hung them on the walls around the office. Management was happy thinking this would solve their problem.
Sales improved for about a month and then in predictable fashion,sales started dropping again. So they fired the sales manager and hired a new one to rev up the sales team. Morale plummeted and then their best sales people started quitting one after one. OMG!
Now what? What did they do wrong? What would you do?
The problem was not the people,but the sales process. Yes,it is important you hire the right people,but most of the time the real culprit is not the people,but bad management,bad processes and systems that hamper motivation,growth and efficiency. People want to do a good job. It is up to management to help them,not blame them.
My experience shows me 30% of what most people do at work is non-value added—wasteful rules,policies and sign off. Departments don’t talk to each other and their bureaucratic and diseased processes hamper and frustrate motivated people. When this goes on too long,it demotivates and as a result sales will drop,communication becomes dysfunctional,people become frustrated and employee turnover increases.
You can hire all the motivational speakers you want and hang all the inspirational posters you can buy,but if you don’t fix the real problems,processes,eliminate the bureaucracy and deliver great service you are dead in the water. Optimize your organization first—then bring in the marching bands and motivational speakers. You will have something to celebrate—I guarantee it!
Recognized as a dynamic motivational speaker and leading authority on change management,leadership development and business transformation. Smith teaches people how to build a high energy workplaces that accelerate performance,generate more profits,increases sales and provide outstanding leadership. As a professional motivational keynote speaker and business author,Smith’s motivational and inspirational presentations have been heard by audiences in over 26 countries. He has spoken to hundreds of business associations,human resource associations,healthcare organizations and businesses.
Greg Smith | Lead Navigator | 770-860-9464 | Chart Your Course International
DISC CERTIFICATION GROUP COACHING TRAINING PROGRAM (Live webseminar)
Our DISC training programs provide you with the skills and knowledge in using our assessments to empower individuals,enhance team performance,employee selection and to improve communication.
Upon successful completion of the training,you may teach and conduct workshops in your organization or training practice. Each class is limited to five people.
Upcoming dates:
January Class
Jan 10,12,23 2:00-3:30 ET
February Class Feb 6,9,14 2:00-3:30 ET
March Class
Mar 5,7,12
Limited seating Cost:$895
For more information click here ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ DISC ONE-ON-ONE PERSONALIZED CERTIFICATION TRAINING CLASS
Greg will arrange a time to meet your personal time schedule. Includes the facilitator kit and certification exam.
Cost:$1295 For more information call us at 770-860-9464 or 800-821-2487 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ MASTER CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIORAL STRATEGIST PROGRAM (Two Days)
Upcoming Sessions:
January 24th &25th
Held in Atlanta or onsite at your business location
What do I get excited about? Ever since I was a kid I felt I had a calling,that I had a purpose in life. I had a passion to make a difference in the world. I knew I wanted to be a leader. I served in the Army for many years and was fortunate to serve under some outstanding leaders and learn from the best. Since those days I have trained other leaders,coached executives and helped to develop hundreds of organizations in over 26 different countries. Along the way,I have helped raise three children and a granddaughter. I have learned many things,but the one piece of knowledge that has always been foremost in my mind is the importance of a leader. A leader is not merely a title or job description,it is an action. Leadership is more about heart and soul than about education or a diploma on the wall. A person only becomes a leader after he or she has proven themselves – ratified themselves in the hearts and minds of those they are leading.
Joel Barker has the best definition of leadership. He says,“A leader is a person you would follow to a place you would not go to by yourself.”
I would like to hear from you on some of the best leaders you admire and why? What makes a person a great leader?
Greg Smith | Lead Navigator | 770-860-9464 | Chart Your Course International
For the sixth year in a row,the category of sales representative is one of the top two hardest jobs to fill globally,according to Manpower Group’s 2011 Talent Shortage Survey results.
Another study shows that only 44 percent of respondents attended any kind of formal sales training. However,the Accelerating Revenue Through Learning Study by ES Research Group and ASTD indicates that 96 percent of respondents think that continuous learning is critical to their success.
When you combine a talent shortage with the current lack of training,it creates a perfect storm for problems generating revenue from an area that is critical for an organization’s success.
Although many employers may be delaying hiring due to the economy,they may be surprised later when the labor market becomes tighter. Relevant and exceptional training attracts and retains the best skilled workers. This could be bad news for organizations that are reducing or eliminating training. The storm continues to build,and better and more focused training is necessary to weather it.
And the Surveys Say …
The Manpower Group study points to the following factors,among others,contributing to the shortage of top talent:
Lack of knowledge of business or industry-specific qualifications
Lack of “hard”or technical skills
Lack of “soft”or interpersonal communication skills
In addition,the Accelerating Revenue Through Learning Study names the following factors:
An increasingly complex sales environment Tech-savvy customers conducting their own independent research
The expansion of strategic procurement
Increased competition
Customers who want consultative guidance from people they trust
Given the findings of these two surveys,it is safe to say that without a formalized training process,salespeople won’t be equipped with the tools they need for success. Furthermore,companies cannot hope to retain the best talent or attract the right talent when they are ready to hire.
Here are some more startling facts:Fifty-eight percent of those surveyed for the Accelerating Revenue study said that they believe better selling and influencing skills are highly important in their positions.
Sixty-one percent said they need frameworks,approaches and methodologies they can customize,in order to effectively leverage the sales training they have received.
Finally,the majority of respondents said that relationship-building,problem-solving and listening are critical skills for their jobs.
Desperately Seeking a Solution?
It’s time to become aggressive to stem the tide and weather the storm. Vital Learning’s Customer-Oriented Selling™ is both comprehensive and flexible as a sales skills development tool. The program teaches both process and interpersonal skills to build successful and trusting business relationships,so your customers get what they need to achieve their objectives. In Customer-Oriented Selling,participants learn the following:
How to determine the customer’s objectives and situation factors
How to understand and use key,customer-focused communication skills
Valuable pre- and post-call analysis techniques
How to conduct sales calls using a proven four-phase customer-focused sales process
How to effectively handle obstacles without feeling uncomfortable or becoming adversarial
The program allows organizations to tailor videos and role-play scenarios to their customers,products and services. In addition,one-,two- and three-day implementation options are available.
To help organizations provide ongoing support and measurement,Vital Learning offers a two-hour Skill Builder seminar for in-field follow-up. This seminar gives participants hands-on experience in practicing the program’s skills and methods.
When a talent shortage converges with a need for better skills,hire smart and train well. Your sales team will be more confident in reaching their numbers because you are providing a more strategic approach to training —one targeted to their needs.
Most businesses spend more time and energy trying to find new customers than retaining and making their current ones happy. The logic behind customer retention management (CRM) is simple —It costs far less money to keep customers happy than to spend much more money replacing the unhappy ones with new customers. If you take care of your customers they tell their friends about your business and will in the long run end up spending more money. It is not rocket science. Let me provide you an example of what I am talking about.
I dread eating at airports. If you travel as much as I do,you are probably familiar with the “Three G’s”as it applies to airport fare—Grumpy,Grouchy and Gross.
Recently,I had an early flight to catch at the Ontario,California airport. I found myself standing outside the closed and gated doorway to an Applebee’s restaurant ten minutes before opening time. I just knew they would be late opening the doors and I expected to receive the usual grumpy service common at most airports. I was wrong!
Bam! The clock struck five,the lights popped on and this charming and professional person opened the doors. She greeted me with a smile,a warm “hello”and told me to sit anywhere I wanted. I never had seen such a positive attitude at 5:00 in the morning.
As I enjoyed my meal,I watched her cheerfully greet customers,many of which she called by their first name. They were the “regulars”she said. Felicia was the remarkable person who made that small restaurant pleasant and memorable. Next time I return to the Ontario Airport,I guarantee you this is the place I will go to first.
Here are seven steps to build customer loyalty.
1. Select the right people. In the book,From Good to Great,Jim Collins said,“People are not your most important asset,the RIGHT people are.”Most businesses do a miserable job hiring people. They hire just anyone,provide little or no training and place them on the front-line with customers. Spend more time recruiting and hiring the right people with good personalities. Focus on those who are friendly and demonstrate an interest and enthusiasm for the job.
2. Sensationalize the experience for your customers. Good service is not good enough. A Gallup survey showed a customer who is “emotionally connected” to your place of business is likely to spend 46% more money than a customer who is merely “satisfied”but not emotionally bonded.
3. Set performance standards. Outline the behaviors of how employees should act,speak and respond to customer needs and requests. One of our clients developed twenty customer service commandments outlining the actions and behaviors he wanted his service people to provide to customers.
4. Sustain on-going training and reinforcement. Good customer service skills are not natural for most people. Effective customer service training must be reinforced and taught on a recurring basis. For example,the Ritz-Carlton hotels provide a thorough customer service training program for all of its employees during their orientation. Then each supervisor conducts a daily “line-up”to review one of the commandments with his employees ten minutes before each shift.
5. Shower good employees with rewards and recognition. It is hard to find and keep good employees. So do everything in your power to retain and motivate them. Sure,employees want to be paid well,but they also want to be treated with respect and shown appreciation. The front-line supervisor has the greatest impact on motivating and retaining employees.
6. Survey your customers and reduce your defection rate. On average,businesses lose 15-20 percent of their customers each year to their competition. All businesses encounter this,but few do much about it. To improve retention,one client sends out a customer service report card to its top customers every month. This requires an evaluation based on four specific criteria. They tally the results and make sure employees see the scores. This motivates the employees to do a better job.
7. Seek customer complaints with enthusiasm. For every complaint there are at least 10 other customers that visited your business who have the same criticism. A portion of those 10 people just took their business to your competitor. Look at customer complaints as an opportunity for improvement.
DISC Certification Group Coaching Training Program (Webseminar)
Upon successful completion of the training,you may teach and conduct workshops in your organization or training practice. Each class is limited to five people.
