"The only thing worse than training your staff and having them leave, is not training them and having them stay".
Check out these worrying staff sightings from around the UK. Ask yourself, 'Is this my staff?'
Worrying Employee Sighting #1
My daughter and I went through the McDonald's take-out window and I gave the girl a £5 note. Our total was £4.20, so I also handed her a Twenty pence piece She said, 'you gave me too much money.' I said, 'Yes I know, but that way you can just give me a pound back .'
She was puzzled and went to get the manager who asked me to repeat my request. I did so, and he handed me back the 20 pence and said 'We're sorry but they could not do that kind of thing.' The girl then proceeded to give me back 80 pence in change!
Do not confuse the staff at MacDonald's.
Worrying Employee Sighting #2
We had to have the garage door repaired. The GARADOR repairman told us that one of our problems was that we did not have a 'large' enough motor on the opener. I thought for a minute, and said that we had the largest one GARADOR made at that time, a 1/2 horsepower. He shook his head and said, 'Madam, you need a 1/4 horsepower.' I responded that 1/2 was larger than 1/4 and he said, 'NOOO, it's not. Four is larger than two. ' We haven't used Garador repair since.
Happened in Moor Park , Nr Watford UK
Worrying Employee Sighting #3
I live in a semi rural area. We recently had a new neighbour call the local town council office to request the removal of the "DEER CROSSING" sign on our road. She said the reason was: 'Too many deer are being hit by cars out here! I don't think this is a good place for them to be crossing anymore.'
Story from Potters Bar, Herts, UK
Worrying Employee Sighting #4
My daughter went to a local Kentucky Fried and ordered a taco. She asked the person behind the counter for 'minimal lettuce.' He said he was sorry, but they only had iceberg lettuce.
From South Oxhey . Herts. , UK...
Worrying Employee Sighting #5
I was at the airport, checking in at the gate when an Irish airport employee asked, 'Has anyone put anything in your baggage without your knowledge"? To which I replied, 'If it was without my knowledge, how would I know?" He smiled knowingly and nodded, 'That's why we ask.'
Happened Luton Airport ... UK
Worrying Employee Sighting #6
The stoplight on the corner buzzes when it's safe to cross the street. I was crossing with an intellectually challenged co-worker of mine. She asked if I knew what the buzzer was for. I explained that it signals blind people when the light is red.Appalled, she responded, 'what on earth are blind people doing driving?!'
She is a Local County Councillor employee in Harrow, Middlesex, UK
Worrying Employee Sighting #7
When my husband and I arrived at Our Local Ford dealer to pick up our car, we were told the keys had been locked in it. We went to the service department and found a mechanic working feverishly to unlock the driver's side door. As I watched from the passenger side, I instinctively tried the door handle and discovered that it was unlocked. 'Hey,' I announced to the Fitter/Mechanic, 'its open!'His reply, 'I know. I have already done that side.'
This was at Ford dealership in St Albans, Hertfordshire UK.
Worrying Employee Sighting #8
This is a personal one that happened to the MD of Trainer Bubble. He was in a local Tesco store and after putting his items through the checkout, handed a fresh faced sales assistant a crisp £50. The sales assistant looked at him suspiciously and rubbed a pen over the £50 note.
To our MD's surprise the assistant then called over a manager and said, "It's not supposed to go that colour", to which our MD replied, "But you used a highlighter pen." The manager exchanged glances with our MD and headed off to more pressing issues.
Can you afford not to train your staff? Visit www.trainerbubble.com and view our fantastic, affordable training resources.
Showing posts with label staff. Show all posts
Showing posts with label staff. Show all posts
Friday, 5 February 2010
Thursday, 10 July 2008
Training the key to profits!
The head of the company that owns PC World and Currys has said that poorly trained staff are a large factor in the current failings of these businesses and that improving service levels is going to present major difficulties for the future. "It will take some time. It will require years of training. It's an investment, but we think we can make a major difference over time," said John Browett, chief executive of DSGi.
As someone who runs a training organisation I have to say I'm surprised that this point even needs mentioning. Of course poorly trained staff will have a detrimetal affect on a business and I don't just mean sales training, customer care is just as much an important factor. As the internet has provided the customer with more choice than ever, it has become even more vital that staff are able to get the basics right and only training can achieve this.
In my opinion, well trained staff are the key to retail environments, where the ability to increase profits on products is being diminished by the ability to choose from such a variety of different sources. In fact, I'd go as far as to say it is possibly the only differing factor that high street retail chains can now offer over cheaper internet offerings.
Why it has taken a huge downturn in sales for anyone to realise this is beyond me. Anyone that goes shopping will notice that the staff lack knowledge, motivation and the ability to show interest in a customers needs and a positive respect for the company they are representing as well as its products.
I have to have a little respect for John Browett though, at least he realises the importance of training to his future profitability. The recent talk of concerns over recession and a dip in high street spending worries me. At a time when organisations should be investing in training, I can only see things going one way.
The head of any large organisation that is looking to reduce spending whilst improving the skill levels of their staff would do well to refer to our website www.trainerbubble.com, where they will find affordable training resources that get results.
As someone who runs a training organisation I have to say I'm surprised that this point even needs mentioning. Of course poorly trained staff will have a detrimetal affect on a business and I don't just mean sales training, customer care is just as much an important factor. As the internet has provided the customer with more choice than ever, it has become even more vital that staff are able to get the basics right and only training can achieve this.
In my opinion, well trained staff are the key to retail environments, where the ability to increase profits on products is being diminished by the ability to choose from such a variety of different sources. In fact, I'd go as far as to say it is possibly the only differing factor that high street retail chains can now offer over cheaper internet offerings.
Why it has taken a huge downturn in sales for anyone to realise this is beyond me. Anyone that goes shopping will notice that the staff lack knowledge, motivation and the ability to show interest in a customers needs and a positive respect for the company they are representing as well as its products.
I have to have a little respect for John Browett though, at least he realises the importance of training to his future profitability. The recent talk of concerns over recession and a dip in high street spending worries me. At a time when organisations should be investing in training, I can only see things going one way.
The head of any large organisation that is looking to reduce spending whilst improving the skill levels of their staff would do well to refer to our website www.trainerbubble.com, where they will find affordable training resources that get results.
Thursday, 1 November 2007
Handling Allegations of Bullying and Harassment
Harassment and bullying behaviour in the workplace is unpleasant and offensive. It can affect an individual’s professional performance and psychological welfare, and can be so destructive that the effects continue after work, devastating personal lives as well as careers. Harassment and bullying can result in low morale, increased sickness absence or resignations.
If a complaint is made to an Employment Tribunal, or civil proceedings taken to court, an organisation may also suffer expensive litigation, adverse publicity and a loss of customers. It is in everyone’s best interests to have a workplace free of harassment and bullying.
It can often be difficult for a leader within an organisation to know exactly what to do when allegations arise. The following is list of tips to help you.
Investigate Immediately
Time is critical in harassment cases and all instances should be addressed as soon as the complainant has raised the issue. It is likely that the alleged bullying or harassment has gone on for some time and has reached a point where the complainant feels they have run out of options. There is no benefit in hoping that the situation will ‘blow over’.
Take the Complaint Seriously
Employees are unlikely to complain unless they feel they have no other options. A response from you that is deemed unreasonable or dismissive will exacerbate the situation and likely cause issues further down the line.
Be Objective and Independent
Irrespective of the feelings you have for those involved in the case, it is important that you remain objective and independent of the situation at all times. Although sometimes difficult, you must ensure that your own feelings and opinions do not enter into the equation. All parties involved will be looking for support from you and it is imperative that you remain professional throughout the process. If you are seen to imply favouritism, the consequences could be damaging.
Attempt to Resolve Informally
Informal resolution of harassment and bullying cases can be the least damaging for all involved. Often the person that carries out the harassment or bullying is unaware of the affect their behaviour is having on the individual concerned. Wherever possible it is best to rectify these matters without damaging the reputation of all involved. Sometimes the complainant will be happy to approach the person/s themselves or they may need support from others i.e. manager, colleague, HR.
Ensure Confidentiality
As a general principle, confidentiality should be agreed and maintained. In some instances it will be necessary to involve others in the discussions in order to progress a complaint. However, the decision should be made by the complainant as to whether to involve anyone else.
In cases of this nature hearsay and gossip tend to arise. It is important that you remain impartial and act as the soul of discretion. Any other type of behaviour can result in legal implications for you.
Follow Organisation Policies and Guidelines
Most organisations will have guidelines and policies for disciplinary, grievance, bullying or harassment cases. They will have been drafted carefully and with the organisation and its employee’s specific interests in mind, so it is crucial that you follow them. Don’t be reluctant to seek help if you are unsure of the procedures or need advice.
This article is an excerpt from our training materials on Bullying & Harassment. Visit Trainer Bubble today to download this business critical course.
If a complaint is made to an Employment Tribunal, or civil proceedings taken to court, an organisation may also suffer expensive litigation, adverse publicity and a loss of customers. It is in everyone’s best interests to have a workplace free of harassment and bullying.
It can often be difficult for a leader within an organisation to know exactly what to do when allegations arise. The following is list of tips to help you.
Investigate Immediately
Time is critical in harassment cases and all instances should be addressed as soon as the complainant has raised the issue. It is likely that the alleged bullying or harassment has gone on for some time and has reached a point where the complainant feels they have run out of options. There is no benefit in hoping that the situation will ‘blow over’.
Take the Complaint Seriously
Employees are unlikely to complain unless they feel they have no other options. A response from you that is deemed unreasonable or dismissive will exacerbate the situation and likely cause issues further down the line.
Be Objective and Independent
Irrespective of the feelings you have for those involved in the case, it is important that you remain objective and independent of the situation at all times. Although sometimes difficult, you must ensure that your own feelings and opinions do not enter into the equation. All parties involved will be looking for support from you and it is imperative that you remain professional throughout the process. If you are seen to imply favouritism, the consequences could be damaging.
Attempt to Resolve Informally
Informal resolution of harassment and bullying cases can be the least damaging for all involved. Often the person that carries out the harassment or bullying is unaware of the affect their behaviour is having on the individual concerned. Wherever possible it is best to rectify these matters without damaging the reputation of all involved. Sometimes the complainant will be happy to approach the person/s themselves or they may need support from others i.e. manager, colleague, HR.
Ensure Confidentiality
As a general principle, confidentiality should be agreed and maintained. In some instances it will be necessary to involve others in the discussions in order to progress a complaint. However, the decision should be made by the complainant as to whether to involve anyone else.
In cases of this nature hearsay and gossip tend to arise. It is important that you remain impartial and act as the soul of discretion. Any other type of behaviour can result in legal implications for you.
Follow Organisation Policies and Guidelines
Most organisations will have guidelines and policies for disciplinary, grievance, bullying or harassment cases. They will have been drafted carefully and with the organisation and its employee’s specific interests in mind, so it is crucial that you follow them. Don’t be reluctant to seek help if you are unsure of the procedures or need advice.
This article is an excerpt from our training materials on Bullying & Harassment. Visit Trainer Bubble today to download this business critical course.
Wednesday, 22 August 2007
Effective Customer Care - Mind the GAP's
Providing effective customer care is crucial to the success of any business. We all realise this, and yet at times it feels that no matter how much we meet and exceed customer’s needs, they still want more. So, are customers becoming more demanding? Is customer care slipping? How can we keep up the momentum? I believe I have the answers, but first, let me take you on a journey...
I had decided to take a holiday in a 5 star resort in Thailand. My partner and I were greeted at the baking hot airport by a hotel driver in an air conditioned Mercedes and taken directly to the foyer of the luxury hotel. While we signed in our luggage was ferried off to our room and we were asked to relax in the comfortable chairs with a chilled, refreshing drink. The air conditioning above gently pumped out cool air as the smiling receptionist quietly enquired about our trip, whilst efficiently taking our information. After several minutes a golf buggy pulled up next to the reception and we were driven the 100 yards to our villa on the complex.
As we entered our room we were hit by the smell of fresh flowers and the sight of crisp, fresh, white sheets on the bed. We opened our luggage, which had been placed carefully by the wardrobe, grabbed our bathing costumes and immediately headed for the pool.
At the pool we were greeted by a member of staff that had not only reserved a seat in the shade for us, but also provided clean white towels for us to lay on. While we relaxed, our every whim was met by a smiling member of staff who seemed to instinctively know when you were getting too hot and needed a complimentary drink or one of the hotels famous 'alcoholic ice pops'.
Now I'm not just saying this to make you jealous, there is a message to this story because this service was way above anything I had ever experienced in my life. I simply had not been treated so well at any point up until that time. It truly was the 'exceptional customer experience' that you hear what seem to be urban myths about. By the third day I was starting to get really used to it, I stopped with please and thank you and began to really just relax and enjoy the experience. That's about the same time things took a turn for the worse...
On the fourth day we turned up at the pool and the staff member was not there. The towels had been carefully laid out at a table for us to collect and my partner and I managed to get our usual sun lounger with the parasol above it (although I had to put it up). When the staff member turned up about 1 hour later I called him over as by then I really needed a drink (there was a bar by the pool, but I didn't feel inclined to walk over to it). I asked him why he had not been there first thing and he explained to me that he had to help out at the front desk as a large party of guests had arrived and there was not enough cover. I was pretty irritated by this and it was only when my partner suggested that if I didn't stop complaining to her she was going to throw me in the pool that I relaxed again. I have to say it spoiled things somewhat though and from that point on I started to look for things that weren't quite right.
Now, I consider myself an easy-going type of person, one who is level-headed and fair. I am not the type to get easily agitated and if I'm honest I would say that whilst writing about my 'bad' experience I am a little embarrassed by my thoughts at the time. However, this for me is the true issue as far as customer care is concerned.
When a business, quite rightly, attempts to exceed customer expectations then they have to be prepared to accept that very soon this becomes the norm. If the hotel that I visited had not made my experience so fantastic in the first place I would have been none the wiser. However, once they had made that expectation any slip in standards would be deemed 'bad service'. This is the challenge that all businesses face, which I call, 'Minding the GAP's'.
GAP stands for Good, Accepted and Poor, which are the three levels of standard that customers grade a business by. Unfortunately, customer care is not as easy as always staying in the ‘good’ area. As you will have seen from my example, after a while the good merely becomes the accepted, which if not met, becomes poor.
It truly is a conundrum, which can only be resolved by hard work, determination and a little bit of inventiveness.
Firstly we need to ensure that the people providing customer care appreciate that the GAP process happens. Once they understand the concept, they can be more prepared to realise why customers become seemingly ‘ungrateful’ for the wonderful service they provide and therefore maintain a positive mindset.
In any business we need to have an element of ‘thick skin’ and if the person providing service does not see the benefits and reasoning behind effective customer care and the value that working in the ‘good’ area provides, then the battle is lost. The concept of exceeding expectations must be valued by the individual and they need to appreciate how working in the ‘good’ area will improve their personal working experience.
Once the team understand the concept of GAP, they can start to identify what the specific ‘good’ and ‘accepted’ are for the business; this will help them to relate to the customer experience in a way that they probably hadn’t considered before. It is no good telling members of staff what must be done. If they have no reason to buy into this concept, then it will not happen it’s as simple as that. To buy into something you have to feel part of it. This can be achieved by allowing the team to develop their own thoughts on the matter.
The team should also be encouraged to develop the next ‘good’ elements. What are the extras they can do to further exceed the customer expectations? What will provide that wow factor? If the culture of inventiveness can be developed within the values of a team, you will create a wonderful working environment and truly become masters of customer care and perhaps then you can holiday in Thailand off the proceeds!
Visit Trainer Bubble where you can download our fantastic training resource on Effective Customer Care, which gives you all the course materials you need to run an exceptional training event.
I had decided to take a holiday in a 5 star resort in Thailand. My partner and I were greeted at the baking hot airport by a hotel driver in an air conditioned Mercedes and taken directly to the foyer of the luxury hotel. While we signed in our luggage was ferried off to our room and we were asked to relax in the comfortable chairs with a chilled, refreshing drink. The air conditioning above gently pumped out cool air as the smiling receptionist quietly enquired about our trip, whilst efficiently taking our information. After several minutes a golf buggy pulled up next to the reception and we were driven the 100 yards to our villa on the complex.
As we entered our room we were hit by the smell of fresh flowers and the sight of crisp, fresh, white sheets on the bed. We opened our luggage, which had been placed carefully by the wardrobe, grabbed our bathing costumes and immediately headed for the pool.
At the pool we were greeted by a member of staff that had not only reserved a seat in the shade for us, but also provided clean white towels for us to lay on. While we relaxed, our every whim was met by a smiling member of staff who seemed to instinctively know when you were getting too hot and needed a complimentary drink or one of the hotels famous 'alcoholic ice pops'.
Now I'm not just saying this to make you jealous, there is a message to this story because this service was way above anything I had ever experienced in my life. I simply had not been treated so well at any point up until that time. It truly was the 'exceptional customer experience' that you hear what seem to be urban myths about. By the third day I was starting to get really used to it, I stopped with please and thank you and began to really just relax and enjoy the experience. That's about the same time things took a turn for the worse...
On the fourth day we turned up at the pool and the staff member was not there. The towels had been carefully laid out at a table for us to collect and my partner and I managed to get our usual sun lounger with the parasol above it (although I had to put it up). When the staff member turned up about 1 hour later I called him over as by then I really needed a drink (there was a bar by the pool, but I didn't feel inclined to walk over to it). I asked him why he had not been there first thing and he explained to me that he had to help out at the front desk as a large party of guests had arrived and there was not enough cover. I was pretty irritated by this and it was only when my partner suggested that if I didn't stop complaining to her she was going to throw me in the pool that I relaxed again. I have to say it spoiled things somewhat though and from that point on I started to look for things that weren't quite right.
Now, I consider myself an easy-going type of person, one who is level-headed and fair. I am not the type to get easily agitated and if I'm honest I would say that whilst writing about my 'bad' experience I am a little embarrassed by my thoughts at the time. However, this for me is the true issue as far as customer care is concerned.
When a business, quite rightly, attempts to exceed customer expectations then they have to be prepared to accept that very soon this becomes the norm. If the hotel that I visited had not made my experience so fantastic in the first place I would have been none the wiser. However, once they had made that expectation any slip in standards would be deemed 'bad service'. This is the challenge that all businesses face, which I call, 'Minding the GAP's'.
GAP stands for Good, Accepted and Poor, which are the three levels of standard that customers grade a business by. Unfortunately, customer care is not as easy as always staying in the ‘good’ area. As you will have seen from my example, after a while the good merely becomes the accepted, which if not met, becomes poor.
It truly is a conundrum, which can only be resolved by hard work, determination and a little bit of inventiveness.
Firstly we need to ensure that the people providing customer care appreciate that the GAP process happens. Once they understand the concept, they can be more prepared to realise why customers become seemingly ‘ungrateful’ for the wonderful service they provide and therefore maintain a positive mindset.
In any business we need to have an element of ‘thick skin’ and if the person providing service does not see the benefits and reasoning behind effective customer care and the value that working in the ‘good’ area provides, then the battle is lost. The concept of exceeding expectations must be valued by the individual and they need to appreciate how working in the ‘good’ area will improve their personal working experience.
Once the team understand the concept of GAP, they can start to identify what the specific ‘good’ and ‘accepted’ are for the business; this will help them to relate to the customer experience in a way that they probably hadn’t considered before. It is no good telling members of staff what must be done. If they have no reason to buy into this concept, then it will not happen it’s as simple as that. To buy into something you have to feel part of it. This can be achieved by allowing the team to develop their own thoughts on the matter.
The team should also be encouraged to develop the next ‘good’ elements. What are the extras they can do to further exceed the customer expectations? What will provide that wow factor? If the culture of inventiveness can be developed within the values of a team, you will create a wonderful working environment and truly become masters of customer care and perhaps then you can holiday in Thailand off the proceeds!
Visit Trainer Bubble where you can download our fantastic training resource on Effective Customer Care, which gives you all the course materials you need to run an exceptional training event.
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