Next to the sports world, no one can beat a cliché or “buzzword” to death better than the world of business. At the end of the day, it’s not about me, it’s about the team and I’m just taking it one game at a time and believe we need to take a proactive approach and close the file on these over-used terms.  

One of the most meaningless words is “focus”. The word is frequently used as an excuse for when there is no formal plan or strategy in place to address an issue. “Focus” is too often used as part of the “marching orders” given to frontline management from above, as in “I need you to focus your team on customer service.” Sadly, that is the extent of many organizations customer service strategy; “we’re focused on it.”

“Focusing” on customer service is not enough. Your strategy needs to be meaningful, sustainable and simple. It should be treated as a company “mantra” where every member of the organization knows what it is – lives and breathes it.

I recently had the opportunity to utilize the services of Safelite Auto Glass and noticed this sticker on the window of their repair truck:    

 I thought this was quite powerful; a 12-point “pledge” for their technicians beginning with the words “I will perform the following for every customer …” Here are the highlights of what they “pledge” to do for their customers:

• Perform a safe installation as outlined in our installation policies, procedures, and SafeTech Installation manual. In other words, they promise to do the job according to the rules of the organization.
• Complete the technician call-aheads. They actually take the time each morning to call every customer on their daily schedule to confirm the appointment and let them know the approximate time they will arrive at their home or business for repair.
• Arrive within the time frame agreed upon with the customer. A service company that promises to be on time; wow! 
• Have a professional appearance, be in clean uniform and arrive in a clean vehicle. Another promise, to make a good impression on the customer.
• Communicate the minimum drive away time to every customer. In other words, tell every customer how long the job will take to complete.
• Protect the vehicle by using all recommended covers and mats. Be respectful of the customer’s property.
• Communicate with the customer and always thank them for giving us the opportunity to repair or replace their vehicle glass.
• Wash all exterior glass and vacuum the interior of the vehicle after each replacement or repair. Do a little something extra for the customer that they don’t expect.  
• Fix the problem if something goes wrong and take ownership for delighting the customer. In writing on every vehicle, “you are empowered to delight (not ‘satisfy’) the customer.”

Safelite Auto Glass is doing more than “focusing” on customer service. They have obviously woven it into the fabric of their company.

If you were to put up a similar sticker, sign or badge what would it say?

Lee Silverstein - Managing Partner, Frontline Performance Group

Successful business strategies are the backbone of thriving businesses and highly successful business people. Here are 10 random, yet essential business takeaways that have me thinking as we approach our 18th year in business and I reflect on this past year.

• Nothing is more powerful than what you can CONTROL in your business. Take inventory of what those ”controllables” are and focus on executing them to the fullest in the New Year.
• Nothing is more frustrating than what you can’t CONTROL in your business. Always work on making that list smaller.
• Your existing customer is always your best one! Take incredibly good care of them.
• In every situation, every challenge and opportunity, look for the win-win … there is always one there.
• A strong ego is a great driver for success. A big ego is the inevitable downfall of so many business leaders.
• Always have an open mind and listen to varying opinions, then distill them to come up with the best solution that fits your needs.
• Capitalize on your strengths and what you like and do best. Do the same with those around you.
• Fully develop and execute the 3 drivers of team performance; compensation, recognition, and accountability.
• An effective “sales engine” in your business is incredibly hopeful and rewarding. Focus on putting it in overdrive in 2011.
• Thinking in terms of logic and common sense always makes the most sense! Always consider things from the other point of view. Accept that for things to work over a period of time they have to always add up and make sense.

As you ponder these points I think you will agree, you don’t have to be a business owner to adopt them as principles. In fact, embracing these strategies is among the best ways to catapult your career in your own business or the business you work in. They will help you capitalize on the outstanding opportunities that exist today and pave the way for a most successful future.

Ziad Khoury – Founder and President, Frontline Performance Group

I often see high-level managers and business owners express an almost irrational fixation on a singular internal metric or Key Performance Indicator (KPI). Their steadfast focus, while admirable, is often shockingly misguided and harmful to the business. This owner intensity typically drives the organization to dramatically improve one specific metric while ignoring others, which frequently results in business trauma, unintended consequences and collateral damage.

One organization I recently worked with focused all of their attention, compensation and recognition on their top volume revenue producers. They characterized these agents as ”top performers” and rewarded them as such. Upon closer inspection, however, the agents who had produced the most revenue were not the best salespeople. They were simply “churning” calls and skimming opportunities rapidly for the easiest sales. This “cherry-picking” does produce large revenues; however, it does so at the expense of more needy customers who require greater attention and patience. Once conversion of opportunities handled and a customer service index were added as performance indicators, many of the perceived top agents fell significantly in the rankings. Although they were producing large revenue sums, the hidden collateral damage they were doing to the brand through their insensitivity to other customers largely outweighed the positive sales results they were generating. This situation is tragic…and common. Conversely, with the new performance indicators in place the true capabilities and contributions of some of the near-top and average agents were seen for the first time.

In one industry, an owner might place all of his focus on sales revenue only to get burned by profit slippage from excessive agent-to-customer incentives or discounts, or on the back-end through poor quality sales resulting in high accounts receivable defaults. In another scenario, an owner may become fixated on utilization percentage (as in car rental or hotel room usage) while simultaneously neglecting to see the harsh effect of the lower daily rates needed to drive that utilization. If you had a four room hotel, would you rather have 100% occupancy at $100 per room night or 80% occupancy at $150 per room night? The first example produces a Revenue Per Unit of $100 while the less-used property produces a Revenue Per Unit of $120 — a 20% revenue premium for less work! Factor in the reduced labor needed to handle the lower number of transactions along with the reduced product cost, and you see a new perspective surface. In yet another case, transactions produced per hour may be the driving force while little or no consideration is placed on the profit or brand-building potential of those transactions to the organization.

All of these metrics, along with many others, are worthwhile and critical to your success. However, it is important to remember more often than not it is the calibration of several Key Performance Indicators that will ultimately drive the two metrics that matter most, long-term customer care and profit.

Chris Brown- Senior Vice President, Frontline Performance Group

Most companies have four to six customer touch points and related sales opportunities.

If you map out all of your customer contact points, you will find that many of them present substantial revenue opportunities, and all of them provide significant service improvement opportunities.

Look at each of your customer contact points and figure out what influence your frontline can have through them.

Hiring the right frontline associates can make or break a business, so it is imperative you know what to look for. Here are a few key attributes qualified individuals should possess:

• Personality – A great personality is a must for a job that is all about dealing with people and being able to influence their buying decisions. 
• Positive Attitude – The team member you want on your frontline is the one who not only shows up for work with an outstanding attitude but can maintain it in the midst of trying circumstances.
• Confidence – Look for self-assured individuals with a strong, positive self-image.
• Sharp Image – Appearance has a huge impact on professional image. The success of any business encounter begins the second someone lays eyes on your frontline, often long before either party speaks.
• Communication Skills – Seek individuals who enjoy carrying on a conversation, who listen actively and who are concise when needed.
• Motivation – You need people who are hungry to make money and driven by a competitive spirit to be the best.
• Sales Background – While it is helpful, it is not a prerequisite. Sales skills can be taught to anyone who has aptitude, desire, sincerity and integrity.