Grandma Got Run Over by Bad Practices
August 2004
“Let’s stick it to Grandma.” This is essentially what we heard on tape from the folks who brought us the latest energy crisis and bankrupting prices. What went on in those meetings made me ill, and I hope it did you too. I’m sure you aren’t running your business by taking money from innocent old ladies and chortling at the prospects, but we can all use our disgust at this as an inspiration to check our own behaviors as well. After you write your senators and representatives and let them know that this kind of behavior is unacceptable, take a look at your own backyard. How?
First and foremost – how are you treating your employees? They are your bread and butter, and how you treat them reflects on you in many ways. Believe me, your customers are going to be able to tell. If you are treating your employees with respect, flexibility, rewards and a good salary, your customers will get great service. If you are running things on the backs of your employees, giving yourself and your favorites all of the profits or privileges, and/or dictating all of the minutiae of how folks do each and every thing in their daily work, your customers are going to be interacting with cranky, bitter people. Guess what kind of service they will be getting? I exaggerate, but you get the idea.
How do you treat your customers? Are you giving good value for the money? The folks sticking it to Grandma certainly weren’t concerned about this. Of course, that is an extreme example (at least I hope it is!), but on a daily basis – how is your cost/value ratio? When your customers call, is it easy for them to get through to the right person? How swiftly are their needs met? How quickly and effectively are problems resolved? Have you invested enough in the business infrastructure? Are you poised to anticipate future trends?
Are your forms and procedures streamlined? This is a huge one for many businesses I work with. Most of us suffer from outdated forms and procedures. It’s a natural part of business – as things grow and new staff comes on, what used to work doesn’t any more. Frequently there isn’t time to completely re-vamp a particular form or process, so something new is cobbled on to meet the exigent need. This happens repeatedly until you have a form that is routed back and forth between departments, filed in two or three places, and tracked by no one. I’ve seen many a procedure still based on the whims and personal preferences of someone who hasn’t worked there in years. These are the sorts of things that drive staff and customers crazy.
They also eat at your bottom line – a few minutes here, a few minutes there, and the next thing you know, hours or even days are gone. Don’t forget the time lost when employees become frustrated and do other tasks less effectively, or have to take more time with each client interaction as a result. I call this ‘invisible money’, and many a company is hemorrhaging these kinds of dollars. Don’t be one of them. Typically, when I go in to a business and help them rework these, the costs are recovered very swiftly. It’s easy to ignore this kind of coin, because you don’t actually write a check to pay for it, but you do pay.
Another ethical reality check is how you are regarded in the community. Are you donating time or money to any local efforts or organizations? This is a win-win-win. The community wins, the organization wins, and you do too. Even if you aren’t interested in this for any other reason – do it for the publicity. If you feel like you just don’t have the money or time, remember that this is a very cost-effective way to advertise. When you buy an ad in a local non-profit’s newsletter, sponsor a local sports group, or give your employees a day a month to work at the non-profit of their choice, you get great publicity. Plus, all of these groups have members and staff who have friends and family, who then turn into a network of positive feedback about you and your business. Word travels. Good or bad – it travels.
Finally, how do you treat yourself? If you are exhausted and cranky, your staff is probably not enjoying it. Neither are your customers. It’s easy to forget to re-charge your own batteries. My first supervisory job was a group of fifteen, more experienced than I, bitter and angry about their previous situation, and undervalued by those around them. I immersed myself in trying to remedy this situation. In my desire to manage the group as well as I possibly could, be different from all the bad managers I’d had, emulate all of the good ones, fix all things for all people, and, and, and…..I ran myself into the ground. Luckily, my boss was a smart and effective manager, and didn’t let me get too far under before he said something. It was a valuable lesson.
So don’t work all day and think about it at night. Don’t take work home on weekends. Work when you are at work, and when you leave, leave it there. I’m not suggesting that when an idea bubbles up while you are playing catch with your kids, you shouldn’t pop inside and jot it down. Remember that left-brain solutions frequently appear when you are engaging in right-brain activities - a scientifically proven reason to take down time. Listen to music. Go to a movie. Take a three-day weekend at least once a month if you can. Can your workplace support some kind of flex-time? Many versions of this are simple to do, maintain business effectiveness, and are great for you and your employees. Which brings us right on back to value and service for your customers, rather than sticking it to Grandma. And that’s good business.
Ramona Abbott helps businesses maximize their efficiency, effectiveness and group dynamics. She utilizes proven techniques that are fun and affordable to help you improve your workplace in a variety of ways. She welcomes inquiries at 360-398-2606 or ramona@EssentiallyProfessional.com
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