Things that make you go Hmmmmm....

If you're my age or older, you probably remember Arsenio Hall and this famous catch phrase. I was reminded of it just this morning.

I called my local newspaper where I had an advertising account for their internet site. I had been on a monthly payment plan for a year-long agreement. I ended up paying it off early and let it ruin out since I wasn't getting value from it.

Well, the end of the agreement came and went and I started receiving invoices showing a $50 credit. I had obviously overpaid. This continued for a couple of months as I kept looking in the envelope for a refund. Finally, today I had enough after receiving another invoice showing my credit.

I called over and spoke with a very nice young woman who when looking at my account, confirmed they owed me money. "Would you like us to mail that to you?", she asked. I felt like responding, "No...I'll just drive 20 miles each way and pick it up!"

My frustration stemmed from the fact that they made me call to ask for my own money back instead of just mailing me a check months ago. Poor customer service in my eyes.

Our customers are our lifeblood. Making sure they are satisified should be our number one goal. Good communications is the key. Had they at least written and said "We require you call or write us to get your refund", that would have been better than doing nothing. It's a good lesson for all of us to remember to make it easy and simple for our customers...not ourselves.

Dan

Game On!

Funny how life works out sometimes, isn't it? The New England Patriots were crowned the best team in the league...the best team of the decade...maybe even the best team EVER midway through the season. They had the golden boy, Tom Brady. They had the revitalized all-pro Randy Moss. They had the genius coach wearing the ugly hoodie. Their destiny would be 19-0 and their claim to the greatest team ever was inevitable.

The only problem was that no one bothered to tell the New York Giants. Even if they did, it wouldn't have mattered. The Giants were a team that started 0-2. The coach was on the hot seat. The quarterback couldn't lead. They couldn't play as a team.

As it turned out, all those assumptions were wrong and they proved themselves the best team in the world on Sunday. Why? Becasue more than the Patriots, they played as a team. They overcame adversity. They didn't listen to their critics. They believed in themselves when no one else would. In the end, they stand on top of the mountains as champions.

What about you? How does it respond to adversity? Are you prepared to fight in your Super Bowl, whatever that might be for you? Maybe it's your career, maybe it's your family, maybe it's your spiritual life. Do you believe your critics or do you believe in yourself?

You don't have to be an NFL team to show true character and great teamwork. You don't even have to win the Lombardi Trophy to walk away as a winner. To play the game and live your life as a true champion, you must exhibit all the traits that the Giants showed the world last night - teamwork, passion, confidence, and commitment. And...as Nike so concisely says, "Leave Nothing"!

Dan

Improving Your Condition...

Last night, I had the privilege of speaking to a fun group about internet marketing. They wanted to learn about e-zines, blogs, audio postcards, etc. I was really surprised when during introductions, several people mentioned that they came because they wanted to learn more about the subject. Wow..no pressure!

Actually, I was very excited because I enjoy helping improve the condition of my clients and audience. That's a term that Alan Weiss (www.summitconsulting.com) uses all the time in his coaching and mentoring. I believe in it. If you're in business just to make a buck, people will know it. Yes...you need to eat. Me, too! In fact, with two kids in college next year, I really hope people like me ;-]

But, by improving the condition of your client will not only make them better, it will make their clients and audiences better. And, they might buy from you, too. Now that's a great ripple effect.

Focus on what's good for your client and the rest will take care of itself. Just think if we all do that!

Dan

P.S. Want to better improve the condition of your client? By becoming a better presenter and communicator, you will be able to deliver your message more powerfully and impact more people. Improve your presentation and communication skills by attending my Panic to Power Boot Camp. Learn more and register by clicking here...