Before I get to this week’s Tuesday Tidbit, I want to mention the CEO Peer Groups I’m working on putting together.
Our initial (virtual) meeting is scheduled to happen next week. So, if you’ve ever been interested in experiencing a peer-learning environment with dynamic CEOs and leaders like yourself, please get in touch ASAP so I can tell you more about the opportunity.
I was reminded of this important lesson during a recent discussion with one of my clients.
Consider, for a moment, any employee in your organization, in any role.
If they were the first contact with a customer (or the last), would they know how to answer the customer’s basic questions or provide adequate service to meet their needs.
There was a time when all the janitor had to do was mop the floors, clean the windows, empty the wastebaskets and keep the offices clean.
There was a time when the housekeeping staff at a hotel simply had to clean the rooms, replace the mini-shampoo bottles, and make the beds.
There was a time where the receptionist merely had to answer the phones.
There was a time…
And when confronted with questions, those people could often get away with saying:
“Sorry. I’m just the (fill in the blank)”
Unfortunately, this is no longer a valid response to the customer in today’s world regardless of the employee’s role.
The janitor needs to know as much as the person answering the phones.
The person answering the phones needs to know as much as the janitor sweeping the floors.
Everyone needs to be prepared and able to handle what wasn’t part of their job description yesterday because it is today (even if it’s not formally written on paper).
It’s often been said that the hotel doorman is the most important person in the hotel experience.
They’re the first person customers see when they arrive and the last person they see when they leave.
They make the first impression and the last impression with the customer.
I have a favorite hotel in Manhattan where the doorman always amazes me by remembering my kid’s names, even though we only travelled to NYC a couple of times per year (pre-Covid!!!) I miss NYC.
Today, everyone in your organization is the doorman – even the janitor.
Would your people pass the test?
Best,
Noah
P.S. A final reminder, if you have any interest in learning more about the initial CEO Peer Groups I’m putting together, please get in touch ASAP.
