Employee engagement

The Big Question – What’s Next For Our Business?

Growth and expansion are provocative words in business.  They suggest all things good, abundant, and forward-moving – more revenue, more brand exposure, more leverage and influence.  When seasons of success accumulate under your belt growth often feels like the next logical step, much like marriage after a long courtship.  Yet, whether your business is big…

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How to Get a Solid Return on Workplace Fun

It happens in many places and in many ways, but it is a consistent theme for employees at Zappos…they practice random acts of fun and weirdness. Maybe you were in an airport during the hectic holiday season when seven different flights participated in a Zappos-themed game of Wheel of Fortune…baggage claim style.  If your luggage…

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A Case Study for 2014 – Learning from Legendary Leaders

In the spirit of being lifelong learners this new year, and every year for that matter, let me share a new word  I learned recently:  holacracy.  I am assuming you may have see this word buzzing around the Web lately. My connection to the word comes through Tony Hsieh CEO of Zappos. As you know…

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How to Speed-Train Seasonal Employees

Tis the season for…seasonal employees.  This time of year temporary employees swell payroll rosters, even if only for a matter of weeks.  When time is of the essence (or is nonexistent), how does your business train these new recruits to be an effective extension of your brand during the boom of commerce that engulfs November…

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Customer Experience Musts – Telling us what they want

Customers have a huge desire to tell us what they want but alas many entrepreneurs and business leaders are more interested in telling or selling than taking the time needed to really hear their customer.  Hold on now, am I saying that customers actually know what they want and are willing to tell us? MIT…

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Five Points for Perfecting Customer Interactions

Recently I sent an email inquiry to two organizations of varying sizes from which I had an interest in their services. Both responded to my emails in a timely manner. The message from one organization was personal, robust with information, and warm. It was written by a specific individual, or perhaps generated to look like…

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How to Create Seasonally Relevant Customer Experiences

For many, the most magical time of the year is fast approaching.  One indicator that we are on the cusp of the holidays is the presence of Starbucks’ seasonal red cups.  The next several weeks are so often a whirlwind of activity with good intentions to stop and connect…but sometimes few opportunities to actually do…

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Customer Experience – Is it Care or Speed?

Recently, I shared a failed service experience I had at a sandwich shop and as a result several people contacted me and offered up what I can best describe as “service horror stories.”  Rather than miring us down in those negative interactions, I thought I would simply do a series of quick blogs on what…

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Why having a heart for Military Veterans matters!

As we formally honor our country’s military veterans this week, Starbucks is set to hire 10,000 veterans and active duty spouses over the next five years. A classic win-win, this strategy enables Starbucks to capitalize on the unique skills sets of these highly trained individuals while helping to reduce the high rate of unemployment often…

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Challenging Awakeness – From Favorite to Former

It seems so trivial but it really is the “little things” that annoy consumers.  I was at a sandwich shop recently where I purchased a $7 roast beef sandwich.  After paying the cashier, a sandwich preparer advised me that they were out of roast beef and asked if I would like another option.  My secondary…

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FREE RESOURCES

The Starbucks Experience: Leadership Tips eBook
Elevating Care in Healthcare: Lessons from the UCLA Health System eBook
How to Win Every Customer, Every Time, No Excuses! Article