- Are you restoring faith in the human race with your customers?
- After working with you do they actually not want you to leave?
- Have you ever met anyone who has so impressed you with a standard of service and professionalism that you couldn’t wait to put them on your speed dial?
We live in a world where, on a daily basis, mediocre performance and results are the standard that we have to live with or even are impressed by. We are in deep trouble when it becomes the norm that shouting and screaming, letters of demand, letters of complaint, threats of legal action or even taking legal action is required just to get service providers to perform. When every day fighting, arguing and issuing warnings to people is the norm.
Doesn’t that just make you lose all faith in people?
I know we all encounter these people, companies and “service providers” on a daily basis. Let’s face it, most of our days are filled with such people and to a certain extent isn’t that exactly what we are paid for in our everyday jobs? How many of us are professional, motivators, persuaders, negotiators, enforces, or just plain screamers, shouters, or heart attack victims? Every day seems to be a fight, a fight to get the basics out of people. Every day, thousands of
I am your guy in the speaking, MC and staff behavioural change business. I hope I am on your speed dial! If not, don’t do another thing until you save my phone number to your phone. 083-303-2229
Do it now!
Seriously, Do It Now!
And while you are saving my numbers, go and save my email address at the same time.
SAVE IT NOW!! My team should be considered YOUR TEAM and battles are waged in the name of doing the job right. Every day tens of thousands of litigations are happening in order to get people to live up to their contractual agreements. Every day hundreds, if not thousands of written warnings and CCMA hearings are held to negotiate non-performance VS performance requirements.
My question this month is – Who are these people who are not only destroying the economy but worse yet, are killing our faith in humanity?
During my 19 years on stages around the world I have asked these people to identify themselves and year after year people shake their heads and look around expectantly for the guilty parties to stand up. No one ever does, but the poor service delivery and low standard continues. Could it be that the exact same people who look around the room for the guilty parties are in fact guilty themselves?
- When last did you let a customer down?
- When last did you let your division, department, or manager down?
- When last did you deliver what you promised?
- When last did you not keep your word with your children, husband or wife?
If you take a long hard look, a long hard honest look, you will probably find that the old saying is absolutely true “We have met the enemy and he is us!”.
On the other side of the coin are the select few who continuously astound and shock with their professionalism and outstanding service. These are lights in the darkness that you encounter every once in a while, and they actually take your breath away. These are bastions of service and performance, that you feel as if you just want to have sex with, there and then on the spot!
In a mediocre world, finally dealing with someone who delivers beyond expectations definitely does restore your faith in humanity. Over the last few months I have found three such disciples of common sense, common decency and outstanding performance.
Johan Gerber from Henli Developments, Pierre from PC Pools, and Sarah Tomaz from Autobahn BMW. Three people who have restored my faith in South Africans.
Pierre is a pool builder extraordinaire. He not only delivered what he promised on time, but also went out of his way to advise and assist with other construction matters and the end result is a pool that looks like a masterpiece. A true work-of-art. He corrected badly built stairs, solved drainage problems, assisted with landscaping amongst other things and created an absolute stress free project for me. When fighting with painters and other suppliers it really was a pleasure to know that the entire pool area was being looked after as if I were doing it myself.
Johan from Henli Developments is a building contractor of note. Every day on site, nothing was too much trouble and every change or practical solution was accommodated and some not even invoiced. I was warned never to build but after my experience with Johan, not only will I build again but Johan is already locked into my speed dial.
Sarah of BMW is yet another star in a particularly dark sky. The professionalism, delivery and service levels are matched only by Paul Gouche (ex Inyanga Motors).
The reason for recording the names of these people is threefold.
1. To give credit where credit is due and to publicly name and give acclaim for outstanding performance.
2. To spread the word about outstanding people who go above and beyond.
3. And to restore your faith in great people. They do exist!
These people have therefore become “My Guys”!
Many of you know my presentation where I present on how to become a “My Guy”. For those who do not, a My Guy is any person who so impresses you with their performance and professionalism that you immediately put them on speed dial and recommend them to anyone who mentions their specific industry.
I believe it is every person’s duty to become at least one person’s My Guy everyday!
So how do you become a My Guy?
- You are always on time
- You are not good and not great but OUTSTANDING at what you do
- You are a nice guy and a pleasure to work with
- You pitch up for appointments
- You keep your word and do everything you say you will
- You keep in touch
Imagine meeting someone who was always on time, outstanding at what they did, was a nice person who pitched up for appointments, kept their word and always stayed in touch! Wouldn’t you just want to have sex with these people?
Are you one of these people?
Are you one of these people who bring a lump to people’s throats because of your caring and outstanding results?
Are you one of the people who give peace of mind, in that the client / manager can leave and wants to leave the job, in your hands without fear or worry?
In my 19 years of platform speaking from Sydney to London I have always tried to perform based on these principles. Thank you to those who have entrusted your events in my hands. I am sure I have misplaced the ball on occasion but hopefully that was the exception rather than the rule.
They say the biggest compliment you can pay a speaker is to invite him back. The same applies to almost every industry or profession. Most of my business is done by repeat or word of mouth referrals.
I URGE YOU TO BUILD A POWERFUL WORD OF MOUTH BUSINESS. I URGE YOU TO RESTORE OUR FAITH IN PEOPLE.
