Just Another Customer

Reviewlet: Groundswell - POST Method

A quick comment on Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff’s Groundswell

A Happy Coincidence
I was so enthusiastic about Groundswell that I actually bought two copies (unintentionally) in the course of about two weeks. The ever-changing social technology space needs guideposts to help both the uninitiated and those swimming in the stream. As coincidence would have it, the For Immediate Release (FIR) podcast recently posted a review of the book (by Shel Holtz, FIR, and Ryan Williams, TWI Surveys) which I listened to on the way home from work yesterday.

What’s Missing?
One of the key elements to the book is the development of the POST method that describes a planning methodology for entering into the social space. Admittedly, I have only read about a quarter of the book but the principal commentary that I took away from Shel and Ryan’s critique matched my own observation that the importance of mission, as it relates to engaging in social technology, was conspicuously absent. From my perspective, everything starts with the mission of the organization. As a government employee, it is tempting to see many of these new social tools as a way to improve engagement with the public. However, if they do not align with our agency’s mission then it very difficult to justify the time and effort that they would require. I don’t want to be too harsh on the book though as I think it is a valuable resource (from what I have seen so far) and it did receive generally high praise from Shel and Ryan.

Look for more reviewlets on Groundswell to come…

Working On Vacation - Not A Problem At All

Is work just about work, or is it about the people too?

Why I Do What I Do
Perhaps the most important lesson I learned while a Peace Corps Volunteer in Senegal was the importance of relationships. Initially, this meant for me a renewed understanding of the importance of family, both immediate and extended, and I have worked hard over the last ten years to strengthen family ties. Over time, I have also begun putting more effort into developing other relationships. This includes relationships with co-workers at all levels of our organization. Although I don’t always get it right, I really do try to make sure that my relationships at work are not only about getting the job done or how someone can help me with my projects and priorities.

People First
Last week, I went with my wife and daughters to visit my parents at their house in Rehoboth Beach, DE. Due to some recent departures at work, we are understaffed and I told my co-workers that I would be happy to help if they needed me during my trip. As it turned out, two people took me up on my offer. The intrusions were minimal and the little time that I had to deal with issues at work did not in any way negatively affect my vacation. I was happy to lend a hand, mostly because I know that real satisfaction at work can only happen when I put people first.

Reviewlet: The Tipping Point - Broken Window Theory

A quick comment on Malcolm Gladwell’s Tipping Point

Small Things Really Can Make A Difference
One my most meaningful takeaways from Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point comes from his discussion of the Wilson and Kelling’s Broken Window Theory. The theory posits that large problems can result from disregarding smaller issues. By ignoring broken windows, uncollected trash and graffiti, communities and cities risk the development of larger problems. Of course, this theory is not the only explanation for why neighborhoods decline, but I agree wholeheartedly that it can be an important factor.

Relevance?
Customer service and customer experience is all about the details. One of my favorite examples of superior attention to detail and great customer service is Wufoo sending a handmade card to one of their customers to thank them for using their service. You can be sure that a company that goes to those lengths will not let the small things slip by.

Do You Really Know What I Am Thinking?

Understanding expectations are the starting point for any real relationship

My Peace Corps experience in Senegal, West Africa was everything the classic commercial said it would be. It really was the toughest job that I would ever love. However, the first step on this four-year, many thousand mile journey began not far from home, in Philadelphia, PA. I spent several days getting shots, learning about the upcoming trip and meeting my fellow volunteers. The underlying theme of the event was that all of us needed to be acutely aware of our expectations. More than the food, more than the heat, more than missing loved ones, our trainers knew that unrealistic expectations and misaligned preconceptions were likely to cause the most pain and anxiety. Despite the trainers’ best efforts, most of us just didn’t get it until much later.

Even now, I am constantly reminded of the lessons I learned while serving in Senegal. My expectations play a role in the success (or failure) of every encounter I have at work and at home. Moreover, I need to be aware of not only my own expectations but also those of my family, my friends, my colleagues and my customers. I know that if I want to be successful, I cannot guess or make assumptions about what everyone else is thinking. I have to ask, investigate, research, watch and listen.

Look around you, look at the woman in the picture above. Do you really know what she is thinking? Can you afford to be wrong?

Maybe Customer Service Is Not So Bad After All

Exceptionally good and bad experiences certainly make an impression, but on the whole things seem to balance out.

Reality Check
I used a neat tag cloud generator (Wordle) to look back at my customer service tweets over the past week or so. The graphic that they generated quickly showed that my experiences have split pretty evenly between positive and negative. I think many people, including myself, have a rather uninspired view of customer service that reflects a few particularly bad events. However, the reality is that our experiences are a combination of bad and good. Although there is always room for improvement, it is important to remind ourselves that there are some people and some companies that get it right.