Hong Kong Shines

Hong Kong Shines

Imagine you are heading to breakfast at a nice hotel. It's only the second morning of four at the hotel and they do the following:

• Bring an extra cushion for my daughter to sit on to boost her seating position - we had asked for it day 1
• They remember our smoothy orders from Day 1 and ask if we would like them again
• They remember that a cut down straw is a good idea for my daughter to drink the smoothy and just bring one out
• They remember my wife's coffee order

Now, before you say anything, we were not the only ones in the hotel breakfast area.

Next we head to reception to confirm what time is check out. The always smiling Joyce greets us by name, interacts with my daughter (calling her by her name) and asks pleasantly how she could assist.

I enquire about a late check out and I am advised that they could extend our check out time to 2pm. In appreciation I thank Joyce and we head back to the room to get ready for the day ahead. On returning to our room there is a phone call from - you guessed it - Joyce stating she had checked the occupancy of the hotel the day after we leave and given there was some space she could offer a 4pm checkout. I agree to the 4pm slot and thank Joyce.

How easy was what she did? Was it costly or challenging? No! Her intent was simple - she wanted to please us. What she did was truly delightful - the whole experience at the hotel was outstanding. Do I want to go back to that hotel? Absolutely!!!

She'll Be Right Mate

Often people hear me proclaim my concerns about the lack of customer service provided in Australia. Most agree that it is average at best, yet I am not seeing any significant change.

Recently I visited Rebel Sport. I went to pay for my item by my AMEX card. After swiping it numerous times it fails to register. After the 30th swipe, (what's the definition of insanity again?), I encourage the girl to key in the numbers manually. Guess what? They require a manual click / clack machine. A problem arises in that they don't have them any more - so now I am curious how they would process any sales if their system crashed.

Pardon my sarcasm - but come on! That's pretty hopeles isn't it? How does this situaion serve me as a customer? Aren't I important? I thought it was me and others like me that contributed to that all important bottom line.

This attitude of "she'll be right mate" or "that'll do" is not a good enough standard. Surely we need to make better choices that are customer centric - it's an integral part of a business' success.

Learning To Shine

You can learn to present from anyone! Well if you are willing to think and look outside the box.

Let me share a quick story about Joyce.

Recently my family and I were on leave and we stayed at a nice hotel for four nights. As I am inclined to do I visited reception a few times on day one to get my bearings. I was served by Joyce. Well day two arrives and I am contemplating how late we can stay in the hotel so again I wonder to the front desk and Joyce is there again, she greets me by name, and she interacts with my daughter greeting her by her name. I am impressed given we have only spoken once before.

I enquire about a later checkout. I am told we could checkout at 2pm. I am thankful and I head back to the room to get ready for the day ahead. On arriving back in my room there is a phone call. It's Joyce explaining to me she had checked the occupancy of the hotel the day after we leave and she could offer me a 4pm checkout. I accept.

So what do I take away from this experience so that I can apply it to my training and presentation skills?

1. Connect with your audience - really connect
2. Second guess what they may be thinking and present it before they ask the question
3. Love what you do and show it
4. Be flexible - it's all about your audience (not you)
5. Provide as much value as possible
6. Deliver your content in a way that has people wanting more

Mindset Change First

We at Maximise Learning have had a great year and so many of my consultant friends have too. It's amazing how our mindset has played a major role in our success.

Did you hear about the Taxi Industry Customer Service Report? Not very flattering at all. A mate of mine said he heard some interviews on the radio with taxi drivers discussing the report and the responses were mind boggling to say the least.

This year we trained over 400 taxi drivers in a short, sharp 90 minute session on Customer Service and our experience was very similar. There was a  common theme of blaming the customer which again is mind boggling - they just don't get it.

For any training to hit the mark there has to be a mind shift prior, and it seems within the taxi industry, a huge shift.

In comparison, I was in Tokyo two weeks a ago. The person I was with decided to drive back to his home to get changed and to grab a taxi to go out so we could have a few drinks. So we drove to his house and a taxi (organised previously) was waiting for us. As my colleague went inside I headed to the taxi however I was met by the driver before I knew it with an umbrella and was subsequently escorted to the car under the umbrella. Impressed? You bet I was given I didn't provoke this behaviour.

It got me thinking. How's your mindset? Are your customers seen as your lifeblood or a hindrance? You know what the correct answer should be so are you ensuring you have a positive mindset towards your customers so that it drives a positive experience?

You Tube - A Great Resource

I am often asked for some creative ways to liven up a presentation or training session.  One resource that can assist you is You Tube. There are some amazing videos that could really reinforce a point you are making or even grab their attention before a start of a session.

There is Brian McMillan's video on How not to use PowerPoint - very funny or another if you are running sales training is A Few Good Expenses - very clever. These are just a couple I use. Just type in your topic in the search box and see what comes up. You may find a piece that really blows your audience away.



WARNING: Sometimes the quality isn't great so be sure not to use it for the sake of using it. Have some fun with it and by the way don't spend to many hours searching you'll end up running out or preparation time.

I Had To Laugh

Recently I noticed the new Qantas advertisement. Have you seen it?

A trainer is at the front of a room claiming there are 3 things his group needs to know. "Where are you now?, Where are you heading?, & How are you going to get there?". He delivers these questions in a thought provoking, I've got you thinking, kind of tone and he seems quite chuffed with himself.

What's happening in the back of the room?

A participant is on his laptop, which is still connected to the data projector and is being projected on the screen, booking his flight from Sydney, to Melbourne on Qantas.

I think this advertisement is a laugh but then it got me thinking.

This advertisement is an obvious spoof on trainers and presenters. There are ad agencies and their clients who have this perspective of trainers and presenters. I think you would agree it's not very flattering. So what does this mean for us?

3 things:

1. Engage your audience. Is your content relevant to your audience? Is it pitched at the right level? Is it something they can take away and apply to their world?
2. Don't put on a show. As much I believe you have to be energetic and passionate about your message you also need to be congruent. Don't be somebody your not.
3. Do things differently. People attending training programs and presentations are conditioned to the 'tricks', the "icebreakers', and the "PowerPoint" slides.

Remember the key question to ask yourself is: "What is my objective?". What do you want them to learn from their time with you? What do you want them to take away?
Your challenge this month is to achieve your objectives by being engaging, congruent and different.

The Fundamentals

Wow! What's happening in the world.? The finiancial situation has gone crazy it seems. Yet through all this craziness I have heard numerous times that part of the reason for the craziness is people have forgotten the fundamentals. The fundamentals of investing, the fundamentals of running a business, the fundamentals of personal financial management. It seems greediness has been at the heart of this situation.

This got me thinking about training and presenting to an audience. What are the fundamentals that make it successful.  Here are 5 ideas.

1. Know your audience - to the best of your ability know what they do and how they do it.

2. Make it relevant - many of my new ciients consistently tell me that the people they engaged prior to me never connected with their business.

3. Know your outcome - sounds simple. What do you want them to learn, take away or do.

4. Practice, practice, practice - I know it takes time but it enables your message to be  clear and concise.

5. Vary the delivery - your aim is to keep them alive and learning - do something different every 15 minutes.

There are probably so many more things we could add. My intent is to get you to think about what the fundamentals might be for you so you maximise your results.

No Problems Only Solutions

Recently, on a trip to London, I was amazed at how many of the English were complaining about things, including the wonderful sunny clear days they were having.

It struck me that I sometimes hear similar conversations in my training room by those who just dont want to do something different. They are essentially stuck in their ways and will use all sorts of excuses (my favourite - "oh we can't do that here') to keep the status quo.

I find that strange really because if your presentation or training session has an objective to change behaviour then you have no choice but to do something different. You have to move them, shake them or inspire them. You have to give them a reason to believe they should change.

There are so many techniques you can use. Music, Videos, Discussions, Activities, Case Studies, are just some to consider.

The definition of a rut is a grave with no ends. Its time to Stand and Deliver a memorable session.

Learn From The Greats

When ever you are watching TV, listening to a podcast, or even watching a play have you put your presenters/trainers hat on and analysed how their delivery affects you?

There are so many great orators and many are now talking about the US President, Barrack Obama. There was an article recently that took the time to pull apart the President's method and it offered some great insight and tips for what you can do to take your presentation or training to the next level.

Rather than breach copyright we have provided the link for you - read it at your leisure. Link to article. Look for the sections on language, repitition and storytelling. These are essential ingredients in ensuring your delivery is memorable.

Who are some people that have moved you? Why not take some time and analyse them and add some of the skills to your next session.

Gobsmacked

Yesterday I decided that it would be a good idea to compare my current Vodafone mobile plan with Telstra. (I think Telstra’s 3G coverage is better).  I called Telstra first. Not only did I get answered straight away, but also the girl was helpful, friendly and a sheer delight to converse with.  She even suggested I call Vodafone and check some details before calling back.



Well it was off to call Vodafone – and I got that annoying recorded voice named Lara –  if you don’t say exactly what she wants – she states she didn’t get it (maybe a real person might).  Any way I eventually got through to a real person who again was brilliant. She had to dig out my records, as my plan was an “old” plan. Once she did that she then proceeded to analyse my account and recommend a better plan. I am now saving $30 a month.



I had 2 very pleasant experiences in the space of 20 minutes. Perhaps companies are starting to really recognise that it costs nothing to knock your customers socks off. It’s all about choice by the organisation and the individual. Isn't it?

Turn That Music Down

there was a request to turn the music down. Although it wasn't actually loud people not attending were distracted.

I began to think how ingrained people are when they themselves attend training. They are so used to boring sessions with no energy and of course no music. Even as i calmly explained that the music was an integral part of learning i was still asked to turn it down or off. They just didn't get it.

So what?

The key lesson for me is if you are using music (which you are - right?) then make sure you run your sessions in venues that do not compromise the use of music. Music assists people to talk, it creates a comfortable and welcoming environment,  and it can set the scene and vibe for the following days training as they leave your session. Eric Jensen has many studies on music and learning.

Remember it's your session it's your environment so make sure you cover all your bases especially when using music.

We All Love A Good Story

Think about it, how many times in our personal lives do we tell stories?

Stories are the glue that holds society together, the way we understand how others think and feel.

If this is true, why don’t we use this asset in our professional lives more often? Isak Dinesen said that ‘to be a person is to have a story to tell’. We all have experiences that have made us the people we are, so why not use these experiences to assist others?

In a training environment, we need to give participants a belief that this won’t just be the same old boring session that they’ve attended time and time again, faith that they’ll actually be learning information rather than just being drowned in it. The best way to inspire this kind of faith is to gain the trust of your participants as quickly as you can, and a great way to do this is with storytelling. The stories you tell, however, must be chosen carefully, as your aim is to inspire trust. The purpose of a story in a training environment is to make the information you’re giving believable; ‘if a picture is worth a thousand words, then a story is worth a thousand assurances’.

Keeping Up With The Steins

Have you seen this movie?  It's not the greatest movie you will see however a little snippet of it really grabbed my attention. A 13 year old boy was having his bar mitzvah in 2 weeks and he was learning and practicing the chant (the Parasha) he would do at the synagogue. He was shocking at it though and he spoke to the Rabi and explained he did not know what he was chanting. The Rabi was gobsmacked and stated that he should know it as the english translation was underneath.

Key point! Even though the translation was there he didn't understand the true meaning of what he was doing. Do we do similar things with our audiences? Are we truly explaing the 'why' of what we are training or presenting? Are we truly giving a message in such away that they get it? Do they understand the essence of your message as well as the information you are providing?

I think that's a challenge. We know our content so well yet our audiences maybe hearing it for the first time. We have to prepare for that or we could totally disengage them.

Get The Basics Right

I dont know about you but I am often puzzled by the lack of response by companies when you contact them via their websites.

Although they have the web contact form in place it seems there is no system in place to handle these enquiries. In fact I was reading an article recently and it quoted a figure of 59% of companies not responding to web contacts.

That's outrageous in my mind. Isnt't that basic customer service skills gone awry? If people take the the time to complete a form or email you from your website they have every right to expect a reply. Are times tough in your industry at the moment? if so have you checked you are still doing the basics right?

It's all about value

People will purchase from you if they believe they are getting value for money. People don't like to feel they are being ripped off.

Recently I rented a house for the weekend (one night in fact).  We were dissappointed with our stay because although the location was stunning the house did not represent enough value for the price we paid for the two days. In fact you could have stayed at the Park Hyatt for the amount we paid and had harbour views.

I am not meaning to sound bitter I am simply saying that when the perceived value is far less than what is paid people suffer buyers remorse and the chance of them purchasing from you again diminishes.

Are you providing enough value for the prices you charge?