unique Archives - Dennis E. Gilbert

25
Jan 19
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The High Price of Trendy Customer Service

Tags : competition customer service trends unique

Ask about a good customer service experience and people may cite Zappos, Amazon, or Disney. Are following the trends of others the best path? Are you caught up in trendy customer service?

It seems to make sense. In life, much of what we do we learn by watching, listening, and getting hands on. Then we replicate, we mimic, and we follow the model.

Learn to tie your shoe, make a toasted cheese sandwich, or change a flat tire. We often watch, listen, and replicate.

Creating the best customer service experience may be a bit different.

Trends Are Not Unique

When we mimic, follow the model, or do what the competition is doing, the best we can hope for is to become number two.

Here is the real catch though, if every online shoe store or every theme park replicates, exactly, the best service models then the opportunity for a unique experience is less. Everything is the same or similar. It isn’t memorable.

McDonald’s or Burger King, Wendy’s or Carl’s Jr., they spend millions chasing each other and yet trying to be different.

The manufacturer that produces a pen, a silicon chip, or a plastic water bottle, may produce hundreds of thousands, all exactly the same. Good quality, a sign of trust, value, and building a brand.

When everyone is exactly the same, the lowest price wins.

Trendy Customer Service

The question more people should ask is not about how to replicate, but how to create a unique experience that makes your product or service memorable, unforgotten, cutting edge, talked about, and chased. An experience that others may find so attractive that they want to follow.

Following the leaders puts you behind. Becoming the leader advances you forward.

Certainly, we can learn from other models. Certainly, we should understand what the competition is doing. Replicating their model will always only be a path of following.

Trendy doesn’t differentiate, it’s similar.

It’s a price too high to pay.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

07
Aug 18
-

Why Scarcity Should Be An Abundant Career Philosophy

Tags : commodity scarcity skills unique

Influence and persuasion are popular topics in consultative sales. Today it seems we often must have a good reason to make a business deal. There must be a need, but what really closes the sale? Scarcity may be the nugget you’re missing, especially related to your career.

Philosophy of Scarcity

There has been a lot of work on the sales process and the power of influence and persuasion. One of the front runners is Dr. Robert Cialdini, who is a leading authority on these subjects.

Dr. Cialdini, has included as one of six principles of persuasion the concept of scarcity. He is not the only person to study these concepts and many sales and marketing leaders live by the value of scarcity connected with selling.

Scarcity is a simple concept. The product or service is worth more or needs to be acted on now because if you don’t, you’ll miss the opportunity.

It is the road sign with, “Last gas for 150 miles.” or “Next rest stop 68 miles.” Suddenly, you’re considering your needs.

There is more spin off. The idea that the price will increase, there will be a rush on demand, or it will never be offered again.

In these cases, the value seems to increase. It’s an opportunity to close the sale and get good margin.

Why Scarcity

Scarcity should be important for everyone. It should be important for the commission sales person, the savvy marketer, and even for individuals who aren’t directly in the front-line sales process.

Because scarcity drives value it reinforces your need for skills. Not everyone is an Industrial Psychologist, not everyone is a Microsoft Certified Architect (MCA), and not everyone is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

While these occupational credentials may not be extremely hard to find, not everyone has them. As a result, businesses will pay more for their expertise.

When was the last time you considered the uniqueness of what you offer?

If you’re a commodity, easy come, easy go.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and corporate trainer. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

10
Nov 17
-

Making Your Work Count and Outlasting Critics

Tags : critic patience progress unique work count

People start their work every day. Every day they may question why am I doing this, why does it matter, and why do people only care enough to find fault. Do you make your work count? Does it speak for itself?

There are days when it feels like everyone is a critic. The project your team worked tirelessly on, the new idea you mentioned at the meeting or the marketing campaign that you know will be a huge success.

Some critics may be trying to be helpful, some are jealous, and some see you growing and they don’t like it because they now have to move up or move on. Your worst critic, sooner or later, they will find someone else to give their attention to, because you’ve moved on.

Different is Better than Average

When you work with the intent to make your work count, to make a difference, to advance the team, it becomes momentum. It is hard to stop momentum. In fact, that may be exactly what critics are calling for. They want to slow the train.

Your work will count the most when it is unique. It is hard to pick the best donut from a rack of two dozen. It is hard to find the nicest rose in the bunch. The work you do, the accomplishments of your team, or the success of your organization will benefit the most when it’s not the same, but different.

Unfortunately, trying something new is exactly what the critic wants to stop. It is different, odd, ugly, or simply won’t work. Especially when the critic suggests that, others have tried it in the past.

The critic invites the challenge to prove them wrong.

Does Your Work Count

You’ll make your work count when you dare to be different. When you dare to improve the quality, the delivery, and the customer experience.

Critics will tell you a different story, but you’ll outlast them.

Critics have little patience for progress.

– DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and corporate trainer that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is a five-time author and some of his work includes, #CustServ The Customer Service Culture, and Forgotten Respect, Navigating A Multigenerational Workforce. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

23
Oct 17
-

Business culture decisions appreciative strategies

Business Culture Decisions in a New Economy

Tags : business culture change decisions new economy unique

Understanding the culture of your business is important. As people, most of us try to brand ourselves based on who we believe we are, not perhaps how others label us. When you think about business culture decisions things shouldn’t be much different, should they?

Unique

One of the most common broadcasts I receive from a new client is, “We are unique.” Certainly, just as every individual is unique so is the culture of most organizations. Organizational culture is shaped by leadership and based largely on the environment.

While cultures may be as unique as personalities, talent, and fingerprints, there are still some commonalities. In fact, largely, the art of doing business is the same. Sell products or services (something), and deliver on your promise.

Culture Then and Now

The culture of 1920 Ford Motor Company is certainly probably different from the culture today. Essentially the same business, but leadership has molded the shape across time. The same could be said for Harley Davidson or IBM.

Is it time for new decisions? A different question may be, “When isn’t it?” Every person and organization makes decisions about who they are, or who they will become. We sometimes suggest that both people and businesses are stuck in time.

Our economy is very different from 1920. It is different from what it was in 1950, and even in the year 2000. For decades our economy has been shifting, today more Fortune 500 companies are representing the service sector or have a significant service component.

Business Culture Decisions

Businesses often change because of need. Internal and external forces exert pressure on organizations, requiring adaptation or perhaps demise.

The real challenge though is in the perceived risk. Staying the same feels safe if it appears to be working. The status quo is what most individuals feel comfortable with, businesses aren’t really much different.

What most people and businesses should be thinking about is if our World, the business environment, or the way we do things, is staying the same, or is everything around us changing? Is anything changing?

If our new economy is the same then I guess there isn’t any need to become different.

Easy decision.

– DEG

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

Tag Archives: unique

Jan 19

-

The High Price of Trendy Customer Service

Trends Are Not Unique

Trendy Customer Service

Aug 18

-

Why Scarcity Should Be An Abundant Career Philosophy

Philosophy of Scarcity

Why Scarcity

Nov 17

-

Making Your Work Count and Outlasting Critics

Different is Better than Average

Does Your Work Count

Oct 17

-

Business Culture Decisions in a New Economy

Unique

Culture Then and Now

Business Culture Decisions

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