Words of Widsom

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Motivation: What Moves You?

What motivates you? What moves you? What inspires you to be more than you usually are? People oftentimes ask me questions like that. The truth is, several things motivate me. For the purpose of this article, I will only focus on two. #1: I am motivated by seeing people treated

Graphic of a person standing on a bar graph

Leaders are Lifters

(This article is dedicated to: Doug Brooks, Charles DeFoucault, Carter Donovan, Jim McManemon, Diana Oreck, Theo Gilbert-Jamison, Angela Hornsby and Horst Schulze) The best leaders are lifters. Plain and simple. They know how to lift the hearts, hopes, esteem and performance of their staff. If you are my leader, then

Heart of the House

Here is what I believe: You are either serving the customer or you are serving someone who is. Simply put…Everyone’s job exists to do something for someone else. Therefore, everyone’s job is important, needed, and relevant. The Dalai Lama once said, “If you think you are too small to make a difference,

Service Excellence: I Can’t Imagine a World Without

If a grocery store can win a Forbes 5-Stars rating, this store would be it. It’s one thing to be exceptional, and it’s another to be consistently exceptional. MOM’s Organic Store in the Washington DC Metro Area is just that; Consistently Exceptional. I can honestly say that every business can learn from

I Believe In You

“I believe in you”. Those four simple words are incredibly powerful, yet are not used often enough. While I don’t know for sure, I would bet that most working adults have never heard those words said to them. Regardless of your job title, each person has the direct ability to brighten

The Customer’s Advocate

More than complying with requests…more than anticipating needs…guests need to feel like you are “on their side”. Simply put, they want you to be their advocate. Looking out for them. Suggesting services and products that will best fit their specific needs. Advocate Just recently, I was staying at the Thompson hotel in Miami

Personal Excellence: The BIG Decision Each Person Must Make

“The starting point of all achievement is desire.” – Napoleon Hill No one can make you have enthusiasm. Success, vitality, and achievement are all a direct result of it. One of the most beautiful sights to behold is someone who is fully engaged in what they do and enthusiastic about

Is Customer Service Really Just Common Sense?

Not too long ago, someone told me that all this customer service stuff is really just common sense. She went on to explain that customer service is, merely, basic social skills that all people have. Saying “good morning”, “thank you”, holding the door for someone, and offering help are all elementary.

World-Class Leadership: The ONE Thing the Best Leaders Do

Let’s just cut through all the clutter and get right down to it. Teams that consistently give excellent service have leaders who enthusiastically talk about excellent service everyday. How often? Everyday. There is no way around it. You can have the best training sessions, videos, and recognition programs. You can even fly in the

People Person: The Importance of Having the Right Person in the Right Role

“I used to be a people person…but people ruined that for me.” I recently read that quote, and thought it was very funny. Then, it occurred to me that there are people who actually feel that way. Yet, they have jobs that require them to serve customers all day. More specifically, some

I Need You

Every patient in every hospital is in a rather strange position. They need the services that the hospital and healthcare providers are giving; but they do not want to be in a situation where they need healthcare in the first place. For the most part, people don’t “enjoy” getting sick

Independent & Empowered: A Letter To My Manager

When I think of empowerment, one word comes to mind: Independent. To me, independence means to be free…without restrictions. As an employee, I need to know that you (my manager) trusts and believes in me enough to empower me to serve with excellence. No, I don’t mean just having a clever mission