MISSION:Excellent Customer Service

I like to receive excellent customer service. In my business dealings from day to day, I try to comments about the service I receive. Good as well as not so good. Following the experience I mention below, I had two excellent experiences. I commented to those businesses about their service as well.

Here is my story.

The other day I entered a local bank. I am not a customer of this bank, but in the past I had been a signer on a Client Fund account for work. We frequently went to this branch to make deposits. The following is a letter I wrote to the Manager following my visit. I have not included the name of the bank for personal reasons.



March 15, 2006

Mr. Manager,

Yesterday I entered your bank from the back parking lot and was shocked at what I saw. There was much remodeling being done and the smell of paint filled the air. As I approached the teller windows I was taken aback by what stood ahead of me. Counter to ceiling was what appeared to be bulletproof glass. I could not believe this bank had purposely placed a barrier between a customer service representative and me, the customer. I had to speak louder than normal to the teller and with no confidentiality whatsoever. When I asked the teller why these were placed here she replied “if you had been robbed as many times as we have…..” Nearly in the same breath I was asked if I would like to open an account so that I may be able to make my payment automatically? My next thought was “Why? It might just get stolen anyway”!

I do not have an account with (inserted bank name here) but did enter your bank to pay my mortgage. Why would I open an account at a place that doesn’t trust me even before I walk through the door? With her words your teller asked for my business, but the environment screamed of distrust.

The question I must ask: Don’t you trust your customers? My impression from the glass barrier is “no” and “the less human contact-the better”. I feel sorry about the robbery and even more that there are people who view this as a way to make ends meet.

There are other ways of handling this situation. Place a barrier between the robber and the money/safe. Not between the customer and the teller/customer service. It appears you are focusing on the one bad customer instead of the hundreds of good and honest people that walk through your doors each week. This letter speaking up could represent the hundreds that don’t, but take their business elsewhere-where we/they are trusted.

Coincidently, when I called your branch to get the name of the branch manager my call was picked up automatically. I was (automatically) placed on hold for 10 minutes with no answer. I had to call back a second time to actually speak to someone.

I recently read a book regarding developing excellent customer service practices. I highly recommend “Raving Fans” by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles. The publisher is William Morrow and Company. It is a quick read and very insightful. I would encourage you to get a copy.

If you would like to discuss this situation further, please feel free to contact me. I may be reached at work (000) 000-0000; home (000) 000-0000.

Sincerely,
Norm


I have yet to hear from anyone at this bank. Could this be yet another barrier?

Weather today: Windy, rainy, and chains are required on all vehicles 50 miles up the road.

Good Friends, Good Food, Good Night

Last night we had dinner with a group of friends at one of the family's home in the mountains about 40 miles away. My wife is a chef in training. Really, she is going to school to become a chef. All the wives were in the kitchen preparing the meal. It sounded like they were having a good time and doing what they enjoyed. The men were in the living room talking. At the meal, the great conversation continued accompanied by excellent food. I remember thinking "this is great. I enjoy the way this feels." We must have talked about everything, movies, food, drink, church, family, travel and laughed alot! Shortly after dessert someone looked outside and discovered there was about 1 1/2 inches of snow on the ground. With the exception of our hosts, we are all flatlanders, so there was some concern about getting down off the hill. Gary (our host) climbed in his four-wheel drive car and went to survey the roads. He returned with a good report. We all came down the hill together and made it home safely.

It was an evening filled with good friends and good food. A great and enjoyable combination.

-Norm

Weather today: Partly cloudy, 48 degrees. It hailed tonight for about 20 minutes.

The Home Going of a Care Provider

Today, I attended the funeral of the group home administrator for some of my clients. The pastor who conducted did an excellent job. I find it interesting to listen as people recall a person's life at their funeral. As someone in attendance I found myself frequently thinking "I didn't know that about her". A few things I learned were that she was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She accepted Christ into her life at 15 years old while attending Sunday School. What followed was a marriage that lasted until her recent death. Becoming wheelchair bound due to MS and all the challenges that brings. Even with this condition she had a huge impact on the lives of those around her and the residents she cared for.

Her greatest ambition in life was that everyone, her family, friends and each person she came in contact with would come to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We met a number of times with each other and never talked Jesus. Most of our conversations centered around the clients we serve.

Each time I leave the funeral of a Christian believer, I can't help but think, who will take their place in touching the lives they touched? Such was the case today.

-Norm

Weather today: Freezing all day and currently snowing. Spring can't get here soon enough!!!

Salsa and Chips!

I know this is my second post today! Leave me alone!

We are chips and salsa people. It is not uncommon for us to enjoy these while watching a movie or enjoying time together as a family. I enjoy trying new things in the kitchen and came up with my own salsa recipe!

I thought I'd post it for all to enjoy!

2 large tomatoes
2 red bell peppers
2 Jalapeno peppers
1 purple bell pepper
1/2 white onion
2 celery stalks
1 medium size carrot
1 tablespoon of pepper (or to taste)
2 tablespoons of salt (or to taste)

Chop all ingredients in a food processor and place in a bowl.
When everything has been chopped and mixed, blend all ingredients together in a blender. Place everything back in the bowl.

Cover and chill for 3-5 hours. It's excellent!!!

-Norm

"Next Blog" Warning

There is a link on this website that is not the doorway to all that is well and good. It is the "Next Blog" link located in the upper right-hand corner of this blog. It is a gamble. You never know what is waiting on the other side. The best advise I could give is stick to the places we know are good. The internet while full of great places, things and images also contains things that I do not want stuck in my brain.

The Bible gives very good instruction regarding such things:

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.-Phillipians 4:8

It reminds me of a chorus we sang in Sunday School: "Oh, be careful little eyes what you see. Oh, be careful little eyes what you see. There's a Father up above looking down with tender love. Oh, be careful little eyes what you see."

Other verses to this chorus include "Oh, be careful little feet where you go....."
and "Oh, be careful little hands what you do....."

Another verse in the Bible I strive to live by is "Be imitators of God, therefore as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up or us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."- Ephesians 5:1

How would an imitator of God surf the internet?

-Norm

Weather today is clear, breezy and chilly.

Busy Weekend

This weekend seemed to be a busy one. On Saturday, I took care of the church building. This is my every Saturday ritual. After I got home we went shopping. It is a goal to make our playroom/family room more presentable. We purchased a couple cabinets and a chair. We purchased them unassembled. I now have a couple projects to put together. Sunday at church our pastor is teaching through Matthew. Alot of geneology. He makes it very interesting. Following church we went to Round Table with a group of friends. It was great to talk and just be together. I enjoyed this time alot! These people are real!
Last night I was involved in a worship concert. The group was made up of musicians from a number of local churches. I play drums. It was a great time of playing together, but always involves alot of work. I really just wanted to be home with my family. We have something going on every night this week.

-Norm

Weather today 38 degrees, rainy and snow at about 1,000 feet elevation.

Spots and Wrinkles

We have a very temperamental clothes dryer. I do not like wrinkled shirts or clothing. A standard practice I have is to "fluff" the wrinkles out by placing them in the dryer for a short time. Over the past few months our dryer has not always been heating up. When items are put in it can take them quite awhile to get dry, if they dry at all. (I've replaced knobs and switches chasing the problem down).
Wrinkles in my life are imperfections and make me look unkept. Spots are embarrasing spills that we wear. They require a cleaning agent, something to get the spot out. Wrinkles can require heat and tumbling = keeping the faith through tough situations. But the spots require a cleaning agent to help us come clean. This cleaning agent is the blood of Jesus that takes away the sins out the world.
My personal goal is to be spotless and no wrinkles. I believe this is Jesus' goal for me as well. Ephesians 5:27 speaks of the great days ahead......"and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless". A former pastor of mine presented a math problem that I still think about from time to time. It goes like this:

a blackened sin filled heart + red blood of Jesus = cleansed/made white as snow

Spotless and wrinkle free should be the goal of every Christian. What would a radiant Church look like if we truly and honestly pursued wrinkle free and spotless lives? We will be presented to Him one way or the other.

-Norm

Weather today: gusty winds, 45 degrees and snow at low elevations. Happy March Day!