Marion's Communication Tips

When was the last time you gave feedback? You likely have lots of occasions for you to do so. It could be during employee performance appraisals. Or perhaps your boss is asking for your input on a project or concept? Maybe your client is requesting your decision on several creative concepts and wants your input to proceed. All these scenarios require your response ... and feedback.

When feedback is good, it's easy to give, though many people don't bother. When you get great support from your boss, or when a colleague or client bends over backward to get you something your requested by a tight deadline, do you offer feedback? Do you take a moment to acknowledge the effort and expertise?

Are people forgetting to give feedback?

I've noticed a disturbing trend and I'm wondering if you've noticed it too. When you do something above and beyond, do you hear back from the lucky recipient? Do you get feedback? If not, it could be just because the person doesn't realize how important it is to do so. What is looks like is complete disinterest. Providing feedback and response shows you're engaged.

I recently contacted a client to drop off a thank you gift for some business I had done with him. I followed that up with a hand-written thank you card in the mail, then a final report summarizing the session. On all three occasions, I got no feedback or response. Nothing, zip, rien. OK, a "thank you" would have been nice, but I really wasn't expecting that. What I did expect was a courteous acknowledgement of receipt of some sort, and most certainly feedback on the final report, especially as what I provided was above what had been requested. Was he pleased?

Because this behavior of "no response, no feedback" is not unique to that particular client, I wonder if people are forgetting the importance of giving feedback. Or maybe it's not so much feedback as professional courtesies. Have you noticed that too?

If you've found yourself stumped on how to give feedback, here's two keys that may unlock the mystery for you.

Take a tip from the President of Toastmasters International about giving feedback

Are you a Toastmaster or have you ever heard of Toastmasters? If so, you may be familiar with the name "Chris Ford". Chris was the 2007-08 President of Toastmaster International. I'm fortunate to know Chris on several levels. He's a colleague, founding member of my Toastmasters Club, and I'm privileged to call him my friend. (PS: I also know him as someone who makes a killer martini ;o)

A number of years ago, Chris gave us a tip at our Toastmasters meeting that I've never forgotten. He was talking about giving feedback and evaluations of speeches, a regular practice at Toastmasters meetings. The principles apply to any instance where you're providing feedback. He said there are two keys to giving feedback, and these are:

1. Let the person know what they can do to improve
2. Leave them feeling better for having heard it.

Next time you find yourself with an opportunity to give feedback, do it! Not only will it help to hone your communication skills, if you do it right, you'll likely be helping the other person too.

PS: have some feedback about this article? Feel free to post it below.

Until next time, here's to ...
Better communication, Better business, Better life,
Marion Grobb Finkelstein
COMMUNICATION CATALYST
Keynote Speaker / Corporate Trainer / Author
www.MarionSpeaks.com
Marion@MarionSpeaks.com
www.facebook.com/MarionSpeaks  

Are you planning a conference, employee gathering or management retreat and looking for presenters? I'd love to submit a proposal for your consideration. Please contact me Marion@MarionSpeaks.com

© 2012 Marion Grobb Finkelstein
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete tagline with it: Communication catalyst, author, and professional speaker Marion Grobb Finkelstein teaches individuals and organizations across Canada and beyond, how to improve morale, confidence and productivity by changing how they communicate. Get weekly hands-on tips by signing up for "Marion's Communication Tips" at www.MarionSpeaks.com

Say It While You Can

Hey MarionSpeaks, today is my birthday and I find myself reflecting over the past year. It was this same week last year that I lost my mom. She was 90 years young and suffered from Alzheimer's -- it was like losing her twice. When I got the news of her passing, it was especially difficult because I was in Florida and she was in the Niagara region. As I trekked back home, I tapped out my weekly article enroute. It was the enewsletter that has to this date, received one of the highest responses from you, my readers, colleagues and clients.

In memory of my mom and in honor of all the people in your life you hold near and dear or have lost, I share with you this "encore" article I wrote last year. Although months have passed, the message is a timeless one. Even through difficult times, you can share and receive the lessons learned -- and it's this very art of sharing that is one of the many vestiges my mother leaves behind.

November 2010

SAD NEWS ... AND THE BEST GIFT I EVER RECEIVED

 

It's with an aching heart that I tell you this past week, my mother passed away. As I type, I am in JFK International Airport enroute to returning home from a wonderful birthday cruise and Florida holiday. Getting closer to Ottawa, I find the reality of the situation is beginning to hit and I'm bracing myself for the overwhelm of emotion I will feel upon my return to reality and familiar things that remind me of mom.

 

I am so very grateful to have had my mother in my life for this length of time. The nursing staff in her seniors home have cried many tears, a measure of the extent to which my mother innately reached out and touched lives around her.

 

This coming week is Thanksgiving for our American colleagues. During this festive season, it makes me think back over the years of all the gifts given and received for which I've been grateful. I bet there's one special gift you gave that you remember fondly. Me too.

The best present I ever gave was one I prepared for my mother just a few months ago. My mom was 90 years old and had suffered from Alzheimer's for almost a decade (gee, it seems odd to use the word "was", as in past tense). Although she remembered most of her family members most of the days, the disease slowly robbed her of her precious memories. Chatting and visiting with her was always a joy and made me greatly appreciate the importance of communicating, even when you're not sure if it will be remembered. Although fleeting, I know with certainty there were moments we connected. 

Almost twenty years ago, I had written mom a series of letters with each entitled, "lessons my mother taught me". In these writings, I shared with her life skills I had learned at her hand when I was a child. Through mom's many moves to progressively increased care, these letters had been lost. Recently, I decided to recreate them and mail them to her again. For the past few months, every couple weeks I snail-mailed my mother a one-page note sharing one of my childhood memories of how deeply she had impacted my life. The lessons were principles that have guided me throughout the years, including:

• keep a song in your heart
• never be embarrassed by someone who loves you
• a promise is a promise.

This past September, I drove from Ottawa to the Niagara region to visit my mom, as I had done countless times over the years. When I walked in her room, I handed her a surprise -- a binder with a cover that read, "Lessons My Mother Taught Me". The subtitle noted, "Lessons learned by: Marion Grobb Finkelstein / Lessons taught by: Rita M. Grobb". Inside, in plastic page protectors, were the typed stories of each lesson I'd sent her.

For the week of my visit, each day I would read these stories aloud and she listened in awe. One time, much to my surprise and huge delight, she even read along with me and we took turns reading alternate paragraphs. Every time I read these lessons, it was as if she was hearing the stories for the first time. Really, in her mind, she was. My mom was amazed that I remembered these incidents and  she marveled at the lasting impression that her everyday actions had on me. "You remembered that?", she'd ask, as I recounted a seemingly incidental event. She smiled and listened intently as the stories unfolded and she realized her role in them. 

I felt a compelling need to share these joys with her in the living years. Why wait until she couldn't understand or (gulp) for a eulogy (my mother taught me that too - to express appreciation in the moment). As I sit here now, on this side of my mother's life, I am ever grateful that I shared them when I did.

Whether you're celebrating Thanksgiving, or soon to celebrate Christmas, Chanukah, or just the festive holiday spirit and sense of connection with others, I encourage you to communicate with someone who has touched you in ways he or she may not even realize. Let them know the positive influence they've had on your life and don't wait until tomorrow because, as I was sadly reminded, tomorrow may never come. It may be a family member, a colleague, your boss, or a client. Now is your time to reach out.

My mother may not have remembered the gift of my binder or the lessons she so ably taught me. She might not have recalled receiving the crisp typed one-page stories I'd mailed to her, or have any recollection of me seated by her side reading them to her.

 

She might not have remembered any of it at all, but I sure do. And that's the gift she gave me.

Until next time, here's to ...
Better communication, Better business, Better life,
Marion Grobb Finkelstein
COMMUNICATION CATALYST
Keynote Speaker / Corporate Trainer / Author
www.MarionSpeaks.com
Marion@MarionSpeaks.com
www.facebook.com/MarionSpeaks  

© 2011 Marion Grobb Finkelstein
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete tagline with it: Communication specialist, author, professional speaker Marion Grobb Finkelstein teaches individuals and organizations across Canada and beyond, how to improve morale, confidence and productivity by changing how they communicate. Chat with her at www.facebook.com/MarionSpeaks and sign up for her FREE weekly "Marion's Communication Tips" at www.MarionSpeaks.com

Every now and then, I get a question that so many people have asked (or want to ask), that I simply want to share it with all of you. This is one of those delicate communication situations described below. Perhaps you've found yourself in this awkward position or you will someday. Read on, and you'll have some suggestions with how to handle it.

QUESTION:

I was wondering how to approach employees on personal hygiene issues.  It's not that the individuals are dirty or filthy but rather don't use personal anti-perspirants due to whatever reason. I have other employees commenting on "how ripe" the smell is on some days!  I'd like to discuss this with the individuals and wondered how to handle it.
Signed, Holding my breath until I get an answer.

MARION'S RESPONSE:

What a tough situation -- talk about having to communicate a difficult message! Rest assured, you're not alone. I've known several people who have handled this predicament. Here's some principles of good communications and tactics I would suggest:

1. SET THE TONE: Before you do anything, get your head in the right place -- come from a place of service, not judgement. You are speaking to this person because you have information that will help them (I'll explain how in a sec). Keep the mood light and casual. If you're nervous about speaking to them, remind yourself that you're doing this to support them, not to make them feel bad. Remind yourself of the outcome you want to see -- improved relationships, better productivity (it's hard to be productive when people don't want to be around you), and maintaining the person's dignity.

2. SPEAK IN PRIVATE. You mention "individuals" (plural) -- meet with each one separately and privately. If your workspace doesn't have a door, find a corner somewhere that you can meet without anyone hearing. No one needs to know that you're speaking to them. This is a sensitive issue and the intent is to treat it delicately and respectfully. Keep it short, brief, friendly and authoritative (you're the boss, right?)

3. WHAT TO SAY. The two golden rules of offering feedback:

            1) the person feel better for having heard it; and

            2) They know what to do to improve.

With this in mind:

a) Let them know the situation

b) Explain the impact it's having on THEM (i.e., their operational effectiveness) and others and (here's the important part) why it's in their best interest to change.

c) let them know you're there to help, you support them

d) close with a thank you and how much you value them.

A few cautions:

a) Make no reference to what might be causing the body odor, or anything that might end you up in the HR or lawyer's office -- that is, make no reference to culture, gender, weight, or anything else that you might see as contributing factors. These things could be seen as personal attacks, and that's not the intent.

b) Be approachable while being matter-of-fact

c) Allow them to save face, not be embarrassed.

It could sound something like this:

"Debbie/John (fill in the blank), I wanted to speak to you because I've noticed something I think you'll want to hear. Please know that I say this in the spirit of support and because you deserve to connect with colleagues and clients to the greatest extent possible.

I find that when I'm near you, I smell perspiration or body odour. I don't know what's causing it, all I know is that I'm concerned it's affecting your ability to interact with colleagues and clients.

You deserve to feel comfortable around others, so taking care of this piece is just another way to connect. There's lots of products you can try until you find a combination that works for you. If you have any questions, I'm not an expert but I'll certainly answer questions and help you as much as I can.

I appreciate the fact that we can speak candidly. So, let me know how it's going and if you have any questions, let me know."

Hope that helps. Let me know how it goes!

(PS: Hey, if you're reading this and have had a similar incident, post your comments and let us know what you did and how it turned out... or if you're going to use the approach suggested above).

I often get emails from people asking some excellent communication-related questions. Many of you are likely wondering the same things, so I'll be responding to these questions from time to time via my "Marion's Communication Tips" enewsletter. If you have a question or communication challenge you'd like to share, drop me a line at Marion@MarionSpeaks.com and you might be featured in a future edition. (PS: I use first names only and always ask permission to use your story first. I also may take a few editing liberties to shorten the text). And now, on to this week's question ...

QUESTION: "Marion, your recent newsletter about (the importance of) response times brought a flood of instances to mind where I was less than prompt getting back to clients. I met with a client the other day -- 10 days after our initial contact. Files just pile up, not to mention having to act as team lead and fill in extra shifts while co-workers were on holiday. I find myself having to make excuses for why I haven't contacted people sooner. I suppose the right thing to do would have been to take a few minutes to let her know I hadn't forgotten about her."
Signed, Overwhelmed in Edmonton  

MARION'S RESPONSE:
Dear Overwhelmed, you are not alone. It seems everyone these days is expected to do more with less. The proverbial "fat" has been cut so severely in some organizations, that the powers that be have succeeded in cutting into muscle. It's difficult to live in an environment of increasing expectations and reduced resources. And this type of workplace defintely puts a strain on how we communicate. Stress always does. So here's some tips:

• MANAGE EXPECTATIONS -- BEGIN WITH YOURS. You can only do what you can do. Even the most organized and productive person has a breaking point. Know what your boundaries are and when you're approaching them, then tell yourself it's OK to admit that you're human. Set challenging and reasonable goals for yourself and allow yourself some breathing and "contingency" room to get things done.
• MANAGE EXPECTATIONS -- THEIRS. Once you know what your timelines and boundaries are, communicate that to the person waiting for your response. They might not like being told that you'll be getting back to them next week instead of tomorrow. They might even be upset and disappointed. Even this is better than them thinking you're responding tomorrow and them getting more angry by the day when you don't respond for a week. As difficult as it may be, explain the reality. No communication at all is a void, and if you don't fill it with information and expectation, the client will fill it with anxiety, anger and disappointment. And those emotions destroy relationships ... and business.
• MEET EXPECTATIONS -- BOTH OF YOURS. Now that you've set the expectations, make sure you meet them. When you say you're going to do something, do it. It's as simple as that. That's how you build credibility and distinguish yourself from the competition. Much better to have a client, colleague, boss or employee dealing with a realistic expectation and you meeting it, than just thinking you're not responding at all. It lowers the stress for both of you.

For the past month or so, I've been shopping for "just the right" couch. I finally found one last week. It was the right colour (well, OK, it's a tad darker than I'd like -- life is full of compromises, right?), the right size (maybe just a smidgen too large, though it still fits), the right price (hey, leather's expensive so a higher price is justifiable, isn't it?) ... and then the delivery date. What?! Eight to ten weeks? Are you kidding me?

At first, I couldn't believe the lengthy waiting period. We have already sold our old couches and are watching TV in the rec room downstairs while our upstairs family room is being renovated. As nostalgic as this "college dorm" look is, I wasn't planning on two and a half months of this. Then the salesman said something that made a lot of sense. He explained, "Most other furniture places will tell you they'll deliver in 6 to 8 weeks, but that's just not so. We tell people 8 to 10 weeks, because that's what it really is. And if you get it early, bonus."

He was absolutely right. Now I know that we'll be a couple months without our furniture and I'm planning on using that time to paint, refinish the floors, and choose accessories. In other words -- he communicated a realistic situation and managed my expectations. I, in turn, am grateful to him for being upfront. You can use this same technique with your clients and work mates. I think this approach sets that furniture company apart from many others. You can position yourself uniquely too, just by being upfront about managing expectations.

When you find yourself overwhelmed and simply unable to respond when you (or they) hoped, let the people know. You deserve to be relieved of undue stress and your client deserves an answer, if only to advise them when you'll respond in full. That's managing expectations, stress, and relationships. Allow yourself some breathing room and keep others up to date. Now, that's worth communicating.

WHERE ON EARTH IS MARION? In addition to communication coaching and consulting, here's where I'm presenting in the next few months. If you're attending, let me know! Or if I'm coming to your area and your organization is interested in receiving communication training, just drop me a line at Marion@MarionSpeaks.com :   June 8, 2011: OMSSA (Ottawa, Ont) June 15, 2011: Vitalize (Edmonton, Alberta) July 27: IAAP Education Forum and Annual Meeting (Montreal, Quebec)

Until next time, here's to ...
Better communication, Better business, Better life!
Marion Grobb Finkelstein
Keynote Speaker / Corporate Trainer / Author

www.MarionSpeaks.com
Marion@MarionSpeaks.com
www.facebook.com/MarionSpeaks  

© 2011 Marion Grobb Finkelstein
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete tagline with it: Communications expert, author, professional speaker Marion Grobb Finkelstein teaches individuals and organizations across Canada and beyond, how to improve their businesses and their lives by improving their communications. Chat with her Facebook www.facebook.com/MarionSpeaks  or sign up for her FREE weekly e-newsletter "Marion's Communication Tips" at www.MarionSpeaks.com

How's your response rate these days? I mean, how long does it typically take for you to respond to an enquiry or request? It could be from your boss, employee, colleague or client -- and how long you take to respond is going to make a difference to your success rate and building relationships.
 
Jay Arthur, a fellow pro speaker (http://www.lean-six-sigma-money-belt.com), advised me that in the March 2011 HBR reports that sales could benefit from cutting response times. Companies spent $22.7 billion generating online sales leads in 2009. Companies that followed up within the hour were seven times more likely to qualify the lead than companies that followed up after an hour and 60 times more likely than companies that waited 24 hours.

How are most companies doing?

• 23% never responded at all
• 24% took more than 24 hours
• 16% responded in 1-24 hours
• 37% within the hour

In other words, two-thirds of companies are throwing away their investment (that’s $14.6 billion) by waiting too long to respond. Learn from what corporations are doing wrong. Wow, that's a lot of money. Clearly, response rates matter in business.

They also matter in terms of projecting yourself as a professional. How you treat others shouts volumes of how you value them. Non-response suggests that you don't value the person making the request. Nothing may be further from the truth -- you may simply be overwhelmed, be super busy, or the request may have gotten lost in cyberspace. The person waiting for the response doesn't know any of that. All they have to judge how you value them is the way in which you respond.

I worked with a client recently who dashed off an urgent note full of angst to his boss. When the boss responded immediately (within an hour or two) by phone call, requesting the employee to call back, this employee took over a day to respond. The boss did the right thing -- immediate response to an urgent request. The employee did not.

When you don't respond in a timely manner, especially to urgent requests, and especially those from superiors or clients with time-senstive issues, you disrespect them.

Now think about it -- is there anyone you need to respond to? If the answer is "yes", do it now.

cheers,
Marion

PS: if you're having difficulty coping with all the requests to communicate, I have some strategies that I share with my coaching clients -- the first of which is change your attitude and realize how your actions may be perceived. If you're interested in being coached, drop me a line.

For my Canadian colleagues, this is the long Thanksgiving weekend. It's wonderful to take a moment to recognize all the things for which we are grateful, and there are so many. Besides friends, family, health and life, I am always thankful for great customer service. I was reminded of that just this past week

If you visited my website www.MarionSpeaks.com lately, you're likely aware that I've been having lots of technical difficulties. Links weren't working, pictures didn't apear as they should, text was changing color for some unknown reason, and I was getting emails from clients and colleagues alerting me to these facts. I was frustrated beyond belief, so did what most of us would do in that situation -- I called the help line. That's when the wheels fell off.

I was greeted by a soft-spoken gentleman named Jeff. I explained one problem and received a brief "uh huh". I went on to describe the next issue and then the next. All I heard was silence, so much so that I said, "Hello, are you still there?". I left that conversation feeling like I really hadn't been heard and was not confident that Jeff would be able to find a solution. This concern was confirmed when I received an email with the "work ticket" indicating "Low Priority". Clearly, in spite of my stating the urgency of this situation, Jeff didn't understand how fundamental my website was to clients visiting my site. Having just delivered a session to 200 people in Thunder Bay a few days before (special "hi" to my Stepping Stones colleagues!), I was understandably concerned that many people would be visiting my website and getting first impressions ... with links that didn't work. Turns out, I was right.

The very next day, I checked my website and none of the problems had been resolved. I called the help line again and spoke to Jeff's work mate named Jonathon. Jonathon at least punctuated his listening with "uh huh", "I see", and asked a few questions to demonstrate his active listening and understanding. He was doing well until the very end of the conversation when I said "goodbye" and he hung up without even responding. Who does that?! Apparently phone service people who don't realize what it feels like to be on the receiving end of such lack of communication.

ATTENTION TO anyone who speaks to clients on the phone (and isn't that all of us?). Perhaps you may not require verbalizing your thoughts and you may enjoy some time to process information and find a solution. That might be all find and good and work for you. However, in case you are not aware, here it is up straight -- it absolutely does not work for your client. To connect with your client, you need to evidence that you are actively engaged through audial clues.

When there's a live person on the other end of the phone who can't see your body language, you will connect by giving audial signs that you are actively engaged. If you choose not to do so, your client may mistakenly conclude that you are disconnected, not interested, or working on something else. That is the absolute worst way to respond and if it's your way, you would be well advised to change it. Here's how.

TIPS TO OFFERING GREAT PHONE SUPPORT:

• After the client speaks, say something. While you may be working away finding the answer for clients on the line, make sure they know what you're doing. Do not remain silent ... when you're on the phone, silence is anything but golden. Validate your client's position and frustration. "I can understand why you would say/think that" (even though they might be wrong, you can still see WHY they would logically conclude something). Agree with what you can such as, "Yes, you're right. This really is fundamental to your business and needs to be rated as 'urgent priority'". If you say nothing, the client has no way of knowing that you are actively engaged. Remaining silent is bad communication and a surefire way to disconnect.

• Smile. Although the client can't see your smile, they'll still hear it in your voice. Be friendly and reassure him or her. Your client is already frustrated with the technical issue, so don't let your silence add to that frustration. TIP: keep a mirror by your phone and when you're dealing with clients, look into it. If your face looks uptight, angry, disinterested, happy, engaged or smiling ... your voice will convey it. Make sure your face is saying what you want it to because only then wll your voice have the tone you hope to convey.

• Make it free for the client to call you. Although a 1-800 number is ideal, it's not always affordable for small businesses. If your organization doesn't offer one, be sensitive to the fact that the client is calling long distance and offer to hang up and call them right back so they incur no unnecessary charges.That starts your conversation off on the right foot and evidences from the very beginning that you routinely take the client's perspective into consideration. 

Silence may well be golden, but not when you're speaking to clients or colleagues on the phone. Remember, they can't see your visual clues, so compensate with lots of audial clues to ensure that you connect. Do this, and even though your silence won't be golden, your relationships will be.

NOTE: are you on Facebook yet? Jump in and stay connected at www.facebook.com/MarionSpeaks   

Until next time, here's to
Positive communication,
Productive relationships,
Powerful results!

Marion Grobb Finkelstein
Keynote Speaker / Corporate Trainer / Author
www.MarionSpeaks.com  
Marion@MarionSpeaks.com  
www.facebook.com/MarionSpeaks 

© 2010 Marion Grobb Finkelstein

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete tagline with it: Communications expert, author, professional speaker Marion Grobb Finkelstein teaches individuals and organizations across Canada and beyond, how to improve their businesses and their lives by improving their communications. Chat with her Facebook www.facebook.com/MarionSpeaks or sign up for her FREE weekly e-newsletter "Marion's Communication Tips" at www.MarionSpeaks.com. 

I'm a big believer that offering great customer service means great business. Whether you're working in a government office, a retail outlet, or selling a service, it's your clients and consumers who are your raison d'etre, the reason you do what you do. Offering great service builds business

If I asked you to tell me about an awful customer service experience you've had, you could probably give me several. And I bet that when you received this less than stellar service, you told other people, right? Sure you did. We all do. We need to vent with others we trust, and we want to warn them against patronizing businesses and services that don't deserve our business.

Now , let's flip the coin for a moment and think about the last time you received outstanding service. What did it look like? What was it that made it so wonderful? What made the difference? When you got this fantastic service, how many people did you tell?

Research suggests that when we're satisfied we relay the great experience to a few people. When we're disgruntled, watch out -- we tell many more. We seem to be quick to complain and slow to compliment. But why? Great service begs to be acknowledged, and there's two people who need to hear about it:

1. the person serving you

2. their supervisor

Last week, I received a phone call from an online autoresponder service I was trialing. I'd decided not to go with them in large part, due to cost and because I could get comparable services elsewhere. Although their product was a cadillac, I didn't need all the bells and whistles. I had advised my customer service rep of my intent to leave the plan and he relayed the information to his colleague to close my account. When Scott (let's call him that) called me, he asked why I was leaving. I told him. And then I continued to expound on some of the suggestions I had for his product. I then told him about the excellent service that Steve (the sales rep) had offered me. I asked that my comments be relayed to Steve (I'd already told him personally, but I wanted his colleague to know too) and be noted to his supervisor. In a case like this, I often ask to speak directly to the supervisor who is always pleasantly shocked to hear someone taking the time to compliment a staff member. That tells me that it doesn't happen often.

Asking for your positive feedback to be noted to someone's personnel file is the best way to say "thanks". Be specific about what the person did to help you and the impact their service had on your business, your stress level, your life.

Gestures like this take only a few moments, yet their impact can make differences to careers and last a lifetime. It's motivating and encouraging for the person serving you to hear and it reinforces this great behaviour. It's also important for the supervisor to hear, to know that they have a real "winner" in their midst, and this information may well open doors for that employee and also make the supervisor look good too.

Next time when you get a chance to pass on a compliment about customer service, do it. Someone needs to hear. And now, you know who.

Until next time, here's to ...
Positive communication, Productive relationships, Powerful results!
Marion Grobb Finkelstein
Keynote Speaker / Corporate Trainer / Author

www.MarionSpeaks.com
Marion@MarionSpeaks.comMarion@MarionSpeaks.com

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© 2010 Marion Grobb Finkelstein

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete tagline with it: Communications expert, author, professional speaker Marion Grobb Finkelstein teaches individuals and organizations across Canada and beyond, how to improve their businesses and their lives by improving their communications. Chat with her Facebook www.facebook.com/MarionSpeaks or sign up for her FREE weekly e-newsletter "Marion's Communication Tips" at www.MarionSpeaks.com.