Tour     Resources     Support     About Us      The Story     Activities

Click on blue links for more information (close windows when finished)

The Official Newsletter of ThankingCustomers.com

"Leading Experiences Through Daily Operations"

Note:  If you would like to view this E-Newsletter directly on the Web http://thankingcustomers.com/Newsletter_Oct2004.htm 

"It is difficult for people to stay absorbed in any activity unless they get timely online information about how well they are doing.  Feedback may come from colleagues or supervisors but preferably the activity itself will provide the feedback.  The ability to give objective feedback to oneself is in fact the mark of the expert.  --  Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Good Business 

October 31, 2004

New possibilities to deepen your skills, enjoyment, relationships, and recognition that give our lives true meaning.  We hope that ThankingCustomers.com will continue to be a valuable and inspiring resource for you on your journey. 

Here is the question and recognition challenge which you'll find in this issue of "Frontline Leadership"

CONTENTS     

Our Objective

CRL (Customer Relationship Leadership) for Your CRM

Six-Steps

Maintain Attention

Difference between Customer Service and Customer Focus

Practice, Practice, Practice

Our Objective

WELCOME TO "FRONTLINE LEADERSHIP", a newsletter dedicated to helping those team leaders and managers on the frontlines of daily operations lead experiences and relationships to compliment their existing managerial activities.  Currently most every enterprise manages relationships but what is needed are ways to also lead those workplace relationships and experiences.  Our research suggests there are three key areas within the enterprise that this takes place.  Those are between associates and 1) Customers, 2) Fellow associates, and 3) Partners (both internal and external).  Team leaders must be aware of all three areas for associates to get the all-important feedback from the daily activities themselves.  Click here to take a Flash tour of what leading relationships is about.

CRL (Customer Relationship Leadership) for Your CRM

I have worked at a concept I call "leading relationships."  Enterprises create structure and discipline by managing relationships but need to lead relationships to align and maintain it.  This approach is user-centered by providing leadership activities for frontline leaders to continue, not change, their existing managerial activities.  Practicing activities for leading the workplace experiences and relationships of associates for follow-through and continuation of existing activities (programs) which manage those relationships.  Building long-term relationships with customers, associates, and partners to create awareness, understanding, and ownership.  Learn more at http://thankingcustomers.com/CRL.html 

Six-Steps

It only takes two people to initiate the practice in a daily operations team/group.  A "Guide" (team leader) to lead the actions and a "Coordinator" (supervisor) to provide support and act as liaison.  Together they develop the six steps needed to repeat the practice cycle - http://thankingcustomers.com/sixsteps.htm 

Maintain Attention

One of the main purposes of leading relationships is for follow through in maintaining the attention of all associates.  Yes, attention truly is the currency of leadership and one of the scarcest of "soft" enterprise resources.  By repeating the practice cycle you continue the journey and maintain attention.  Read some of the studies and expert opinions on attention at http://thankingcustomers.com/attention.htm   

Customer Service and Customer Focus

Initially a manager or team leader must execute individual activities or operations but building customer loyalty requires long-term relationships with customers.  This requires leadership to be situational.  View a larger assessment at http://thankingcustomers.com/customerservice.html 

Practice, Practice, Practice

No, the journey never ends and you will never be perfect but it does get easier and a whole lot more enjoyable.  Soon you are experiencing pride, inspiration, involvement, trust and cooperation on the frontlines of daily operations - http://thankingcustomers.com/model.html 

"If you give a team member customer feedback, you focus them for a day. If you teach a team member how to ask for customer feedback, you focus them for a lifetime!"

DISCLAIMER: The principles, practices and coaching tips shared have been effectively used by ourselves and our clients. It is your responsibility as a reader to review the tips with your attorney and accountant in case implementing any of the tips might impact personnel, legal or financial practice issues.

*All the links in this newsletter are available in .pdf file format (Acrobat Reader) upon request from mailto:george@thankingcustomers.com

  Drop us a question or comment

Attend the next live informational conference  

Belief in your right to Privacy      We do not gather any information through the internet that you do not provide voluntarily - Period

2003 © George Reavis - george@thankingcustomers.com