Customer Service

Few days ago, My clients brought me to one of the so called "No.1" hotel in their state. As I had heard many good remarks about this hotel, I was so eager to have a look at the place and expecting the "wow" services there. To my surprise, the employees are not well-trained at all. My clients booked the meeting room earlier. When we arrived, we asked for the direction to our meeting room but we got the typical answer "I dont know! I am not sure! Nobody tell me about this!" (If anything happen, NOT my fault!). Then came the second staff when he saw us about to leave. He answer "Of course we have the meeting room, please follow me". He brought us to a few meeting room which are "messy", expecting us to wait for them to clean up. (Wrong strategy, No results!). I wonder if the management understand the importance of customer service.

There are many incidents when I approached the customer service officer or front desk, he ro she will look at me with a "sour" face as if I owe them "$$$" but in contradict their badge is flowered with words such as "service with smile". What a pity! I believe an organization must always match the company's vision, mission or even core values in line with the employee's behavior at the work place. Communications play an importance role in making sure all levels of employees understand the directions, values and expected behaviors to build the company image and culture. One way to do this is to set clear KPI (key performance indicators) with 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent) ratings with clear elaborations on each. These will also serve as a SOP (Standard Operating Procedures) for them to upgrade their skills.

Please rate yourself as below. It covers for both internal or external customer.

1 (very poor) - No alertness in customer services. Very lacking of smiling face and eye contact. Don't like to greet customers and often received complaints and negative feedback.

2 (poor) - Low alertness in customer services. Greet with smiling face and having eye contacts to selective customers only. Most of the customers do not feel happy about the services.

3 (Average) - Customers' basic needs are met. No complaint about the services and no "wow" as well.

4 (Good) - Greet all customers with smiling face, having eye contacts during communication. High alertness at work. Customer requests are dealt promptly and satisfactorily.

5(Excellent)- Greet all customers with smiling face, having eye contact during communication and high alertness. Customer are deligheted with "wow" (gave compliments to him/her).

Where are you?

Inspirations and Motivation

It has been quite some time I did not write my blog. As a matter of fact, I thought that no one actually log in and read my sharings. To my surprise, when I came to Kota Kinabalu and met Mary yesterday, she told me that for quite some time I "neglected" my blog. I got a shock when I knew that some other ex-colleagues such as Flavia and Sumi oftenly checked on my blogs too! They want to seek for some new inspiration and motivation at work and in life.

As an apology for that, I would present a gift to my dearest and loyal supporters with this 2 wonderful youtube clips :) which gave me much realization of individual potential provided we determine long enough to achieve our dreams.

Both the clips show that ordinary people turn into extraordinary figures overnight. They look too normal on the outside, like you and me. Yet, you will realise how wonderful they are when they perform. So, my dear friends, bear in mind that both had spend years and years to cultivate their interest, determination to continue what they like to do, endless effort to improve their skills, until one day they appear to be a "star". If you want to be a star, start preparing now, maybe after 5 years, 10 years, 15 years, or even 35 years later like Susan Boyle, finally your talent being recognized and overnight you become the "superstar".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leL4smXXiDU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

Ultimate goal in life

Sometimes when I think about the meaning of "begin with the end in mind" from the book - "seven habits of highly effective people", made me realise that everyone live with a purpose here, in this earth.

Recently I met with Ven. Winitha. We keep in touch oftenly through sms as he had offered great help during my brother's funeral a few years ago. My family decided to conduct the prayers according to the buddhist way - cremations and chanting. Venerable gave a dhamma talk as well on that day. This time I met him at Brickfields Vihara. He told me about his "dream" on establishing an old folks home for the elderly people in Sri Lanka. He said that many elderly lost their family members during the tsunami, also some suffering from old age and fear of death. He hope that the home can serve as a place for them to spend their last few years learning dhamma, cultivating good karma, practicing the right path, and leave this world peacefully. As Ven. Winitha is also a very filial son, this home will also give his mother a place to rest.

In order to assure that every donation is being used for the construction of the home. Every single person that donated the money, his or her name with the amount will be appearing in a list under the website: http://www.sewanasarana.spaces.live.com/ . I do hope that through my blog, it helps to realise his dream as well.

I can feel his patient and passion in helping the elderly people. What about you?

Brain works this way!

The second time when we went to the same clinic, the younger nurse serve us this round.
She ask my friend to sit down comfortably with a smile, then build rapport with soft and gentle voice.
Next, she check the pulse position by pressing gently using her fingers. When she started to draw blood, the older nurse came near to my friend. I started to worry about her words.....my friend might pass out again if she use her old same pattern....

This time, she went to my friend and said " ok, relax, follow me....", "inhale... exhale...inhale....exhale...."....my friend look at her and follow her rythm, then everything just completed in seconds.

Wow, I realised she did it right this time, haha!

Words have power! This is something I learn many years ago from my mentor. I urge leaders used the right word at all times if you want to see significant changes in your relationship with family, friends, colleagues or even your loves one.

How brain works?

Last week, I went for blood test with my housemate. This is our routine practice, to have medical check-up yearly. To my surprise, this time he was too nervous until nearly fainted during the process. This is how it goes...

There are 2 nurse in the center, one young and one old. When the old nurse saw my friend and knew that he was nervous, she kept telling him that "it is not painful" (which in NLP the brain only takes the word : painful). This makes my friend even worried.

During the process, she kept saying "Dont worry, dont worry" (brain only accept the word: worry!). This had made him very tense and his blood cannot flow out smoothly, then she kept saying "Aiya...dont be tense, dont be tense"(brain accept the word: be tense!). This makes the situation worst. Finally, she decided to pull out the needle. My friend need to draw blood for another round.

When she started the second round, similar thing happen and my friend pass out....

Our brain does not take negative instructions. So, when we communicate with others, it is important to say the right word so that you can be a great communicator.

New Motto New Directions

Today is the first day of my second semester lecture in University of Malaya for my HRM class. Something caught my attention which I think it is worth to share is the UM motto had been change from "Producing Leaders since 1905" to "The Leader in Research and Innovation". I think this will set the new direction for the university in the near future. I dare to say that new motto bring new energy and new paradigm shift to the staff.

Out of curiosity, I went into UM website and impressed with the welcome message made by the new Vice Chancellor, Ghauth Jasmon. In one of his statement, he mentioned "Entrepreneurship is strongly promoted in the university where innovative schemes managed by the Centre for Technology Transfer and Commercialization are available that makes it easy for staff or students to set up companies, especially if they have new innovative business ideas or patents with commercial value. The university of today needs to strive for more than it did before, especially in setting role models for entrepreneurial success." Wow! So cool!

In many corporate organization that I work with, setting the right vision, mission, corporate values and motto is so important to set the direction right for the company. I remember sharing with my students on the success story of Toyota Motor Corporation when they first decided to penetrate to United States. In order to get everyone committed and make sure the project will be successful, the company involve all the employees in the decision making and finally they came out with the brand "L.E.X.U.S" (Lets EXport to United States). It was innovative yet motivating for the employees and finally became the best selling car in U.S.

With the dynamic and changing business environment, I believe it is all right for your organization to re-think and review your current vision, mission or motto if it is time to change!

2008 Reflections

Just back home after 2 days of seminars at Sunway Convention Center. I feel great because this year I had chosen to countdown and welcome year 2009 in a different and meaningful way. While others are thinking how to celebrate and enjoy their year end holidays, around 300 participants came here to celebrate through learning and sharing.

After the countdown, I did my own reflections on my past 1 year progress and change which I had made. I know my ultimate (bigger) dream need a longer time to fulfill but year 2008 had set very good new milestones in my life:

1. Started my own company - People Reengineering Consultancy Sdn Bhd
2. Realise my short term plans to teach in University Malaya
3. Having the pride to join one of the multi national company (Doers Knowledge Management Group) as their freelance internal trainer as well as Senior HR Specialist.
4. Brought my parents to Vietnam tour
5. Attended Money and You
6. Attended Business School of Entreprenuer in Beijing for 8 days.
7. Completed my course of NLP practitioner, Time Line therapy and hynopsis.
8. Completed my course as certified D.I.S.C trainer in Taipei.
9. Conducted my first public mandarin seminars in Sibu and KL on "Team Leadership in D.I.S.C"
10. Having the blessing to secure a 2 years contract with 3 companies on human resources consultation and coaching.

During the night before I sleep, deep in my heart I prayed that every members in my family that love me, every customer that had supported me during my hard time, every participant that believed me, every single person that had helped me through 2008 are blessed with good health and happiness always. I am fortunate to have you in my life.

What is so great about our life if we forget to count our blessings and do not know how to appreciate others?