“Never ask a barber whether you need a haircut.”

Warren Buffett

CEO, Berkshire Hathaway

The Barber Says You Need a Haircut

I firmly believe, whether through formal curriculum, mentoring programs, “edu-tainment”, informal web safaris, water cooler group discussions and any other of a number of ways, education is at the heart of a vibrant community and better work+life experience.

For the most part, corporate education is not the highest paying position in an organization. It’s not usually a stop on the career path to Chief Executive Officer, which is quite a shame.

I believe the reason many people choose to work in learning is because of the opportunity to partner with such an amazing diversity of individuals from across the enterprise, and learn from them as we help them learn. It’s a unique position, and one that could be considered a great way to prepare future leaders for their role at the top.

Despite any challenges in budget or staffing, educators who are passionate about learning are creative, intelligent and resourceful people. A young instructor delivered one of the most exciting courses I have ever observed in the parking garage of a theme park. No fancy technology or props, just a great sense of humor and a commitment to his students’ success.

Don't underestimate the potential of the professionals within your corporate education department.

The Outsourced Experience Comes Home

Recently, a friend of mine flew to Beijing to visit her son. A recent graduate of M.I.T., he chose to work there and was highly recruited to assist with the design and development of battery technologies.

China is investing billions in battery technology and, through companies like Build Your Dreams and more than thirty other automotive industry partners, preparing to launch a generation of Asian-designed automobiles built using advanced technologies, such as battery and electronics. India is not far behind, with increased ownership in corporate capabilities.

This is part of a larger transfer of knowledge and expertise that began at the latter half of the 20^th century. As we move into the 21^st century, Asian countries are taking on broader roles in product design and corporate ownership, in addition to manufacturing capability. The 21^st century will be less about Western design (or design for Westerners), and more about Asian design and products designed first for Asian preferences. With this shift, it will be Western society that consumes primarily Asian-designed and owned services and products.

I think this is the beginning of a transformation that will have a profound impact the American live+work experience for many years to come.

Service Experience Scorecard

Here's 4-question checklist to begin dialog regarding the customer service experience:

1. Does our organization clearly define typical customer challenges (experience) so employees can anticipate them?

 In general, my team knows the type of experiences our typical (customer/audience/member) craves, and the reasons why.
 We clearly know why your customers prefer the experience we offer, versus those offered by other companies or brands.
 A typical customer experience within our (department/division/organization) is a positive event, for both employees and customers.

2. Does our organization map customer contact points and assign adequate resources to insure a great service experience?

 Everyone on my team knows what resources to use, and when, in order to deliver a great experience.
 We honestly and openly measure customer feedback at multiple contact points.
 We use customer feedback to improve our internal processes, staffing and learning within days, instead of months and years.

3. Does our organization provide ways for employees and customers to collaborate on new services or solutions?

 We support informal learning experiences (versus curriculum or LMS driven learning) for all team members and offer innovative leadership opportunities for every team member, within weeks of their arrival
 We routinely turn interactions into enjoyable learning moments for customers, members and/or clients
 We allow tremendous flexibility in how employees engage prospects and customers and use social media tools to help us draw customers closer.

4. Does our organization identify, grow and sustain service champions, both internally and externally?

 We know what motivates people to become one of our loyal customers.
 We know our champions (loyal customers that live, eat, breath our product) and can identify them, by name
 My team is given the resources to track, validate and sustain both internal (employee) and external (client) champions through programs that reward their loyalty and honest feedback.

Why The Moments Matter

I primarily teach and present workshops to corporate audiences. A lot of people immediately understand why great interactions matter, especially in an era when customers can share their experience almost as it happens. Your customers make decisions based on their emotional responses to your brand, your service, your team. Period.

Regardless, I still get the pinstripe suit reaction that goes something like this:

"Great story, Russ, but why should I care about the moment? Worrying about how customers feel takes our eyes off important work or distracts us from business at hand."

True... it might distract people briefly from a mountain of to-do's on a desk, but it helps them re-focus on the real reasons customers arrive, leave and do or don't come back (or post nasty comments online). When I spend time with an organization, I try to listen to what others are saying about their people. I try to find specific ways a better experience (training, new-hire orientation, leadership development, sales process, etc) can benefit their organization.

For those who remain unconvinced, here are three top reasons why great experiences or "moments" are valuable for any organization:

Reason 1: Return on Investment

People like to go places, buy things and participate in activities based on great experiences. Like most ROI calculations, three primary measures of a user experience are made in quantifiable measures: productivity per employee, costs, and sales (revenue). You can reap a major benefit from the right training, better leadership and enhancing sales and service experiences.

Reason 2: Active Community Development

Online communities and social media tools are changing the way we learn, share and measure our experiences. A store manager tells of being negatively reviewed on Yelp when he asked a college student dressed only in pajamas and no shoes to return with shoes on. Even though she wasn't a customer, she posted a review complaining of rudeness. His real customers jumped online and contradicted her statements. Their better experiences give them better material to share with others.

Reason #3: A More Highly Engaged Workforce

The wall between work and life is dissolving. As it does, people don’t just want a job, they want a more satisfying work+life experience that makes a difference for them, their families and their customers. By focusing employees on how they can create better customer experiences, you offer them a way to engage their personality in daily activities. It's a more fulfilling and fun way to work. Are you that kind of employer or organization? If not, watch out. You may lose some critical high-potential talent.

Okay, so the experience matters. Now what?

It's time to turn that cash register into a (Superman) cape: Define the experience your audience wants. Measure the experience they (not employees) say you deliver. Use these experiences to inspire others. The goal for you and your team is to:

1. Define customer challenges, and then the experience(s) employees can create (during any transactions) related to solving them.
2. Measure the user experiences through traditional methods (surveys, online polls, etc.) and non-traditional approaches (storytelling, staff complements, event creation/participation, etc.) as well as through the use of social network monitoring tools that are discussed later in this book.
3. Find ways to inspire audiences (customers, co-workers, family members) by sharing these experiences and the impact they have had on others.

If you answer honestly, you can gauge if you and your organization are creating an atmosphere better suited to someone with the personality of a cash register or a superhero. Now it’s up to you to decide if you need to take a victory lap or re-dedicate yourself to the challenge of creating more meaningful customer experiences.

A Great Moment is Also a Service Experience

It takes quite a team of people to bring a new life into the world – a newborn is a an overwhelmingly awesome moment for a husband and wife. But what about the nurses, baby supply retailers, doctors, technologists, florists and relatives that participated in the big event?

Their is a hidden mountain of individuals that conspire (intentionally or unknowingly) to help create every moment and give meaning to our lives. It’s the same way for EVERY great moment.

Think about any kind of great moment in your life, from reaching the summit of a mountain to graduating from school or finishing a project. Got one?

Now, think about all the little details and people that made each step possible. You should be able to jot down a list of people who (seen or unseen) contributed time or talent to turn that service transaction into a truly special and remarkable moment for you. For instance, the person that sold you the paint supplies, the neighbor that lent you an easel... You get the point.

Think about a recent transaction, a time when someone created a positive experience for you while they were working. How did the experience make you feel…

• about the other person?
• about their organization, product or brand?
• about your desire to work with this person on a future project or event?
• about your life, based on this experience?

We each have the opportunity to transform ordinary transactions into meaningful events everyday. I like to think of this as my personal form of community service.

Make the Moment

A few years back, a client asked me to create some material for their new-hire training program. Since they were in Australia, they asked me to fly out, spend some time on the ground–have a walkabout, and then begin my work.

It was my first flight across the Pacific, and you should also be aware this took place before 9/11/2001.

My Qantas flight from Orlando, Florida to Sydney, Australia lasted about twenty hours (in actual travel time). That’s a long time for a guy that is 6’ 5” to stay seated in the coach seat of a 747. I got up a few times during the flight to stretch my legs. On one of my breaks, I stopped in the galley and chatted briefly with one of the flight attendants.

He asked a few questions about my trip, where I was from and if I had ever been to Sydney. Soon, I discovered the "attendant" was actually the captain. He invited me to the cockpit to visit with the crew. They told some jokes, we shared stories and they used the back of several napkins to map out directions to all the best Sydney pubs and beaches.

I returned to my seat and was awakened a few hours later by a real flight attendant. The captain wondered if I wanted to view our landing from the cockpit. Do I stay in this little chair and crane my neck around my fellow passengers to watch us land sideways, or see Sydney harbuor through the panoramic cockpit windows. Let me think about that one for a minu… Done.

It was, needless to say, one of the most incredible work assignments of my life, and the flight was just one part of it. Sydney is a vibrant city perched on a magnificent bay, and Australians are some of the most hospitable people on the planet.

Writing the material was a snap and a real pleasure… because of the people, not because of the beaches, the pubs, the technology or the Koala bears (although they are cute).

Did I feel challenged to learn everything I could and give them my best work? You bet.

Did I feel connected to them in a way that would not have been possible online? A smile and handshake are so much nicer in person. It’s also much more enjoyable to drink an Aussie beer by the Harbour than in your office. Trust me.

Were they some of the best collaborators to work with? Absolutely. In fact, the governor handed me the Olympic torch so I could be photographed with it before him. I had no clue who he was until much later.

Will I always be a raving fan and champion of Qantas, Sydney and Australia? What do you think? Yes, Yes, Yes. Paint my chest blue with white stars anytime.

I still think about that Qantas crew. I wish them the best and a g'day, where ever they are. Thanks for creating a great moment in my life. Now, let me think of how I can return the favor today, with someone else...

We Can’t Fake It Anymore

In business, staging or controlling an experience requires a storefront or website with a team of employees as the performers and leadership directing it all. The audience sits in breathless anticipation, waiting to be dazzled.

Cue: action! And…what happened? Where did everybody go?

Today, social media platforms are the latest stage. Fans, customers and audiences are no longer limited to your storefront or website as the source of their primary experience. Even more significant, the audience does not need a director or your cast of performers.

Consumers can write their own scripts, direct the action and complete sales and provide their own services - without your permission. They can also switch hats, assuming the role of critic, to judge the quality of their fellow users and performers. Armed with online rating tools, they can champion the best experiences and denigrate average or bad experiences.

Factoid: 70% of online consumers report taking advice from strangers. That means a fourteen year-old girl and her satirical video can have just as much influence as your million dollar ad campaign. Controlling information (the script) is a dead-end strategy, so why even bother?

Your audience wants an authentic experience–greater transparency, believable resources, and honest leaders, meaningful interactions with real people like themselves.

The opportunity now is not to simply stage another experience. An emerging, more dynamic choice is for organizations to let their audiences (employees too!) define, create and deliver the user experience, while you help draw attention and facilitate it.

• Let go, and facilitate
• Take down the curtain and demonstrate the process, transparently
• Find your audience and join them. Listen to what they are saying and add your thoughts
• Invite users to post to your site and rate your services, your employees
• Encourage your employees to become champions by supporting their interactions with customers and allowing them to be completely "real" with every customer interaction