When you walk into someone’s place of business to shop or buy something, what are you expecting?

Most people (you included and me included) expect:

• someone friendly
• someone helpful when you need them
• to be served in a timely manner
• to be given fair value
• to be presented with a quality product
• to make the process quick and easy
• and to be thanked whether you give them the business or not.

Then the question is: What do you get?
Typically, you get a mechanical welcome, someone feebly says, “Can I help you?” followed by telling you what they can’t do versus what they can do, a bunch of sentences containing the word `policy,’ and their inability to understand that just because they’re out of an item, doesn’t mean you don’t still want it or need it and will likely go to their competition to get it. All this, and a touch of rudeness.

Now, maybe I have exaggerated a bit. But I can promise you, not by much.

And the interesting part is many companies have multiple locations where the products are the same, but the service is not recognizable from place to place. One may be fantastic, while the other may be pathetic.

The inconsistency of people-performance can make or break a business.

Here is what will make you, or anyone near you, or anyone in a job they consider beneath them, or anyone who hates work, understand the formula for emerging into a better career – certainly a better job:

1. Your internal happiness. Happiness is not a job, it’s also a person.
2. Your attitude toward work. Do you just go to pass the time for a paycheck? Or are you there to earn your pay with hard work?
3. Your self-esteem and self-image. How do you feel about yourself?
4. Your desire to serve.
5. Your commitment to being your best.
6. Your boss and how your boss treats you will be reflected in your performance.
7. Looking at your job as menial rather than a steppingstone towards your career. It’s not “just a job,” it’s “just an opportunity.”
8. Pride in your own success.
9. Realizing that you’re on display and that your present actions will dictate your future success.

9.5 Every today is a window to your every tomorrow.

Companies spend millions, sometimes billions of dollars, on advertising, branding, merchandising, strategizing, and every other element of marketing that they believe will bring business success. But if there are people involved, marketing means nothing if the people are not great.

I will often ask people, “How’s it going?” I get the most disappointing answers like, “Just three hours to go.” Or “It’s Friday.” What kind of statement is that? What does that tell you about what kind of employee they are, much less what kind of service is attached to their attitude?

• When you go to a hotel, a fifty-million-dollar business rests on the shoulders of the front desk clerk. That’s the first impression you have.
• In a retail business, it’s no different. All the advertising gets you to come into the store. From there, it’s all about the retail clerk.
• Doctors and dentists now advertise. But it’s the person who answers the phone that gives a true reflection of what the doctor or dentist will be like.

What is your company like? Do you have people working there that hate their job? Do you have people with “attitude?”

Here’s what you can do:

1. Set the example by being your best and doing your best.
2. Hang around with the winners, not the whiners.
3. Create service best practices and have everyone implement them.
4. Have weekly, internal positive attitude training.
5. Look at the best companies in America for best practices you can adapt and adopt.
6. Do your best at everything, every day.

6.5 Work on your own attitude. You must THINK you will succeed before success is yours.

The root word of “your” is YOU. Each employee has the responsibility of representing their company to their customers in a way that reflects the image and reputation needed to build or maintain a leadership position.

Anything less than “best” is not acceptable. But here’s the secret: Don’t do it for your company – do it for yourself. Develop the pride in doing your best at your job even if it’s not your career, or you use the word “just” when you describe it.

Real winners are few and far between. And making yourself one is a choice.

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