An Everest
I looked up and my heart was filled with pride and at the
same time I was in awe. Here I stood beneath the silver ceiling, cool and
comfortable, looking at my project. The first big one undertaken some years ago
has stood the test of time. There was a lot of movement in the warehouse. The
forklifts and people were busy moving in and out. The place was filled with
activity and action, and I felt that sense of accomplishment one can only feel
when they have climbed an Everest.
Happy customers
What are you prepared to do to ensure your
customers are happy, not just for the short term, but for a long time?
As I
gazed at the ceiling, someone touched my shoulder. From the moment I entered to
the present the workers were coming up and asking when will the other parts of
the warehouse be insulated and ventilated. Without words they seemed to understand it was not
as simple as it appeared, and were grateful for the relief they experienced
daily within the area. Once again I shook hands and held a general conversation,
expressing appreciation for their feedback and confidence in the solution.
Ventilation needed - The heat from the past
In 2008, I met with a customer who was referred to me by
another. He started the process, and we both lobbied strategically to get a
sample part of his warehouse completed. The objective was to win a small battle
for the customers and staff, and then expand further. My first hat on that project
was that of salesperson. I listened, researched, and did a study on the
location and the bureaucracy of our government systems. We worked as a team,
the client was quite serious with this project, and its success depended on
getting everyone to buy into the solution. One year later, we were still lobbying and my
client was replaced suddenly. Politics can be the killer of many sales deals. Undeterred,
I continued and two years later, we got the job, and completed the project. There
were problems, challenges along the way, but I felt it was important to finish
successfully. During the negotiation period every time I visited my body was
drenched in sweat from the heat. I could not imagine how staff and customers survived
this business environment, but I dreamt that one day, it would be different.
Looking up, I felt the cool breeze from the fan
flooding downwards, on this very hot day. Another smile escaped and noted
everyone looked cool and comfortable. I am happy and proud. The sample has worked
well, and hopefully one day, they will complete based on this example.
Can one feel passionate about a job? Can one feel happy
seeing happy customers who belong to another?
On leaving the compound, there were many handshakes, and greetings. The last thing I heard, “when will you get them to fix the rest?”
I have made quite a few mistakes as an entrepreneur, a
saleswoman, project manager, ventilation consultant, trainer, commercial
manager, and leader. I have learnt that the value of your mistakes is in you
failure analysis assessment. When you get it wrong, you need to pause just long
enough to see what was wrong, and how to make it better, next time. If you
cannot acknowledge your errors, you cannot fix and grow.
Customer service is important. Understanding the dynamics of
customer satisfaction requires mapping the present situation and mapping
alternative solutions based on your industry. Brainstorm cause and effect, and its
impact on ALL employees. It is very important to keep internal customers
comfortable so they can meet and exceed external customer needs.
Somehow, we got this right, and I learnt a lot from that project, and providing a solution which works.
What has been your best customer solution experience?
Thank you for reading and engaging on this post.
DWordslayer
© Donna-Luisa Eversley and D-WORDSLAYER, 2016. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Donna-Luisa Eversley and D-WORDSLAYER with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
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