10 ways to strengthen employee engagement

I've just completed a new whitepaper that shares my thoughts on how organizations of all kinds can take action to enhance their workplace environment and boost employee engagement. (You can download the document by visiting my LinkedIn page at Tim Morawetz.)

The 10 ways presented in the whitepaper are:

Give   inspiration
          instruction
          information
          informality
          interaction
          influence
          initiative
          input
          incentive
          intensity

I hope you'll take the time to download it and read it... I welcome your comments!

How employees can help put the 'corner store' feeling back in retailing

In the current issue of the American Marketing Association's Marketing News magazine, columnist Don E. Schultz suggests that today's shoppers long for the intimacy and caring service once provided at their local butcher, baker or dairy deliveryman.

He contends that retailers wishing to survive in today's hyper-competitive environment must possess three attributes:

• Fast: Like Spanish clothing retailer Zara, merchants need to respond quickly to changing consumer tastes.

• Friendly: Like the Apple store where employees are taught not to sell, retailers need friendly people, friendly products, friendly atmosphere and friendly shopping.

• Focused: Here, Schultz cites online retailer Zappos as having narrowed its mission to one thing, namely making customer service their true competitive differentiator.

I believe that retail employees – as well as their managers – play a key role in delivering on these priorities:

• Fast: Employees can listen carefully to customer comments and requests on the floor of the store; pay attention to market trends on their own as consumers; then feed their insights back to the company to accelerate innovation. (For this to be successful, the company needs an easy system for collecting such feedback, and needs to build receptiveness for such employee engagement into its culture.)

• Friendly: Employees are chiefly responsible for providing customers with helpful and friendly service. Staff need to understand the products they sell, and know the store's policies on returns, exchanges and the like. (This means that management should provide adequate employee training about products and service delivery, and should consider some form of recognition program to motivate employees to deliver the best customer experience.)

• Focused: Identifying the company's focus – then communicating it to employees in a manner that they can act upon it – is a prime responsibility of management.

AMA members may read the full article by clicking here.

Why not segment restaurant customers by time?

 A while ago, I was in Trudeau International Airport in Montreal awaiting a flight home to Toronto. I had plenty of time before take-off, so I wasn't in a big hurry to get some dinner before boarding the plane. I could relax and have a relatively leisurely meal.

More recently, when returning from a business event in Victoria, my time was tighter. I asked the host of the White Spot Restaurant in the airport if I could have lunch in under a half-hour. "Of course," she said cheerfully. I wolfed-down a hamburger and salad, and got through Customs in good time.

These contrasting experiences got me thinking about how restaurants (especially those in airports) could respond to these diverse dining scenarios. Why not have two or more designated sections of the restaurant, along with differentiated menus, to effectively serve these customers with differing time parameters?

This approach would enhance the dining experience for those travellers in a hurry, since they'd have fewer but speedier menu options, and they wouldn't impatiently wonder why a server at another table was seemingly not racing to serve them.

As well, it would simplify life for restaurant servers by eliminating the need to repeatedly explain how long various menu options take to serve, and by allowing them to spend a bit more time providing friendlier and more relaxed service to those guests who aren't itching to pay and dash off to their gate.

Achieving prosperity through design (and how marketing helps)

There's plenty of talk these days about the need for Canadian business to increase its productivity in order to thrive in the ruthlessly competitive 21st century. Put more bluntly, it seems that companies must either innovate or face extinction.

Innovation can be defined as the act of applying new or different knowledge and skills in order to solve problems. And based on my early studies in architecture school, the practice of innovation is synonymous with the discipline of design.

Regrettably, many people equate design with 'styling' – the surface appearance or visual appeal of an object. But as I alluded to in an earlier blog, great design involves much more than merely visual delight.

I believe that great design involves the development of creative solutions that effectively address all the relevant needs of all the relevant constituents connected with the problem at hand. As trained problem-solvers, designers are adept at considering and balancing these often-competing needs and perspectives.

For instance, suppose a designer is developing a new smartphone. The relevant constituents  would begin with the phone's end-user(s), then its purchaser, then the retailer who sold the phone, the wholesaler who shipped and warehoused the phone, the manufacturer who built the phone, and potentially even the communities where the raw materials used to create the phone were extracted. All have a stake in the overall quality of the design solution.

More obviously, our phone designer would need to consider all the relevant needs of these diverse stakeholders. Again using our smartphone example, this involves not only how good the phone looks (its aesthetic or 'cultural' appeal) and how well it works (its functionality), but also how cost-efficiently the phone was manufactured and packaged, and how big an environmental footprint it leaves (the choice and quantity of materials used in its manufacturing, its energy consumption during operation, and the ease of its disposal at the end of its working life).

Such a broad perspective of considerations can – and should – be applied to the development of intangible services as well as the creation of tangible goods.

So where does marketing fit into all of this? As 'experts on the consumer,' marketers have the task of identifying – ideally anticipating – the needs or wants of the consumer, then translating these into a clear problem statement that designers can easily work with. Then, once the product or service has been completed, marketers lead the charge in launching and promoting it in the marketplace, helping drive consumer engagement and ultimately sales on behalf of  'the client.'


If Canada is serious about boosting our national productivity and fostering innovation, then I believe design need a stronger role in the equation. Getting corporations (and other organizations, for that matter) to recognize and appreciate the vital contribution that talented designers can make to their success is one of today's most pressing challenges.

A truly smart brand...

When shopping in-person at Indigo yesterday, I bought the latest in my series of (insert topic here) For Dummies books.

This one is iPad For Dummies, purchased to help me get the most out of my new 'essential business tool / really cool toy' – it really depends on who in my family you ask!

In the early days of Glue, I bought several of the books to help me learn about and run the business: Consulting for Dummies, Accounting for Dummies and Managing Business Change for Dummies. Since then, I've picked up several others – iPod & iTunes for Dummies and iMovie '09 & iDVD '09 for Dummies – to help me exploit specific new technological tools.

What really impresses me about 'For Dummies' books are their consistency:

• Packaging – the books are easy to spot on the store's shelf (helps me buy 'em), and each one is to distinguish from another on my bookshelf (helps me use 'em).
• Organization – each book follows a standard format (e.g., Contents at a Glance, Table of Contents, 'The Part of Tens', road-sign icons, detailed index), so I know what to expect and where to find stuff.
• Tonality – all the Dummies books I own have the same folksy language that's occasionally laced with gentle puns, but always very clear in delivering its message, making me feel comfortable when learning.

In writing this post, I've just discovered that there's a FREE For Dummies online reference library of articles and instructional videos on a vast number of topics, ranging from the six-step 'How to Unclog a Drain with a Plunger' (illustrated with still photos!), to 'How to Create Smart CD Playlists in iTunes' that includes helpful screen shots. Heck, you don't even have to buy this company's stuff to learn things!

Overall, I believe For Dummies books exemplify effective branding: they make a clear and relevant promise ('A Reference for the Rest of Us', now apparently updated to 'Making Everything Easier') and then repeatedly deliver on that promise.

Now that's smart business!

Building a customer-centred business

Some solutions on how to put the customer at the centre of your organization.

I was pleased to participate as one of nine panelists in a kitchen-table dialogue on June 23, 2010 – led by moderator Alan Kay of The Glasgow Group and hosted by Rick Wolfe of PostStone Corporation – about how companies can get past thinking about brands and become truly customer-centred.



Examples of organizations that are considered customer-centred

• Tim Horton’s – a brand that’s become an icon by tapping into the Canadian experience.
• Life Choice Foods – a virtual company that offers top-quality kid-friendly organic foods.
• Amazon – an online retailer that understands past purchase patterns and presents relevant recommendations.
• Zappos – an online retailer with an explicit set of family core values.
• Zip (Netflix in the U.S.) – an easy-to-use, hassle-free home DVD rental service.
• Best Buy – uses information from employees to better understand customer preferences.
• L.L. Bean – a retailer offering guaranteed customer satisfaction across all touchpoints.

Some barriers to putting customers at the centre

• Leadership bias – CEOs/CFOs do not generally gain exposure to a customer mindset in their education or their career path. 
• Insufficient analytics – despite plenty of data, few businesses seem to have succeeded in integrating all their information to compile a realistic 360-degree view of their customers’ value to the business.  
• Organizational structure – with the Marketing department owning the brand in many ‘siloed’ organizations, it’s hard to get the entire business focused on the customer. The job of a traditional leader is to provide predictable results to shareholders, and organizations have been narrowly structured to ensure profitability.

Some solutions for being customer-centric

* Begin with the business’s existing information resources, use business intelligence to identify and understand the most valuable customers, then ask them how you can best meet their needs. (We’ve never had more capability to identify and understand customers.)

* Don’t start with your widget and then look for customers; instead, start further upstream by ask a group of prospects what they need, then design the widget accordingly.

* Start by being employee-centric:

• Hire the right staff. (North America tends to value ‘talkers’ instead of ‘listening,’ which needs to be built into the company’s value system.) 
• Inform them about the company’s progress.
• Value them by asking for their input.
• Report back to them on what you’re doing with their input (or explain why you’re not doing something.) 
• Reward them for their successes. 

* Leverage a ‘use-case process’ (a user-centric perspective, drawn from the software business) in thinking about the business:

• Who are our various users?
• Why are they coming? 
• Where are they coming from? 
• What are they trying to do? 
• How long do they stay (determined using today’s metrics)?

* Remember the singular, customer-focused vision of some of the great entrepreneurs (e.g., Jeff Bezos of Amazon; Steve Jobs of Apple; Ray Kroc of McDonald’s). But things get tough when the leader passes the torch. After a few years in the value of death after the death of Sam Walton, Lee Scott of Wal-Mart transformed the company’s focus on eliminating waste to cut prices into a focus on environmental sustainability.

* A customer-centric vision must be strongly held and acted upon by the senior leadership team, but then ‘given up’ by the leadership team and handed over to people in the organization for their input. Ask them four questions:

1. Where did our company come from? (where were we yesterday?)
2. What are we today? (how do we appear to you now?)
3. Where should we be in five years? (what would you like us to be?)
4. Do you have any ideas of how we’ll get there?

Senior leaders should be sponsors who clear barriers, but not run the team. With this autonomy, the teams will spend money responsibly to help address the improvement opportunities.

* Thanks to social media today, we can listen to millions of people for their ideas. Make the customer the expert in the changes they want made. However, be conscious of how you’ll use the input you gain!

* Be conscious of what you’re selling: the tangible product (which doesn’t change), versus the brand (which is fluid).

On brands and branding

• “A brand is not what you think you are, but what they (the customer) think you are.”
• “The brand is the value we give our customers; it’s what we stand for with them. If we can consistently present this message throughout the organization at all levels, then everyone will gets it; this is what we’re about.”

Some quotable quotes

• “Being customer-centric is a lot of work, and you can’t lie. You have to make real connections; you can’t hide behind your desk. It takes courage.”
• “Don’t confuse the ‘scoreboard’ with the ‘game.’ Profit is the scoreboard, and it’s more important to some than to others. But the game – for instance, providing nutrition to the mass market in Canada – is what’s important. If we play the game well, the score will take care of itself. The customer-focused game is what we should be take pride in.”
• “Don’t suck up [to your boss], suck down [by telling your boss what your people have done].

 Some further reading

• "But what do we want people to do?" Article by Andy Gould in AdAge: http://bit.ly/9rgP2Y 

• 
  

7 insights on building your personal brand

On Tuesday June 15, I was invited to participate in an informal roundtable discussion on personal branding, led by Alan Kay of The Glasgow Group. Here are seven brief insights I gained from the event, and some additional resources I've since discovered.

What is a personal brand?

A personal brand (like a conventional product brand) is a set of elements that lead to trust and help customers make choices. The essence of your personal brand is what’s unique to you, and how it benefits your customers. Clear identify for yourself what you’re good at (be specific), and where you want to go (and grow).

Why should I worry about my personal brand (especially if I’m an employee)?

Whether you think you have one or not, you do have a personal brand. Be conscious of what you do and who you are associated with, since the digital universe never forgets things (you’d be surprised at what comes up when you Google your name)! A positive personal brand will help you get your next position (as an employee) or your next customer (as a consultant / entrepreneur).

How do customers connect with my brand?

First emotionally, then they rationalize their choices afterward. If you are truthful and passionate about yourself and what you do, customers will be drawn to you. Try to have a consistent brand persona, but remember you can have some fun at the same time. We’re all human after all!

How can I boost my credibility?

Within reason, communicate openly about the well-known brands / experts you’ve been associated with (e.g., as past employers, collaborators) so that their intrinsic credibility rubs off on you.

How can I strengthen my brand?

‘Working your network’ and building relationships is not enough. To battle the inevitable ‘commoditization’ of talent, continually improve the quality and uniqueness of what you do. Add value in every interaction (it’s better to ‘give’ than ‘ask’).

How should I promote my brand?

With all the new media channels available today (Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, blogs, YouTube, etc.) there’s never been a better time to leverage your personal brand. As often as you can, post interesting or provocative insights and comments to try and grow your network, and position yourself as the thought-leader in your field.

Strive to demonstrate ‘business maturity’:

Whether you’re starting out or are well established in what you do, it pays to show you:

· can understand and adapt and learn on the fly (be flexible)

· can respectfully share your experience with others (be collaborative)

· can listen effectively (be engaged)

· have the confidence to take initiative (be proactive)

Some additional resources on personal branding:
* Alan Kay's follow-up blog: 7 ways to build your personal brand…now!http://frymonkeys.com/7-ways-to-build-your-personal-brand-storynow/

* Personal Branding Blog – read articles from various thought-leaders, and download the free, 16-page ebook, 10 Personal Branding Secrets You’ve Never Heard Before. 

* Brand-Yourself.com – sign up for the free monthly ‘Personal Branding VIP Newsletter,’ and download the free, 24-page ebook, From Tweet to Hired: The Brand-Yourself guide to Leveraging Twitter to Advance Your Career. 

* 'How to Develop your Personal Brand' – short, helpful article from Susan Young of Get in Front Blogging.
* 'Honest, believable, sustainable: the brand of me' – an insightful blog from 'creative entrepreneur' Rebecca E. Parsons.
* Book: Crush It! by Gary Vaynerchuk (available as an audiobook from emusic.com) – an informative and passionate call to build your brand on the now-egalitarian platform of social media.
* A 'Venn Diagram' on the three attributes required for maximizing your individual talent, from talent coach Lisa Martin.