Reducing Workplace Stress And Conflict And Boosting Profits At The Same Time
Dr. Paul Lanthois
February 12, 2009
I recently had troubles with my computer so I arranged for a local computer technical support company to come out and fix the problem.
"We´ll see you at 11.00 tomorrow," the company confirmed. "How long should I allow for this?" I asked so I could most effectively plan around this inconvenience.
"Problems like these can take anywhere from a half an hour to two hours to fix," they replied. I looked at my diary for tomorrow and made a few phone calls to reschedule things. I was pleased with the outcome and had a productive day ahead of me despite the computer glitch.
When 11 am arrived and the technical support person hadn´t arrived, I reminded myself to be patient and reassured myself that they would be here soon. By the time 11.20 came around I called the company to find out where their representative was.
"Oh, he must be caught up at a previous job," said his work colleague." I´ll call him to find out where he is and I´ll get back to you immediately."
Fifteen minutes went by and I still hadn´t heard from the company so I called again.
"Uh, sorry. I was just going to call you," he said with embarrassment." Yeah right, "I thought to myself. "They don´t really care about all the important things that I am still to do."
"I have just heard back from him and he said that he can be at your place by 12.30," the company representative said.
"OK," I said with begrudging annoyance. My computer was needed for many of my afternoon tasks so I then had to reschedule my afternoon yet again.
When the computer guy arrived, he said "Sorry I´m late," as he then indulged me in some story outlining all the reasons why he was late. In essence he was trying to put the responsibility for his lateness onto someone else. I didn´t buy it.
The computer guy did a good enough job on the computer at a reasonable price but it also cost me 90 minutes of unproductive time. It could also cost the company a chance of doing future business with me.
So many companies make the mistake of trying to make the claim of "great customer service" as their unique point of difference yet they don´t even deliver the basic service of doing what they say. Simply keeping your word with your customers when you have an appointment or deliver will help alleviate a lot of the stress and antagonism from customers and will certainly help to retain customers.
In these more challenging economic times the old adage, "Time is money," is more relevant than ever. When you are reliable in keeping your word, you are saving your customers time and money and they will support your business because of that. Keeping your word develops one of the most valuable business commodities: integrity.
Many of you may be in business where circumstances and events that are outside of your control can interfere with your capacity to honour commitments that you have made. You can still develop great integrity and prevent a lot of consumer stress by following these two guidelines:
Developing Integrity And Reducing Stress And Conflict Step 1
Don´t Overstretch Yourselves
So often to gain someone´s business we make unrealistic promises and end up falling short. This stresses your workers and stresses your disappointed client. The disappointed client will invariably share to others that your business is unreliable.
I recently dropped my car off to be repaired at this very busy auto repair shop after a small "fender bender" accident. Now this auto repair shop has virtually cornered the market in this area and only accepts repairs covered under accident insurance. How long did they say it was going to take to fix my damaged front bumper bar? Five days.
Other repair shops can fix it quicker but why does this auto repair shop get all the business from insurance companies? Because they honour their commitment every time. They are able to be their word by giving themselves plenty of time to deal with possible things that could delay the repairs.
Developing Integrity And Reducing Stress And Conflict Step 2
Do What You Say By When You Say It, Or Let Them Know The Moment That You Can´t
Some people could interpret this by thinking that you need to become obsessed with time. To me that creates more stress for you. What I really mean by this is to respect your word and to respect the time of others. Other people´s time is just as important as yours.
As a health professional for 18 years, I would have to say that one of my pet peeves with my fellow health professionals is that people having to wait for 30 minutes or more when they have a scheduled appointment with the doctor. Patients should not be sitting in a ´waiting´ room; they should be sitting in a reception room for their appointment.
Talking to patient feedback groups, regardless of if it´s a doctor´s appointment or a reservation at a restaurant people start to stress after waiting more than 15 minutes. And the more that they stress; the worse it is for your business.
But in life and in business there are always surprises that can cause us to be behind schedule. So what can you do to keep your integrity if you are behind schedule? ...
At the first instance that you realise that you are unable to keep an appointment or a commitment, you notify the other involved party and let them know. We had a policy at my former chiropractic centre to let patients know in advance if i was running more than 15 minutes behind schedule.
So many patients were grateful for us letting them know because they were often able to use that time to complete another task in their day so it didn´t cost them any time.
Developing Integrity And Reducing Stress And Conflict Step 3
Apologize and Thank Other Person For Their Patience
Whenever you meet with a customer or friend after the scheduled time a simple sincere apology and thanking them for their patience is all that´s required. The worse thing that you can do is to explain why you are late. It gives the inference that you are not taking responsibility.
A large number of incidences provoking of stress, disharmony or conflict at work or at home are the result of people not keeping their word. Doing what you say by when you say is what true customer service is about and is the foundation for trusting and thriving relationships. Following these three steps in your work and your home life will demonstrate to others that you value their time, their custom and their friendship. It demonstrates that you care.
So start practicing keeping small promises. If you say that you will make that call or send that email tonight, do it tonight. Don´t leave it until tomorrow. Do it tonight because you are being your word.
"We´ll see you at 11.00 tomorrow," the company confirmed. "How long should I allow for this?" I asked so I could most effectively plan around this inconvenience.
"Problems like these can take anywhere from a half an hour to two hours to fix," they replied. I looked at my diary for tomorrow and made a few phone calls to reschedule things. I was pleased with the outcome and had a productive day ahead of me despite the computer glitch.
When 11 am arrived and the technical support person hadn´t arrived, I reminded myself to be patient and reassured myself that they would be here soon. By the time 11.20 came around I called the company to find out where their representative was.
"Oh, he must be caught up at a previous job," said his work colleague." I´ll call him to find out where he is and I´ll get back to you immediately."
Fifteen minutes went by and I still hadn´t heard from the company so I called again.
"Uh, sorry. I was just going to call you," he said with embarrassment." Yeah right, "I thought to myself. "They don´t really care about all the important things that I am still to do."
"I have just heard back from him and he said that he can be at your place by 12.30," the company representative said.
"OK," I said with begrudging annoyance. My computer was needed for many of my afternoon tasks so I then had to reschedule my afternoon yet again.
When the computer guy arrived, he said "Sorry I´m late," as he then indulged me in some story outlining all the reasons why he was late. In essence he was trying to put the responsibility for his lateness onto someone else. I didn´t buy it.
The computer guy did a good enough job on the computer at a reasonable price but it also cost me 90 minutes of unproductive time. It could also cost the company a chance of doing future business with me.
So many companies make the mistake of trying to make the claim of "great customer service" as their unique point of difference yet they don´t even deliver the basic service of doing what they say. Simply keeping your word with your customers when you have an appointment or deliver will help alleviate a lot of the stress and antagonism from customers and will certainly help to retain customers.
In these more challenging economic times the old adage, "Time is money," is more relevant than ever. When you are reliable in keeping your word, you are saving your customers time and money and they will support your business because of that. Keeping your word develops one of the most valuable business commodities: integrity.
Many of you may be in business where circumstances and events that are outside of your control can interfere with your capacity to honour commitments that you have made. You can still develop great integrity and prevent a lot of consumer stress by following these two guidelines:
Developing Integrity And Reducing Stress And Conflict Step 1
Don´t Overstretch Yourselves
So often to gain someone´s business we make unrealistic promises and end up falling short. This stresses your workers and stresses your disappointed client. The disappointed client will invariably share to others that your business is unreliable.
I recently dropped my car off to be repaired at this very busy auto repair shop after a small "fender bender" accident. Now this auto repair shop has virtually cornered the market in this area and only accepts repairs covered under accident insurance. How long did they say it was going to take to fix my damaged front bumper bar? Five days.
Other repair shops can fix it quicker but why does this auto repair shop get all the business from insurance companies? Because they honour their commitment every time. They are able to be their word by giving themselves plenty of time to deal with possible things that could delay the repairs.
Developing Integrity And Reducing Stress And Conflict Step 2
Do What You Say By When You Say It, Or Let Them Know The Moment That You Can´t
Some people could interpret this by thinking that you need to become obsessed with time. To me that creates more stress for you. What I really mean by this is to respect your word and to respect the time of others. Other people´s time is just as important as yours.
As a health professional for 18 years, I would have to say that one of my pet peeves with my fellow health professionals is that people having to wait for 30 minutes or more when they have a scheduled appointment with the doctor. Patients should not be sitting in a ´waiting´ room; they should be sitting in a reception room for their appointment.
Talking to patient feedback groups, regardless of if it´s a doctor´s appointment or a reservation at a restaurant people start to stress after waiting more than 15 minutes. And the more that they stress; the worse it is for your business.
But in life and in business there are always surprises that can cause us to be behind schedule. So what can you do to keep your integrity if you are behind schedule? ...
At the first instance that you realise that you are unable to keep an appointment or a commitment, you notify the other involved party and let them know. We had a policy at my former chiropractic centre to let patients know in advance if i was running more than 15 minutes behind schedule.
So many patients were grateful for us letting them know because they were often able to use that time to complete another task in their day so it didn´t cost them any time.
Developing Integrity And Reducing Stress And Conflict Step 3
Apologize and Thank Other Person For Their Patience
Whenever you meet with a customer or friend after the scheduled time a simple sincere apology and thanking them for their patience is all that´s required. The worse thing that you can do is to explain why you are late. It gives the inference that you are not taking responsibility.
A large number of incidences provoking of stress, disharmony or conflict at work or at home are the result of people not keeping their word. Doing what you say by when you say is what true customer service is about and is the foundation for trusting and thriving relationships. Following these three steps in your work and your home life will demonstrate to others that you value their time, their custom and their friendship. It demonstrates that you care.
So start practicing keeping small promises. If you say that you will make that call or send that email tonight, do it tonight. Don´t leave it until tomorrow. Do it tonight because you are being your word.
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