Hello all! My Yankees are out of the playoffs, the Jets are 0-7, so this article has nowhere to go but up!
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Last week I wrote about 5 techniques for associate engagement. Before we move on to more techniques, I wanted to share what I did for each one.
The first was start with a survey, and dig deeper. What I did, was to find the top five concerns based on the questions (thank you Excel) and then create a Word Cloud with the most often mentioned terms used in the open response section. The Word Cloud is an oldie but goodie, it creates a visual representation of what your team is saying. Here’s an example:
Have the associates look at the Word Cloud and vote on the 5 most important topics using post-it notes to vote. Tally the votes, and those are the five to focus on. Yes, there are more than five, but if you know me and my Lipsonisms, I always say: “I don’t know the keys to success, but the keys to failure are trying to please everyone.”
Now you have 5 questions from the survey, and five key words that you can workshop with your associates. Form groups of 5-6, but don’t let them pick their groups. Folks who work together will sit together. Once that happens, ask them to count off, and move them based on their number. You want to stimulate the group to come up with solutions and you want to make sure everyone participates. Let associates know this is a “judgement free zone”. Each group will be responsible for one word and one question topic. You will facilitate the dialogue, not lead or control it! Memorialize it on flipcharts and take photos of the solutions. At the end of the session you should have:
A solution
A plan for implementation, including timelines!
How the plan will be measured for success
What to do if the solution needs to be adjusted
The next strategy was “foster workplace autonomy”. In our hourly orientations we discussed resolving issues. That was Day 1 for every team member. What were they allowed to do to address a guest complaint. Being from New York, I used a very simple term; “Fix the Frikkin’ Sandwich”. There does not need to be a “let me get my manager moment” for every transaction hiccup. Most are fixable on the spot. As long as the guest is respectful, your frontline team should be prepared and empowered to Fix the Frikkin’ Sandwich. We would also teach associates that if a guest became disrespectful to remove yourself from the situation by letting the guest know someone would be with them shortly. You can never win an argument with a belligerent person. Did we sometimes give a bit more to speed up the resolution? Yes, there were times, but sometimes you have to lose to win. See below from Survey Stance:
The third tactic was to set-up a buddy, or mentorship program. This can take on many forms, but here are a couple successes I’ll share.
For managers, if your business model is in multiple locations, the mentor should be someone in a parallel role and not at the same location. This will allow the dialogue between the mentee and mentor to be open and honest.
*Pro Tip, your manager can mentor you, but shouldn’t be your mentor.
Both mentee and mentor will learn. The mentor will gain experience in developing a manager, and the mentee will learn from someone who has gone through a similar transition. The mentee and mentor should speak once a week, the mentee should send questions to the mentor ahead of time and the conversation should last no longer that 30 - 45 minutes. If the mentor gleans any major red flags, it is incumbent on the mentor to communicate with the mentee’s manager.
For hourly team members, pair the new associate with a star associate - one who you would like the new team member to emulate. The “buddy” should be incentivized financially to help the new hire succeed. I will leave it up to you to determine the measurement and incentives (perhaps a special uniform, pin, hat, whatever to designate the mentor). But keep in mind, the goal here is to improve engagement and reduce turnover, and you can measure these. The mentor and mentee should have daily debriefings for the first two weeks. Questions could be as follows:
What’s going well?
What’s a source of concern/anxiety?
Do you understand your role?
Do you have the tools to do your job?
Are you receiving positive feedback and constructive criticism?
Other appropriate questions
Track progress daily!! Bad performance and bad habits persist because they are not corrected immediately. As a manager, make sure to reward and recognize good behavior/[performance at least 5 times for every 1 corrective action.
Number four was understanding the goals and results. We installed computer monitors by each time clock to communicate important information, held pre-shift meetings to discuss any goal for the day. But the bigger picture was always guest satisfaction. One of our trainings was the Six Basic Needs of the Customer. In this training, we handed out the info below:
The Six Basic Needs of Customers
1. Friendliness
Friendliness is the most basic of all customers needs, usually associated with being greeted graciously and with warmth. We all want to be acknowledged and welcomed by someone who sincerely is glad to see us. A customer shouldn’t feel they are an intrusion on the service provider’s work day!
2. Understanding and empathy
Customers need to feel that the service person understands and appreciates their circumstances and feelings without criticism or judgment. Customers have simple expectations that we who serve them can put ourselves in their shoes, understanding what it is they came to us for in the first place.
3. Fairness
We all need to feel we are being treated fairly. Customers get very annoyed and defensive when they feel they are subject to any class distinctions. No one wants to be treated as if they fall into a certain category, left wondering if “the grass is greener on the other side” and if they only received second best.
4. Control
Control represents the customers’ need to feel they have an impact on the way things turn out. Our ability to meet this need for them comes from our own willingness to say “yes” much more than we say “no.” Customers don’t care about policies and rules; they want to deal with us in all our reasonableness.
5. Options and Alternatives
Customers need to feel that other avenues are available to getting what they want accomplished. They realize that they may be charting virgin territory, and they depend on us to be “in the know” and provide them with the “inside scoop.” They get pretty upset when they feel they have spun their wheels getting something done, and we knew all along a better way, but never made the suggestion.
6. Information
“Tell me, show me – everything!” Customers need to be educated and informed about our products and services, and they don’t want us leaving anything out! They don’t want to waste precious time doing homework on their own – they look to us to be their walking, talking, information central.
We would then ask an associates to read one of the six and ask others to pick a word in the paragraph that stood out to them. We’d memorialize them on a flipchart and by the time we had gone through all six, we’d have a flipchart that the associates had developed. The flipchart would be put up in the location and before each shift an associate would be chosen to pick a word and the team would then catch each other demonstrating the word of the day. The best example of demonstrating the word would be recognized as the customer service champion of the shift!
Last one was cross-training. Now, I know this may not apply to every business/occupation; no one wants me as a brain surgeon! But in those industries that this could be possible, you create a two-fold opportunity for learning. A new learning opportunity for the associate working in a new role, learning a new skill? Check. But you also learn what the associate in the role may be doing that you just are not paying attention to. Could be good, could be bad, but for sure, you will see something different that can improve the existing performance and service. You will also help keep associates from burnout. Here is an example of something I did.
A very long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, necessity became the mother of invention. Early 80’s (yes, I was a 13 year old manager, smirk) I was managing a restaurant and our dishwasher walked out. That left the 3 cooks and yours truly to slug out the night. I asked each cook to take 15 minute shifts doing dishes and I would be part of the rotation. We would just rotate the 4 kitchen spots for the rest of the night. Well, as you can imagine, my suggestion was met with resistance from my lead cook. I remember it like it was yesterday: he said, “I don’t get paid to do dishes.” I then said, “well, punch out and punch back in, and I will pay you what the dish person is paid”. Funny how that worked. And, instead of hiring a new dish person (we’d been through 5 in 7 months) I hired another cook. The schedule was then developed so that each kitchen staff worked every position on a rotating basis. And you know what? The next 2 years we had zero turnover. The team enjoyed a break from the waitstaff once in a while, and, they were a team! They helped each other, the pots and pans were taken care of as they got dirty, no one left a knife in a sink. We did not have one single kitchen accident and our kitchen was immaculate. What started out as a “how are we going to deal with this” turned into a “new way to cross-train a team” and foster comradery.
Thank you for reading and I hope you found these examples fuel for creative solutions to engagement. Your comments and suggestions for topics are encouraged.
I appreciate your support. And be honest with any critiques! Remember, I spent forever in food service - my skin is pretty thick. :)
Until next week, be kind to everyone you meet.