Inspiring Workplaces 
The Way Work Ought to Be!

#1,126- May 27, 2026

I was in a bank lineup, and I did something that I’m certain we all do now and then. I let the person behind me go ahead of me because I wanted to make sure I was served by my favorite bank teller – the teller who makes me laugh and I most trust. 

When dining at your local restaurant, don't you sometimes feel disappointed when it's not your favorite server serving your table? 

And how many of us have stories of phoning a business and getting totally different answers whenever we talk to a different employee? How often have you heard someone say, "Just keep phoning because it totally depends on who you get." 

I call this phenomenon "service roulette." 

But it shouldn't feel like a gamble for our customers whenever they walk into our business or phone in with a concern or question! 

Here are a few ideas on how to minimize the odds of your customers being faced with service roulette: 

• You are only as good as your weakest link, so invest in your hiring, on-boarding, training, and on-going customer service coaching. 
• Stress the importance of consistency to your employees. One misstep or one poor performer is all it takes to lose a customer for life. (And do the math here! the costs are enormous!) 
• Remember it's never just about customer service; it's about the entire experience and how you have made your customers feel.   
• Ensure everyone understands the minimum expectations for service. 
• Create a system to collect continual feedback so you can identify areas for improvement, employees who need extra coaching, and discover who your service stars are.
• Turn your star performers into, well, stars! Recognize them! Use them to benchmark performance against and have your stars conduct training sessions and mentor other employees so everyone learns the secret to their success. 

Speaking of customer service consistency, my next virtual presentation is on Thursday, June 4: "Creating a Service-First Culture That Drives Extraordinary Customer Results" 

According to a Harvard study, 80% of businesses think they provide fantastic customer service, but only 8% of their customers agree! OUCH! We need to talk! Or you need to attend this session! Or both! 

I'll be sharing key customer service messages every employees needs to hear, why customer experience matters more than customer service, why customer service starts on the inside, how to keep your service messages alive, and why you need to STOP providing good customer service! 

"Your expertise in delivering insights on elevating customer experiences, anticipating needs, building genuine connections, and consistently delivering above and beyond expectations has been truly transformative. The depth of your guidance on fostering a culture of excellence and creating memorable service moments has provided lasting value and inspiration." Nishesh Naharki 

For details and to register hop over to Creating a Service-First Culture. And as always, if you can't make the live event you'll still have access to the recording and bonus resources.