Streaking to the Quad a Ritual of a Lost Deal

Recently, I was asked "In your career, what is your most impressive accomplishment?"  After some serious thought and banter back and forth, my answer was "streaking to the quad."  As you can imagine I got quite the eye roll, but it launched me into this story.

I can truly say, I love my work and have always felt fulfilled by the chase, the consult, the big win.

You know that big win?  The contract signed at the 11th hour and the whole company was cheering and chanting! You were recognized at the quarterly meeting, awarded with more cheers and shoulder slaps.  You thank your team because you couldn't have done it without them!

But what happens when you lose the big deal? It get's real and it gets personal.

You watch your team scatter, your executive committee looks at you over the rim of their glasses while shaking their head in disappointment. You are left alone with the shame and guilt.  You slowly open Salesforce and Close/Lost the deal of a century.

It's pretty raw actually.

But there is this odd moment of silence between the shock and horror of a deal gone bad and the shift of focus onto the next opportunity.  I have embraced this odd little space of transition as my time to be "Streaking to the Quad."

I started using the corporate radio silence as a time to reflect on what I could have done better, what I should have paid attention to, what will change the next time, etc.  I am, in many ways, streaking to the quad.   I am exposing "the cracks" and running with them for a while, letting everything just jiggle around a bit to see where it lands.  Understand that maybe if I had just picked up the phone instead of sending another email, it could have made the difference.   If I had just adjusted the payment schedule in a different way, maybe that would have helped.  Now the gears are turning and I'm speeding up, I'm getting excited again! I can do this!  I know exactly what I will do next time this happens!

As I turn the corner off Pity Avenue to Action Street, I can see the Quad off in the distance.  It's in this final stretch when the true beauty of  my exposure and reflection are realized.

"I actually lost this one "better" than the one before."

That I did take my previous failures into consideration all the times before and in my heart of hearts I can honestly say, I gave it everything I had. I turned the contract around quicker, I had included the additional room in the implementation schedule, I coached the appropriate challenges, etc.   I can stop running and be so proud of my progress.  That maybe the only reason why this deal was a deal in the first place was because my experiences shaped it into one. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have finally reached the quad.

I have reached that point where I am no longer looking back in shock and horror, I am no longer exposed and feeling the elements of a deal gone wrong.  I have put my armor back on, added an additional piece of ammunition and I'm ready to face the next deal.

I call it Streaking to the Quad, you can call it what you like but it really is the only process that helps me become more in tune with each deal I carry, each hurdle I jump and each pothole I fall into along the way.

I think we often forget how important our past experiences are to our future opportunities; about how our growth shapes the things around us.  We are very good at taking past experiences and using them as excuses but how good are we at being mindful of our experiences and how they shape our successes?  After all, it can't all be just good luck!

Quality vs. Quantity

June 30th, the day before CASL Law takes effect in Canada.  June 30th, the day after the biggest street party, Worldpride.  There is an eery silence in the City of Toronto.  Is it that we are all hungover from the festivities?  Perhaps, we are all waiting for Rob Ford to make his grand re-
entrance?  hmmm..maybe not that last one.

Worldpride, for all of its fantastic glory (oh and it was fantastic), was covered corner to corner with Sponsorships.  These companies weren't afraid to show their true colours.  It almost felt like it was a dare. "I double dog dare you to logo a thong and hire Toronto's hottest people to dance the day away.  They "put it all out there" in the truest sense of the word.  TD must of got a list of Toronto's most beautiful and put them all in the cutest green daisy dukes I have ever seen.

But after the hangovers subside, the new friend requests are accepted and the streets of Toronto get ready for Canada Day, we have a new challenge ahead of us. CASL Law will commence.

What does this mean to Marketers?  It means you have to step it up.  You have to actually EARN your subscribers, it means you need to focus on Quality not Quantity.  It mean that you have to finally pull together everything that you learned in school and start understanding who your customers are, what they value in your brand and how important they are.

You want to keep your job?  You now have to start earning your keep.  Show the world that your brand is better than just another email blast with call to action.  Show the world that your brand has value and that it means something and that you give back!

Worldpride corporate sponsorships proved that you can do it for events.  Show us you can do it everyday.

What else could Self Magazine have done?

The Tutu Story Here

A brief summary of the story:

This brave woman makes tutu's for runners in support of a youth development program - Girls on the Run in San Diego.  All proceeds are donated.  She also has Brain Cancer and was in the middle of treatment when this picture was taken.  Self magazine called and asked her if they could use the picture, she agreed, they printed it and next to the picture, they made fun of people running in Tutu's.

<sigh>

Really!?!?  ok - mistakes happen, I get it.  Somebody really messed up.  However, the opportunity to correct is there.  Loads of ideas come to mind about how to rally around this.  What could Self Magazine do to fix this?

In the hours following Self Magazine said sorry...they made a public statement and the editor tweeted out how mortified she was. What didn't they do?  Monika sent them an email explaining her situation and as of taping of that video - she hadn't heard back..."

This could be one of the biggest marketing blunders for the magazine.

Why not commit corporately to a race, employees raise money for Cancer Research & each employee wears the Tutu in the race and then make her the next cover!!

The Social impact has been incredible...  Her facebook page - Glam Runner - has approx. 10,000 comments regarding this incident.  Many comments of which are women banning the magazine from their house.

I would love to hear everyone thoughts..

How can one word change a whole conversation?

Take this sample conversation

Agent: everytime I pick up the phone, it's someone complaining about the cost of our service.
Manager: Is it everytime?

Agent: well... no, but it happens alot!
Manager: more than half?
Agent: hmmmm...well maybe less than half, but, there is nothing I can do about it!!
Manager:  Nothing?  Can you review their services to ensure they are getting the best value?
Agent: yes..but, it always turns into a fight!
Manager: Always?

Every time and Never

We all do this!  Especially in our personal life!  We use words like "always, every time, never, nothing.."  and I think we do it for a couple reasons:  A - it essentially creates a shelter for your wounded, deflated self; a "poor me" vibe.  B - we want people to empathize with us, we want our feelings to be confirmed.

It takes a lot of effort to say "many, on occasion, sometimes.."  instead, because it feels like we aren't hurting as badly as we want people to believe.  We aren't buying our own crap.  The results of this type of wording change drastically however.  It open each participant to a discussion rather than a "pity party."  I still catch my self doing it..it's hard to modify! Try it, go to the above conversation and notice what changes if the agent used the factually correct adverb....I'll wait...

EVERYTHING CHANGES!  Isn't that cool?!  It keeps the conversation realistic and factual.  It moves away from having to justify someone's feelings to having to help solve their problem.

I typically try to keep people focused on the facts first.  Let's solve the problem and then revisit the feelings, if needed.  Separating the conversation this way helps people be part of the solution and steers them away from saying something they may regret.

The word "But.."

Is so BAD!!  It's freaking dismissive!  It takes whatever is said before it and basically pushes it out of the way.  Like the example above, the manager deduced that perhaps the price complaints were less than half of the total calls, however, that wasn't the agents point,  so the agent moved on, dismissed the fact, and replaced it with another "poor me".

Again, let's go up to the example, and replace the word "but" with the word "and"?  It totally changed again - didn't it!?!?!

The word "and" not only acknowledges the point made before it but it changes the statement after it!  It makes the "poor me" irrelevant and focussed on the issue.

Try it!

I have often coached managers of Call Centres to make a game of it.  When your team uses these words, they get called out on it. Set up a swear jar. make a stupid hat they have to wear, a stuffed bear they have to carry around or just let people point and laugh.  Whatever works for your team environment.

Watch the conversation changes, the comfort level in the team changes, their interaction with their customers change.  All of that can't be bad!!

The Human Experience

I am so excited to be part of this great network of Customer Experience trailblazers! Come out and learn more about the evolution of the customer, the patient, the human experience within different environments. 


Humanizing The Customer Experience

Register Here - CXPA Toronto Event - The Human Experience

March 19th 5:30 pm
SAS Canada
280 King Street East
Suite 500
Ontario M5A 1K7
Canada

Humanizing The Customer Experience

We have all interacted with the healthcare sector in some capacity and likely have a story or two to share about our experiences. The industry has recognized that improving the Customer Experience not only reduces the cost to serve and improves brand reputation; it ultimately optimizes the Human Experience. The beneficiaries are both those who are served as well as employees. Sound familiar? The sector is catching up to what commercial enterprises have been recognizing for some time. 

Our next event will engage a discussion about initiatives in the Health Care sector to humanize the Customer Experience.  Our panelists will come at it from different perspectives including Technology, Hospital, and Insurance. It’s sure to stimulate an interesting discussion and will provide takeaways that all of us in CX can benefit from. And don’t forget, refreshments will be served.

Below is our panelist lineup:

Hospital For Sick Kids - Cindy Bruce-Barrett RN BScN MN PMP

Cindy Bruce-Barrett is a certified project management professional with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing, a certificate in Management from Ryerson University as well as a Master’s degree in Community Health Nursing from D’Youville College in Buffalo New York.

Cindy joined the Hospital for Sick Children in 1997 and in 2004 was appointed Director, Corporate Strategic projects. In her current role, Cindy leads a number of corporate and clinically based initiatives and is responsible for overseeing a team of senior project managers focused on a service delivery model that includes project and strategy management, business development, service excellence, facilitation and consultation.

Manulife Financial - Camille Frank, AVP Customer and Advisor Experience

Camille is a well-seasoned insurance professional with 20 years of insurance experience. She has worked in a number of areas within the industry and has held a variety of roles.  

Camille currently leads the Customer and Advisor Experience team which is responsible for the overarching experience programs for the Canadian Division.  Her breadth of experience and capabilities provides her with a unique perspective on consumer-insurer interactions.  Camille has an Honours Bachelor Degree in Biochemistry and Neuroscience from the University of Toronto, and is a Certified Employee Benefits Specialist.  

Liberate – Dr. John Reeves, Founder and Managing Partner

Dr. John Reeves is a real life physician entrepreneur! John transitioned his career from a sports/family practice to digital advertising in 1995 when first confronted with the positives and negatives of the "Dr. Google" patient. He felt that the best "leadership" for great digital solutions that supported healthcare professionals and patients alike would come from within the medical ecosystem.

This began his 18 year journey that has taken him through 3 critical business positions that have ultimately shaped the Liberate patient education platform he has recently launched. Liberate, a first-of-its-kind healthcare education and adherence platform, offers a complete patient point-of-care closed loop relationship between healthcare professionals (HCPs), patients, and pharmaceutical industry sponsors.