On I Love You More Than My Dog

I recently finished reading “I Love You More Than My Dog” Five Decisions That Drive Extreme Customer Loyalty in Good Times and Bad by Jeanne Bliss.

Below are key excerpts summarizing the main concepts advanced by the book:

1- “Your decisions reveal who you are and what you value…When you make a decision, it results in an action. And the accumulation of those decisions and actions become how people describe you and think of you. It becomes your “story.””

2- “The Five Decisions Made by Beloved Companies: DECISION 1: Beloved Companies Decide to Believe. DECISION 2: Beloved Companies Decide with Clarity of Purpose. DECISION 3: Beloved Companies Decide to Be Real. DECISION 4: Beloved Companies Decide to Be There. DECISION 5: Beloved Companies Decide to Say Sorry.”

3- “Companies have been able to suspend the cynicism. They have diminished the rules. And instead, they have decided to believe: in the good judgment of the people they hire. that trust is reciprocated between companies and their customers. in the honesty and integrity of their customers. that honoring the intelligence of employees grows their business.”

4- “Decide with clarity of purpose…Beloved companies take the time to be clear about what their unique promise is for their customers’ lives. They use this clarity hen they make decisions so they align to this purpose, to this promise. Clarity of purpose guides choices and unites the organization. It elevates people’s work from executing tasks to delivering experiences customers will want to repeat and tell others about.”

5- “Decide to be real…Beloved companies establish lasting bonds with customers—by deciding to blend their personalities with their business decisions. In the beloved companies: Leaders blend who they are as people with how they lead. Business decisions combine purpose and passion. Leaders give employees behaviors to model and permission to be ‘real.” Relationships are between people who share the same values.”

6- “Decide to be there…companies were able to reach uncommon decisions that connected them with customers because they: Imagined their customers’ lives. Were clear on their purpose for delivering a solution to their lives. Built their experience from the customers’ point of view. Executed with operational reliability.”

7- “Decide to say sorry…Aaron Lazare, author of On Apology, says, “The apology is a powerful and constructive form of conflict resolution, embedded, in modified form, in religion and the judicial system. It is a method of social hearing that as grown in importance as our way of living together on our planet undergoes radical change.” Moral of the story: a good apology trumps the legal system. As long as the apology is sincere and the effort to make amends is genuine…Your apology must: Be genuine. Restore confidence in being associated with you. Honor those harmed. Explain and work to resolve the problem. Be delivered swiftly and with humility.”

8- “Beloved companies shed their fancy packaging and break down the barriers of ” big company, little customer.” The relationship is between people who share the same values and revel in each other’s foibles, quirks, and spirit. And that’s what draws them to each other. Beloved companies decide to create a safe place where the personality and creativity of  of people come through. It makes them beloved to customers who gravitate to their particular brand of humanity.”

Regards,

Omar Halabieh

I Love You More Than My Dog

On Fish!

I just finished reading the book Fish! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results by Stephen C. Lundin, Harry Paul, and John Christensen. This book is inspired by the Fish Market at Pike Place Fish in Seattle. There fishmonger, have managed to turn their workplace into a fun and joyful market which features exceptional customer service.

This fish market inspired the authors to write a story of a manager who is asked to head up and turn around a very ineffective department. This manager then applies the secrets that helped turn the fish market into such a fun workplace, namely: choose your attitude, play, make their day, and last but not least be present.

A fun and insightful quick read, that reminds us that there is always room for play at work. My only criticism is that I wish there were more examples of applications in the workplace included.

Below are some key excerpts from the book that I found particularly insightful:

1- “I guess given the right conditions, any job can be dull.”

2- “There is always a choice about the way you do your work, even if there is not a choice about the work itself…We can choose the attitude we bring to our work.”

3- “There is something I know about you that you may not even know about yourself. You have within you more resources of energy than have ever been tapped, more talent than has ever been exploited, more talent than has ever been exploited, more strength than has ever been tested, and more to give than you have ever given.”

4- “As you enter this place of work please choose to make today a great day. Your colleagues, customers, team members, and you yourself will be thankful. Find ways to play. We can be serious about our work without being serious about ourselves. Stay focused in order to be present when your customers and team members most need you. And should you feel your energy lapsing, try this surefire remedy: Find someone who needs a helping hand, a word of support, or a good ear – and make their day.”

Regards,

Omar Halabieh

Fish!