Luddites Unite – You’re History!

If you don’t think social networking is on an intergalactic trajectory, you haven’t met my nieces and nephews. Ages 8-11-14. NOT from a technology-driven family … so for those of you who are, strap in!

Facebook – old news! Facebook chat – “call me on my cell, Uncle Lary, and I’ll boot up my laptop so we can chat,” my 8 year old nephew proclaimed. Download apps to turn your phone into a walkie-talkie? Check. Waiting at the front door all day for the delivery of your new cell phone, in the color purple? Check. Kick your uncle’s butt in every video game, including the slower ones that I actually understood like golf? Check.

Their grasp of technology is not what’s remarkable. It’s how deeply embedded it is in their DNA (more…)

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Give your employees $2,000 to spend!

leadership-pinnacle What would happen if we gave each of our employees up to $2,000 to invest in a customer’s experience on any particular occasion … not an annual stipend … but for any given situation?

Most of us are aware of the extraordinary attention to service that is the hallmark of luxury hotels … but few of us probably understand the extraordinary cultural commitment to training and service that is the bedrock of the incomparable Ritz Carlton chain.

In an insightful interview with the Ritz Carlton CEO, Simon Cooper, many of these powerful programs are discussed.

The Ritz Carlton grants every staff member a stipend of  up to $2,000 to satisfy any single guest … not per year but per occasion … without any approval or conditions. Imagine empowering our employees in that manner … and showing them our immense trust in their ability to make sound decisions while validating our unwavering commitment to our customers?

BTW, in the Ritz Carlton arrangement, there is no implication that there is a problem … just a desire to create an overwhelming customer experience. Another tactic that the Ritz Carlton uses may seem familiar to many as the “daily huddle”, (more…)

Continue ReadingGive your employees $2,000 to spend!