Thoughts On A Crisp Fall Monday: In The Spirit of the Season, Be Grateful

Good Morning Folks,

I'd like to share something with you that always helps me reground and reconnect when it gets heavy... And you know it does.

I ate today.

I wore clean clothes today.

I have heat today.

I took a shower today.

I have a bed to sleep in.

I have a car.

I have a few dollars in my pocket.

I have the world's best dog.

I have many people who I love.

I have many people who love me...

I am having a wonderful day.

Finding the many, many things we who meet here have to be grateful for and expressing that gratitude will help us all to get through anything.

ERIC HOFFER once said: "The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings."

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity.... It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.

These words remind us that this Thanksgiving we have lots to be thankful for. And we don't have to wait another two weeks for the holiday season to start saying thanks.

So, always remember what John F Kennedy said: “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”

THANKS for your friendship and your support. Make every day count and enjoy your week.

Cheers to GREATNESS,

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  


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" Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.”
~~ CICERO
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Photo: Rockefeller Center @Christmas via RockefllerCenter.com

On Thanksgiving, Roll Out The Red Carpet For Everyone.

Good Morning Folks,

As the holiday season rolls into town, one word comes to mind: Gratitude.

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity.... It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.

We are thankful for our families, friends, clients and associates. We value our relationships with each of you.

Here are 7 ways that will can says thanks to your friends and customers every day of the year.

==>  It's Thanksgiving so Have You Thanked A Customer Today

1. Roll Out The Red Carpet For Everyone. 
If there's one thing people hate about poor service, it's getting treated differently from others. It makes them feel inferior and second-class. Gary Richter says you should roll out the red carpet for everyone, but particularly those who don't expect it. "I tell my employees, if we roll out the red carpet for a billionaire, they won't even notice. If we roll it out for millionaires, they expect it. If we roll it out for thousandaires, they appreciate it. And, if we roll out the red carpet for hundredaires, they'll tell everyone they know."

2. Take Time To Know Your Customers. 
The fast pace of modern living together with advances in technology have together put a non-human face on much of our customer service. If you can find a way to re-connect with your customers one-on-one, you'll strike a chord with your customers that will be like a streak of gold. Kathy Burns remembers a time when people took time to care and listen. "Some of you may remember, and others may have heard stories about, a time in life when the doctor would come to your home to check on you if you were ill. Or maybe you've heard about going down to your local pharmacy and having the owner greet you by name and ask how you're doing. Not only did they ask, but they really wanted to know the answer and they took the time to listen to what you had to say. That's customer service - taking the time to know your customers, really caring about how they feel, and wanting to go the extra mile to make sure they're happy."

3. Be Easy To Do Business With. 
One of the problems with modern businesses is that the systems we use to save time and money are often devised for the company's benefit and not the customers. As a result, the customer experience is frustrating and difficult. Tracey Lowrance says this needs to be reversed. "Customers expect single source service. Customers don't want to be transferred to every unit of your business to have their problems solved. They want to be able to do business with you with the slightest amount of discomfort. You must be easy to do business with."

4. Go Out Of Your Way To Make Sure They're Happy. 
One of the most important things your customers want from you is a guarantee that your product or service will work. So move heaven and earth to make sure it does. Bob Leduc suggests you shouldn't make people pay until they are fully happy. "Instead of offering a money back guarantee, a service business can provide a guarantee to solve the customer's problem. For example, a plumber can guarantee to come back without charge as often as necessary to stop the leak. A landscaper can replace without charge any plants that don't survive for at least 6 months. A sales consultant can continue working without charge until the promised sales results are achieved."

5. Notice What Customers See. 
A big part of what customers think about you comes from what they see and believe. Personal Selling Power noticed the following difference in two candy stores. "Although two competing candy stores had the same prices, neighborhood kids preferred one store to the other. When asked why, they said, "Because the person in the good store always gives us more candy. The girl in the other store takes candy away." True? Not really. In the good store the owner would always make sure to put a small amount of candy on the scale and then keep adding to it. In the bad store, the owner would pile a heaping amount of candy on the scale, and then take it off until it hit the right weight. The same amount of candy was sold, but perception is everything."

6. Work On Everything The Customer Experiences. 
The customer experience isn't just receiving the service or buying the goods. It's about all the other little bits and pieces in-between. Such as the manner of the receptionist, the state of the floors and tables, the attitude of other staff, the ease of parking, the tone of the notices, the smile or lack of it on the face of the checkout team. Be like the Mirage hotel in Las Vegas who have a slogan that says: "We spend 600 hours a week pampering the plants. Imagine what we'll do for our guests."

7. Believe In Customer Service From The Bottom Of Your Soul. 
To become a great service organization, you have to believe in customer service from the bottom of your soul. It has to be part of the way you work. Anita Roddick, founder of retail cosmetic franchise group Body Shop puts it like this: "I am still looking for the modern equivalent of those Quakers who ran successful businesses, made money because they offered honest products and treated people decently, worked hard, spent honestly, saved honestly, gave honest value for money, put back more than they took out and told no lies. This business creed, sadly, seems long forgotten."

You can find 465 more ways to express your gratitude here: 

And if you want to thank our troops, do so HERE.

Saying thanks isn't an operational overhead. It’s critical for business success.

To be part of a company where the employees LOVE what they do and the leaders CARE as much as they do, is such a blessing… we are VERY LUCKY to be a part of the FSO Family!”

Thank you for your continued confidence and support. 

We sincerely wish you and your families a festive and joyous Thanksgiving Holiday.

Have a GREAT WEEKEND! We'll be back blogging on Monday!

Mitchell D. Weiner
Chief Happiness Officer

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"Kindness it is that brings forth kindness always."

-- Sophocles (447 BC)

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