Strategic Discipline Blog

Did you realize when a customer says thanks, they make you happy, but they make themselves even happier.  In her book The How of Happiness, Sonja Lyubomirsky, a professor at the University of California, Riverside, describes a dozen scientifically proven strategies to make yourself happier.  The first?  Expressing gratitude.

What is your company doing to let gratitude blossom?  That’s the question asked in just one of the valuable chapters, “I Love You.  Now What?” from The Myth of the Garage by Chip & Dan Heath, the same authors who wrote Switch and Made to Stick.  It’s a collection of their best articles from Fast Company.  Best of all, ITS FREE to download to your Kindle.

The book points out that there are about 2.7 million call-center employees in America who are standing by, ready to soothe you. It’s roughly the population of Kansas.

Yet, what if you’ve got joy in your heart? No one seems to care. There’s a state full of people to handle our complaints and, at best, a thimble full to handle compliments. Why do companies make it so hard for us to say thank you?  Especially when you look at what’s happening by not having thanks from our customers get back to our employees.

In a survey of 10,000 employees from the 1,000 largest companies, 40% of workers cited “lack of recognition” as a key reason for leaving a job. A tragedy!

When was the last time a customer’s thank you at your company got relayed back to the employee who was responsible for it? 

I’m sure you’ve driven behind one of those trucks that ask “How’s my driving, Dial 1-800…?

Ever wonder if the drivers hear the comments you make when you dial the 800-number? Absolutely, according to CEO and President Christina Kelly of Kelmar Safety, which manages those “How’s My Driving?” programs for trucking fleets... Every single time. At least one company has figured out how to get the right comment to the right person.

18% of the calls are compliments. (Actual compliment: “He was great. He blinked his lights at me to let me out.”

If you’re looking for a great read with a lot of good ideas.  Pick up The Myth of the Garage (Yes, it does have a story about Steve Jobs starting Apple in a garage). 

Now give some thought on how you can get your employees to feel happier by letting them hear your customer’s compliments.  It’ll make them, you and your employees a lot happier!