In the Puddin'

Overcoming the Wall - Part I

 

In the Movies Series

It was the night before the big charity 10K. For those of you that are newer Puddin' readers, I participated in the Run for the Women of the Congo in early October. (For more details, read post: 'Brand-ching Out'). And I was feeling pretty well-prepared for a total non-athlete who gets winded traveling the stairs of my house. It had been 6 whole days since I made the commitment to run and I was set. Here's the check list:

• Running shoes: Check. Incidentally, my stylish Pumas - one of my rare pairs of shoes without heels -were definitely not meant for running. After taking a few practice 'runs' in them, (50% walking) I tore up my feet so badly, each toe and my ankles needed to be fully taped (lack of skin). Out of pity, my family gave me an early birthday present of Nike ZoomVomero3 shoes - far and away the most high tech (and most importantly, comfy)shoes ever. I recently been allowed to slip back into them now that my big toe has healed. You don't want to know anymore - Let's just say it's a good thing I'm not paying the rent with foot modeling...
• Athletic clothing: Check. No need to look any father than my own closet where the shelves offered a variety of workout outfits in pristine condition - Like they'd never been used...
• Water bottle with performance fuel: Check.The day after the first practice session, stirring coffee was painful, I was so sore. Rescued by my workout fanatic son, I tried CytoMax performance drink the next time out. I don't know exactly what's in it or if I would pass collegiate athletic screening tests, but it lowers the lactic acid level by 40% and increases muscle recuperation time, so you are not nearly as sore - very cool.
• Carbo-Load the night before: Check. The ritual of stuffing down as many carbs, usually in the form of pasta, the night before a race for maximum energy. Homemade spaghetti did the trick.
• Relax & get a good night's sleep:It was time to relax and watch an inspirational movie to get me psyched up. My family decided to make the movie selection while I cooked. What was it to be? Chariots of Fire? Rocky? Miracle? Nope - none of the above. They selected
Run, Fat Boy, Run.

Now, I consider myself a good sport and can admit there are times my jeans threaten not to fasten, but were they serious? The title of the movie alone was enough to give me a complex. Already self-conscious that I would struggle to finish the race, let alone finish well, I figured my family went too far with this one. Apparently, however, they knew exactly what they were doing. The movie was absolutely perfect for the occasion and, additionally, for what it really takes to implement change in your personal brand.

Alright - here is the part where I warn you that if you have not yet seen this movie, stop reading now or I will ruin it for you. Go out and rent it, or NetFlix it or whatever and then get back to reading this. The Puddin' takes no responsibility for spoiling the ending - read ahead at your own risk.

Run, Fat Boy, Run, is a David Schwimmer (Ross from 'Friends') directed comedy starring Simon Pegg as 'Dennis' a life-long underachiever that regrets leaving his pregnant fiance 'Libby' (Thandie Newton)  at the altar and is determined to win her back by demonstrating he is no longer the man he used to be. Proving he is 'more of a man' than Libby's current successful, athletic love interest, Dennis enters a marathon. As a mall security guard with a significant spare tire waist who is notorious for never being able to chase down shoplifters, the likelihood of Dennis completing the marathon seems absurd. Libby's boyfriend (Dennis' nemesis), a seasoned runner, is also entered in the marathon and makes it clear he does not believe that Dennis will finish the race - citing Dennis' lack of mental toughness to be the source of his failure when he 'hits the wall'.

Hitting the Wall: The moment when it feels as if you have no energy or strength left to continue the race - Every part of you begs to just quit. You cannot do it - It's just too hard. Every endurance runner faces it at some point, and so does every brand trying to implement change. Introducing change will always be met with 'brick walls' from your audience - both internally and from your consumer. The question is, what will you do when you 'hit the wall'?

Throughout the movie, Dennis is faced with the stark realities of his current brand:

• His horrid Brand Value: The poor perception from everyone in his life as an irresponsible underachiever, and
• His dismal current Brand Performance: his present actions resulting in consistently letting others down by never following through on his promises or being accountable for the poor results.

Despite these obstacles, Dennis chooses and holds firm to a few key ideals essential to changing his performance that in turn, changes the perception of his personal brand from those around him.

In fact, his authentic, steely resolve in the face of adversity - including injury and sabotage from his competition - becomes engaging, compelling & inspiring; creating an exceptional city-wide audience of champions charismatically drawn to the passionate performance of his efforts and him personally (his brand):

1. His ultimate purpose is genuinely important to him
2. His promise is truly important to his key audience
3. It is unquestionably vital that the objective be met
4. His personal comfort and security can be freely sacrificed to implement change
5. Despite any circumstances or obstacles, he must deliver on his promise

More on this will be continued in Overcoming the Wall - Part 2. Look for it to be posted Monday, March 23th when I get all worked up about the importance of committing to change. Until then, here's a few questions to ponder:

• How do you and/or your organization handle some of the negative perceptions and less then perfect performance issues?
• Are you open to change?
• Why would that change be important - really, really important?
• What does your key audience think about your proposed change?
• How committed are you to fulfilling that change? (Remember - you are promising...)
• Are you willing to sacrifice your personal comfort and security to achieve it?
• What will you do when you 'Hit the Wall'?
• And most importantly...Have you seen Run, Fat Boy, Run? Get on it...you have until Wednesday...

--Dolores McKay, ZAG Group CVO

 

 

 

Brand Champion Award - October 10, 2008

 

Colton - Barista

Starbucks - 21050 N Tatum Phoenix, AZ

Brand Champion Awards - Awarding individual team member's actions and how it delivers their organization's brand promise in an extraordinary way.

We've received several emails lately inquiring on the whereabouts of Lola (for those of you new to The Puddin' - Lola is my alter ego that I allow to rant as she pleases) and why she hasn't been contributing to The Puddin' lately. A few of you were even concerned that one of the brands of which Lola gave constructive criticism may have gone to extreme measures to keep her quiet.

Well, I assure you that no ill fate has befallen Lola and providing evidence to that, it has been decided - or rather, Lola insisted - on awarding this week's Brand Champion. So, without further delay:

Lola:

It is absolutely no secret that sometime ago, I grew disenchanted with the Starbucks experience (see Lola's Advice to Starbucks). And with the numerous other options to grab a cup of coffee or meet for conversation in the marketplace, there has been no need for me to revisit Starbucks for quite some time now. My criticism regarding the current state of their brand was not that the creation of the brand experience was less than brilliant. Indeed it was absolutely that. Rather, the loss of my loyalty to the Starbucks brand was a result of Starbucks letting go of the most valuable components in their brand experience. It was heartbreaking and disappointing to see a brand execute an experience so well for years across a wide marketplace and then abandon those tactics to prioritize the lower economic offerings of basic service and goods.

And while I am pointing out what I find to be the most offensive infractions of keeping brand promises in my posts, it is always my sincere hope that the brand and its team member's endeavor to create valuable change and turn the ship around. Of all the brands I have featured, it is my pleasure to report that Starbucks is the first to provide me with an experience that demonstrated a genuine effort to change the execution of their brand promise for the better.  That is, at least the Starbucks location closest to my office.

So, why would I even give Starbucks another chance? Simple. I was wearing a sticker.

There is something irresistible about the concept of 'free'. Not 'free with minimum purchase'. Not 'buy one get one free'. Not 'free if you give up 90 minutes of your valuable time that you will never get back to sit through our presentation'. I mean, 'just show up, ask for it and we'll give it to you honestly, for free'.

And there is also something very attractive about the concept of 'reward'. I get something truly free because I'm just really that great and I do amazing things. I earned it - Therefore I deserve it - Therefore I want it - And that makes me happy, proud & special.

So, why was I at Starbucks? Because on Election Day Starbucks was offering a 'free' cup of coffee as a 'reward' to all of those who voted that day. I was so there. Not because I'm that cheap, but partially because I was caught up in the euphoria of the day's events and mostly, because by 5:00 in the evening, I wanted to see how true to intention brands would honor their customer's patriotism. How were they behaving at 5:00pm after being barraged all day by moochers? Would it feel like I was truly being honored for performing my civic duty or, most likely, would they be wearing their emotions on their sleeves that they wished whoever it was in Marketing and PR had never thought of this operational nightmare of a promotion?

And, without purposeful intention, we added a twist to our experiment. My husband and I, proudly donning our 'I Voted' stickers brought along our 2 youngest children (8 & 12) who had also voted that day in school (the school district provided a mock voting experience at all levels - including city positions and propositions - very cool). They had indeed 'voted' that day and were wearing their red, white and blue stickers. It was clear that from my children's perspectives, they felt the importance of their own voting experiences as they argued politics in the back seat of the car all the way to Starbucks. Would their perspective as 'voters' be honored?

The four of us walked up to the counter and inquired if they were indeed giving away free coffees to voters. Our question was met by the very gracious smile of Colton, the Barista, who happened to be working at the counter. Colton assured us that was true. We then explained that our daughters had voted at school that day and inquired if that counted. Were they eligible for free coffees? Without flinching, Colton smiled generously and said, "Sure". My children beamed. With one confident word attached to the instinctive value of honoring the Starbucks promise to their customers and voters - my children reaped value of 'reward' - They were happy, proud and special. I was pleasantly surprised.

We then ordered 2 regular and 2 decaf coffees (and a pound of Thanksgiving Blend beans for home...too tempting).

After a couple of minutes, Colton returned to the counter with our 2 regular coffees. But where were the promised decafs? Colton explained that they had just run out of decaf and it would take several minutes for the brewing cycle to complete. I started to let myself think, "I knew this was too good to be true...", but Colton interrupted my thoughts with his next comment.

Colton suggested that perhaps the girls might like decaf Americanos (espresso with hot water - for you non-coffee types) - on the house, of course. What was this? Going out of the way to solve the problem of delivering on a free promotion...for children who it was not designed for? Being pro-active to please the 1 millionth customer that is trying to mooch free stuff off you at the end of a very long day?(with low tips, likely). Trying to please me without my prompting or even a frown? I could not repress the largest smile. "That would be perfect - Thank you." I said.

And perfect it was. Colton demonstrated one of the finest traits of a true Brand Champion - Brand Instinct. Delivering on the brand promise in an unscripted, not-in-the-manual situation without hesitation. Preserving the intention of the brand promise as the most important idea and then using his instinct and brand resources to deliver the experience as it was expected by the customer. 

It was the perfect use of empowerment. Colton didn't check with his manager. He acted with a sense of urgency to take care of our needs. And I bet he was confident he didn't need to check. His reflexive action suggested that in his store's culture, the values were well instructed and team members were trusted to uphold them without the need for authorization. What a wonderful thing: Colton viewing my problem being more important than permission. A rare thing of beauty in customer experiences today.

Perhaps you are thinking, "What's the big deal? One reflexive action that took place in less than a minute. So what?"

Let me remind you that it is those split-second reflexive actions that: decides the winner of a duel with one quick draw, sweeps the girl off her feet before she disappears into the sunset, and leaps in front of another to take the bullet to save a life. And yes - creates a memorable moment that earns loyalty and builds brand devotion.

And let me also remind you that in a perfect world, Colton's actions would not be an exception. But the world is still less than perfect and Colton's decision and reflexes in a quick-paced fast service environment are rare.

Later that evening, we went to both Chik-Fil-A and Krispy Kreme - both of which brands promised 'freebies' for voters. Neither of which honored my children as 'voters' with one of the brands' team members getting downright nasty in temperament with the multitude of customers they were 'required to honor'. Those experiences could not have been a bigger contrast to the one Colton created for us.

Congratulations to Colton for creating a memorable experience on a momentous day for a well-documented 'former customer' of Starbucks. Your efforts in honoring your customers' experience and authentic instinct to keep the brand promise of Starbucks are a great value to your store and the organization. And who knows - perhaps you have recaptured a lost customer and brand fan. -- Lola for Dolores McKay, ZAG Group CVO

Champion Awards Guidelines

• Each Friday, beginning 8/08/08, an individual team member selected by ZAG Group and In the Puddin' will be selected and awarded as 'Brand Champion'
• Brand Champions will be featured in In the Puddin' and receive an honorary certificate
• A Brand Champion's direct supervisor and corporate office will also be officially notified
• Each weekly Brand Champion is then eligible for the ZAG Grand Champion prize at the end of the year
• On September 1, 2009, the ZAG Grand Champion will be announced. More details on the prize coming soon, but will include airfare, hotel room and a very cool experience, of course.

Keep Me With Romance

In the Puddin - Brand Devotion

That's right. It's my birthday and I'm unavoidably a year older but enjoyably a year wiser. For you Puddin' readers that I have the pIeasure of knowing from the thinkAbout network, I acknowledge this piece was originally posted for our small band of experience renegades, and has not been shared outside of our think tank up until now. Upon opening my mail this week, this blog post came flooding back into relevance for me. So thank you in advance for the birthday gift of allowing me to post this article to the world at large. Here we go:

I forget how special I am until this time of year. Checking mailboxes between my October 9th birthday and the end of the year, I could almost believe that stores, restaurants & hotels would cease to exist without me. That is, if I actually bought into all the contrived customer relationship tactics directed toward me. Here’s a few:

· “Dear Ms. McKay, I would like to take a moment to personally thank you for your patronage this past year…it is your ongoing loyalty that means so much to all of us at ____...”

o I haven’t shopped there for over 3 years! Mostly, due to the lack of personalized service.

· “Dear Dolores, ‘Tis the season to gather with friends, family and those we cherish most…This holiday season would not be the same if you did not join us…We’ve reserved a spot especially for you…”

o The last few times I tried to get a reservation, I was told they were “Completely committed” with no attempt at alternatives or accommodation. Cherish? Really?

· “Happy Birthday, Dolores – On behalf of the entire staff at ____, we’d like to thank you for the pleasure of hosting your birthday celebration last year…We invite you to experience it with us once again… and begin a tradition of festive memories with us.”

o OK – so now I know they have a Guest History database. Yes, I stayed at that hotel for my birthday last year, but it was such a complete fiasco that they comped the entire stay plus a certificate for a future free stay (it was bad). Apparently, someone forgot to add those minor details into my profile…

I’ve got pounds of disingenuous form letters, standardized gifts and marketing event invitations poorly masquerading as personalized Customer Appreciation - simply because my name came up in their little black book of repeat Guest History data. Do they really believe such false flattery is capable of creating consumer loyalty? This is as effective as the lounge lizard who asks “Did it hurt?…When you fell from heaven…” Oh, please… get real. No really – PLEASE GET REAL.

It’s brazen FLIRTING - Insincerely telling me (and everyone else) how special I am in hopes of selfish gain, without true personal consideration. Don’t get me wrong – I’m all for appreciation…who isn’t? But if you want me to experience a sense of loyalty and devotion to your brand, flirting will not get me there. Rather, such tactics stand a good chance of exposing the fact you don’t really know me and that you are a fake by highlighting your inabilities to deliver the personal service you say you have/will.

For high-touch, service & lifestyle brands, you will have to do better than flirt. Show me that you honestly know me and I’m important to you as an individual. Let me know you haven’t delivered the same phony lines and flattery to all of your other customers. Sweep me off my feet. Then don’t stop. If you want me to be a raving fan, loyal and impervious to your competitors’ advances and flirting, you will have to keep the love going. You will have to ROMANCE me. Let me know you sincerely enjoy taking care of my needs. Don’t acknowledge me out of obligation – Show me you are continually looking for unique reasons to delight me. Keep surprising me with new ones. Develop and maintain a memory of all you know about me and what I’ve experienced. Let me know my presence is genuinely missed if I haven’t been around. Never lose me to insincere flirting or indifference. Keep me with romance.

Just for fun: Over time I’ve done a little ghost writing. I was once asked to compose a guide for romance written from the perspective of a wiser, older European gentleman who had counseled many would-be-grooms and orchestrated hundreds of romantic experiences (for couples, not businesses). Below is a condensed list of “his main tips” (the most swoon-worthy and least blush-worthy ones). Although written from a man’s perspective, I believe ladies are on the hook just as much to create romance & loyalty. So, whether you are romantically challenged or could add your own novel to the list, enjoy some romantic notions…

Incidentally, I did have one extraordinary “love letter” from an organization looking for my repeat business. Due to their genuine acknowledgement, they won my business and executed an outstanding experience. I will detail it out in a future posting. In reviewing the list below, they were actually successful in romancing me as a loyal customer in every way with the exceptions of #7, #8, #19 & #28 (those would have been awkward, anyway…)

1. Treat your love like royalty.

2. Conspire to have the pianist play her favorite song when she enters the restaurant.

3. Stand when she enters the room – The love of your life just walked in.

4. Smile across the room at her – Let her know you cannot wait to be at her side.

5. Introduce her with undeniable pride.

6. Tell others why she is so beautiful.

7. Love her with your eyes.

8. Caress her hand, her shoulder, her cheek to remind her how lovely she is.

9. Never wait for nightfall – Romance should live at all hours.

10. Allow yourself to be a servant.

11. Lead with her best interest in your heart.

12. Learn some of her desires – Then make them realities.

13. Know what she finds irresistible – Then indulge her.

14. Never overlook the obvious – Do not hesitate to give her life’s smallest pleasures.

15. Compliment her in front of her mother, sisters, friends and co-workers.

16. Give her only the most sincere and genuine of compliments.

17. Never wait for an occasion to shower her with affection – Love her this instant.

18. Live in the moment – Spontaneity is the breath of romance.

19. Take her in your arms and dance with her – in the kitchen, the parking lot – anywhere.

20. Never hold back – True romance cannot be rationed.

21. Celebrate her victories, successes and discoveries.

22. Celebrate the girl within her – Push her in a swing - Fly a kite with her – Wish on stars.

23. Put your watch, cell phone and remote control in a drawer – Then lock the drawer.

24. Apologize – Pride has no place in matters of the heart.

25. Kiss her good-bye – Always.

26. Let yourself miss her – Then tell her.

27. Dare to take big risks.

28. Ask her to fly away with you – Let her know you have already bought the tickets.

29. Plan a rendezvous to take place a year from now – Let her know this romance is here to stay.

30. Remember that all great love stories do not have endings. --Dolores McKay, ZAG Group CVO

Brand-ching Out

In the Puddin' - Brand You Series

There are two brand principles that I emphasize more than others:

1.  Brand strength comes from what you own - what you distinctively do better than anyone else, placing you in a market position that transcends competition.

2.  A brand is a promise - and brand value is determined by how well your brand delivers on its promise through the experiences you offer.

I am constantly looking to find my clients' unique strengths and partnering with them to find new ways to leverage those strengths into their offerings and performance.

And while I place a great deal of emphasis on pushing forth what you / your brand is extraordinarily good at, that - in no way - should diminish the tremendous importance of working on the things that are not currently your strengths today.

A great basketball player can shoot with their left or right hand. Sure - one is more natural and probably has a much higher percentage of success, but a champion knows the time might come when their team relies on them to take a shot from their weak hand in order to clinch the championship. So, they will spend hours of frustrating practice to work their weaker shot for the sake of the team.

I could go on for hours with like analogies, but the point is this: to be a champion that your team can count on, you've got to get out of your comfort zone and push yourself to do things you are not 'the best at' today, in order to be an asset to others tomorrow. You must branch out in order to be able to provide new skills, services, offerings, etc. to continue increasing the value you currently provide.

It's painful to try new stuff that is not your strength. It's uncomfortable to step into a world that is not your own - especially if you are an 'expert' in something. And that is exactly why you should do it.

·       Innovation comes from stepping into the uncomfortable unknown

·       Courage and Bravery come only to those who allow themselves to walk into a fearful situation

·       Wisdom only comes to a teachable spirit who allows itself to be humbled by those wiser

·       Change only comes from new perspectives that require placing yourself in a position you've never ventured to stand in before

Big talk from a consultant who makes a living telling other people what they should do differently, right?  (It's OK if you were thinking it - I agree with you). No one should give recommendations or advice they are not willing to take themselves. I ask a lot of people to stretch and get uncomfortable by thinking and performing in new ways. It would be easy to lose sight of how difficult that truly is if I didn't practice it myself on regular basis. So, I do my best to stick my own neck out there and place myself in situations where I am personally responsible for creating new experiences that are not my current areas of expertise. And most of the time I don't broadcast it. But this experience is different:

On Sunday, October 5th (six days) I will be participating in a 10K to benefit the courageous Women of the Congo whose suffering has been unimaginable and extreme due to the violence that has plagued their area.

It is important that you know I am not an athlete by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, a nasty spill down a flight of stairs last year (and other bothersome physical limitations) have kept me from normal exercise - period. And I've never, ever participated in a 10K before. So there is absolutely no glory in performing this experience for me personally. In fact, if I was worried about how this made me look, the real possibility that I will be one of the last to finish (or THE last) would probably be enough to stop me from taking on this experience. As is always the case when you find yourself in situations that stretch you past your normal comfort level, there are a myriad of 'reasons' that can be found not to this:

·       No adequate time to train, prepare or run a large campaign (wasn't sure I'd be in town & available until now)

·       It's still 100 degrees in Phoenix – upping the level of difficulty substantially

·       I have no idea 'how' to run a 10K (strategy) - can't really conceive where the finish line will be

·       It's 'ramp-up' season with work - very busy right now

Those are all great excuses, right? So why am I doing this? Here are a few reasons:

·       I have the blessing of intelligent people who challenge me to stretch and be my best. A lovely woman named Renee M. challenged me a year ago to stay vulnerable

·       Then another inspiring woman named Laura A. invited me to do this

·       Then there is the spirit of another woman, Marilyn M., who cannot run but has put her faith in my abilities to make a difference

·       And then, most importantly, there are the many women of the Congo who have experienced the devastating loss of 5,400,000 people due to one of the deadliest wars in history - struggling to re-build their lives and community. How much more motivation could I possibly need?

·       THE BOTTOM LINE IS: You don't have to be great at something to do something great for other people.

Maybe I will look foolish - But I'm willing to help

Maybe I will look as if I've failed every time I stop - But it's my victory to be active once again

Maybe I will finish last - But I will finish for the cause: the Women of the Congo

Maybe I will raise a modest amount of proceeds - But I will help someone

I am not a 10K expert. I am not even an exercise enthusiast. Running is nowhere in my current personal brand strength. But that doesn't mean I shouldn't try to stretch to improve this area - Especially if there is a team counting on me.

Please consider 2 things:

·       Supporting this very import cause and the lives it impacts by visiting my fundraising page at:  http://www.active.com/donate/runforcongoaz/DMcKay34

·       How can you step out of your comfort zone and work outside of your expertise for future strength and the benefit of others? What’s stopping you?

Thanks for thinking about joining me in Brand-ching Out for the Women of the Congo. I won’t win anyone a gold medal, but I won’t let the team down, either – I’ll finish the 10K and we’ll help as many people as we can.

Yours (in earnest if not speed),

Dolores McKay, ZAG Group CVO

As You Wish Performance

In the Puddin - Puddin' in the Movies Series

When facilitating Learning Experiences, I sometimes utilize movies as an entertaining example of certain brand and experience principles. Recently, a participant suggested that I use movies as a series subject for the Puddin'. Great idea.

Once a week, for the next while, I will focus on some of the messages played out in some of Hollywood's finest. This week: The Princess Bride. A 1987 Rob Reiner film classic, The Princess Bride not only features the debut of Robin Wright (‘Jenny’ in Forrest Gump) but an all-star cast including Cary Elwes (Robin Hood: Men in Tights), Billy Crystal, Peter Faulk, Fred Savage, Carol Kane  and Andre the Giant.

If you have never had the opportunity to watch it, stop reading now. I will completely ruin the movie for you and that would be a shame. Go out and rent it, or NetFlix it or whatever and get back to reading this entry after you had a chance to take it in.

The perfect blend of fantasy, adventure, romance and comedy, The Princess Bride is cleverly stitched together with the common theme of the matchless power of “true love”.

Told from the narrative perspective of a grandfather reading a storybook to his sick grandson, the story begins with a poor farm boy, Wesley, who is in love with the beautiful girl, Buttercup, which he works for. Buttercup assigns him chore after endless chore – to which Wesley has but a singular response every time: “As you wish”.

And here is one of the best moments in the movie: The narrative voice explains that when Wesley is saying, “As you wish”, what he was really saying was’ “I love you”. Rob Reiner is then clever enough to show several vignettes of Buttercup giving Wesley random orders and then zooming in to show the sincerity, love and desire in both Wesley’s eyes and tenor of his voice as he consistently responds: “As you wish.” He means it – sincerely, completely and passionately.

And in return, after Wesley has consistently demonstrated his unwavering devotion to whatever Buttercup desires, Buttercup reciprocates the feelings of loyalty and devotion to Wesley.

And that’s the provocation. If you are a brand that promises service customized to the desires of the consumer:

·          Is that promise being delivered in a manner that makes whatever is being said to the consumer sound as if you were saying, “As you wish”?

·          Do your team members mean it – Sincerely & Completely?

·          Are you passionate about it?

·          Do your team members ‘love’ taking care of their consumers and solving their problems?

It is not a simple as just saying the words, “As you wish”. You and everyone in your organization who has any influence on points of contact with your consumers have to actually mean it.

More often than not, the words “As you wish” are spoken with a tonality of obligation and resentment. In most movies, when the servant or next in command is being given their duties and they respond, “As you wish” (or the like) it is quite clear that they will respond out of duty  but it is not something they want to do – they are being forced.

Unfortunately, in business experiences, that “forced attitude” is often the case as well. Team members are often scripted to say things like:

·          “Of course”

·          “My pleasure”

·          “I would be glad to take care of that for you”

·          “I will be happy to take care of whatever you need”…

…But the sincerity is not there. And instead of it being the positive affirmation of how much that consumer’s business means to the brand, it leaves the indelible impression that “I will help you if I have to, but I don’t really want to.”

Check your messaging. Do you make statements to the public and your internal team about:

·          How you want to go the extra mile for them

·          How you will do whatever it will take to make them happy

·          How you are a family

·          How the world revolves around them

·          How it is a pleasure to ‘do more’

I could open most any travel magazine or organizational manual and find statements not far off of the above remarks. They are certainly not difficult to write – the market is saturated with them – and promising such things is tempting…

Check your performance: Regardless of whatever words come out of your team members, what are they really saying? Like Wesley, are they really saying that they love taking care of the consumer’s needs or that they would love to tell you ‘no’ if they could?

And if Rob Reiner were shooting a close-up of each of your team members’ faces, what truth would it capture? Would it compel your consumers to reciprocate loyalty or are they aware that your team member sees themselves as a subordinate who has no choice but to acquiesce?

In the movie, the writers make it clear that the genuine sincerity of Wesley’s love can overcome all – including corruption, evil and death. It also shows the redeeming power of devotion to a cause and loyalty. I know - it's just a silly movie. But the wonderful thing about comedy is it allows us to point out things in human nature in a way that is larger than life – as if looking through a magnifying glass – in order to better see what is there.

Although incredible fun with a completely unrealistic plot, The Princess Bride is a very true to life example of the human response to sincerity and the compelling difference between what a person in service says and what they truly mean and ultimately, how that impacts loyalty. Rent it again and enjoy the message,the fun and ask yourself what you are really telling people... –-Dolores McKay, ZAG Group CVO

Brand Champion Award - September 12, 2008

James Richter - Lifestyle Services Supervisor

GRIGIO Contemporary Living

Brand Champion Awards - Awarding individual team member's actions & how it delivers their organization's brand promise in an extraordinary way

"Your Wish. Our Pleasure."

That is the Brand Promise of GRIGIO Contemporary Living. What is 'Contemporary Living'? It is an innovation in multi-family housing that takes the best elements of: hotel, resort, country club, condo and apartment products and has created a new, luxury lifestyle living environment. Basically, it is the inversion of the 'co-tel' (a condo that is built within a luxury hotel or resort). GRIGIO, developed by Gray Development Group and managed by Gray Clow Residential, is a leased living environment that adds the amenities and most importantly, services, of a luxury hotel or resort.

Imagine - a condo type property in which everything can be maintained for you - including: housekeeping, turning down your bed with rose petals and even 'in-suite delivery' of your favorite snack and bottle of wine: Room service to your own home. Now that is luxury living.

Unlike the other current market offerings of million dollar for sale co-tels, Contemporary Living suites are available for rent - Making this luxurious lifestyle tangible to the upwardly mobile 'not-yet-millionaires, but working on it' consumers who are currently prioritizing their time and convenience as their most prized assets.

What does it take to make the brand promise of "Your Wish. Our Pleasure." true? A few things:

• Amenities: Does the physical space of the lifestyle community provide the basic, luxury amenities that I am wishing for? With a poolside cafe, full gym, Pilate's room, modern indoor and rooftop lounges as well as a convenience retail center with DVD 'rentals' (they are free) and wine shop...yes.
• Service Offerings: Are there basic personalized services offered that address my 4 star and diamond wishes? Yes - GRIGIO offers a myriad top requested services for their members. From delivered laundering and dry cleaning services, to housekeeping, to concierge services to arranging private parties and even in-suite spa services plus more.
• Great Orchestration: Are there brand team members who are prepared and desire to execute all of the other things I am wishing for that are not on the standardized menu as well as all of the details that accompany my requests?
• Trust: Fostered from a relationship of continual reliability on the part of the brand, why would I trust telling you, let alone ask you to try to create something I really wish for? Unless... I have a basic level of trust that you:
  • Respect me as an individual and let me know I am important to you
  • Care enough about me to listen to my desires attentively - with the same concentration as if it was your own wish
  • Have the basic knowledge and expertise to deliver on what is being asked
  • Have the professionalism to see my request through with meticulous detail until all aspects have been complete.

The individual responsible for the performance delivery of the Amenities, Services, Orchestration and Relationship of Trust for GRIGIO is Lifestyle Services Supervisor, James Richter.

Simply being responsible for the aforementioned does not make a brand champion. Every 4 or 5 star hotel has someone in a role similar to James with the task of overseeing the execution of personalized services to consumers. James' title, crafted specifically for him, is not what makes him a champion - It is how he earned the title that is important.

James was originally hired as part of the opening team for GRIGIO in the beginning of 2007 as a Maitre'd - the essential first impression and welcoming presence of the experience. A gentleman with a genuine demeanor and approachable kindness, James won over prospective consumers and journalists alike while introducing them to the unique offerings of the GRIGIO lifestyle experience.

Through the trials of opening a brand new property and dealing with the stress-charged challenges that are inevitable in the moving process for people, James continued to build valuable relationships with the current and prospective members of GRIGIO. And as a result, James gained their trust and confidence both in what they desired as well as their faith in James' ability to deliver it.

Now, almost 2 years later since the opening of GRIGIO, James has been entrusted with overseeing the specific, resort style requests of the GRIGIO members as well as coordinating special events such as:

• Sport tournaments for the members to socialize and have a little competitive fun with their neighbors
• Food and beverage themed events such as "A Night in Venice" - (They are, after all, a lake front property) with Italian food, wine and live music (James also happens to be a former wine sales rep - he knows his grapes)
• Complimentary relaxation evenings for the guests complete with chair massages
• Fund raising charity events to give back as a community to local neighboring charities
• Even Yappy Hour  - socialization time for members who love their dogs
• Plus, countless private special events for individual members - from setting up the perfect romantic evening to arranging a flawless move-in.

In order for 'Your Wish. Our Pleasure.' to be a successful brand promise, GRIGIO must build a reputation of trust from its members that the GRIGIO team members will deliver on both: sincerely caring about their members' wishes and professionally following through to execute those wishes on a consistent basis.

Fortunately, for the GRIGIO brand, they hired James to champion their brand promise from the beginning to make that promise true and he has continued to find new ways to deliver value to its GRIGIO members.

Incidentally, I am not the only one impressed by the performance of GRIGIO. GRIGIO Tempe Town Lake won the National Apartment Association’s prestigious PARAGON 2008 Community of the Year Award.  The NAA has in its federation nearly 200 state and local affiliates, comprised of more than 51,000 multifamily housing companies representing more than 6.3 million apartment homes throughout the United States and Canada.  GRIGIO competed against 9 other property finalists (other Paragon award winners) from around the country for Community of the Year.

Congratulations to James for being a superb brand champion to GRIGIO's brand promise and to Gray Development Group and Gray Clow Residential for retaining and evolving James' role as a valuable asset to the GRIGIO brand. I look forward to seeing the next evolution in GRIGIO's execution of lifestyle experiences. --Dolores McKay, ZAG Group CVO

Champion Awards Guidelines:

• Each Friday beginning 8/8/08, an individual team member selected by ZAG Group and In the Puddin' will be selected and awarded 'Brand Champion'
• Brand Champions will be featured in 'In the Puddin', and receive an honorary certificate
• A Brand Champion's direct supervisor and corporate office will also be officially notified
• Each weekly Brand Champion is then eligible for the ZAG Grand Champion prize at the end of the year.
• On September 1, 2009 - the ZAG Grand Champion will be announced. More details on the prize coming soon, but will include: airfare, hotel room and a very cool experience (of course).

Tackling Your Performance

In the Puddin' - Puddin' at the Movies Series

When facilitating Learning Experiences, I sometimes utilize the movies as an entertaining, universal example of certain brand and experience principles. I should not have then been surprised when a participant recently suggested that I use movies as a series subject for the Puddin'. Great idea.

That said, I am aware how very clever and vocal some of you readers are. I have no doubt there are a few of you out there prepared to quickly point out that the platform of The Puddin' is to provide real-life examples (not crafted). Technically, you've got me on that technicality, but I will argue that since movies are virtual experiences that the masses share, with characters that we identify with as "friends", "enemies", "love interests" etc. - leading to thoughts and discussions about them and their circumstances as naturally as we would talk about 'real people'. So I say perception is reality and it meets the intention of The Puddin' if not the letter of the law. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Not convinced? Have it your way. It just so happens that I have picked a movie based on a true story. Problem solved. As it is also the first evening of Monday night football this season, it only seemed right to choose the cinematic classic, 'Rudy'. If you have never had the opportunity to watch it, stop reading now. I will completely ruin the movie for you and that would be a shame. Go out and rent it, or NetFlix it or whatever and get back to reading this entry after you had a chance to take it in.

Besides the fact that the movie in well-written, directed, acted and has an unbelievably inspirational story-line - Rudy also draws out one of the most overlooked advantages of having a devoted brand champion - they are ready and willing to tackle your brand performance.

The beginning of the movie sets the stage quite nicely as you watch Rudy, conditioned as a boy, into the importance of being loyal to the Notre Dame football brand. One of my many favorite moments in the movie is the scene where Rudy and his childhood friend, Pete, are gathered around the Rudiger family TV set watching a game. Pete respectfully asks Mr. Rudiger (Rudy's father) if at half-time, it would be possible to watch a few minutes of another college game. Sternly and with a tone of solemn importance, Mr. Rudiger explains, "We only watch one team in this house...Notre Dame. Isn't that right, Rudy?" Rudy utters a positive response with a proud grin - never letting his eyes leave the experience of the Notre Dame game on TV.

What an incredibly clear example of total brand devotion.

For those who have seen it, you already know the majority of the movie focuses on Rudy's passionate pursuit to play Notre Dame football against all physical, intellectual, financial and social odds. Very moving. For those who have not seen it, I really did attempt to persuade you to stop reading...

Rudy does eventually make the team as a walk-on player. Basically, a live tackling dummy for practice. The movie shows scene after scene of Rudy being pummeled by teammates twice his size during team practice. Bruised, bloody and most often defeated, Rudy consistently scrambles back to his feet to perform yet another tackle.

By far, my favorite scene sequence occurs when one of the largest players on the team avoids tackling Rudy on the next play. Rudy immediately responds with anger that his large teammate avoided him instead of tackling him directly.

Shortly thereafter, Rudy performs a tackle on another player who is furious and picks a fight with Rudy for "playing so hard at practice - like it was the SuperBowl".

After practice a group of the players stop Rudy to ask him why he plays so hard at practice and attempt to talk him out of pushing everyone so hard. Rudy then goes on to explain that, "If I let up, if I take it easy on you, then I'm not doing my job to make you better and getting you ready for the next game".

I could play that scene over and over it is so perfect. Why? Because that is what a truly devoted brand champion will do. Fight. Attempt to force you to become better so that you can continue to be the best.

And here's the irony. Unlike the movie Rudy who is showered with incredible honor beyond his wildest imagination at the end of the movie, most devoted brand champions are rebuked for tackling a system, service, product or business to make it live up to the grand place in their mind they feel it should be.

Think about it. How do organizations usually treat the customer who is disappointed in their experience compared to their higher expectation of what brand promise should have delivered? Pretty much exactly like Rudy's two teammates treat his efforts: with avoidance or some level hostility due to the fact that he demanded more from their performance.

Unlike the movie, organizations do not carry customers around on their shoulders for tackling processes, procedures and products that need practice. But they should. Instead, they are unfortunately usually labeled as "unreasonable", "high-maintenance", "difficult" or just plain "crazy". Too bad. It is these customers that think so highly of your brand, they are willing to tackle you in order to improve and live up to the elevated status of your brand in their minds. 

It was Rudy's passionate faith and respect for the strengths of Notre Dame football, that made him willing to do whatever it would take to have that brand be a part of his lifestyle - performing as many bloodying tackles necessary to help his favorite brand continually perform at a higher level.

Who are the 'Rudys' in your customer base? How about in your own internal team? Who is willing to tackle you in order to make you stronger? Who is willing to go out of their way to tackle whatever 'plays' you are running with the expectation that their devotion, passion and efforts will make a difference and create a better performance. I'll take those high-maintenance, crazy, tackling brand champions all day long.

Do your brand a favor and take the example of Rudy to discover:

• Who your tackling brand champions are,
• How you can embrace and honor their challenge to make your performance stronger, and
• Who your team members are that resent acting like everyday is the SuperBowl.

As far as your consumer brand champions are concerned - every experience your brand performs should feel like the SuperBowl. Otherwise, be prepared to be tackled for your own good. --Dolores McKay, ZAG Group CVO

Brand Champion Award - September 5, 2008

Sabry Abdeen - Service Agent

FedEx Office - Phoenix: Tatum & Thunderbird

Brand Champion Awards - Awarding individual team member's actions & how it delivers their organization's brand promise in an extraordinary way

"FedEx Office - Our office is your office."

That is the tag line and brand promise of FedEx Office. For those who have not yet received the memos, "Kinko's" became "FedEx Kinko's" a couple of years ago and now has recently been re-branded under the new name "FedEx Office" - providing a number of printing and business services. They currently operate 1,900 locations with 22,000 team members in 11 countries.

Interesting choice of a tag-line from a company, that from inception, has had a history of great branding slogans. In fact, when you mention FedEx to most people over the age of 30, they will still retort, "When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight." That's some brand power.

But consider their current brand promise for FedEx Office.  A clear take-off of the common phrase: "Mi casa es su casa" or "My house is your house". These messages quickly evoke the ideas of:

• The spirit of a generous host
• A welcoming environment
• Gracious hospitality
• A place where I can comfortably be myself
• Helping myself to anything I want
• Total access to whatever I need***
• A standing invitation to return

***Incidentally, another reason why this particular brand promise is genius for FedEx Office, is that the parent brand, FedEx Corporation's entire brand strategy is centered around the idea of providing access to it's customers. It is brilliantly well tied and orchestrated throughout its sub-brands.

But is it raising a customer's expectations too high to hope that when they walk into a FedEx Office location, they will be treated in such a hospitable manner? Perhaps. But not if they happen to stumble into the Phoenix location at Tatum and Thunderbird and are greeted by Sabry Abdeen. In that case, their tag line, does not do the experience justice.

I have been in their store at least a dozen times (up until now, they have had no idea exactly what I do) when Sabry is working on the floor to assist customers with the self-serve equipment. One of these days, I will have to remember to bring some popcorn to go along with the great show I have the pleasure of observing in their store.

From inside the store, I look out the entirely glassed storefront and get a great view of customers approaching. Their expressions are similarly grim - mentally working through their to-do list and seemingly determined to have these transactions done and over with as quickly as possible. They swing the door open and are hit with the unexpected honor of Sabry's warm and boisterous greeting:

"Welcome to FedEx Office! It is so wonderful to see you today!" (or the like)

Totally shocked, most people stop dead in their tracks. That overly-concerned wrinkle in their brow quickly transforms into a variety of pleased expressions - from a sheepish grin to a full 'I might as well have just won an academy award, I'm so honored' smile. "Well, thank you!" Is often the customer's response. Imagine - a customer thanking an establishment in the first five seconds of the experience. Wonderfully done.

So what's the big deal? So Sabry welcomes everyone into the store. That happens at a lot of places, right? Not the way Sabry does it:

• He's watching them walk up to the front door and, like the host of a surprise party, is preparing for the 'big moment' they come through the door. Sabry knows that 200 people might walk through the door during the course of a business day from the store's team member perspective. But that is not the perspective that matters. It is the individual experience of each of those customers that matters. How many other people walk through those doors is irrelevant to the individual customer. It is the experience created specifically and solely for them that provides the value.
• His body language tells the whole story. Standing at alert attention, Sabry often throws his arms out to the side and, quite literally, welcomes customers with open arms. Complete with a million dollar smile and total eye contact, his hospitable gaze stays with the customer until their acknowledgment tells Sabry they have accepted his graciousness.
• He is sincere. There is no doubt to customers that Sabry is truly glad to see them, and even more importantly, to be of service regarding whatever they may need.
• He is consistent. I mean, really consistent. It does not matter where Sabry is in the store, he keeps the front door in his consciousness and provides a bellowing welcome from any corner of the store, if necessary, ensuring not one of his precious customers goes unnoticed. Does it bother the other patrons? Not at all. The perpetuation of positive greetings and responses actually adds an element of joy and fun to what most customers would expect to be tedious tasks.
• His role as host does not end with the greeting. Sabry roams the floor an applies the same level of personal attention and concern to his responsibilities of assisting customers with the various aspects of self-service in the store. Sabry extends the experience of a wonderful first impression of the store with the invaluable follow-up of customized, concerned service. Fantastic.

I think I might actually enjoy going to the dentist if Sabry was there to help create my experience (no offense intended to dental care professionals...)

"My office", huh? Who wouldn't want their office to be staffed with someone as excited to see them as Sabry is? Who wouldn't want an office with someone like Sabry to help them with the office equipment or to fulfill a rush job, etc? "My office?" I'm willing to bet most business owners would be envious of the 'office experience' Sabry creates in comparison to their own office personnel.

Bottom line: I believe Sabry when his actions say louder than any tag line ever could, "My office is your office". And, like so many customers that have a myriad of other options - Boy,  do I love coming to your office.

Thank you, Sabry, for being a perfect example of a great brand champion and making the FedEx Office brand promise absolutely true for your store. --Dolores McKay, ZAG Group CVO

Champion Awards Guidelines:

• Each Friday beginning 8/8/08, an individual team member selected by ZAG Group and In the Puddin' will be selected and awarded 'Brand Champion'
• Brand Champions will be featured in 'In the Puddin', and receive an honorary certificate
• A Brand Champion's direct supervisor and corporate office will also be officially notified
• Each weekly Brand Champion is then eligible for the ZAG Grand Champion prize at the end of the year.
• On September 1, 2009 - the ZAG Grand Champion will be announced. More details on the prize coming soon, but will include: airfare, hotel room and a very cool experience (of course).

Applying Obsession

In the Puddin' - Brand You Series

Like most powerful things, having great passion for your personal brand strength is both a blessing and a curse.

Due to the fact that your personal brand strength is both something that draws your interest in a compelling way and is something you probably have a fairly high aptitude for, you are apt to develop an obsession for the subject. Because of your interest and talent in that particular area, you are drawn to learn more and more about the subject - perhaps even developing an insatiable appetite for garnishing every possible tangent of information regarding the matter.

Your blessing: You are on your way, if not already there, to becoming a specialized expert. That's great. And it can certainly become a powerful advantage to your brand and / or how you represent your organization's brand assuming one thing: That anybody cares about what you know.

And therein lies the curse: It is highly unlikely, that most people will appreciate the meticulous way in which you seek and dissect information regarding your particular brand strength. In fact, the more you are obsessive about a subject, the more of a chance there is that you may be annoying people by regaling detailed pieces of information that they 'don't get'. Most talented people are highly knowledgeable at something - a 'superpower' that their teammates or customers cannot quite understand.

So, the brand strength question becomes, "How do I use my superpowers for good?"  By finding a way to make your obsession tangible to others.

Your superpower knowledge on a subject is probably not digestible to the general public. Therefore, you need to find the best way to glean the most useful pieces of your vast knowledge into appetizing, bite-size pieces. A great example of this is Matthew Weston, Resort Beverage Manager for Royal Palms Resort and Spa & T.Cook's restaurant.

Working his way up in the industry, Matthew was a fine dining food server for a number of years. His passion for pairing wine with food made him a popular experience provider with guests and Matthew had a strong following of repeat guests requesting to be in his service. Understanding that his wine knowledge was a large part of his personal brand strength and professional success, he used his obsession to learn more about wine to further his career. Matthew chose to endure the rigorous studying and testing to become a professional sommelier. Here's a quick summarization of a sommelier's role:

Their principal work is in the area of wine procurement, storage, and wine cellar rotation. They are also responsible for the development of wine lists, the overall delivery of wine service and training for the restaurant staff. Working along with the culinary team, they pair and suggest wines that will best complement each particular food menu item. This entails the necessity for a deep knowledge of how food and wine, beer, spirits, etc. work in harmony. They also work on the floor of the restaurant and are in direct contact with patrons. The sommelier has a responsibility to work within the taste preference and budget parameters of each patron. Bottom line: They are super-powered brand experience agents.

Leveraging his passion and knowledge, Matthew was promoted into management. Although, this would be a fine enough example of how to leverage your personal obsessions into brand strength, Matthew took it further. You see, in Matthew's quest to quench his thirst for more knowledge about everything related to wine, he became more of an 'expert' about wine than the current job parameters had use for.

• There is only so much about the history of wine that a service team member can digest without their eyes rolling into the back of their head.
• There are only so many anecdotes he could tell a a restaurant patron about what famous historical figure drank which wine and why.
• There was way too much 'wine knowledge stuff' in Matthew's head than could currently be used on a daily basis.
• And, as it goes with obsessions, Matthew sought even more information on a daily basis. It was only going to stock-pile higher.

There was, however, another distinctive way for Matthew to apply his ever-growing wine knowledge on a continual basis for the benefit of his personal brand and that of T.Cook's brand: He was the caretaker of the T.Cook's wine list.

T.Cook's has an unusual brand promise in which it is the intention of the restaurant to provide an experience that likens that of "home away from home". To be more specific, that your home away from home is your very rich uncle's mansion in the Mediterranean - complete with an entire staff of estate caretakers to cater to your every whim. (I, for one, would love to find that uncle in my family...)

For the past several years, Matthew has been responsible for the content of the wine list that is the only one of it's kind I've ever experienced. Yes - it lists all of the wines by varietal and shows patrons the price. But it's unique quality is everything interspersed between the items.

• Tasting notes that not only talk about fruit, oak, butter and the like - but refer to the poetic qualities of that particular wine, as one would describe a dear friend
• Tasting notes that describe the personal preferences of specific patrons and team members
• Tasting notes that evoke excitement and seem to capture what Matthew was thinking when he first tasted it
• Pieces of relativity: How wines compare in profile & value to well-known brand names
• Excitement alerts: Wines you don't want to miss considering and why
• Quotes from famous wine advocates and wine makers throughout history

The end result: Matthew takes his vault of wine knowledge and continually sprinkles delightful pieces of it into the wine list that has more of the flavor of a wine journal than an obligatory wine list. Patrons have the wonderful opportunity to experience the profiles of the wines in a very personal, tangible way before committing to which one to buy that night. And, chances are, they have noted which one they will have to come back for. Brilliant.

By the way, apparently I'm not the only one who thinks the list is extraordinary. The T.Cook's wine list , under Matthew's watch, has earned Wine Spectator Magazine's Award of Excellence every year since 2001.

And here's the beauty of it for Matthew as well as his guests: Because wine lists change frequently, Matthew has a never-ending responsibility to update the list and draw from his plethora of wine knowledge in a delightful way that adds incredible brand value to the T.Cook's dining experience.

Congratulations to Matthew for being a perfect example of finding an important, tangible way to showcase your obsession and add value. Cheers to you --Dolores McKay, ZAG Group CVO

Fun Rocks

In the Puddin' - Brand New Series

A review of New Experiences in the Marketplace

I don't know about you, but I've been busy this week. Really busy. Take yesterday for example. I had six separate appointments in six different locations. My calendar  scheduled just enough time to travel from one destination to another. This was a no nonsense work day.

Then appointment number five ended earlier than expected leaving me with an unplanned hour in the heart of downtown Phoenix. "Perfect. " I thought, "This will give me time to make file notes." It's a million degrees outside at 5:00pm as I head toward a local, independent watering hole only to find it closed. The closest substitute is the Hard Rock Cafe. A little 'touristy' for my preference (I'm thinking), but I'm really thirsty now. Hard Rock it is.

I found a high-boy table in the bar and pulled out my notebook to get started. I had a whole hour to get a head start on some work - Fantastic. The problem was, I got no work done whatsoever during that hour. Instead, I had some completely unexpected fun.

How could it be possible to think about fun on such a hectic, pressured work day? Sitting in the Hard Rock Cafe, I came to the realization that it would be impossible not to have fun. Not when all of the bartenders and cocktail servers were having such a blast around me. It was totally contagious. I was completely taken off guard and amazed.

For my regular readers and all that know me well enough, you already know I am critical of service - especially in hospitality. To get me to the point of amazement is not an everyday occurrence. Something - some distracting flaw, will inevitably stop me in my tracks just a few feet short of amazed. But not yesterday. Hard Rock's espirit de corps put me in a great place and their smooth team work kept the enjoyment coming. Really. Here is some of what I experienced:

• Beyond 'smiling at the customer', Playfulness: And tons of it
  • Hard Rock plays cool tunes. The stuff you would find yourself singing along to if you were in the car or shower. And the staff sings their hearts out with the songs for all to enjoy - breaking out whenever inspiration strikes.
  • The music is appropriately loud. Your feet start tapping to the music. But the Hard Rock staff is completely dancing - in and out of the kitchen, down the aisle ways of the bar and behind the bar )I'm so glad the bartenders realize that is the closest thing to the stage in the establishment and act accordingly)
• Teamwork:
  • Most staffs refer to themselves as a 'team', but as a consumer, you don't usually feel the love between co-workers. Not at Hard Rock. I can't count how many times they "High-Fived" each other coming in and out of the kitchen. Nice and high & with some style, too.
  • I can hear them talking amongst each other. What was that? A compliment? Another compliment? Could it be these guys really like working with one another? Wow.
  • A former team member comes in and sits at the bar. (First of all, that says something when you no longer work somewhere and still choose to patronize that establishment) More high fives and he is treated like a returning dignitary. Standing behind me, I can hear the former team member talking to a current one. The current one goes on and on about why he loves working at Hard Rock and how much fun it is. I pull a compact mirror out of my purse to make sure the words, "I am an Experience Expert who writes reviews on service establishments" are not emblazoned on my forehead. Unbelievable and totally genuine. How cool.
• Service:
  • Nothing went wrong. Seriously - nothing. All sequence of service steps followed perfectly well and in appropriate timing - Down to marking the table with silverware prior to food delivery which often gets missed in bars.
  • Nice training - The bartender attempted to upsell me both on the drink and appetizer order. Actually, twice on the appetizer order. I didn't really want the upsell items, but I was so impressed, I had to say yes for the effort (that's a good thing).
  • Excellent training - They carded me. Never mind how old I am, just know that I don't usually get carded...ever. It's a good practice and I must admit, any woman somewhere around my age would be happy to be in that circumstance.
  • Team Service - I did not 'belong' to a server or bartender regarding service. Within 60 seconds of me taking my last sip, 3 different team members asked if another was on its way. Wow. That is service
• Personalization:
  • Here's where it gets extra-cool: The staff didn't just engage playfully with one another, they engaged the guests as well - like me. The bartenders noted when certain music videos turned my head, and acknowledged my enjoyment of the artist, with a little extra song and dance added in for good measure.
  • My drink re-order took a couple of extra minutes. They pro-actively advised me that it would - they had to pull another bottle of something to make it..."special for me". I think the next line was "A special drink for a special lady". Said playfully so it was fun and not cheesy or creepy...
  • I was thanked by 4 different team members for coming in and the door was opened for me on the way out. Nice.

The bottom line is that having fun at work rocks. Not only do the guests enjoy the interplay and great energy that comes from the positive, playful nature of the team members, they find it completely contagious. And I bet the internal loyalty and team member satisfaction is higher, too.

And here's what I find interesting. So many organizations are afraid to have play as a part of work in fear of productivity and attention to detail suffering. My experience, yesterday included, has been the opposite: When team members add play to their responsibilities (coupled with great leadership), they stay more engaged and focused on a regular basis - and truly great experiences are created minute by minute.

"To spread the spirit of rock 'n roll by creating authentic experiences that rock" That is the Hard Rock Mission Statement. Mission Accomplished. --Dolores McKay, ZAG Group CVO

Here's the review stats of the downtown Phoenix Hard Rock Bar:

Esthetic (5 stars)

Entertainment (5 stars)

*Note - this review is for the bar experience only. The restaurant experience level of engagement and entertainment did not seem to be the same

Education (3 stars)

Escapist (4 stars)

Customer Service & Internal Commitment to Brand Promise (5 stars)

Overall Experience Rating: 4 1/2 stars

5 stars: exceptional, 4 stars: excellent, 3 stars - good, 2 stars: below expectations, 1 star: needs work

Hard Rock Cafe

3 South 2nd Street, Suite 117

Phoenix, AZ 85004

602-261-7625

www.hardrock.com