Scout for Success

Of Mastadons and Voting Booths…

It was 5:57 a.m. as I stood in line outside the designated polling place in the beautiful forest preserve near my home.  Dozens of people had arrived before me, and talked quietly or sipped their morning coffee as we waited for the appointed 6 a.m. opening.  The sun was rising up beyond the groves of trees and its light silhouetted the stone statue of a large Ice Age mastadon a short distance away from the winding sidewalk, poised as if to take a curious step closer to the small, white-gabled discovery museum where voting would take place. 

Not to delve too deeply into allegorical symbolism, the scene still gave me pause to think about the import and impact of today’s election.  For the past month or more (and many would say far longer) leading up to today it has felt as though our nation was collectively slowing down, almost grinding to a halt.  Those are disconcerting circumstances for a people, a country and economy as vital, tumultuous and contentious as ours.  Small business owners, in particular, have seemed to be locked in some parody of the statue maker game we played as children, business plans and marketing initiatives frozen on the drawing board while we wait to see “what happens.”

Well, “what happens” happens today.  Hopefully, like the Prince’s fairy tale kiss, the Election will break the spell and allow the innate energy, vitality and gumption of the American voters, the people who do the real work of making the country run, to start flowing again - regardless of who wins.

Stand up and be counted - VOTE!

Secret Service Systems for Successful Businesses

John R. DiJulius has written a book that I not only bought for myself, but have also gifted to a number of my own customers.  Secret Service is remarkable for both its common sense clarity and its numerous examples of real, household-name companies putting the principles defined in the book to work.  Sub-titled “Hidden Systems That Deliver Unforgettable Customer Service,” this is a book that delivers on its own promise, by providing ideas for ratcheting up the level of customer service that can be implemented by virtually every type of business.  DiJulius manages to be both informative and entertaining while he offers clear, concise descriptions of the actions successful businesses take to keep them number one with their customers.  You’ll be amazed at the simplicity of some of the policies and initiatives he describes. 

DiJulius is the president of a consulting firm specializing in customer service and marketing, and a longtime successful business owner himself.  In addition to addressing the needs of customers, he also goes the extra mile in recognizing the value of dedicated, engaged employees, providing sensible advice on training geared to encouraging teamwork and reducing turnover.  Highly recommended!