Doug Shaw

Dare to be Different

Sometimes it does us good to step off the well trodden path, and try something a little different. Once a year, I pick up a guitar and play and sing to a small crowd of around 250 people. It’s scary. It’s worse than scary, it’s terrifying. I’m not very good at it and yet the audience are very encouraging, and supportive. I’m off for the 2010 baptism of fire. I’m sure it will be fine…afterwards.

Dare to be different. It’s good for the soul. Good for you. Good for your people. You get the picture. It’s good.

Have a lovely weekend.

Learning Leadership Lessons

At our recent Engaging for Growth conference, we asked everyone to get together in small groups and discuss what had emerged from the day. A few nuggets of useful learning and thinking were gathered together.

Ideas like: Make sure we check and test that what we believe is happening, is happening. Ask people is it working? What’s going on? The more leaders listen, the more people engage. Ideas like: Proceed until apprehended! Start with your own team, then the next group, then the directorate, the division, the company.

Here is the collective out put for you to download, read and act on. Brought to you from some of the most engaged minds in some of the most engaged companies I’ve come across for a while. Companies like o2, The Affinity Trust, Cheltenham & Gloucester, RBS, Bracknell Forest Homes, Recrion, AXA, Linklaters, Virgin Atlantic, Hertz, and Guide Dogs for the Blind, to name but a few. Phew!

What lessons can you add so that we might make this work even stronger?

More Than. Connected.

In the UK Customer Service Institute satisfaction figures, we see local businesses emerging with good results. I think this is because small local businesses worry less about things like vague customer satisfaction figures, and more about personal, community connected service. Too often big brands risk losing that sense of connected service as they strive to hit a spurious measure. In this example, More Than behaved towards me as though connected service delivery is everything. That’s how it should be done. Deliver service purposefully, and the scores will come.

This morning I sent a note to manages the claim assessors at my insurer, More Than.

“Unfortunately we had a break in recently and my bicycles and various spares and accessories were stolen. David Tullett was appointed as our claims assessor.

I’m sure no one reacts well to having things stolen but my road racing bike in particular is something I miss having. I am very grateful to David for the sensitive and prompt way he dealt with our claim. He’s a credit to your company and the world of insurance generally. I’ve told a lot of folk how impressed I’ve been with the way he has dealt with me and our claim. I wanted you to know too. I understand that your company takes customer service seriously (and so it should), and David is a great example of how to do it, and get it right. It’s very easy to complain when things don’t go to plan.

Personally I believe we should remember to say well done when good service is delivered. I hope you agree.

I’ve had a guess at your CEO’s email address as I think it’s important he sees this too. If I have guessed the email incorrectly please can I ask you to forward on my note of thanks to him?

Much obliged

Doug Shaw

A Happy Customer!”

15 minutes later I was sent a note from the CEO of my insurer.

“Doug. You guessed right and thank you for taking the time. I will email the people who have helped you and personally thank them.

Kind regards – Adrian”

Good work More Than, Good work David, good work Adrian. Connected service.