Enjoyed A Piece of Apple Computer Treatment Today

While in very much a hurry today, I realized that my Dell laptop, of which I paid a handsome sum for a few years back, decided to act weirdly.  Of course this was not a good time for this kind of thing to happen because I am scheduled to conduct a harassment training session for a company here in Orlando in about five days.  I was stuck.  Stopped in my tracks by a non-working, frustrating- building, piece of junk and future doorstop.

Needing a laptop to present some critical figures and informative case studies as well as state and federal laws to my audience, I went onto an Apple site and found a chat feature.  I threw my issue at the feet of the customer service rep and waited to see if this person could magically provide a solution.  I was not disappointed.

My Apple representative was superb!  My first question to her was that if I go to the Apple store, (which is about 45 minutes away because of Central Florida traffic), and bought a MacBook Air, could I plug in my InFocus projector?  She immediately chatted me back a link to an adapter that I would need.  Then, a minute or so later, she sent another link to one that was about $6 cheaper.  I was impressed.

I told her that I would go to the Apple store on Thursday when I had some time and purchase both the computer and the adapter.  She suggested that if I order it online before 5:00pm that I could have the items on my doorstep on Thursday, two days away.  Great!  I placed the order while still chatting with her.   She walked me through the process and stayed online with me until I received my confirmation.  She then asked me for the order number that I received via email so she could confirm that everything was in order.

Just wanted to share with you that this is the way it is done.  No hesitation.  No pressure.  No frustration.  No guessing how to do things.  No wondering if I made the right decision.  This customer service rep held my hand through the entire transaction.

How about your business?  Does your team go the distance with your customers?  Please let me know.  I would love to share your story with others.

Do You Know Your MVV?

"A mission statement is not something you write overnight... But fundamentally, your mission statement becomes your constitution, the solid expression of your vision and values. It becomes the criterion by which you measure everything else in your life."---  Stephen Covey 

Thankfully the economy is picking up steam and most of you are back at, or exceeding, 2008 successes.  Congratulations!  But let's not be sitting on our laurels.  (Mary Kay Ash once said that a laurel sat upon isn't worth anything).  Now is the time to market like its 2008 and you really, really, really need the business.  It is also a time to make sure all of your team members are on board with the company's mission and vision.

If business has been so good that everyone is being pulled in all directions just to keep up, or even if you've hired the best you can and all is running smoothly, make time this month to review your Missionand Vision Statements to make sure you are on course and communicating your Values.  

Knowing these inside and out provides clarity for your brand and helps you to better communicate this brand to your team members and customers.  

Here are three quick ways to get this accomplished:

1.) What do you Value? This is the starting point for the Mission and Vision Statements.  Knowing what you value establishes the foundation for everything else in the business.  It gives direction and serves as a light in the darkness when things may go south.  When you know and understand what it is that you stand for, every decision you make becomes easier because the cloudiness isn't there.  The fuzziness doesn't exist because your compass is clearly showing you the way.

2.) See if the Mission is impossible-  If you pull out your Mission Statement and it is covered with dust, give it a quick review to see if it still applies.  If it doesn't, if your business no longer follows the plan, chunk it!  Schedule a time with your team to re-write one and this time plaster it all over the office, shop, restrooms, smartphones, and vehicles.  This will save you countless hours of aggravation and disappoint later.  Your Mission defines the direction of the company.

3.) How is your Vision? - The Vision Statement is different from your Mission Statement in that it defines the optimal desired future state, or the mental picture of what an organization wants to achieve over time.  It functions as the North Star providing guidance and inspiration as to what an organization is focused on achieving in five, ten, or more years.  Does your Vision Statement do that?  Is it relevant to where you see your business down the road?  If not, like the Mission Statement, schedule a Vision Statement building party and nail it down.

Do you know your MVV?  When you do, the direction of your company and the brand of your business is easier to communicate, easier to focus on, and easier to achieve.  What are you doing today with your business?