What are You Really Telling Them?
August 2021
As a child, I often heard my elders say, “Actions speak louder than words.” According to Wikipedia, the origins of this proverb date to the 17th century—and it still holds true.
Think about the times when you’ve had a customer service issue—like a billing error, or when something you ordered online arrived in damaged condition. If you were irritated enough, you probably called the customer support line to request resolution. In doing so, how often have you had to wait in queue, listening to recorded announcements repeatedly saying, “Your call is important to us. Please stay on the line and our next available agent will assist you”?
What was the company really telling you?
Have you ever waited in line to order take-out food, only to have the person you expected to take your order instead take a phone order that rang in just as you reached the front of the line?
What was this server really telling you?
Have you ever scheduled a heart-to-heart meeting with your boss, and just as you got to the crux of your issue a call rang in, and your boss took the call?
What was your boss really telling you?
Have you ever had a lunch appointment with a friend or business associate, and as you were seated your associate laid their cell phone on the table—and then looked at it every few minutes as you tried to engage in conversation?
What was this person really telling you?
Chances are the offender had no clue about what their actions were really telling you. They probably had no idea their behavior came off as rude or insulting. Chances are, you were too polite to tell them how their actions made you feel. Never-the-less, you felt that way. And chances are, your reaction eventually spoke louder than your words, too. The result: your relationship took a hit.
Now put yourself on the other side of the equation. Have you ever done any of the things outlined above to someone else, albeit unintentionally? Be honest—and then take note of what your own actions may be saying to those around you.
In my book, The WOW Factor Workplace: How to Create a Best Place to Work Culture, we highlighted how quickly people can go from loving who they do business with—or where they work—to not feeling that way. Any time we fail to pay attention to what our behavior is saying, seemingly innocuous actions can cause others—who may be quite important to you—to feel underappreciated. A once wow factor relationship can devolve into one of disappointment.
Best-ever bosses in best places to work, and the most highly rated service providers, exemplify behaviors that make people feel appreciated. Anyone who wants to create and maintain a WOW factor brand—whether it’s your personal brand or the brand of your business—must be alert to what their actions are really saying.
The good news is that doing so is not that difficult. Simply make a practice of putting yourself in the other person’s shoes and keep in mind that your actions speak louder than your words.
For example, when you are using your cellphone—texting or checking your voice mail—while walking down the hall at work, and you come upon an associate walking toward you, stop what you are doing, look them in the eye, and greet them with a warm Hello! Should they stop to talk to you, immediately put your phone away—in your pocket or out of sight—and listen to them. This simple action tells them they are important.
When someone comes to your home or office for a visit, show them you appreciate the time they have taken and the effort they have made to visit you. Stop what you are doing and give them your undivided attention. If your phone rings or someone sends you a text, ignore it and return it later—unless you have already given your visitor a heads-up that you are expecting a time sensitive call or text. This simple action tells your visitor they are important.
If you run a call center, do your utmost to maintain adequate staffing levels and/or alternative call routing options to flexibly address fluctuating call volumes so callers do not suffer undue hold times. Better yet, anticipate the issues that cause queues to form and fix them forward—in other words, implement ways to mitigate queuing before it happens.
In my April 2021 blog post, What Did You Learn Today? we discussed the value of learning moments and the importance of creating positive lasting memories at every touch point. The following quote by Garry Ridge, CEO and Chairman of WD-40, from The WOW Factor Workplace, is one of my favorites:
Our job is to create positive lasting memories. I want you to leave here today with a positive lasting memory. I will leave here with a positive lasting memory because you have come to visit me. Why? Because I would have learned something from you. You would have given me something I didn’t have before. I hope I give you the same. It’s the same in business. That’s really what it’s about.
When you create a positive lasting memory for anyone who comes into your life, your actions are telling them—loud and clear—you matter to me and I appreciate you.