The Quest for Integrity In Business

I can be a pain in the rear when it comes to good customer service. I think that is the cornerstone of a good business....and good business matters to me, because people matter to me and businesses are people. We forget that sometimes, and buy into the thought that a business is an entity of itself. It never really is, so don't ever let anyone hide behind the idea of the "corporate machine", lest you become the star of "The Emporer's New Clothes". Don't remember that story? Google it, or go and read it here:
http://www.andersen.sdu.dk/vaerk/hersholt/TheEmperorsNewClothes_e.html

Public relations and marketing are fascinating to me. I have a fixation on both and have since my college years. Maybe even before that. Truth is, they can make or break a business. Over time they have become spin doctors.....those who mold the truth to make it palatable. In this world that is a great skill. One that can make or break a business. Unfortunately it can also make or break a person's (company's) character when used to pass off a lie as truth or only reveal part of the story.

I give feedback. Don't ask me what I think about your business (or your personal life) unless you are prepared for the truth according to Kim. Not that I am always right....or that my opinion is better than your own or that I expect you to change things just because of what I say. But if asked, and often when not asked, I will try to give it to you, limited knowledge and all. You can tell me to stop, and I will. Almost always.

So, I was eating a Quest bar one day, one of my favorite protein bars for a variety of reasons (they meet my protein requirements....no wimpy amounts for me...and are constantly ranked as one of the best out there...and you know I am a geek who reads up on this stuff). Anyway, I noticed something in there that wasn't supposed to be there. It looked like a hair, or maybe a string. Freaked me out for a bit, until I realized I didn't think I had eaten any of it (note I didn't ponder this at great length. If I did, I didn't want to know.)

But because if I were a business I would want to know such a thing, I sent them an email. Not because I was horrified, or plotting a lawsuit (I find that silly and wrong), but because they needed to know.

They took immediate action....sent me a box to put the remains in and said they would study it. Had someone come and pick it up. Also sent me a couple of boxes of Quest bars.... which I was not afraid to eat, by the way. I had eaten hundreds before with no issue.

I thought that the whole thing was over, until I received a letter from them the other day. The letter made me love their company and not just their product. To me it was the best in customer service. Taking a complaint seriously, investigating it, figuring out what happened and why, putting in a plan of action for it not happening again, and keeping me included as part of the "team" solving the program. Here is that letter: 

http://support.questproteinbar.com/attachments/token/ItCgpJcl85RdtU80AuLMq3YAK/?name=customer+Concern+%2349414+Kim+Mckinney.pdf

I share this to celebrate this company, not to shame them. I have much respect for how they handled the situation. Here's what I think we can learn from this:

1. Check things out. I could have been a crazy person wanting to sue....or someone just wanting free Quest bars. They checked out my claim.....asked for the evidence. As someone who doesn't like false claims, I totally respect this. If making a claim about the quality (or character) of a product, company, or person, offer the first hand proof to back it up.

2. Consider the fact that you might be wrong. Listen to criticism, check it out, and take it seriously.

3. Acknowledge fault. When you're wrong, say you're wrong. Don't gloss over it, don't try to hide it.

4. Don't only look at the problem on the surface. Ask the important questions - how did this happen and how can we make sure this doesn't happen again?

5. Use any problem or mistake as a learning experience. How can it make you better?

6. How is your quality control team? Are the people who surround you effective at guaranteeing your quality? Whether you are a business or a person, having a good quality control staff is gold. Sometimes a business has to remind and re-train. Sometimes as an individual you need to make sure those who surround us care about our quality (our character and well-being) and make the effort to speak up or challenge when there are problems.

7. When people give you good feedback, let them know if you use it. Let them know if it changes who you are or how you do things. Even if it is years later. Too often we don't do this, and we have neglected an opportunity to help that person see why they are here. Let's encourage people for the good they do, and not just criticize those who de-rail us.


 8. Don't have unrealistic expectations of people or companies. We all make mistakes. That bonds us. Let's not be finger pointers, without being willing to make things better. And let's be gracious in our forgiveness.

When problems occur, the best approach is just to go naked, not pretend you are wearing clothes, adding a few extra layers or putting on a complete disguise so no one can really see you. When we see others make mistakes, let's remember our own and be part of their solution, not blow the problem out of proportion. Let's also not ignore mistakes if they need to be revealed. Be pure in your quest. Covering up who you really are and what you really do does nothing but diminish your humanity and your integrity.

So Why Did You Say It?

It's happened to me two times in two days.   Someone told me they would call at some appointed time, and then didn't.  It bothers me.  Not that it was important that they call me.....there really was no "need" for us to talk.  But the words were said, I said I would be available, and I felt obligated to pay attention to my phone.  Then they didn't call.  I was disappointed, and angry, and I simply can't figure out this side of a person who I want to be able to count on.  Why would they make a point of saying they would call and then not do it?   And why would they do it two days in a row.....and then not acknowledge or apologize?
 
The words we speak to others matter.  What we tell people we are going to do in the course of a day, in the course of a life, matters.  Big or little, our words are our commitments.  If you don't mean it, why say it?  

Most often it is is the seemingly "little" words that we forget.  And they get to be a habit. How about "Let's get together....I'll call you."  Somehow the call doesn't get made.  I know I have been guilty of this.  Some of you know that I have, too!

And RSVP's.  Even if you avoided learning that it stands for "Repondez s'il vous plait" (Forgive the lack of accent marks and possibly wrong spelling.....2 years of Janie Jones French only carried me so far.  But I can still play a good game of Jolie!), you should have learned by now that it means you are to tell the host whether you are coming.  Or not.  How rude are we when we don't do that by the deadline they give us?  And what does it mean?  Does it mean we are waiting for a better offer?  Or just waiting to see how we feel when that day comes around?   Or we know we aren't going to go, but just don't want to tell the person?  Or it is just not important enough for us to get to?

Have you given a party lately?  My guess is that you have run into this problem.  It is epidemic.  How are you to plan if you don't know who is going to show up?   What about the money paid for those  plates at that wedding reception, or the extra food bought and wasted because you thought they were attending?  Or for the panic that there will not be enough food and drink when extras show up?   Makes a lot of us not want to entertain!

We had a Model UN coach when I was in college that was always very excited  when we got invited to tournaments.  He was simply delighted and thought that it meant they noticed us as worthy.  We, the cynical college students, just figured we got on a mailing list somewhere.  And we laughed at him.  But in a way he was right.  An invitation is always somewhat of an honor.  It indicates someone wants your presence. (OK...maybe someone just feels obligated to invite you.  But what is to be gained by thinking of it that way?)

While the polite host will handle whatever you dish out (calling at the last minute to give your answer, backing out right before or even afterward, showing up when you had never responded at all)....if you consider that person a friend, or even someone worthy of a small amount of respect, why wouldn't you show them some courtesy and honor and kindness?

Yeah, OK.  Not RSVP'ing is another thing I have been guilty of.  Sometimes to you.  One reason is that I am really bad at keeping a social calendar and these days my mind is much foggier than it used to be.   Someone will ask about me attending something and I just can't recall if I had made other plans for that date.  Sometimes I simply forget what day it is and what I am supposed to do on that day.  Sometimes time gets away and I just forget to respond (or I don't open my mail and the invitation gets seen a month after the event!)  And then sometimes, at the last minute when it is time to go, this introvert is just nauseous at the thought of going.  It just seems exhausting to think about it!  

Take a look at all of my reasons.....or let's just call them what they really are, excuses.  They are all about me.  All selfish.  Not good enough when it comes to the kind of friend, and person, I want to be. There are always legitimate things that get in the way of us meeting obligations....and people understand that.  But more often than not, our excuse is not valid.

Our yes should be yes, our nos should be no, and our maybes.....they are a temporary placeholder.   At some point they should be turned into a yes or no.  But not after the fact. 

What you do with your words show your character.  It's OK if you don't want to call someone.  It's OK if you don't want to attend their party.  It's OK if you really don't like their outfit.  It's OK if you don't want to spend any time with them.  It's OK if you can't stand their partner and don't want to be in the same room with them.  It's OK if you don't want to volunteer to a charity.  It's OK if you don't want to babysit their kids.  It's OK if you don't want to give a Mary Kay party.

But it's not OK to say something and not follow through.  Or to say something and it not be the truth.   Or to give people hope, and crush their spirit.  Because what we say matters to people.  Whether it is big or small. Important to us or not.  Whether they tell us how they feel or not.  Whether it seems to matter to them or not.  It still matters.

As for my friend, you can probably guess.  There will be no promises of phone calls accepted for a while.  Either I am available when he chooses to call or I am not.  Not to be punitive, but because I care.  Because as his friend I have to encourage him to let his words to me count.  And as his friend, I want him to be the kind of person we all can count on.