Agency Operations

You may remember the 1975 movie “The Stepford Wives,” which was remade in 2004. It was about wives that were basically programmed to take care of their husbands.  They did…

I just had a problem with my computer monitor. It intermittently was creating all kinds of interesting colors. As cool as it looked, it wasn’t good for reading what was…

Customers want customization whether they’re ordering cars, pizzas, or sub sandwiches. Subway, the successful food chain, is now advertising that because of so many choices they offer, they don’t make…

Think like the buyer, not like the supplier. What I mean by this short phrase is that sometimes we think we know what our customers want, but what they want…

I love lists, especially when it comes to learning. The list in this article was the result of a quick brainstorming session about the advantages of delivering a great customer…

An earlier article by Shep sparked a number of calls/emails from readers who wanted to discuss doing business in tough economic times. The discussions centered around “fear based” issues as…

If you’ve read any of my books, you know there has always been an emphasis on internal service. The Employee Golden Rule, as I call it, is to treat employees…

One hotel comes out with a better bed. It gives them a competitive edge for a while, but eventually other hotels catch on and compete head to head. Eventually these…

Have you ever thought about the financial value of your customer? Let me give you an example. Let’s say you own a grocery store. The average customer spends $50 each visit…

Finding out what your employees think should be ongoing, just as it is for the outside customer. What methods of employee feedback work best and how often should feedback be…