John Tschohl – FESPA AFRICA

Become A Team Player By Being Helpful

adminfespa — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 15:32:03 +0000

John Tschohl of the Service Quality Institute says the most important question you can ask is: can I help you? Do not wait for a customer or a co-worker to ask you for help. Instead, approach them and ask them if they need assistance. That is important because it not only puts you in the driver’s seat, it demonstrates your willingness to be of service, and service is critical to the success of every company no matter what it is selling.

When you, as an employee, consistently and sincerely ask if you can help a customer or a co-worker, or even a supervisor or manager, you are setting a standard that will get you noticed, and when you are noticed, you will be rewarded. Let every decision you make be influenced by the goal of standing out and moving up. Your reward will come in the form of a satisfied and loyal customer or a co-worker who recognises your commitment to providing help wherever and whenever it is needed.

In many cases, when you offer to help someone, you are stepping outside of your comfort zone. Self-imposed limitations are the biggest barriers to your success. Identify what is holding you back, and then attack them one by one. One way to do that is to look for examples of challenges that successful leaders have faced and overcome and how they did so. Then make their stories your story. You must be willing to take risks.

Believe in yourself. Self-confidence is power. Have confidence that you can, and will, handle anything that comes your way. That might be a customer who is dissatisfied with a product or service or a co-worker who is struggling to meet a deadline.

When you ask customers how you can help them, get as much information as possible so you can serve them to the best of your ability. Actively listen to what the customer is saying. Apologise for the situation and ask the customer how you can solve the problem. Ask for their suggestions and offer others they might not have considered.

And remember this: little things mean a lot. If a customer asks where they might find a specific product, do not just point down the aisle. Walk them down the aisle, show them the product, and ask they if they have any questions about it. Answer whatever questions they have, and then close the sale.

When you ask a co-worker how you can help them, I recommend that you lead into that question by asking how their project is coming along. If they answer honestly and say they do not know if they can meet their deadline, then it is time to ask: can I help you? It is important that you are sincere and that you do not insinuate that you are questioning their skills but rather that you are genuinely offering any help you can to ensure a successful outcome. Become a team player.

When you show that you are willing to go above and beyond to help your customers and your co-workers, you are making yourself invaluable. When you are invaluable, you are indispensable. When you are indispensable, you will move up. And, when you move up, you always make more money.

SERVICE QUALITY INSTITUTE
https://johntschohl.com/

Speed Helps Businesses To Attract And Retain Customers

adminfespa — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 14:25:16 +0000

John Tschohl of the Service Quality Institute writes that speed dramatically reduces the amount of time needed to complete a task by altering factors such as empowerment, the mindset of employees, and organisational policies and systems.

Speed is one of the most strategic elements a company can use to attract and retain customers and to drive their revenues. Lack of empowerment is the major barrier to speed. It’s not just a speed bump on the road; it’s a 20-car pile-up positioned directly in your path. Empowerment allows employees to make quick decisions that benefit customers, internal and external, without having to get permission from someone higher up the corporate ladder. It’s critical that you eliminate policies and procedures that prevent empowerment, which prevents employees from acting quickly.

Another barrier to speed is the mindset of employees, which for most of them is set on one speed: slow. You must create a different mindset: a willingness to actively look for ways to perform quickly. If it normally takes five days to complete a task, do it in five hours. If another task normally takes one day, do it in one hour.

The speed technique involves several steps. Organise what you need and evaluate how much time you will need to complete the project. Prioritise by breaking the project down into a series of smaller tasks that will allow you to manage your time and to focus on the details while understanding the ‘big picture’. Don’t procrastinate. Manage your time in a way that factors in barriers and allows for dealing with problems.

It’s imperative, however, that you don’t sacrifice quality while pursuing speed. Speed without accuracy is counterproductive. If you have to go back and correct mistakes, you have slowed down the entire process.

CEOs are also often barriers to speed. The only thing that motivates them is money. What they fail to realise is how dramatically speed — combined with extraordinary customer service — can impact sales and profits. Amazon is the definition of speed and service. It has more than 1.6 million employees and in 2023 had net sales of $574.8 billion, an increase of $60.8 billion from 2021.

Apple, the Mayo Clinic, and Costco are three more great examples of companies that are realising the rewards of combining customer service and speed. Apple has a profit of $100 billion every year because of its speed and service. When I have a problem or need advice on one of my Apple products, I don’t need to drive to the store and wait in line. I simply call Apple, explain what I need, and an employee solves the problem in minutes.

Speed can generate incredible growth and separate your company from your competitors, while dramatically increasing sales and profits. In the words of race car driver Mario Andretti, ‘If everything seems under control, you’re just not going fast enough’.

Shift into high gear and give your customers more than they ask for — and faster than they ask for it.

SERVICE QUALITY INSTITUTE
https://johntschohl.com/