Déjà vu
Reading this tweet from Doug Fleener on Twitter this morning caused me to dig into the archives and update this story. “There seems to be no cars available at Dollar Rent a Car. Not a very good experience sitting here waiting!”

It was mid-December (2007) when I contacted Budget Rent-a-Car saying that I needed a car on Maui on Christmas Day. “No way”, or something like that was the response. I had to understand, since Christmas Day begins the busiest week of the year here in Hawaii.
One week later I was on a plane to Maui and got into a discussion with the guy next to me. He turned out to be a VP of National Car Rental. I explained my Christmas Day dilemma and he said, “If I can get you a car, can we have your business?” I said, “You can for that trip, for sure. Where we go from there we will have to see; I have been loyal to Budget for more than 25 years.”
He gave me his card saying, “E-mail me your flight information and I will see what I can do”. I did, and when I arrived on Maui on Christmas Day, there was a driver waiting for me with a brand new car.
Well that was a year and a half ago, (now 2 1/2) and I have not been back to Budget since.
It pays to be willing to go the extra mile to get (and or keep) business.

I really miss my father.

He worked 7 days a week to feed his family.

He loved his mother.

He loved my mother.

He loved his kids.

He loved his music.

He loved life.

“When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around.  But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.” 
-Mark Twain

Customer Service Strategies
I was honored this week by being asked to “moderate” a panel at the Hawaii chapter of the International Council of Shopping Centers “Idea Exchange” at The Hilton Hawaiian Village. My panel’s topic was “Customer Service Strategies.” On the panel I had Thomas Sorensen from the Honolulu Design Center, Tanna Dang from The Wedding Cafe, James Kerr from SuperGeeks and Michael Zhang from Blue Hawaii Lifestyle. We shared things we are doing to prosper during what so many are finding to be challenging times.

Good Sign
The first sign of prosperity was when I pulled up to the Valet and saw this license plate on Doug Smoyer’s new Maserati. Doug has had this plate for many years, but the car is new.

It’s EASY!
I have had EASY on my car for many years as well. The car has been a Cadillac since 1962, and this one is new. I tipped the valet a little something extra to park our cars side by side to deliver a message to those attending the conference. The message is that “Retail Success is EASY” when you are doing the right things.

Hilton Luau $95
Another sign of prosperity was the line I saw going into the Hilton Luau.

The showroom was full; it holds 500 people. Do the arithmatic. Yes, people are here and they are spending money!

Kevin Takes The Stage
When I got this photo and e-mail from my son on Maui, it made me proud; proud of him and his family. I hope you don’t mind my sharing that pride with you all.

Hi Dad,
A couple weeks ago just as Kevin was finishing with Kindergarten, we were invited to a special dinner for forty students and their families. These children were recognized by their teachers, and the school as exceptional both in academics, and helping the other students. I hope you enjoy this close to as much as I do.
Aloha and Mahalo,
Michael Martin
Handyman Services
Lahaina, HI

Yes, It’s a Big Deal
I especially like this part of Michael’s e-mail.
“I hope the schools can keep challenging him.”

I might add that if the schools don’t, life will.
Go Kevin.

Professional:
“Exhibiting a courteous, conscientious, and generally businesslike manner in the workplace.”
-Webster

The pro stands out on the golf course and on the sales floor. They stand out in the crowd. When things don’t go right, the pro learns from the situation and gets even better. Pros keep their cool; regardless.

Amateur:
“One who engages in a pursuit, study, science, or sport as a pastime rather than as a profession.”
-Webster

Amatueurs on the other hand, lose their cool. They stand out as well. All people get to decide which one they want to and will be. Professionals gain more respect, achieve greater results, and make more money, both in the same amount of time; 24 hours a day.

Professional Salesperson:
Being a professional salesperson does not require any particular level of education or experience. It is all a state of mind. Just learn the job, keep your cool, follow the system and expect success. You will get it; if not today, then tomorrow!

WIIFM?
Everyone filters all requests through WIIFM. (What’s In It For Me?) Once business owners and managers realize that, they tend to think differently when structuring special incentives for a specific task to be completed, like hitting a goal. Incentives do not have to be monetary, although those seem to be ones that work the best. We find that when businesses offer some % of all sales over the goal to all of those who contribute to hitting the goal, that magic happens.
You will notice a level of teamwork that before was just lip service. When people have a common goal, and work in harmony towards it, they hit it. It’s not Rocket Science. It Works!

Results Tracking And Feedback
How exciting would any sporting event be without the goal to attain, and a score sheet of some kind to keep an eye on? You may wonder, why do people always compare sports to selling?

Remember the statement made above; The proper goal will cause your people to produce more than they would otherwise, to be better than they might have otherwise been. When the goal is to cause people to do more of anything, you run the risk of encountering resistance at first, the potential for disappointment along the way, and then discouragement when things don’t happen immediately.

Keeping everyone going, when the going gets tough, is tough. Here’s where you can use your goal tracking to motivate those that are falling behind before it is too late. When you catch your friend with only one foot in the quicksand, the rescue is much easier than when the quicksand is up to the shoulders.

Why the Word ONLY?
I continue to be amazed and irritated by how the mainstram media looks for the worst possible way to present any situation. This headline; “Isle Economy Grew Only 0.7 Percent Last Year” in today’s Honolulu Advertiser would invoke a completely different emotion if it were to be without the word “Only.” To listen to many people, “ANY” increase in 2008 over 2007 would be seen as good news. After all, 2007 was a banner year.
At one point the article reads, “The last time growth was lower was 10 years ago, when the economy was coming out of the economic doldrums that afflicted Hawai’i during the 1990s.” Now tell me, is that good or bad? I for one choose to like the idea that we may be heading in the same direction as we were when “coming out of economic doldrums.”

Besides that, I continue to find and highlight businesses that are not only doing good, but even better than ever before. To see one such company, just CLICK RIGHT HERE!