Have you ever written a review for a business or employee? I'll admit, I don't that frequently, but I did today. It's Employee Appreciation Month at my pool company. My sweet pool guy, Abel, left a mass produced door hanger that informed me of that fact. It simply gave instructions on how and where to leave a review, and explained that their employees can earn a bonus from my remarks. I'm sure most customers threw it away like I normally would, but this year I didn't. The entire process took less than 2 minutes. I left a well-deserved, 5 star review with a couple of complimentary sentences, and I was done. Hopefully he will get a little bonus for his hard work.
I've noticed that people are quick to leave bad reviews, but not so with positive ones. As a past manager in the retail jungle, I know we received many more comments about the negative encounters than the positive ones. When a customer is angry about a bad experience, they will write an essay and demand for someone to be fired. When they have a great experience, they thank the employee and might tell the manager, but that's as far as it goes. Why is that?
It's dawned on me that I have been guilty of that in the past. Shame on me. I will shout praise about a business or employee from the rooftops to my friends that I encounter, but will not go the extra 2 minute mile to publicize exceptional service on the world wide web. Back in my days at Parisian, you had to write a letter and mail it in order to give accolades to exemplary associates. They were read aloud by the store manager during the pre-opening pep rally. It built morale, and certainly affected my decision making when yearly reviews came around. The internet has made it so easy to reward excellent performance. I wonder why it's not done as often. Are we becoming a society of whiners and complainers? I truly hope not.
I'm turning over a new leaf. I'm challenging you and myself to take a couple of minutes out of your day to leave reviews for the good stuff. If we only post the bad, it builds resentment and hopelessness. Associates throw in the towel and think no-one sees or cares that they're trying. Do I think that every associate deserves these compliments? Heavens, no! I didn't just fall off the turnip truck. I realize that there are some workers that are just plain lazy and do not care. I also know that most actually do. They might not be trained properly or have a lot of confidence, but they sincerely want to do a good job. Little pats on the back make a world of difference to associates like these. It also motivates the rest of the crew to follow suit. What kind of work environment would it be to have the entire staff constantly trying to make their customers happy? Probably a lot like Parisian felt on most days. That company, which happened to be founded in Birmingham, Alabama, invested a wealth of time and money on customer service training, and it showed.
The next time you are left smiling by an employee or business, take 2 minutes and spread some love. It usually can be accomplished in about 3 clicks. I wonder if we'd see a change in our communities. I may be a one of the dreamers Kermit sings about in "Rainbow Connection", but I'm going to do my part and try to bring a little positivity to the world. Who's with me?
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