Today I want to talk about taking charge and assuming ownership of situations. This can mean being responsible for something as simple as replacing the toilet paper roll or something as complex as making sure your customers are absolutely and totally satisfied.
I belong to a fishing camp with about 50 other members. It’s located just outside of Birmingham, and we have a beautiful 45-acre lake with a rustic cabin, a detached bathhouse, a storage building and a dock with room for eight boats. It’s a great place to fish and relax with family and friends.
The members of the camp are responsible for keeping the place up. We don’t have paid staff for anything except cutting the grass. We members are supposed to take care of everything else. If any of us messes something up, we are supposed to clean it up, too. If we break something, we are supposed to fix it or replace it.
Note the phrase “supposed to.”
You see, I’ve observed something interesting. When multiple people own something, no one person really feels responsible for doing anything. For example, I’ve seen people add trash to a trashcan that is already overflowing, never bothering to take that trash out—much less give a single thought to the other member of the camp who ultimately will have to haul that trash to a dumpster.
I call this behavior “toilet paper syndrome” because, unfortunately, this dereliction of duty doesn’t just happen with the kitchen trashcan. And again, it comes down to a sense of ownership. At a fish camp owned by 50 people, someone might indeed use the last roll of tissue and neglect to put one in its place. It might even be the last roll in the camp, but they still won’t feel responsible for providing more. It’s no longer “their” business. This is far less likely to happen in their own home where they will most certainly address the problem before it’s a problem.
So, what do trash and toilet paper have to do with business? Everything!
Whether we’re officially in “sales” or not, most all of us have opportunities to interact with customers. And how each one of us handles these customers shapes and ultimately determines the customers’ experiences.
Have you ever called an 800 number for assistance only to be nonchalantly handed off to someone else? Just recently, I called a 1-800 customer service number only to be told, “I’m sorry. You have to call our 1-888 number to solve that problem.” The representative didn’t sound very sorry at all; in fact, he seemed only to want to get me off the phone and out of his life ASAP. Graciously indifferent, he did close with the memorized company line of, “Is there anything else I can help you with today?”
Well, yes. There was plenty he could have done.
The representative could have taken ownership of my problem. He might not have been able to solve it, but he could have at least tried to help.
For instance, he could have transferred my call himself. But if his phone system didn’t allow for that, he could have said, “I’m sorry, but unfortunately I can’t help you with that question. The department at 1-888-number handles that area. When you call them, go ahead and select option ‘three’ on the menu to get immediate help. If for some reason that doesn’t work, call me back at this number. My extension is XXXX. One way or the other, we’ll get your problem solved.”
Here’s my point: Be the person who takes charge and assumes responsibility. Be the one who helps others. Take ownership of customers’ problems or questions. If you’re already too busy (and who isn’t?), avoid the temptation to minimize the customer’s need for help. Don’t just pass them along. Don’t be the person who leaves someone in a challenging or unpleasant situation.
Refill the hypothetical roll, and fill the role of hero.
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