Are You Capitalizing on Your Best Practices?

During a recent trip to Winnipeg I spent forty-five minutes waiting outside in negative twenty-eight degree Celsius weather (eighteen degrees Fahrenheit), waiting on a taxi. This was despite the fact that I had pre-scheduled my pickup two hours in advance. While I waited in the cold predicting when I might loose all sensation in my hands, I called the cab company looking for an update on arrival time.

After a hold time of nearly ten minutes, I received a very unenthusiastic “We will be there as soon as we can.” Thanks #DuffysTaxi!

When the cab driver arrived, I attempted to be cordial, explaining the situation, to which he quickly apologized, loaded my bags and drove as quickly as he could to the airport. As we departed, he showed me on his screen the time the call had come in (apparently my scheduled call had been lost), and he continued to apologize even as we arrived at the airport, telling me that he had done everything he could to help me arrive quickly and safely. I agreed, thanked him, and (fortunately) made my flight.

The cab driver’s demeanor and behavior were in stark contrast to the attitude I experienced when I called into the cab company. His empathy and responsiveness ultimately reduced my frustration.

But what if the taxi company could tap into the attitude and motivation of this single taxi driver and engrain it into their other staff? Think of the impact this would have on their ability to retain customers and dominate their market (there are only two predominant taxi companies in Winnipeg).

Over the years I’ve increasingly found through my work that if you want to build a more responsive, distinct, and productive business, then you need to tap into your own internal best practices. The cost is right (often nothing) and minimal time is required to identify and ingrain already existing habits across a broader audience with common objectives. This is the secret to maximizing business effectiveness at minimal cost.

[Tweet “Best Practices begin inside your organization, not outside.”]

© Shawn Casemore 2014. All rights reserved.