5. Be A Fanatic About Response Time.

People expect us to respond to their questions and concerns quickly, whether it’s in person, on the phone, or by e-mail. This includes simply acknowledging that we received the request and we’re “on it,” as well as keeping those involved continuously updated on the status of outstanding issues.

Marc's Message:

When I think about this important fundamental, one word pops into my mind RESPECT.  I say this because in business or one’s personal life, people value their time. And when we take the initiative to respond swiftly and according to one’s expectations, whether it’s our customers, internal customers (associates), suppliers, your friends, family members, or others, I believe you are showing those individuals respect.  It reveals your character and that you care about them and value their time, so they don’t have to follow up with you or wonder if you are working on what they need.  As society and business evolves, I also believe the demands and requirements for responding on time and with lightning speed will continue to increase.  Therefore, we must condition ourselves to have this mindset every moment of the day.  Those that have achieved this level of excellence are committed to it as a way of life.

In order to respond effectively, first we must prioritize.  We most often also rely on others. This is why responding internally is so critical to our ultimate success. Your organization and attention to detail and your handoff of information to a fellow associate allows them to most effectively pass it along to others and our customers. As we do this more consistently, our customers will see that everyone at Famous is a fanatic about response time. They will inevitably provide us more opportunities to serve them because they are not only confident they can count on you / us, but they know we respect them and their time.  Think for a moment who you would want to deal with if the shoe was on the other foot: Someone who shows a lack of respect, concern, and response time, or someone who lives and breathes being a fanatic about response time? I’ll bet we would all choose the latter for sure.

I’ve had the good fortune of working very closely with Julie Wright and Michelle Morgan for many, many years. I’ve seen firsthand the personal pride they both display when it comes to being absolute fanatics about response time.  It’s fun to hear and see them in action.  They are both shining examples of living with a sense of urgency and always taking those extra few precious seconds to show others how much they care about them, as they follow up on their priorities and all their daily tasks.  There are so many others at Famous who are quick to follow up. Your peers like Judy Noll, Tammy Brothers, Don Short, Cindy Herrington, Laura Caughey, and Dale Kosco, to name a few, are some of the best when it comes to response time. The medium of communication isn’t always critical.  In response to an email, you can simply reply to that email, or as Dale often does, pick up the phone and make personal contact.  What matters is WHY you respond – because you care, it is important and respectful.

Thank you in advance for your commitment to making Famous the very best distributor when it comes to being a fanatic about response time!