We've recently been interviewing students and new graduates for our coveted summer internship position. You might be shocked at what you see. We would ask questions and get a response like "yeah" or "uh-huh." Some were chewing gum, had no eye contact and exuded entitlement, while others had sub-par email skills. Today, we got what may be our winner, Bobby. He was well dressed, had a great (one page) resume that gave us more depth into his life, spoke clearly and had a well written introductory email.
We have a very special culture and guard it highly. What if he doesn't speak to a client respectfully? What if he drops the ball? What if an email of his unsells? We realized, though, that the culture of the organization is not only something to be defended, but it is also provides protection. The culture doesn't allow for these things to happen. Every new person is directed to the brand promise, core values and purpose of Salesby5. Additionally, questions are welcomed hourly!
So, if communication is sub-par, a team member is on it to clean it up and explain how to avoid this in the future. If a customer is not receiving the proper attention, someone else helps give them the right touch. Everyone is concerned about keeping our quality at an extremely high level in communication and service.
Now, let's say you start getting used to this and then you go to a doctor's office or a business who still thinks it is 1980. They believe they are special, when they are really a commodity. It makes us appreciate what we do, how we do it, and how we'll never go back. Our culture and attitude is the salt and pepper of 2020. Call us and see!
The interesting points are that 1, you recognized that you had a culture with core values, and 2, that those core values were more than just "attitudes," they were standards. A lot can be learned about a company about the way it upholds its own employee metrics--fear and intimidation, or a culture of self-involvement and personal accountability.
Posted by: Steven Watts | June 12, 2008 at 02:38 PM