When employees work alone customers learn way too much about them
Yikes!
That’s all I could say when I walked out of the lab this morning. Doctor wanted to do annual cholesterol and what-not check so I went early in the day. Not eating for 12 hours (cuz let’s face it we all know what hunger is) coupled with starting the day off without coffee is just not a good thing for some of us.
So imagine how excited I was when I walked in and there was no wait. Hooray! This will be over quickly and I get a treat – a big ole latte for being stabbed.
The facility was staffed by one person. In the 10 minutes I was in the room with Vampira I learned:
- Her drinking habits
- She just came back from visiting a friend she met in Lamaze class an eternity ago
- She travels with a vibrator
- She hates her computer
- They keep changing the rules and procedures at the lab so she hopes she has the right vials (you know how comforting that was; I’ll let you know if it’s a boy or a girl)
- and what her kids were having for dinner tonight
- Nothing
She just talked and talked and talked and talked and talked and talked. And stabbed me. It was a one sided conversation with me wanting her to slit my wrists rather than find a cooperative vein. Remember, no coffee. It was hard to smile.
I work alone; my office is in my home. I know the excitement of finally being with other people. But I need to offer a reminder to leaders, training managers and HR professionals who oversee remote employees…..teach your employees to have conversations with customers that are two-sided and about the customer. As for the topics she chose to share with me; we’ll save that for another entry.
On a positive note I’m speaking at 2 healthcare conferences over the next week. I guess I have a good story to weave in.
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RICH DIGIROLAMO, founder Recess At Work, works with organizations to create happier work environments, strengthen work teams, design new programs, and create better relationships with customers and peers. In his new book Diary of the Happiest Employee on Earth: 52 Provoking Thoughts for Creating a Great Workplace he talks about why it is important for every employee to understand their impact on customers.
Are you ready to take a Recess with Rich, inject some new energy into your organization and create an even better employee and customer experience?
