SERVING BY EXAMPLE

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One day, a very senior executive from Panasonic Corporation was visiting one of its manufacturing plants overseas. Because of his high seniority status in the organization, and because of his legendary reputation for attention to detail, the plant employees cleaned up the plant to perfection for many weeks. On the day of his arrival, they arranged everything nicely and perfectly and rolled out a red carpet for his tour around the factory floor. 

Approximately Seven hundred workers in fresh and cleaned uniforms stood shoulder to shoulder between the large machines. They were really excited about the senior executive’s arrival.

The executive, in a perfectly tailored pinstripe suit, walked slowly along the carpet, nodding with respect to the workers.

Then he suddenly stopped and turned, stepped off the red carpet, and walked slowly but towards one of the factory’s largest machines.

All the factory workers got further excited. They were anxiously whispering to each other without knowing what’s going to happen next. This detour was not in the executive’s itinerary.

Seven hundred workers astonishingly watched him where he was going, and why he was going?

Then the senior executive reached to a large machine, paused for a moment, and took a long breath. The eyes of the entire workforce were flashing to the senior executive.

With the amazement of everyone, he bent down, reached his hand just under the edge of a large machine, and picked up a paperclip from the floor. He stood up and tucked the paperclip into his suit pocket. He took another long breath, turned, and quietly returned to the red carpet.

The entire factory was silent. There was no scolding. There was no ball passing. Because he didn’t say anything. But the message was very clear and his action resonated for years. After that ‘visit’, the factory was the cleanest in the country. This true story was told by a Panasonic employee who worked at his arrival to Rof Kauffman, the international speaker on service excellence and best-selling author. I think this story gives us a very powerful lesson on leadership to deliver an exceptional customer experience.

As a leader, you can impose and implement many rules, regulations, and rigid procedures for service excellence. You can punish the rule-breakers. You can send them hundreds of memos and warning letters. All will be fine. But What if you become a role model or a leader who is exemplifying true leadership with the actions just like the senior executive at Panasonic did? What if you show your commitment, passion, and energy through example? People will embrace your idea. People will be inspired. Your action will be resonated for years. Remember action worths thousand times than thousands of instructions.

You have to show up your service leadership not by the title, but by action. You have to show up your service leadership not by the size of your cubicle but by the level of your influence. You have to show up your service leadership not by the instructions, but by the example. Then the message is powerful. Because you raise the bar for your employees in delivering an exceptional customer experience through your own example/ through your own action.

Finally, may I ask you what actions you take today as a leader to exemplifies your commitment to delivering exceptional customer experience in your organization?