In the world of networking and word of mouth marketing, we often have a sense of urgency to help our fellow business associates by providing them with "leads". But ask yourself, is the "lead" you are exchanging a creditable source? You may be jeopardising and diluting your "brand" if you are not 100% sure.
For more information on passing "leads" versus "credible referrals"....contact Bob Gambone at rvg444@aol.com.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Keep Your Friends Close, and Your Competition Closer
"Keep Your Friends Close, and Your Competition Closer."
Sounds crazy, but it is really a progressive successful business strategy.
Lawyers have been practicing this strategy for years, and so do restaurant owners.
If you would like to know the key tactics and results of this strategy, email me at rvg444@aol.com.
Thank you
Bob Gambone
Sounds crazy, but it is really a progressive successful business strategy.
Lawyers have been practicing this strategy for years, and so do restaurant owners.
If you would like to know the key tactics and results of this strategy, email me at rvg444@aol.com.
Thank you
Bob Gambone
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Start the New Year Off Right, Share Your Mission Statement and Customer Promise (see my example)
Bob Gambone
PASSION, LEADERSHIP, RESULTS
Business Life and Leadership Coach / Consultant
Mission Statement
With passionate, enthusiastic leadership, I am dedicated to coaching entrepreneur minded business professionals, in a face-to-face customized process designed to improve their business lives and the lives of the people they touch.©
Statement of Values
I will coach my customers with a personalized approach geared towards their specific needs.
I will coach with an unconditional and nondiscriminatory passion.
I will keep my customers focused by being a great listener while at the same time identifying what they ‘need to do’ vs. what they ‘want to do’.
I will utilize positive feedback and constructive criticism.
I will provide effective continuous improvement through the feeding of information and will not “fire-hose” my customer.
I will develop a professional coaching relationship with my customers, founded in honesty, diversity and respect.
I will help my customers… “See the Vision…and Capture the Dream”
Credos
Coaching is 90% attitude and 10% technique.
Coaches are not great players, coaches make their players great.
Coaches are the ‘keystone’ holding together the pillars of skill and desire, forming a “whole” that is greater than the sum of the parts.
PASSION, LEADERSHIP, RESULTS
Business Life and Leadership Coach / Consultant
Mission Statement
With passionate, enthusiastic leadership, I am dedicated to coaching entrepreneur minded business professionals, in a face-to-face customized process designed to improve their business lives and the lives of the people they touch.©
Statement of Values
I will coach my customers with a personalized approach geared towards their specific needs.
I will coach with an unconditional and nondiscriminatory passion.
I will keep my customers focused by being a great listener while at the same time identifying what they ‘need to do’ vs. what they ‘want to do’.
I will utilize positive feedback and constructive criticism.
I will provide effective continuous improvement through the feeding of information and will not “fire-hose” my customer.
I will develop a professional coaching relationship with my customers, founded in honesty, diversity and respect.
I will help my customers… “See the Vision…and Capture the Dream”
Credos
Coaching is 90% attitude and 10% technique.
Coaches are not great players, coaches make their players great.
Coaches are the ‘keystone’ holding together the pillars of skill and desire, forming a “whole” that is greater than the sum of the parts.
Monday, December 21, 2009
NEW YEAR, NEW OPPORTUNITIES
*Daily / weekly planners…get yourself organized (calendars, charts, files)
*Make a list of things that need done. Follow up on action plans and update.
*Inventory tracking and record keeping.
*Proper executions of the business plans…plan your work and work your plan.
*Back to basics.
*Revisit / Update Policies and procedures in your company
*Things you have let go… Procrastination ends now!
*Personal growth and health. If you are not having fun….that’s your fault.
*Measure to improve, share and use ideas, communications, teach.
*Training; in your absence does someone know what to do?
*Are you being aggressive about getting yourself trained…take responsibility for your own success!
*Team communication: share the knowledge, listen, and create a sense of ownership.
*Recognition… “Reward want you want repeated” “Find the Number ONE in Everyone”
*Be a LEADER, not just a manager. “Call it a problem & it will BE one, Call it an opportunity, and you will HAVE one.”
*Leadership “Its great to be a champion, but it takes TEAM to win the Super-Bowl”
“The customer may not always be right , but they are still the customer”
Think like a customer: present a professional image, smile and eye contact, seek out customer contact, solve customer problems, use proper body language, thank every customer and invite them back.
Thought for the month…. “we learn from yesterdays we live for tomorrows”
“Success just doesn’t happen…You must GO AFTER IT, with
PASSIONATE ENTHUSIASM!”
*Make a list of things that need done. Follow up on action plans and update.
*Inventory tracking and record keeping.
*Proper executions of the business plans…plan your work and work your plan.
*Back to basics.
*Revisit / Update Policies and procedures in your company
*Things you have let go… Procrastination ends now!
*Personal growth and health. If you are not having fun….that’s your fault.
*Measure to improve, share and use ideas, communications, teach.
*Training; in your absence does someone know what to do?
*Are you being aggressive about getting yourself trained…take responsibility for your own success!
*Team communication: share the knowledge, listen, and create a sense of ownership.
*Recognition… “Reward want you want repeated” “Find the Number ONE in Everyone”
*Be a LEADER, not just a manager. “Call it a problem & it will BE one, Call it an opportunity, and you will HAVE one.”
*Leadership “Its great to be a champion, but it takes TEAM to win the Super-Bowl”
“The customer may not always be right , but they are still the customer”
Think like a customer: present a professional image, smile and eye contact, seek out customer contact, solve customer problems, use proper body language, thank every customer and invite them back.
Thought for the month…. “we learn from yesterdays we live for tomorrows”
“Success just doesn’t happen…You must GO AFTER IT, with
PASSIONATE ENTHUSIASM!”
Thursday, December 3, 2009
From Manager to Leader…My Own Personal Journey
I was the best.
(well, at least in my own mind)
No one could build displays, order product, stock shelves, take inventory and write schedules better than I.
“He never slows down, runs around 24/7” "…Bob is the hardest worker I have ever seen.”…words often expressed by my co-workers and Store Managers.
So why was I passed over for upper level management time and time again?
I was a great manager, everyone said so. I was winning all the display and selling contests.I was the best at getting work done, and lived by the credo; if you want something done right you need to do it yourself.
In fact, every time I would go on vacation, I would return to deplorable conditions and I would have to work overtime just to get the department back up to standards.
Again, so why was I not promoted?
In one word…leadership.
I was lighting fires under the feet of my employees instead of inspiring the fire in the hearts of my team.
And then I was given a revelation…a great mentor of mine said,
“Bob, it's not how good your department looks when you are here, the true test of your leadership is the condition of your department, when you are not here.
We want our managers to work smart not hard. Think of it this way; if you fish for someone, you feed them for a day... if you teach them to fish, you feed them for a lifetime.
Yes, you will always have to pitch in, but you need to let go and have your team pitch hit for you, you can’t always do everything yourself.”
From that point on, I realized; managers live for the task, leaders live for their team.
Three months later, I was promoted.
For more information on “Changing Today’s Managers into Tomorrow's Leaders”Contact Bob Gambone; email- rvg444@aol.com Phone: 412-491-7317.
(well, at least in my own mind)
No one could build displays, order product, stock shelves, take inventory and write schedules better than I.
“He never slows down, runs around 24/7” "…Bob is the hardest worker I have ever seen.”…words often expressed by my co-workers and Store Managers.
So why was I passed over for upper level management time and time again?
I was a great manager, everyone said so. I was winning all the display and selling contests.I was the best at getting work done, and lived by the credo; if you want something done right you need to do it yourself.
In fact, every time I would go on vacation, I would return to deplorable conditions and I would have to work overtime just to get the department back up to standards.
Again, so why was I not promoted?
In one word…leadership.
I was lighting fires under the feet of my employees instead of inspiring the fire in the hearts of my team.
And then I was given a revelation…a great mentor of mine said,
“Bob, it's not how good your department looks when you are here, the true test of your leadership is the condition of your department, when you are not here.
We want our managers to work smart not hard. Think of it this way; if you fish for someone, you feed them for a day... if you teach them to fish, you feed them for a lifetime.
Yes, you will always have to pitch in, but you need to let go and have your team pitch hit for you, you can’t always do everything yourself.”
From that point on, I realized; managers live for the task, leaders live for their team.
Three months later, I was promoted.
For more information on “Changing Today’s Managers into Tomorrow's Leaders”Contact Bob Gambone; email- rvg444@aol.com Phone: 412-491-7317.
Monday, November 9, 2009
“I Need A Reason To Wake Up In The Morning!”
His name was Vince. I met him one day at the Burger King while eating lunch.
“Excuse me; are you the Store Manager over there?”
I then introduced myself and Vince went on to tell me his story.
“So are you guys hiring?...I need a job. I am a retired executive from US Steel, my wife passed away about two years ago and my kids are spread across the country. I fly every weekend to visit them, so I can work Monday through Friday. You know I miss working. A man can only play so much golf, I am really getting bored, …I need a reason to wake up in the morning.”
Vince was a tall man, wearing a wrinkled non-matching jogging suit and sporting a 3-day beard.
I felt sorry for him, he really looked like he needed a job and the story he told me, well that really seemed a bit far-fetched, so I hired him.
Vince came on board and worked Monday through Friday 7 to 11am pushing carts and greeting people as they entered the store. He really loved his job; smiling and saying thank you, talking to customers, keeping the place clean, and I felt good because I gave this guy a job.
About 6 months later Cindi, my office manager, came to me, “Bob, the Payroll dept. called and said they need Vince to cash his paychecks.”
Well I was really surprised, Vince?...the guy who needed a job so bad, not cashing his paychecks?!
“How many paychecks hasn't he cashed”? I asked Cindi.
Cindi looked right at me and said, “Bob, Vince has not cashed a paycheck since he started 6 months ago!”
At that moment I realized, I did not give Vince a job,
he gave me a life lesson.
We All Need a Reason to Wake Up in the Morning, thank you Vince P.
“Excuse me; are you the Store Manager over there?”
I then introduced myself and Vince went on to tell me his story.
“So are you guys hiring?...I need a job. I am a retired executive from US Steel, my wife passed away about two years ago and my kids are spread across the country. I fly every weekend to visit them, so I can work Monday through Friday. You know I miss working. A man can only play so much golf, I am really getting bored, …I need a reason to wake up in the morning.”
Vince was a tall man, wearing a wrinkled non-matching jogging suit and sporting a 3-day beard.
I felt sorry for him, he really looked like he needed a job and the story he told me, well that really seemed a bit far-fetched, so I hired him.
Vince came on board and worked Monday through Friday 7 to 11am pushing carts and greeting people as they entered the store. He really loved his job; smiling and saying thank you, talking to customers, keeping the place clean, and I felt good because I gave this guy a job.
About 6 months later Cindi, my office manager, came to me, “Bob, the Payroll dept. called and said they need Vince to cash his paychecks.”
Well I was really surprised, Vince?...the guy who needed a job so bad, not cashing his paychecks?!
“How many paychecks hasn't he cashed”? I asked Cindi.
Cindi looked right at me and said, “Bob, Vince has not cashed a paycheck since he started 6 months ago!”
At that moment I realized, I did not give Vince a job,
he gave me a life lesson.
We All Need a Reason to Wake Up in the Morning, thank you Vince P.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Handling Customer Complaints – the LAST-C technique.
The LAST technique for handling customer complaints has been around for some time and you can Google to find several versions.
I have had great success with what I call the LAST-C process.
Bottom Line: not only will you decrease customer complaints, you will gain more business as a result of using this process.
Acronym defined:
L- Listen
A-Apologize
S-Suggest a Solution
T- Thank
C- Communicate
Want more information? Read Bob's book...
Pecan Pie: 32 Business Success Strategies Passionately Baked To Order!
"A must read!" Ivan Misner New York Times Bestselling author
BY IT NOW on AMAZON.COM click on link below
Click here to purchase Bob's book
bobgambone.com
bobgambone@bobgambone.com
I have had great success with what I call the LAST-C process.
Bottom Line: not only will you decrease customer complaints, you will gain more business as a result of using this process.
Acronym defined:
L- Listen
A-Apologize
S-Suggest a Solution
T- Thank
C- Communicate
Want more information? Read Bob's book...
Pecan Pie: 32 Business Success Strategies Passionately Baked To Order!
"A must read!" Ivan Misner New York Times Bestselling author
BY IT NOW on AMAZON.COM click on link below
Click here to purchase Bob's book
bobgambone.com
bobgambone@bobgambone.com
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