Your Employees Should Know the Real Boss
Every knowledgeable entrepreneur and employee should know that the real boss is neither the president nor the chairman. They are bosses too but they exist to serve another boss. No it is not the stockholders of the company. A group that is even bigger. So who is the real boss? The customer!
It is the customer who pays the rent, the electricity, the salaries, the dividends, and the new equipment. All businesses exist to serve the customer. If the customers are happy, money flows in. If the customers are not happy, less money or no money will flow in.
Since the customer is the boss, the customer should be treated well. Let me drive the point stronger. Since the customer is the reason the business exists, the customer should be treated like a king.
How do we treat the customer like a king? Allow me to name a few.
1. Courtesy. Observe the best companies in the world. Their people always show courtesy to the customers. Every time I enter a Jollibee, McDonalds, or Starbucks store I am greeted with happy faces.
2. Respect. One way to show respect is to get their opinion about the product and service. Requesting them to fill up a feedback form or by directly asking them is an expression of respect. “Sir, how did you find the meal?” Another way is to make the service a little faster. When I was in Thailand, I had a suit made. I was pleasantly surprised by the workmanship and their ability to finish it in less than 24 hours.
3. Happiness. Extraordinary establishments go beyond the expected service. They make their customers happy. I was with a friend in a coffee shop and he ordered a tea latte. The store did not serve a tea latte but they made efforts to produce it instead of saying that they did not sell tea lattes. My friend was so happy with the extended service.
You as an entrepreneur probably know this but the question is, do your employees especially the front liners know this? Do they know how important one customer is? Do they know how to give the extra mile to a customer?
I was once in a well-known bank, sitting and waiting for their staff to process my request. A young lady came in with a query. She seems troubled and she was asking something that the tellers obviously did not know. I thought the tellers would respond with a smile and say, “Ma’am we do not have the answer to your query now but I can take note of it. I will try to have the answer by tomorrow morning. Here is my number. Please call me.” But they did not. They answered with a simple, “We do not know.”
The lady left upset. Then the tellers giggled and said mean words about the customer right in front of me, another customer. I realized that even in huge establishments, not all the employees know that the real bosses are the customers. All the employees should be reminded that they should treat the real boss with respect and courtesy.
© Ed Pilapil Jr.
It is Never Too Late to Set a Goal
“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” – C.S. Lewis
Col. Harland Sanders believed that it was faster for a man to rust than to be worn out. He obviously acted on this belief. Retired at age 65, with only $105 from Social Security, he ventured to sell his recipe. He offered it to more than 1000 restaurant owners. His deal was that he earns 5 cents for every piece of chicken sold. One thousand eight restaurant owners rejected his offer. But the Colonel did not give up. Prospect 1009 was the first to agree.
He started franchising his chicken in 1952. By 1964 he had more than 600 franchised outlets in Canada and America. In the same year he sold his interests for $2M to a group including John Y. Brown Jr. who became the governor of Kentucky in 1980.
There are many success lessons we can learn from the life of Col. Sanders. One of them is that it is never too late to set a new goal to work on.
Are you retired? What is your new goal?
Ed Pilapil Jr. ©
The Entrepreneur Should Recognize His Team
There are different ways to recognize your team member aside from plaques and trophies. Here are a few:
- Never ignore them
- Show that you value their efforts
- Always acknowledge their work to others
- Identify with them
- Believe in them and let them know it!
Never ignore them
Every member of the team, every executive or employee is important. There are times that top executives may give the impression that they ignore the staff. Many times it is unintentional. Have someone tell you if you have that impression. People in your organization are emotional creatures, they need to feel that they are part of the team.
Show that you value their efforts
When the members of your team see that you value their efforts, they will be motivated to produce better results. You may do this by thanking them. Yes even if they get paid to do it. You are simply appreciating their efforts.
Always acknowledge their work to others
Brag how pleased you are with the work of your team every time they do a good job. They will eventually find out that you acknowledge their work to others. This will boost their morale. It will also inspire loyalty.
Identify with them
If the team does not do well, do not distance yourself from them. Make them feel that you were part of the failure. Discuss with them how the team can do better. If the team does a good work, praise them for it. You were a part of it as well.
Believe in them and let them know it!
Your team will keep getting better if you inspire them by believing in them. Everyone can improve. With some encouragement and a lot of belief from other people, anyone can change for the better.
By Ed Pilapil Jr. ©
Motivation Factor: A Plus for Entrepreneurs
What is the motivation factor?
It is simply adding motivation to self and others especially during an endeavor be it business or otherwise.
There is no substitute to planning your work and working your plan. This is a given in any life, career or business. Without plan and work, there can be no progressive success.
But there is another factor that should be in the equation, motivation.
Motivation is the plus factor that can give meaning to work. And meaning is something that all of us must have or else, work can be a drag.
Like spice and salt, it adds flavor and excitement. Who wants to eat food without taste?
Come to think of it, we do not need taste in food for it to be nutritious. But why do we take so much effort to cook or buy food that tastes good and looks good?
We seek satisfaction not only for survival but also for our emotions! Good food somehow makes us happy.
Work can be tiring and it can be a drag. If you are not inspired in your work then you are probably one of the most miserable people in the world.
Yes, I am exaggerating.
My point is, most people spend most of their time awake at work. If one is not inspired at work then he is probably not happy most of the time that is.
Business should be fun! An entrepreneur not having fun is missing half of the experience.
Motivation helps strengthen the will to do better. I think there is no question about this.
Compare two people with equal talent, knowledge and skill. One is highly motivated, the other is not. Who do you think will do a better job?
A businessman who is motivated will always beat the other businessman who is not motivated. One way or the other the motivated person catches up.
Are you a motivated entrepreneur?
By Ed Pilapil Jr. ©
Extra-Ordinary Entrepreneur
Extraordinary. Ordinary. The real difference is just a little extra. However, it is actually a whole lot more if accumulated through time.
Every person has the opportunity to be extraordinary. All that’s needed is the decision and the determination to consistently do the extra.
In the 1940s a respected senator who was admired for his knowledge was asked, “You never spent much time in college, if any. How did you acquire your understanding of national and international affairs? Where have you learned so much about so many things?”
His answer was direct, “When I was 18 I made a rule that I would read 2 hours everyday. Whether I am in a train, in hotels, in waiting rooms…”
Reading for two hours everyday made him an expert without spending much time in college.
That little extra accumulated through time compounds. People who will never sacrifice for that little extra everyday or every week will never be extraordinary, they will remain ordinary forever.
In basketball, an extra field goal, or an extra rebound, or an extra steal, or an extra turn over; can determine between winning and losing.
The coach understands the importance of that little extra in every area. A dynamic team will always strive to give a little more than their best.
If every member of the team gives ten percent more, the end result is not ten percent increase in the bottom-line. It is so much more.
This is also true for any business. Try increasing the rate in every sales activity by ten percent.
If we increase the number of leads, conversion rate, number of transactions, and profit margins each by ten percent; the result is not ten percent more in the bottom-line. It is so much more.
That little extra accumulated through time compounds. Teams who will never sacrifice for that little extra will remain ordinary forever.
Do you want to be an extraordinary entrepreneur? If yes, then you must put in that little extra in every area of your business and yourself in a regular manner.
By Ed Pilapil Jr. ©
How to Deal with Failure
“My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure.” – Abraham Lincoln
Failure can either break us or make us. Those broken by failure are haunted by unpleasant memories. These memories are like shadows that lurk in front, behind, beside, beneath and above. It is also a cage that traps the mind, preventing it to entertain possibilities of freedom and success. They are convinced that they cannot do it; therefore, they will not try.
For those that failure could not break are those who became made “men.” Failure to them is not a ghost, but a friend who taught them well. It is also a stepping stone to wisdom. These men and women are convinced that true failure only happens when one gives up.
History has been kind to President Abraham Lincoln. He has been painted as probably the greatest president of the United States of America. It is the good thing that history also recorded his failures. It reflected his frail humanity but also showed his attitude of never giving up.
These failures could not stop him, he kept moving forward. The following is a short list of his ups and downs and ups.
1831 – Failed in business
1832 – Defeated for legislature
1833 – Again failed in business
1834 – Elected to legislature
1835 – Sweetheart died
1836 – Had a nervous breakdown
1838 – Defeated for speaker
1840 – Defeated for elector
1843 – Defeated for Congress
1846 – Elected for Congress
1848 – Defeated for Congress
1855 – Defeated for Senate
1856 – Defeated for Vice-President
1858 – Defeated for Senate
1860 – ELECTED PRESIDENT
He was defeated more times than he won, but that did not mean he was a failure. Remember, that failures are only permanent if we stop trying. I believe the only real failure is the failure not to move on.
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the only way
to deal with failure
is to learn from it
and move on
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Brix, a friend of mine, narrated his adventure in climbing Pico de Loro, a mountain that spans parts of Cavite and Batangas. He said that he was exhausted and was about to give up. He told the guide that he wanted to go down. But the guide said that he was only a few more steps from the peak. What a waste of effort if he gave up. But his efforts were rewarded by the view and by the lesson. Now he can’t stop talking about the experience. Just look at his blog site.
A breakthrough may just be a few steps away. What a pity for those of us who would stop moving on. As far as I am concerned, the only way to deal with failure is to learn from it and move on.
The end result for Mr. Lincoln was that he became president and through his influence, was able to defend the constitution by winning the civil war, and was able to free slaves in certain states through the Emancipation Proclamation. He even tried to give voting rights to the blacks for which he was assassinated. He has been long gone yet he is remembered dearly by all who read about his story. His very name is a legacy of success!
What would be your end result? You may not know everything but you can determine your attitude to failure. You can either allow it to break you or allow it to make you. Your call!
By Ed Pilapil Jr. ©
A Tale of Two Salesmen
“The most pathetic person in the world is someone who has sight, but has no vision.” – Helen Keller
“The poorest man is not he who is without a cent, but he who is without a dream.” – Pennsylvania School Journal
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Maybe you have heard of the tale of the two salesmen who went to Africa. The story goes like this.
A western shoe salesman went to Africa to scout the market. He wired his manufacturer, ‘I want to come home. Nobody wears shoes in this part of Africa.’
They brought him home and sent another salesman. The new salesman hurriedly wired an order, ‘Everybody here needs shoes!”
Seeing everyone bear-footed in that area of Africa may have discouraged the first salesman.
He must have thought, “Geeesh, nobody uses shoes here, not even a hand-made footwear. How in the world can I sell shoes here when they don’t see the benefit of it? I better go home.”
He missed the opportunity to make it big. He could not see.
On the other hand, the second salesman thought, “If I can only convince them to wear shoes. If I can show them the benefit. I can almost imagine whole villages buying my shoes. Wow! Aside from helping them enjoy the benefit of wearing shoes, I am going to make a great profit! I can get married and start a family and I can buy that dream house…”
When I first heard this story, I said to myself, “I am determined to be the second salesman who saw the opportunity rather than the trend.”
I must admit though that there were moments in my life that I stayed on the “what is” and accepted it rather than on the “what can be” and dared to make a difference.
Now I cannot imagine life without vision. It is not worth living.
Which of the two salesmen are you? The one who could not see the potential or the one who could see the vast opportunity?
If you choose the former then you have destined yourself to be average or less. But if you wish to be the latter then you have taken the first step to a great life.
By Ed Pilapil Jr. ©
About & Contact
This blog is about tips on entrepreneurship. It includes topics such as sales and marketing, coaching your team, employee motivation, success attitudes, franchising, management and others.
Eduardo R. Pilapil Jr or Ed has been a Motivational Speaker for more than 15 years and has spoken in conferences and seminars for different nonprofit organizations, small companies, and large corporations. He also offers business and life coaching with more than 3000 hours of experience.
Some of his past experiences and positions are: President of KGP Property Holdings, Inc., Executive Director of Bicol College of Agriculture, and as a director in various nonprofit organizations.
He is co-founder and Chair of two companies: Power Memory Franchising and Review Masters League.
He has a Bachelors Degree in Communication Arts from the University of the Philippines and a Masters degree in Christian Leadership from the Asian Seminary of Christian Ministries. He finished high school and grade school at the Ateneo de Manila University. Ed is currently completing his Executive Masters degree in Business Administration at the Asian Institute of Management.
His other sites are www.Motivation-Coach.com and LifeJourneyCoach.com
Ed is based in Manila but serves the South East Asian Region. Should you need a motivational speaker, life coach or business coach, you may reach him at eduardo@motivation-coach.com.
Office Address: Unit 2008 Prestige Tower, F. Ortigas Jr. Rd. (formerly Emerald Ave.), Ortigas Center, Pasig City, Metro Manila, Philippines
