Wolf Gugler Executive Search

Category: Management Tools

  • Staffing up, or Re-Hiring; is it time yet?

    Having weathered the downturns of the 80’s 90’s and beyond, we’ve had the opportunity to note some interesting hiring trends during that time. This year is no different than other years following a downturn; it seems our phone is ringing more frequently with requests for proposals to add to a company’s team. But , is it a true addition? There are many instances where a company had to downsize when the economic climate dictated that, and are now in a position to “rehire” or add to their team. Most of us have had to do more with less resource, but both economic improvement and  demanding customers now justify adding key members to the team.

    One of the most stressful moments for many hiring managers is trying to decide when and how to staff up or re-staff after a downturn.  Reluctant  may describe their feeling if they’ve been forced to go through the emotional rollercoaster of a headcount reduction, especially in light of the uncertain current global political arena and oil crisis.

    But, if things are picking up or you know that you’re missing out on market opportunities due to a lack of horsepower,  you may also be feeling internal pressure from various departments to beef up their teams.

    You can likely calculate the cost of doing business without additions. What about a lack of customer service to your existing clientele, let alone securing new business? Are you competitors sitting idly by or are they adding to their retail, sales, distribution or service headcount? Can you really afford belt-tightening in this area, or will this prove to be a positive return on investment?

    At the same time, I’m not suggesting hiring just for the sake of that; in most cases, companies and employees are most effective and profitable when they’re somewhat stretched and challenged. The key is to know what the upper and lower threshold is for your business, and maintaining a staff complement in that range.

    So, if you think you should staff up, think about on the following:

    1. 1. Identify your “A” team and consider adding to their front line and support team. Those are the employees you can’t afford to lose and want to keep happy.
    2. 2. Communicate what you’re intending to do to your employees. Solicit referrals and offer a reward for new hires that come through them. After all, shouldn’t your employees have a pretty good idea what you’re looking for in your new hires?
    3. 3. Fill the positions that give you a quicker return on investment. This should put you in a position to justify additional hires if/when needed a year out from now. Then, at that time, you’ll have more experienced employees to train your newer additions.

  • What’s happened to Customer Service?

    Honest…I’m a naturally positive person. The glass to me is always half-full. That’s why I started to wonder if it was me lately. Can one guy have so many negative customer service experiences in such a short time period? Is business that good that Retailers and other consumer service providers aren’t worried about repeat business? It seems not in my case.

    Please do tell me if I’m wrong but I don’t think I’m asking for people to go above and beyond. Meeting a customer’s expectations right now seems like it would be a windfall. And, this isn’t just a bitc* session; I do have a couple of great experiences to share as well. In fact, I love to be delighted and share that with others.

    Let’s start with airlines (I know, we’ve all got a thousand of these to share). When on a recent Delta flight from Detroit to Chicago, the announcement goes “hello, as this is a very short flight, our typical service is standard no-service…but I do have a tray of water that we’ll be offering you shortly.” Huh? Your service standard is no service? I guess that means that anything I get is way above and beyond my expectations. Well, maybe yours but not mine. I guess I had better prepare better next time and not expect anything of you, except a lesson on how to help you get the passengers off the emergency chute if I choose to sit in the exit aisle (I will acknowledge though that all four flights were on time, a godsend these days).

    How about dry cleaners? Gone to the same one for over a year (when the last one I was loyal to for three years went under). Dropped off shirts before a trip and requested that they be folded to avoid the ironing chore at the other end. Pick them up the night before the trip and…they’re on hangers.

    Me: “sorry, but I had asked for these to be folded.”

    Her: “sorry, the girl who took your order didn’t know I was out of shirt folding stuff.”

    Me: “ah, wish I’d known. Maybe I could have taken them somewhere else this time to fold them.”

    Her: “sorry.”

    Ok, when you can’t provide the service a customer wants/expects and is paying for, why don’t you contact them and give them alternatives? If I felt like I had a hand in what is my decision, it would be different.

    On to number three. I’m trying to score brownie points with my wife by replacing the particular brand of potato peeler that she loves (I know, I’ve got it good). So, I look on the web and find a HomeSense near where I’m staying. Call the store…

    Me: “I’m looking for a Star brand potato peeler made in Switzerland. Can you please tell me if you carry them?”

    Her: “sorry, I’m not able to give out that information.”

    Me: “so, do I have to come to the store to find out?”

    Her: “yes”

    Me: “ok, I’m not coming, thanks.”

    I do some more homework and find that it’s carried at a nearby Home Outfitters. Go to that superstore, spend about ten minutes looking for the small utensils, locate what I want and then continue to meander through the store. Then I realize that the sales associates must receive corporate training, because every one of the four associates I pass purposely avoid me so we won’t have eye contact or any interaction. Ok, I might have been interested in a new coffeemaker, but not when it’s a hunting trip.

    How about the good? I recently stayed at the Staybridge Suites in Markham, ON. I’ve stayed here on and off for ten years and the staff makes me feel welcome every single time. Yes, I’ve had some very minor issues but when staff like Suresh (there since day one) can still greet me by name and ensures everything’s taken care of, I’m going to be loyal to them. Why don’t others get it?

     

    I recently rented a car in Buffalo, NY. Reserved through Budget and halfway on my trip there, my wife gets a call at home to tell me there’s no car waiting for me. Nada.  Rented from them the previous four times I needed a rental car, but I guess that doesn’t count for anything. So, my wife gets online and books me with Enterprise Rent a Car there. They treat me like a long-lost relative, the car is spotless, and I’m out the door in no time. I’m a pretty happy guy. Then, I get to Toronto and my car acts up. I call their hotline, we walk through a few steps and it appears the warning light issues can wait until I return to Buffalo, although they offer to exchange my car at the nearest Enterprise location to me. When I return to Buffalo a week later, Ryan Vander Sluis again greets me, hears the issue I had and asks how they can make it up to me. I don’t really want anything, but happily accept his card with a double upgrade for my next rental…which will most definitely be with Enterprise.

    So many companies suggest or proclaim that they want customers for life. Well, sorry but in this person’s eyes, you have to earn that kind of loyalty.

    Please feel free to email me at [email protected] or DM me on Twitter @wolfgugler  with good or not so good experiences you’d like to share with others.

  • Retail Hiring Homework

    Hiring store level staff can be just as perplexing as hiring a store manager. Many feel no matter how much homework, it’s still a gamble or calculated risk. In a recent online question, a few successful retailers known to us were good enough to offer a couple of suggestions:

    • We have a simple skills test that includes addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Also we have a graphic of a ruler with arrows pointing to specific measurements. You’re right that, 95% of the applicants cannot read a ruler.

    We have them figure a 5% discount on a box of 50 pieces at a certain price, and calculate sales tax at 8% on the total. (We have computer registers, but they should understand the concept). Get creative, but be sure to test only what they will actually be required to do.

    • The last few years we have done well hiring the attitude, and training the skill. We have also done well asking the staff for their recommendations. Once an Associate told me “You’re not going to offer her a job, are you? She tried to hire me to go over to Lowe’s.”
    • What we do is have the applicant fill out a basic application.  In addition to that, there is a small math test I give that basically lets me know if they can calculate BASIC math – you would be surprised at how many college kids do not know how many feet are in a yard.  After the applications, I schedule interviews based on first impressions and what I see on their applications.  Then I reevaluate how the applicant is doing a couple of weeks after they start with us.
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