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As 2016 comes to a close, I’m left reflecting about the many conversations I’ve had with owners and leaders throughout the year. I find that many of those conversations contain simple, yet powerful phrases of wisdom that have been graciously shared with me over the years. I now get to pass these on for others’ consideration. I thought I would conclude my final blog of the year by offering three of these gems that I’ve found most impactful in my life and career.

I often ask business owners and managers if they are happy with their current team. The most popular answer is, “Sure…” That word is said without confidence or conviction, which indicates that I need to dig a little deeper. So, I use my standard follow-up: “Rank your team from best to worst — don’t overthink, just off the top of your head.”

I’m talking about 2016. Where did it go? We started with so much promise and expectation. Each year is a new race full of promise, hope, and challenge. Some of us exceeded the previous year, and better yet, our plan. That is a beautiful thing because it means we had a plan.

Last month, in part one of this two-part blog, we reviewed why building value starts with your customer service representatives (CSRs), and got into some of the how your CSRs can do so. This month we will continue with the how.

Regardless of which trade you are in, using an inspection checklist is considered to be a best practice. When we go into a home as a residential service contractor, there is an overwhelming amount of things to look at. Using a checklist keeps our eye on the big picture.

Let’s talk about true customer service skills. Are you still under the belief that simply having a smile on your face, and being nice to a customer, is all that it takes to keep your customer base satisfied and attract new customers? In today’s world, consumers expect more. Much more.

Even if you don’t fall into the 20 percent of the population that has a chronic problem with procrastination, the remaining 80 percent of people still experience procrastination from time to time. Procrastinating can jeopardize some of our goals; it’s self-sabotaging. So why do we do it?

Let’s imagine a call is booked with your company, but the customer calls in to cancel. What happens next? Do your customer service representatives (CSRs) simply say, “OK, thanks”? Every successful company should have a plan for following up on lost opportunities along with missed opportunities.

Ask my wife and she’ll pull out a list a half-mile long referencing every time I’ve been guilty of hearing, but not really listening. But what’s the difference between hearing and listening, and why is one so much more important when it comes to our relationships with others?

Have you forgotten how to have fun? Have laughter, happy faces, and a positive atmosphere become extinct in your workplace? Here are a few tips on how to bring back a little fun to your office while still getting the work done.