Chris Barrow’s Blog

Cardiff workshop completed yesterday – and we will never darken the doorstep of the Moat House Hotel again!

Once more, the delegates created a lively atmosphere, even though the hotel air-conditioning broke down and we all sweltered in the afternoon.

The tour is over and today I am working in my Cheshire apartment before closing it all down this evening for a week’s vacation.

No laptop, no mobile phone, no business development books!!!!!

This morning I wrote the ezine for the week (it should be out later today or Monday) and responded to all operational and client emails.

This afternoon I will spend on the telephone – I am guesting on a couple of other coaches bridge calls and also want to talk to my team members.

The dental tour has, as usual, restored my passion and enthusiasm for speaking, writing, coaching and making a difference.

The nicest event of yesterday was reading a note left on their table by the team at The Orthodontic Centre in Cardiff – it read simply “you were fab Chris” – and it made my day – thank you ladies and congratulations Viren on building such a strong team and a great business.

The workshop in Reading was fun – including a never before seen competition to try and choose a humorous brand name for a gynecologists business – I dare not tell you the winning entry and you are probably thinking what on earth that has to do with dentistry – the answer is “nothing” – we were just having some fun.

In the mid-morning session I probably felt as tired as at any time in my 25 years of public speaking (old age!) but somehow the energy came back in the afternoon and I must thank the delegates for providing that.

After a 2 hour drive to Cardiff, the last thing I needed was to discover two complete morons working behind the check-in desk at the Cardiff Moat House Hotel. One was trying to teach the other the intricacies of their outdated computer systems whilst hotel guests backed up and waited with increasing frustration.

Neither of them displayed the slightest interest or enthusiasm in helping the customers who pay their wages – frankly they were a couple of young kids who knew nothing about customer service – having said that, I’m not surprised because the hotel itself is awful.

So bad, in fact, that Barbara, Steph (visiting for the last workshop day) and myself drove into Cardiff last night at 9.30pm (even though we were tired) to avoid the hotel dining.

Enter Laura, the Sicilian waitress at Zizzi’s pizza and pasta restaurant.

1. Zizzi’s is a franchise – I’ve eaten there before in other cities and I know the food and drink are very good;

2. Laura is a one-woman cabaret, styled as a dark-haired Bette Midler and enjoying her job so much it was infectious. She chatted to us, even sang to us, introduced us to Giuseppe, her boyfriend from Rome who worked behind the bar and Barbara the Polish MBA student who is working in Wales for the summer to improve her language skills – Laura personally made sure we had the time of our lives.

Needless to say, we wished we were delivering the workshop at Zizzi’s today and not in the Moat House.

Will I ever stop being amazed that you can invest thousands of dollars and pounds into buildings, equipment and branding and yet ultimately the success of your venture can depend on the difference between untrained idiots and well trained natural enthusiasts.

Finally – a couple of smile moments in the day:

1. Wales is a fiercely independent nation with signage in both English and the Welsh language – but why do the “tourist information” signs have to be repeated in Welsh? Think about it;

2. And the last thought is of my mother – 76-year old Norma Barrow – whom I called to say “hi” last night – the conversation went like this……

CB: “Hi – its me”

NB: “Oh – hello darling – I’m just eating my dinner.”

CB: “No problem – I can call back.”

NB: “I’m just eating my first ever Caesar salad – its lovely.”

CB: “Great – well I’ll call back in maybe 10 minutes then.”

NB: “OK – but can I ask you a favour – will you make that 15 minutes, because there is rather a lot of lettuce.”

Its Wednesday morning and I’m in Reading. Yesterday we delivered the Watford workshop to a simply wonderful audience of dentists and team members – many old friends and some new faces.

I am often asked how I manage to keep delivering the same workshops day after day. The answer is that each day produces a unique response from the clients – and that variety is my life-blood and oxygen.

Yesterday’s group were smiling, happy, participative and had minds that were open enough to accommodate my knowledge and my humour!

Today we are at The Reading Moat House, which brings back happy memories of the first ever Patient Journey workshops that I delivered to Boots Dentalcare back in 2001/2. Here we held our first pilot sessions with the Reading, Slough and Oxford branches of Boots. I wonder where all those people are now?

I’m half way through week 3 of 3 and the exhaustion is beginning to kick in now.

I’m falling behind in answering emails, the newsletter is late – all this is usual.

Which is why I’ve planned a business development day at home on Friday – to catch up and clear the decks before I take a week’s vacation to rest and recuperate.

Oil-rig shifts – that’s what I call these workshop tours – and like working on an oil rig, we have to take plenty of rest breaks off the rig.

One of the mistakes that solopreneurs make is to believe that they can keep going like that for maybe 46-48 weeks a year – its just not possible.

I take 12 weeks vacation every year, as well as plenty of short breaks. If I didn’t do that, I couldn’t do this.

Working at the Edinburgh Airport Hilton today.

I think they must have had a customer service initiative that prohibits any member of staff smiling at a guest.

Arrived late last night and the reception team were busy dealing with countless visitors to the Open Golf. Receptionist and bar staff wouldn’t smile and even complained verbally and within earshot of guests as to how busy they were.

Breakfast room staff this morning were unbelievable – no eye contact, no smile (same team on at lunch).

Chef told me at 1.00pm that he hoped my clients would eat quickly because he was due to go home at 3.00pm.

Two shining stars in this sea of ineptitude. Walter, the airport bus driver – pleasant and fun – and the Scottish lady who has served me with three cappuccinos so far – nothing has been too much trouble – oh, and Alan the conference manager.

The rest of them are just miserable.

And its a Hilton – its a franchise and they are supposed to have this nailed because its a franchise.

Are your team smiling at your customers today?

Fantastic practice visit today with James Goolnick and the team at Bow Lane Dental in the City of London.

The downside was a 4.15am start, a Virgin train that broke down half way to London and a security alert at Euston Station just as I arrived.

The broken train was quite funny though – after 10 minutes stationary (no communication – note to Richard Branson) the steward announced over the tannoy that they were “re-booting the train”. In the good old days we used to fix trains – now we re-boot them like laptops. He added that if anyone was in the toilets they would be locked in during the re-boot.

“Oh dear, what a calamity
Three old ladies locked in the lavatory
They’ll be there from Monday to Saturday
Unless the re-boot is successful?”

Doesn’t quite flow.

Anyways – I arrive at Euston, just as they are closing the Tube because somebody has noticed a suspicious package – and about 2000 people spill onto Euston Square looking for a cab.

There is one (a cab that is – not a package) – and I’m lucky enough to notice it, driving down a side street – so I arrive miraculously only 10 minutes late for my meeting in the shadow of St Paul’s Cathedral.

In the morning I thoroughly enjoy my conversation with James on the distinction between management and leadership (see previous blogs and ezines) and a detailed financial analysis of practice performance year to date including individual associate and hygienist profitability.

James has really done his homework on the Excel templates we distributed at the April workshops and has profitability nailed.

Before lunch I meet privately with Lucy, James’ practice manager and we deal with some issues that are concerning her in the role of systems manager.

In the afternoon I meet with his team and we discuss some of the flaws they are noticing in their patient journey. What follows is a good conversation about how the team can pull together and improve those systems.

My job satisfaction from the day is immense.

This evening as I make my return train journey from a very steamy Central London (OK so far thanks Mr Branson) I feel very privileged to work with such a world-class practice as clients.

I also acknowledge the thousands of Londoners who were carrying on with their business today – and I joined them on the Tube from St Paul’s to Euston this evening. I have to admit that I was looking around my carriage for men with large black rucksacks (what would I have done if I had spotted one?) and reflected upon the courage of ordinary people who will not allow their “normality” to be disrupted – life goes on and London goes on.

Its been an exhausting week both physically and emotionally and right now on Thursday night I am feeling very burned out with another working day to go.

I have presented workshops in Lancashire, Leeds and Birmingham, spent a full day working at home and have a trip to London and back tomorrow for a practice visit in the City (with a 4.00am start – groan).

Many years ago that would have been an average week but I have to admit that, as I grow gracefully older, it becomes more difficult!

A good question at today’s workshop on customer service feedback.

I had suggested that a group of 20 VIP customers were asked to give positive feedback on what they liked best about your customer service.

My rationale was that they may tell you things you did not expect and allow you to get even better.

A client asked “would it not be appropriate to ask for negative feedback as well?”

I shared my own experience form the early days of my coaching workshops, at the end of which I would ask delegates “what did you like best and least?”

I found that the “best” was often overlooked in the heated debate about the “least” – so I decided to separate them.

“At the moment I’m asking for positive feedback and not accepting negative feedback – but I will set aside some time for that at a future date – so what did you like best?”

There are some clients who bring out the best in you – and one of mine is Simon Reilly of Vancouver (www.leadingadvisor.com) with whom I have just finished a spectacularly effective 15-minute phone call.

Simon and I have enjoyed an email dialogue in recent weeks on the topic of developing Strategic Alliance relationships and I have shared with him my top 6 tactics:

1. make a list of s/a prospects

2. begin with the largest first

3. find out who the key decision makers are

4. ask the decision maker what their members/clients main concerns are

5. ask “how can I add value to your members/clients in addition to what you offer?”

6. ask for an alliance

More on these 6 tactics is contained in our free tips sheet on the subject.

During August, I myself will spending time with my business manager, Barbara Trotter, on a UK tour to meet our potential s/a partners in their locations to ask them the questions outlined above.

Its a great use of time when sales activity can sometimes be seasonally low.

But in speaking with Simon I reminded myself of something I knew 10 years ago and had forgotten.

Remember number 2 above “begin with the largest first?” There is a trap for the unwary.

The trap is to include large corporates in that list.

What I should have said is “begin with the largest owner-managed suppliers to your niche first.”
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That was the primary lesson I was reminded of today – there is no “easy way”, no “fast track”, no “lazy man’s way to riches”.

The reminder was prompted during a bridge call in which a fabulous coach with a compelling product in an attractive niche market was explaining how much he was struggling to attract clients.

It reminded me of the three years (1994-1996) during which my coaching client numbers were so low that I had to continue my day-job as a financial planner to make ends meet.

It reminded me of the 11 years in which I have gradually built my client base, my ezine readership, my expertise in my niche, my reputation in my profession.

It reminded me of the continuing effort we have to invest in maintaining client numbers.

It reminded me of the seasonal, macro-economic and micro-economic influences that affect our client numbers.

It reminded me that coaches, dentists, financial planners – ALL small professional service firm owners face a daily challenge to keep on marketing and keep believing in themselves and the value of what they do.

It reminded me to stay focused on my core products and not be distracted to “try something else”.

Coaching isn’t special – its just another hard-nosed, sales-driven business that requires extraordinary determination to succeed.

Off to Italy this morning for a 3-day rest break, although I will be answering emails on the flight to Milan this morning.

I am also expecting heightened security at Manchester Airport.

I was discussing leadership again yesterday with a client – and the distinction between “hard” and “soft” leadership.

Hard = orders and a focus on managing systems.

Soft = conversations and a focus on leading people.

I was about 70 miles away today – safe enough and only bothered by the tiresome drive home this evening, detouring South and West before I headed North towards Manchester, to avoid those who were driving into the capital to pick up their loved ones, stranded without transport.

A week ago my 19-year old son was on that same Tube at the same time, making his way to the US Embassy.

So this evening I count my blessings and reflect upon the irrelevance of my own troubles compared to those who have been affected by today’s horrors.

On Saturday we were connected as a global community, enjoying the best musicians in the world whilst pausing to think about the plight of the poor.

Tonight we are connected again as that global community, just as we were after 9/11 and Madrid, shocked by the events, determined that the simple-minded idiots who organise these acts will never succeed in their twisted philosophies.