Covid Lesson #32 (Response-Able)
Everyone has been affected to one degree or another.
Of course, if you’ve lost a loved one, had a business fail, or had some other truly awful experience, then it’s understandable that your response will be very different to those who’ve swerved the serious symptoms of the virus or only been inconvenienced, ie 90%+ of us.
But, as we enter another phase of this awkward bit in the middle, between the old and next normal, your response to this latest (and all future) developments, will say much about you.
#32 Stop Blaming Covid.
In February 2020, it was totally understandable that service levels would fall or at the very least be different. Indeed, for maybe 12 months or so after the pandemic broke it was to be expected.
But not now.
We’ve all had two years to adjust either our delivery mechanisms or to educate our customers as to new levels of expectation.
We’ve had enough time to automate, outsource, change and adapt.
It’s no longer acceptable to say, as one of my (soon to be replaced) banks did after three x 40 minute calls on hold: “due to covid we’re experiencing longer delays than usual…..”
I won’t accept that a website that promised delivery by October is now stating: “we’re sorry, but due to Covid, your order should now arrive in February….”
How can a local authority blame Covid for delays to providing planning information, when they were equally useless before the pandemic?
From this point, if someone misses their target it’s because either the number set was too high or they haven’t performed.
If customer service is below standard, it’s either because the standard, (ie expectation), hasn’t been clarified or because of service failure.
If anyone complains that they “can’t do it” it’s highly likely to be down to their mindset as opposed to anything else.
The underlying principle of the first of Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits is that there are always options, and therefore: “People are responsible for the choices they make.”
Stop blaming Covid. Be response-able. (Responsibility = Ability to Respond).
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