Quotes

We have provided a listing of some of our favourite quotes on a variety of subjects; including: Customer Service, Change Management, Teamwork and Leadership.  Some are simply interesting comments, while others can be very powerful.

Our challenge to you - do not just read these quotes (or others) and move on about your daily duties.  Rather, find a quote that strikes a chord with you.  Then take a few minutes to think what it could mean to you, your team or your organization.  Could the quote actually play a small role in helping you make change happen either personally or within your work setting?  For example; read the Sam Walton quote about the customer being 'the boss'.  If you believe in this philosophy, then think of circumstances whereby you have an opportunity to 'back it up'.  The quote would suggest that providing a consistently high level of customer service is critical.  If you truly believe this, then how do customer satisfaction scores impact your pay plans for your staff and management?  How about your new Sales process?  Is it centered around the organization's needs or the customer's needs?  When customer 'issues' arise, is your goal simply to smooth them over or do you prevent other customers from having to experience the same problem by addressing the cause of the issue?

Okay, enough of the serious talk...now, enjoy!

Customer Service - "There is only one boss.  The customer.  And he can fire everyone in the company, from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money elsewhere."  Sam Walton - founder, Wal-Mart

Teamwork- "Individual commitment to a group effort - that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work." Vince Lombardi

Customer Service - "To my customer - If I don't have the answer, I'll get it.  If I don't have the time, I'll make it." Unknown

Leadership - "The only safe ship in a storm is leadership."  Faye Wattleton

Change - "Change is the law of life.  Those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future." John F. Kennedy

Customer Retention- "70 % of lost customers hit the road not because of price or quality issues but because they didn't like the human side of doing business with the provider of the product or service."  Tom Peters - The Pursuit of WOW!

Customer Focus - "Probably the most important management fundamental that is being ignored today is staying close to the customer to satisfy his needs and anticipate his wants.  In too many companies the customer has become a bloody nuisance whose unpredictable behaviour damages carefully made plans and who stubbornly insists that purchased products should work."  Lew Young - Business Week

Teamwork- "We must all hang together, or assuredly, we shall all hang separately."  Benjamin Franklin