“Solution Oriented” is my favorite core value at Payday, Inc. because I hate hearing the word “no.” As a consumer, hearing no means that no one wants to take the time to figure out how to solve a problem, create a compromise, or find a work around. In today’s world, people who go the extra mile are notable simply because they are increasingly hard to come by.

My wife and I recently visited the famous Pike Place Market in Seattle. We purchased fresh halibut and sea bass from the vendor renowned for throwing them across the shop. We arranged delivery of the fish to the Fairmont Hotel for our return trip early the next morning. Through no fault of the vendor’s, the delivery didn’t happen – a parade had blocked the streets. The hotel night manager offered to contact the fishmonger, sending a bellman to the room with me for our receipt. Most other hotels would have asked me to fetch my own receipt. Most other hotels would not have considered contacting the fishmonger on my behalf.

As we were waiting to board our flight, the hotel manager called – the packed fish had just arrived. Upon our arrival in New Mexico, we received a message from the fish company that new halibut and sea bass was coming overnight at no extra charge. Both the hotel and the fish company went above and beyond to find a solution to the problem.

We’re resourceful and innovative at Payday, Inc. even when customer problems are not of our making or our responsibility. For instance, Fed Ex or UPS occasionally misses or delays deliveries to our clients around New Mexico and the country. This can be a real issue when payroll is involved. As a way to prevent this, we specially code our packages. Local deliveries stay local, never traveling to the carriers’ distant distribution hubs. We avoid local delays. Once, when we learned a payroll package was not going to arrive in Hobbs, New Mexico on time (about 300 miles or more than 5 hours away), we drove the payroll there.

Sometimes, customers have predicaments of their own – employee illness, vacation or emergencies – that could negatively impact their operations. Often, Payday, Inc. sends someone to the company to become their back up. When a customer calls for an unusual or custom report, our creative people never say no. They ask for more information, then find a way to deliver to the customer what’s needed.

We understand that accomplishing what the client wants and needs is how we go above and beyond, just like the fishmonger and hotel manager in Seattle. This willingness to find solutions adds to our customer service reputation, and is why being solution oriented is one of our core values.

Next week: Forward Thinking.

At Payday, Inc., this value of unequivocal excellence starts with answering the phone within three rings, with a smile. When a client explains his or her situation, we want them to know that we empathize, and genuinely want to resolve it; that’s client delight.

Where do honesty and integrity fit into this value of unequivocal excellence? When someone owns up to a mistake, and doesn’t shove it under the table hoping it’ll go away, that’s honesty and integrity. By contrast, inaction, delayed action, or hiding a problem or mistake only compounds the situation. Embarrassment or fear of consequences can cause people to hide the facts of an issue.

Only when we know the details can we resolve the issue. There is nothing worse than meeting with clients who are upset because of something we did, while we are unaware of the complete story. As managers, we don’t ever want to be blindsided. We need to know how to apologize, and how to arrive at the best solution. We try to create an environment in which the person who caused problem is open and honest about it. Then the issue becomes much easier to fix.

It’s difficult, once someone has concealed facts or lied, to continue the relationship. Will he or she be trustworthy or repeat the behavior in the future? Once a plate has been broken and repaired, you can still see the crack. The plate, and the relationship, are weaker because of the betrayal of trust. Trust takes time to mend.

Ultimately, it’s my reputation as the head of the company on the line. That’s why honesty, integritym and client delight – the three elements of our value of unequivocal excellence – are key to Payday, Inc.’s success.

Next week: Solution Oriented.

In fact, one of my pet peeves is people who aren’t committed to something – their jobs, volunteer service, even a hobby. Their lack of caring often means they don’t want to think. They just want to be told what to do and when. They are not good to have around when problems arise because of their can’t, won’t and don’t attitude.

At Payday, Inc., we find and reward individuals with a “batteries included” attitude. We value people who reflect on both the short and long term implications of a problem, and arrive at solutions. We value their ability to think, see consequences, take responsibility and respond appropriately. They ask how their actions (or inactions) affect other people and systems.

We’ve replaced the “can’t, won’t, don’t” mantra with, “If you get a problem, you own it.” No matter who answers the phone at Payday, Inc., that individual will try to resolve the situation, even if it isn’t in his or her area of responsibility. Because he or she now owns the issue – it’s his or her duty to find to right person and find resolution. In addition, this person must confirm with the client that the issue was resolved satisfactorily. We never want to hear of the same issue from the customer again. We don’t always succeed, but that is the goal.

This “can do, will do, and does” attitude gives all of us insight into other areas of the company, too, as well as an understanding of how each person and department plays a role in the success of the company.

This attitude goes beyond simply fixing the problem. The doubling back and auditing to ensure resolution assures accountability on everyone’s end. Anyone can spot a problem, but we value those who see a problem, offer solutions and confirm that the solution worked. They bring value to the company and our clients.

A side effect of our doubling back is a natural improvement in our processes. Were procedures followed? Was the breakdown with a person or the procedure? Or was it a management failure, because we haven’t given the employee the tools to do the job? What will we do differently in the future?

In asking these questions, we transform experiences into learning opportunities. When we get in the habit of completing the circuit, we recharge our batteries and perpetuate the “can do, will do, does” attitude, taking that home to our families and to the rest of our lives.

The real significance in having core values is that we can evaluate potential and current employees against them. Payday, Inc.’s first core value is professionalism, or the understanding that reputation has value. Professionalism relies on our employees – even before they are hired. From day one, they represent our company.

Many clients ask how we foster this professional environment. They say, “Every time I call, whomever I speak with has the same high level of customer service – a willingness and friendliness that is unmatched.” Professionalism starts even before the hire. We evaluate applications and resumes for attention to detail (no spelling or grammatical mistakes). Our initial screening is by phone to determine telephone manner, because so much of our work is accomplished during a phone conversation.

Obviously, employees bring basic skills to the job. Our applicant evaluation interviews determine whether potential employees match our core values. Can they enhance the reputation of the company?

When applicants and current employees meet or exceed our expectations in each corevalue, they receive a plus (+) on our evaluation scorecard. A zero (0) means they understand the value but don’t exceed it. You can guess what a minus (-) means. If the tally is more zeros or minuses than plusses, then perhaps Payday isn’t the right company for this person.

When reviewing professionalism, we review whether employees and applicants dress appropriately for the job, whether they have the right communication skills and how they interact with clients. Most importantly, we assess whether they take responsibility seriously. Do they understand the importance of their work how it affects the client? Do they have a cavalier attitude toward confidentiality, or a lack of respect for coworkers and clients?

For us, professionalism begins at the first client interactions, including the manner in which we answer the phone, our employees’ dress (our staff couriers wear shirts with logos), and the importance that our couriers drive clean, branded vehicles.

How do our clients reward our professionalism? In a word, referrals, and lots of them.Being referable comes from how our employees talk about the company. So many times,we experience negativity when we hear people talk about their workplaces. Would you patronize a company whose employees recount a long list of bad things about the boss, the work environment and clients? Neither would we.

We want to keep and reward those who achieve all pluses. To do this, we share emails, letters and thank you gifts from clients with the entire staff in meetings. Each month, a committee selects the top three “wow” letters. Those employees receive “Andy Bucks” that they can exchange for products or services from our clients – like sporting event tickets, car services, restaurant meals, etc.

Next week, Batteries Included.

We started with Dan Sullivan’s idea of the “bubbling” company, in which small, individual elements of success combine to achieve great leaps – like the small bubbles in a heated pot of water add up to a roiling boil. The “bubbling” company asks itself key questions:

1. Is there a way that we can do this 10 times faster?
2.  Is there a way that we can do this 10 times easier?
3.  Is there a way that we can do this 10 times cheaper?
4.  Is there a way that we can do this to get 10 times the result?

We ask these questions every day at our “wow” meetings – where we talk about how we wowed our clients and what we could have done differently. In doing so, we reinforce our core values, and create opportunity for growth for everyone. This also means that we must have  team players who are alert, curious, resourceful, and responsive – key elements in the “bubbling” company.

Thus, we arrived at our 6 core values:

1. Professionalism – we understand the value of reputation.
2. Batteries included – a can do, will do and does attitude.
3. Unequivocal excellence – requires honesty, integrity and client delight.
4. Solution oriented – we are resourceful and innovative.
5. Forward thinking – for a bigger and better future.
6. Technology – we all get it, accept it, and embrace it.

Next time, we’ll examine core value # 1 – professionalism, in more depth.

At Payday Inc. we truly believe that our ladies and gentlemen are the most important
resource in our commitment to our clients. By applying our core values, we nurture and
maximize their talent, a small element (bubble) to the benefit of each individual and
the “bubbling” company.

At The Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons hotels, the staff, no matter their background or location, treats guests in ways that are both unexpected and exceptional. Like bringing a new cup for coffee refills so that hot fresh liquid never mixes with half-drunk remains. Like remembering which lounge chair and umbrella we like by the pool. Like greeting us by name as we approach the desk, even though the clerk has never met us.

Making the customer feel special is what keeps guests at these hotels returning, despite their higher price tag. For example, the motel down the street provides a bed and pool, too, at a cheaper price. And the restaurant next door refills your coffee mug, without a big bill like the restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton.

Learning the Secrets of Service

We learned that world-class service costs far less to deliver than constantly seeking new customers.

Customer service sets a company apart. Customers remain loyal to a business because of the customer service they receive, even in the face of higher prices.

So how do these hotels do it? In 2004, Russ Loidolt, our Business Development Manager and I, attended The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Training Center in Atlanta to learn how this company creates and teaches the business practices that keep it on top of national and international quality award lists. The idea? To change the culture of Payday to be as focused on increasing employee and customer loyalty as possible.

Changing the Culture

The result was a completely changed culture at Payday Inc. The change wasn’t easy – we lost about a third of our staff because they could not or would not meet our new 12 rules of customer service and 6 company values. In the coming weeks, we’ll tell you more about each of these.

We know you can get payroll services from many companies. What makes the difference is how you and your employees are treated when you call, email or we see you in person.

Today, Payday Inc. has grown into New Mexico’s largest independently owned payroll processing, human resources management and employee benefit firm. Our clients now enjoy big firm experience and quick, personalized attention…the kind of service you would expect from The Ritz Carlton.

(Certificate of Destruction Provided)

- When: September 20, 2012, 11:00 am- 2:00 pm
- Where: In front of our office (5011 Indian School Rd NE)

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Schedule more efficiently.
Communicate more effectively.
Work smarter, not harder.
Find the finish line at the end of the day.

Schedule more efficiently.
Communicate more effectively.
Work smarter, not harder.
Find the finish line at the end of the day.

Schedule more efficiently.
Communicate more effectively.
Work smarter, not harder.
Find the finish line at the end of the day.