Today is a very exciting one for our company. Our 61-year-old family business has been acquired by another fantastic, thriving produce company and we will now be growing together.
After more than a year of discussions, Legacy Farms LLC, based in Anaheim, California has acquired the assets of Frieda’s, Inc. We will now be known as Frieda’s LLC and our new CEO is Dan Madsen. Dan has been a friend for many years and has been leading Legacy Farms since 2019.
We are so excited that his first order of business was to name my eldest daughter, Alex Jackson as Vice President, Sales & Procurement! As you know, Alex is the third generation of our family business, founded by our mother, Dr. Frieda Rapoport Caplan in 1962. Alex has been a significant part of our company’s success during the last 12 years and she is very excited about this new, expanded opportunity.
Legacy Farms really values Frieda’s strong culture and branding and is excited to be the new steward of the first and best-selling brand of specialty produce in the US. We can’t help but brag that Frieda’s brand has a 30% faster velocity than the next leading brand.
My sister, Jackie Caplan Wiggins and I will continue working in an advisory capacity to Dan and the Frieda’s team and are beyond thrilled at the opportunities for our company to expand. Our company color will still be purple, our branded packaging will continue to be eye-catching and our team members will continue to service you with our well known passion and attention to detail. For you it will be business as usual – please continue to work with our current sales and purchasing team as normal in the course of business.
We thank you for your many years of support and produce love and look forward to a bright and growing future. Please feel free to reach out to any of us with any questions you may have.
After months of masks on, masks off, travel, no travel… Jack and I were able to go on a thrice rescheduled Caribbean cruise last month.
In early February, once we confirmed that we could go on the cruise, I finally asked him which ports we would be visiting. When he told me we would be stopping for a day on the island of Roatan, Honduras, I got excited. “I have a couple of friends who live there now!”
So, thanks to Facebook, Messenger and Instagram, I was able to reach out immediately to my friend Natalie (and her husband Shannon).
A little backstory: Natalie worked in marketing for several large produce companies and Shannon was the publisher of a produce trade publication. They met while doing business together (he sold ads to her company). Natalie was a client of Shannon’s and they met at a business dinner. While some tough negotiations took place, there was no denying there were sparks. They joke that he made it his mission to forever make her a happy customer.
A few years later, they got married!
Natalie told me that while they were dating Shannon shared his “dream plan” with her, which was to one day “sell everything”, move to the tropics and open a dive shop. After she got certified in scuba diving, the dream became a shared one and they used dream planning sessions to think about these and other goals and dreams and their plan to make them a reality.
Fast-forward….they went on a diving vacation at New Year’s a couple of years ago, and then, got “locked down” in Roatan, Honduras, for a few weeks, thanks to the Pandemic. I remember seeing their post on Facebook and wondering what they would do, being stranded in a third-world country, and in my mind “cut off from civilization” for several weeks.
Well, as it turns out, they loved it! And it allowed them to realize that their shared dream could come true, as they could buy a dive shop in Roatan, find a place to rent, and move to a tropical paradise.
So, a few weeks ago, when our ship docked in Roatan, Omar their driver picked us up at the port and we drove to the SUN DIVERS dive shop in Half Moon Bay. And there was Natalie waiting for us when we arrived (Shannon was in the states on a short visit, so we missed seeing him during that trip).
It was fun watching her at their shop, and she was able to take a few hours off, and walk us through the small town they live in. That’s when she told us their story of moving to Roatan (one of three islands off the coast of Honduras). If you want to read more about their move and their life, you can read this short interview in the Entrepreneurs Section Forbes Magazine by John Greathouse (dated January 30, 2021).
The idea of “Dream Planning” was amazing to hear about—and it was inspiring to hear that Natalie and Shannon took action on their dreams. In fact, Natalie and Jack really hit it off, because the week following our trip, Jack’s 10th book was due to be released. It is entitled “Jack Daly’s Life by Design” and shows people the step-by-step process that he created to live an amazing life. They definitely were comparing notes on the importance of dreaming, writing your dreams down, and … taking action! We had an awesome afternoon with Natalie, and I was so excited to get an official “Sun Divers” shirt before I left.
As I was leaving, I did ask Natalie what it was like when she went back for a visit to civilization. She told me after more than a year of only buying things she needed (like food), and not having a car, and enjoying plenty of quiet time by the water, that it was quite shocking to her system to go back to traffic, shopping malls and big supermarkets. It was sensory overload. And from the smile on her face, I could tell that she and Shannon were quite content in Roatan and will probably be living there for quite a while. Perhaps it’s good to go off the grid.
Have you ever considered doing dream planning with your partner or your family? It might be worth a try. You never know where you may end up.
Karen
P.S. If you want to learn how to design your life, you can check out Jack’s new book here:
Earlier this week, I was meeting with one of my work colleagues and we got into a conversation about errors that are made at work. It’s not unusual for someone to say, “Well, I do it correctly 99% of the time.” For some people, that might seem like a pretty good ratio.
But when this came up in our conversation, I was reminded of the work I did more than 30 years ago studying and implementing TQM (Total Quality Management). The following list is discussed often when it comes to 99.99% quality:
Possible Outcomes of 99.99% Quality
What is the potential outcome if 99.99% is the quality metric standard?
119,760 income tax returns will be processed incorrectly this year.
144 incorrect medical procedures occur daily.
110,600 mismatched pairs of shoes will be shipped this year.
18 babies will be given to the wrong parents each day.
23,666 defective computers will be shipped this year.
22,792 pieces of mail will be mishandled in the next hour.
2,434,300 books will be sent in the next 12 months with the wrong cover.
20,000 incorrect drug prescriptions will be written in the next 12 months.
56,700 checks will be deducted from false bank accounts in the next hour.
567 pacemaker operations will be performed incorrectly this year.
315 entries in the most recent Webster’s New International Dictionary of the English Language (unabridged) will be misspelled.
69 malfunctioning ATMs will be installed in the next 12 months.
810 commercial airline flights would crash every month.
880,000 credit cards in circulation will turn out to have incorrect cardholder information on their magnetic strips.
2 million documents will be lost by the IRS this year.
2 plane landings daily at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago will be unsafe.
When we consider the implications in medical procedures or commercial airline flights, it puts things in perspective.
What is your expectation for yourself and for others when it comes to accomplishing tasks? Whether it is at home or work, or with family, friends or coworkers, we set the standard in terms of acceptable expectations with our own self-standards.
I know that I oftentimes drive my coworkers and family crazy with my goal of 100% accuracy—but after reviewing this list, perhaps they will understand why I ask so many questions and strive for 100%.
So, as you transition this week into another year, perhaps you will consider what percentage of accuracy and accomplishment are acceptable to you. What will you tolerate?
Wishing you a Happy and Healthy New Year!
And I didn’t imagine ever saying this … I am actually looking forward to seeing the Rose Parade in Pasadena, CA, this Saturday morning, after it was cancelled last year. It will make me feel like things are getting back to normal!
Karen
About this time last year, I wrote about visiting the Richard Nixon Presidential Library in Yorba Linda, CA. Due to COVID, the library was only partially open to visitors, so that visit left me with the feeling that I should return to see more.
So during this past year, I not only visited the Nixon Presidential Library for a second time, but I also made the trek to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, CA (a two-hour drive from where I live).
What a contrast! The Nixon Library is tucked in a heavily residential area, and is a popular venue for weddings, proms and other events. The teeny-tiny home where Richard Nixon and his four brothers grew up in are part of the Presidential Library complex. You get the feeling of Nixon’s humble beginnings. And through the permanent exhibits, I got a real feeling about the challenges of Nixon’s Presidency and the world in which he had to function as the leader of the free world.
In contrast, the Reagan Presidential Library sits on more than 100 acres and the main building is an enormous Spanish-style hacienda surrounded by gardens, plus both Reagan and his beloved wife Nancy, are buried there. There is a replica of the Oval Office with a curious twist. According to our tour guide, when President Reagan came to visit the Presidential Library while it was being built, he commented that the ceiling wasn’t high enough and he wanted it to be an actual replica of the real Oval Office in The White House. So, the architect measured it, and indeed it was a few inches too short! So, the replica Oval Office was modified with a couple of steps down leading into the Oval Office, so that the ceiling was at the proper height (and when you exit, you walk up a short ramp, to put you back at the level of the rest of the museum).
But, the most magnificent part of the Reagan Library is the pavilion in which Air Force One is displayed. More than one-half of the room is glass, so that it appears (if you use your imagination) as if the plane is ready for takeoff. It is truly breathtaking to see the airplane, which carried several presidents and their entourages around the world. Frankly, it appears much less techy and fancy than the images you see on television.
As I walked through the many exhibits at the Reagan Library that were open that day, I was struck by exactly how numerous the challenges are that a sitting President faces on any given day. Literally, I turned to Jack while we were walking through one of the galleries at the Reagan Library and commented on how incredible the amount of pressure was and how many big decisions needed to be made by the sitting President—it was quite daunting.
Philosopher George Santayana is credited with saying, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
I find studying history is most interesting and memorable, and I believe there is a great opportunity to learn lessons from the past. And it seems so much more real to me when I do it through the lens of people. That must be why I like biographies and autobiographies so much.
Visiting the Presidential Libraries allows me to learn about our own American history through the eyes of Presidents, past and present. One of the surprises for me was that there is so much more on display in addition to memorabilia of the President. There are temporary exhibits including other presidents, world events, books, movies and more. Most of the Presidential Libraries are set up for students to visit and to be a learning lab. And just like when you visit Washington, D.C., and our nation’s capitol for the first time—including all the monuments and museums—you leave with a new appreciation of our nation’s roots and the complicated journey over the past 200-plus years.
And so it has been for me. I’ve been able to relive the era around Nixon’s Presidency (1969–1974) and Reagan’s Presidency (1981–1989) from the time I was still in elementary school through when I gave birth to my first child.
The added bonus? While at the Nixon Library, there was an exhibit highlighting books on all the Presidents. I snapped a photo of one, which I read last week titled, Team of Five: The Presidents Club in the Age of Trump by Kate Anderson Brower. Brower is a No. 1 New York Times bestselling author, and this book looks at the relationships between members of the Presidents Club and includes an Oval Office interview with President Trump. The “Presidents Club” is made up of the living Presidents and is an informal, yet important support group for the current acting President of the United States. The book was fascinating, as she spoke specifically about the personal and professional relationships between former Presidents Carter, Bush 41, Obama, Bush 43, and Clinton (jokingly called Bush 42 due to his close personal relationship with George H.W. Bush after they both left office) along with insights from her personal interview with Trump while in office.
So, as you are making travel plans for 2022, I encourage you make time to visit one of these amazing fifteen repositories of American History that represent these Presidents:
Can’t wait to learn more history this next year when I visit at least a couple more!
Karen
I admit to falling for many of those ads I see whenever I am on Instagram, Facebook, browsing the internet or reading an online article.
However, some of my best new gift ideas have come from referrals from friends.
And so, as you are doing last-minute shopping for holiday gifts, here are several of my favorites:
ONDO socks: Once I tried these thin, no slip socks, I was hooked! When I wear non-running sneakers or loafers, I like to wear a light sock, as it makes the shoes more comfortable and eliminates the sweaty, sticky feeling. And they really DO NOT slip! They come in a few colors, and I’ve even gifted them to a few friends and houseguests.
VASTITCH Comfortable Leggings: For many of the holidays (St. Patrick’s Day, Halloween, Valentine’s Day, etc.) it’s fun to dress up. I have found the easiest way to dress up is with my exercise outfits, and it’s so easy since I found this website. Instead of trying to find decorative sweaters or T-shirts, now when I go for a run on a weekend near a Hallmark holiday, I go into my drawer and choose a color-coordinated pair of leggings. They make a perfect gift and ARE super comfortable.
ETSY for wine bags: Have you ever been going to a friend’s home for a party and want to bring a bottle of wine? You want to wrap it, and look all over for a wine bag. What’s a neutral color scheme that doesn’t look like you are reusing a wine bag from Christmas when it’s for a housewarming gift? Well check out this designer.
Etsy (an American e-commerce company focused on handmade or vintage items and craft supplies) is where many independent artists sell their wares. I was looking for personalized wine bags last year and came across this woman in Florida who makes custom-printed canvas wine bags and delivers them quickly with an incredible personal touch. Heyar (the owner), whose Etsy handle is Socialholic, is so busy that she is taking a break from new orders until January 3—but check out her offerings after the new year.
VISTAPRINT for address labels: One of the most surprising and appreciated gifts I ever received was when my dear friend Miriam sent me 10-20 postage stamps with a red heart on them! Miriam knows that I am all about love, and that I write a lot of handwritten notes, so postage stamps with a heart on them was a perfect gift for me! And we all know you can never have enough stamps handy … so, what about gifting a friend some custom-designed return address labels? Professionally printed address labels plus a page of postage stamps is the perfect gift.
I would love to learn about your favorite go-to or signature gifts. We all have them! Perhaps they are a brand of candles or stationery.
Gifts this year don’t have to be expensive, but they should come from the heart!
Enjoy!
Karen
It’s no secret that I read a lot of books. Let me correct that—I listen to a lot of books. With my 45-minute commute each way to work, I have found the perfect way to fill that time with something useful—listening to books.
In 2020, I listened to 52 books during the year and so far in 2021, I am at 84 books. I know that sounds like a lot (it is), but it is amazing that the 90 minutes of commuting each day, plus some extra time when I go to doctors’ appointments or visit friends, allows me to finish so many books. Last month, while on our cruise, I actually read three printed books, which I carried with me in my luggage.
With so many books under my belt, there are always a few standouts that I like to share with friends. So, in the hope that you’ll consider adding Audible to your mobile device or have a Kindle, here are my top recommendations from 2021 for you to consider adding to your reading list for 2022:
Autobiographies or Biographies (I love reading peoples’ stories):
Beginner’s Mind by Yo-Yo Ma. I didn’t know anything about Yo-Yo’s life history or his story. It’s a short read but really made me want to go to one of his concerts.
Ladyparts by Deborah Copaken. Through every health challenge imaginable and a lot of laughter (she’s a comedian) and positive thinking, the author narrates this book and keeps you both laughing and in amazement.
A Runner’s High: My Life in Motion by Dean Karnazes. The story of the ultramarathoning legend, I literally would find places to drive or walk while I was listening to this incredibly inspiring story so it wouldn’t stop.
Business Books:
The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right by Atul Gawande. The author is a doctor who helped create the modern operating room checklist for surgery published and promoted by the World Health Organization (WHO). Examples of checklist usage by airplane pilots and surgery doctors made me realize how important and time-saving systems and processes are.
Wheat Belly by William Davis, MD. This book has been on my list for a few years, recommended by a friend. I eliminated wheat from my diet after reading this book last month and it has helped me feel healthier, sleep better, have less aches and pains and, oh yeah, lose a few pounds.
Fiction:
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. Truth: Lisa is a personal friend of mine. I could not believe I had never read one of her books (she is a world-renowned writer and author). The storyline was fascinating about lifelong friendships and reminded me that you never know someone else’s story.
Do you have books you’d like to recommend to me? I would love that. Almost every single book on my list above was an unsolicited recommendation from a friend.
Karen
Anyone who has gone out to eat with me knows that as soon as we are seated and the server comes to our table, the first three words out of my mouth are always, “What’s your name?”
I think years ago my two daughters were embarrassed by my question. But as they have grown older and wiser, I think they agree that by asking the server’s name, you establish a closer connection.
I’ve found 100% of the time that once I know the server’s name, I find ways to use it. I thank them for taking my order, for bringing me my drink, for refilling my water, etc. And with this more authentic, personal connection—using their first name—I always get better service. My party seems to get more attention and when we leave, it feels like we had a superior experience.
Sometimes, the server will ask me my name in return! That always catches me off guard, but when they use my name when addressing me, my positive experience is significantly increased.
So, that made me think, how could other businesses or positions leverage using someone’s name?
For example, when I go to the doctor, it would make a positive difference for me if the receptionist or nurse would introduce themselves: “Hello, I’m Sandra and I am the doctor’s nurse. I will be taking you to your examination room, but first I need to get your vitals.” Surely that’s a lot better than barking out my name from the waiting room and then, after a walk down a long hallway, them indicating to me to sit down to get my blood pressure taken or get my weight.
Or, when I arrive at a restaurant, wouldn’t it enhance my experience to have the person at the host station say, “Hello Ms. Caplan, so happy to have you with us this evening. I am Thomas and I am checking to make sure your table is ready. It will be my pleasure to take you there now! Please follow me.”?
Some organizations depend on name tags to do the job. Did you know that the proper side to wear your name badge on is your RIGHT side? That’s because when shaking a person’s hand it is easiest to read a tag/label on the right. Most people put it on the left side and oftentimes it’s covered by a lapel or long hair, making it difficult to read. And don’t get me started on those companies who put no thought into the typeface size or ease of legibility on name tags. But, why depend on a name tag? I think it’s better to properly introduce yourself verbally.
I went to a small holiday party last week and there were no name tags. The gathering was in a person’s home and there were only a dozen people. But some people were new to the group and others hadn’t seen each other for a long time. Frankly, I didn’t remember everyone’s name and had to whisper to a friend and ask. I personally think that even in these kinds of personal settings, it is a gesture of kindness to your guests to prepare name tags, if only with the person’s first name, printed in large, easy-to-read lettering. Then have guests apply it on the right side.
So, the next time you go someplace, try it out. Ask the persons’ name—no matter where you are. It will make them feel more important, and you will probably have a better experience.
“A person’s name is to him or her the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” —Dale Carnegie
Karen
Earlier this week I was invited to speak to a group of about 20 female attorneys from a leading global law firm. My topic: Resilience. (The other two speakers covered mentoring and negotiating.)
At first I was a bit perplexed as to why I was asked to speak on this topic, but after thinking about it, I realized that I actually am a bit of an expert of the subject. Here is why I say that: Just read my blog posts each week—I often talk about obstacles and challenges I have faced, and how I work my way through them. I think that is resilience.
When I started my remarks to the group, I started by saying, “You might think my success in life is due to me being lucky during my life.” I gave a little background on me and my company. You know the story—mom started our company 60 years ago. She introduced the kiwifruit to American consumers. I took over at age 30. I’m now living with the love of my life and am living happily ever after.
Then I spent the next 15 minutes recounting a few of the business happenings and personal challenges I have faced in my “lucky life.”
In 1993, while I was away on a business trip, we had an ammonia leak in our refrigerated warehouse and lost our entire inventory of produce (over $1 million). Fortunately, we were able to evacuate the building promptly so no one was injured, and our insurance policy covered our loss 100%. However, during the two days we were recovering and replacing our inventory, our competitor called one of our biggest clients and told them we went out of business! We lost that client’s business permanently. Lucky?
A few years later, one of our largest clients did a dramatic pivot in their purchasing patterns (without warning) and we lost about 35% of our business volume overnight. We lost millions of dollars over the next couple of years as I attempted to “right size” our business. Lucky?
And then in my personal life, I shared that I have been married and divorced three times. Lucky?
It was a difficult journey, but I finally concluded that it was better I not ever marry again and live the rest of my life as a single woman. Of course, about two-and-a-half years ago, I had our annual dinner with my longtime business friend (who was also single after his wife of 47 years passed away). Our annual “catch up” dinner ended with a (surprise) kiss and we have been together ever since, living our lives together, as if we are married (but we are not).
Those three stories are just a few of my experiences I chose to share. And I then divulged to the group how I got through it all:
“Focus on that which you have control over.”
Instead of having a pity-party for myself each and every time I had a monumentally difficult situation, I would review the following thoughts in my head:
Do I want to be liked or do I want to be respected?It took me a while to understand and accept that being respected was most important. I could not win a popularity contest and be a successful business owner.
How I do anything is how I do everything. My business coach pointed out some bad habits I had developed. Because I am willing to honestly be introspective, I realized that my bad habits in my business life were the same bad habits I had developed in my personal life. It took a lot of courage to admit this, but once I did, I found myself repeating this to both myself and to others as a reminder. How I do any ANYTHING is how I do EVERYTHING.
I ask myself in difficult situations:What is the worst that can happen? Literally, I go to the worst place in my head. For example, when my partner Jack was diagnosed with melanoma cancer 18 months ago, I went to the worst place. And the worst place was: Jack would die tomorrow. I would be alone. Where would I live? Of course, Jack is alive and well and thriving, but thinking about the “worst” place forced me to realize how ridiculous my fears were. And going to the extreme really can be a wake-up call that the reality will likely be significantly more positive.
So, as I finished up my presentation, I asked for questions or comments. One of the more senior leaders present said this, “We are so lucky to have Karen talk with us today. She is living proof that the smile you see on a successful business person’s face does not mean everything is perfect. It shows you that we all have challenges that we work through every day. And we get through them. Even if at the moment they seem daunting and impossible, we get through them.
Yes, Karen showed us how to focus on that which we have control over. She showed us the face of resilience.”
So, the next time you are facing a difficult situation, whether at work or at home, consider these thoughts:
Do I want to be liked or be respected?
How I do anything is how I do everything.
What is the worst that can happen?
Be resilient!
Karen
In my office, I noticed a giant stack of newspapers and magazines piling up on my assistant’s desk. Turns out, we receive more than 10 paper copies of each industry newspaper, plus at least two or three copies of each magazine.
So I grabbed a stack of the 10 duplicate newspapers and walked around the office asking, “Do you want a copy of this newspaper?” The vast majority of everyone said “no thanks”, as they get a daily electronic version via email. Since my co-workers are on their computers all day long, plus many of them work remotely from their home offices, they have gotten used to reading the headlines on their computer and only clicking through on the super interesting stories for more info. I did find a few people who were interested in the physical paper, but honestly, they were the other baby boomers in my office (we have a great mix of team members in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s).
So here I was with eight copies of the industry paper and thinking, “what a waste of natural resources.” What was even weirder about this situation was that I remember cancelling all our subscriptions to these physical copies when I realized times had changed and many people found it easier just to read on online. It seems as if the publisher of these industry papers continued to send them out, probably as a way to keep their circulation numbers high.
So, this mini-experiment made me think—how many other opportunities are there to make the choice: Paper or electronic?
Airplane tickets/Boarding passes — I love getting my boarding passes on my smartphone, via the airline app. No need to print the boarding pass ahead of time or stand in line when I get to the airport to print a ticket.
Reading books on a Kindle — Many people swear by the Kindle—only one small screen to carry instead of those large, heavy, paper books.
Music — Most of us use a device for our music—but back in the day, we had to purchase cassette tapes or CDs in order to listen to our favorite music. Now, thanks to our smartphones plus wireless speakers, we can get our music anytime, any place.
Coupons — Remember clipping coupons? Now, almost all coupons can be downloaded digitally and you have them handy on your smartphone and your smart wallet.
To-do lists — I admit, I still like to make paper lists for food shopping or my things to do, but many people use the “notes” app on their phone to make those lists, or they use the list function on Amazon or Out of Milk.
Movies — Don’t get me started on the revolution in this business. First you could only see movies by going to a physical movie theater. Then, do you remember purchasing movie DVDs? After that you could rent them at Blockbuster; then Netflix started mailing them to your home. Now, we have Apple TV, Hulu, Amazon+, etc. You can get any movie, any place. And with your smartphone or tablet, you can even watch them while on an airplane.
Magazines — Okay, I’m a little old fashioned here. We get subscriptions to at least 10 monthly magazines at our home. And, yes they do pile up sometimes … but they do get read. It’s kind of fun thumbing through the magazines, ripping out pages of stories I want to share or save. I am aware that every one of these magazines also has my email address and drops a teaser headliner email too frequently into my inbox. But I can hit that delete button pretty easily.
Thank-you notes — I still hand write thank you notes—to the tune of 290 handwritten notes so far this year. Yes, that’s more than one a day! Sure, I could send a text or an email … but in the last two weeks I’ve gotten three separate emails from recipients of my handwritten thank-you notes with essentially the same comment: “I know this seems ridiculous to send you a thank-you note for the thank-you note. But thank you! You really made me feel special. And I rarely, if ever, get a paper note anymore.”
I could go on and on with examples of how my world has shifted from being paper-based to electronic. Most of these changes are for the better, but some are a definite adjustment.
Since the pendulum has swung very far to the “electronic everything,” this means you can really stand out if you do something on paper. I predict printed company brochures, magazines, and personalized stationery are making a comeback.
So, stand out!
Karen
With all my running and walking activities of late (I completed my fourth half marathon on last Saturday), I am having a bit of discomfort with my feet and my knees. So, I thought it would be best to see a podiatrist.
It’s so amazing how the universe works—as within a day or two after I mentioned this out loud, a longtime friend of mine sent me an email and randomly mentioned she was having foot issues and found a great podiatrist near where I live!
So, I immediately called the doctor’s office to set up an appointment. When the receptionist answered, the first thing I said was, “Who’s this?” That always catches people by surprise, but I have found it is important to refer to someone by name. The office manager’s name is Jan, and I thanked her for all her help in setting up my appointment for the following week.
I have a practice of always setting up any number I call for service or a business in my contacts. That’s because I’ve learned over the years that I will usually have to call them back again, and this saves me from having Post-its all around my work area, or having to remember their name, or having to look them up via Google. I also add the “label” for what kind of service they are in their Outlook contact. For example, in this case I wrote the word “podiatrist” in the contact, so if I need to call the person back, I am not having to remember the doctor’s actual name—I can just do a search in contacts for “podiatrist.” It has saved me tons of time searching for my plumber, my electrician, and even the cable company.
After I had set up the appointment, within a few days my work schedule went crazy and I suddenly had a work conflict with the doctor’s appointment.
So when I called the office to change my appointment, I said, “Hi, is this Jan?” I could tell the office manager was quite startled that I knew her by name. That’s because in addition to saving the doctor’s information in my contacts, I added the name of the person who answered the phone. I do that all the time—I add people’s spouses names, kids’ gender and ages, secretary’s name, etc. I learned long ago that the most important word to any person is their own name and recalling something about them personally always creates an instant connection.
Jan easily gave me a new appointment time. I could tell she was especially nice on the phone, as I made her feel important by using her name.
Have you ever done something similar to this? Perhaps asked a server at a restaurant their name when you are seated and then thanked them by name during your meal? Did they seem a little bit more attentive to you?
So, I hope the next time you make a new connection, that you will immediately add their name, email, number, etc. to your phone/email contacts. Believe me, it may take a little bit of extra time up front, but you will thank me later when you need to reconnect with someone.
Best practice 101.
Karen
Yesterday I was on a business trip with a coworker. Because our offices are here in California and so much of the produce we sell grows here, it is easy to drive (or in our case, fly) to visit a few growers in a single day.
As we were driving back to the airport, I thanked my coworker for driving (it was about 250 miles round trip). He said, “No problem!”
I kind of gulped when he said that. Whenever I hear the words “no problem,” I am reminded of an important lesson I learned a few years ago.
A friend of mine pointed out that when we say the words “no problem,” we are actually projecting two negative words: “no” and “problem.” However, when we say “no problem,” it usually is because someone has thanked us for doing something, and instead of saying “you’re welcome,” we want to make it sound like it wasn’t a big deal, so we say “no problem.”
It reminds me of learning basic French. The word for thank you in French is “merci.” To respond to “merci,” you are taught to say the casual response of “de rien” (which literally translated means “for nothing”).
So, I offered an alternative answer to my coworker. I suggested that next time someone thanks him for something, how about saying “my pleasure.” He smiled at me and agreed to try it and see how it felt.
We pulled up to a gas station on our journey home and he got out to put gas in the car. I said, “Thanks for filling up the car with gas!” He paused, stuck his head back in the car, and said with a smile, “my pleasure.”
He agreed that it felt so much better.
And, it actually made ME feel better.
So, next time someone says “thank you,” resist the temptation to say “no problem.” Consider saying, “It was my pleasure!”
Karen
Do you have survey fatigue? You know what I mean—you make a large purchase (a car), buy something online (clothing) or call an airline or credit card company to dispute a charge, and within minutes you receive a survey via email. A few years ago those surveys were few and far between, they now seem to fill up our email in-boxes.
Many of my friends and family members tell me they don’t waste their time completing the surveys—partially because it takes time, and partially because they don’t think it makes a difference.
I’ve always been a firm believer that there is a human at the end of a survey and that if I have important or meaningful feedback to share, then I make the time to respond.
So that’s what happened to me a couple of weeks ago, after I attended a golf club fitting hosted by TaylorMade Golf at my local golf course. The club sent out the announcement, and I reserved the 30-minute time slot online. The timing was perfect for me, as there are two specific clubs that I was looking to purchase.
When I arrived at the golf club and walked up to the pop-up tent to test the clubs, I was greeted by two twentysomethings: a man and a woman. The woman was fairly personable, but all the guy did was look at his electronic tablet when I walked up and the first thing out of his mouth was, “I have another appointment at 11:00 a.m., so we need to hurry up.”
I looked at my watch and said, “Well, that means I still have 11 minutes to try out the clubs and make my choice!” The guy was annoyed (full disclosure—my partner Jack was there at 10:30 a.m. for his fitting and we shared the time slot, so I was within the time slot).
I tested a couple of styles of clubs, but obviously felt quite rushed and hastily made my decision to purchase. Afterward, I kept thinking that next time I would rather go to a golf store where I would not be so rushed, versus the convenience of a fitting at the golf course where I play.
Then came an email survey the next day. I was ready for it! I immediately completed it, explaining how it was not a great experience for me. What happened next was a huge surprise.
Within a few days, I received a personal email from another local TaylorMade representative who acknowledged my fitting experience and “wanted to make sure every fitting feels personal and you leave with a sense of satisfaction in your experience.” He offered to do a refitting at another local course.
Wow—I was impressed! I let him know that unfortunately my schedule would not allow me the time to have another fitting, but thanked him for reaching out. And then, the real kicker.
I received another email from him this morning. “Hey Karen—I am more than happy to drop off some golf balls and hats for the inconvenience. Please send me your address so I can deliver the swag. I also looked over your order, and it looks like the wedges you ordered are fairly backordered. I can switch them out for you for a similar shaft, and they will ship in September. Let me know if you would like me to make the change.”
Double wow! This customer experiential expert turned my awful incident and complaint into an experience that made me feel special and happy again! How did that happen so quickly?
First, he acknowledged my feedback in a timely fashion. He then let me know my personal satisfaction was important to him and the company and suggested some options to me.
He didn’t take “no” for an answer (as I really did give him a brush off with my first response). He gently responded with another option or two with kindness and authenticity and was not defensive, plus the offer of swag.
So, next time you have feedback to give, remember that there may be a human at the other end of the survey.
Or, if you are the company representative where a customer has had a less-than-stellar experience, responding quickly and authentically and offering some kind of replacement may make a difference. It’s important NOT to make excuses or defend your organization. Acknowledge the error flat out. That authentic humility goes a long way in this day and age.
So now, when you get a survey via email, perhaps you will take the time to give your feedback.
And of course, I cannot wait to get my new golf clubs. Crossing my fingers that I will be 100% satisfied. Or else, I’ll be contacting my new best friend Mike at TaylorMade.
Karen
Last week I took a couple of days of vacation and we went golfing about 20 miles away as a mini-vacation. I took up golfing almost exactly a year ago and have been playing about four times a month. The course we play at is pretty challenging, but like my partner Jack says—if you can play Bella Collina with its uneven lies, huge hills and rippling greens, you can play anywhere.
So, we decided to play at two of the Top 100 Golf Courses in the U.S.—Pelican Hill Golf Club (North and South Courses) in Newport Beach, Calif.
But this column is not really about golf, but rather about the amazing couple we played with on our second day. And how all four of our lives were changed forever.
It’s always a bit unnerving when you play golf as a twosome, as you never know who you will be matched up with. On most golf courses, you are matched up with another twosome, having no idea if your skill level is similar. Our first day, we were matched up with an older couple from San Diego. Neither were in good health, the man drank a couple of Bloody Mary’s instead of eating lunch, and their scoring was questionable. Needless to say, when we came to the course the second day, we were holding our breath as to who would be our golfing partners.
On that second day, we were matched up with another couple, Nick and Debbie. Nick approached us first, as we were sitting in our golf cart. He was fit, had a distinctive New Jersey accent and a big smile. Right away we hit it off with him. He looked at me and said his wife Debbie would be relieved to know that we were playing with another couple, as she always dreaded when she was the only woman in a foursome.
Then Debbie approached us. Again, she was fit, had that engaging Jersey accent, but was kind of reserved and quiet. She told me she has been playing golf for more than 10 years—so I warned her that I was just a beginner (wanting to set expectations in case I was not having a good golf day). Turns out Nick and Debbie had just completed a 3-day golf camp in the San Diego area and were apprehensive about how they would now play, after 3 days of a golf instructor “messing with their grip and stance”!
I noticed right away that Nick and my partner Jack hit it off. As we finished up each hole, the two of them would stay behind on the green chatting. In fact, their conversations got longer and longer as we moved through each hole, and it got to the point that I was a bit annoyed. So, I said something to Jack.
Then he told me what they were talking about. Debbie had just completed four months of chemotherapy for cancer treatment after several serious surgeries. Jack couldn’t remember what kind of cancer it was, but Nick was confiding in Jack about how he was feeling, how difficult it had been to tell their six children about her illness, and how much he loved his wife. This extended golfing vacation was to allow them to spend time together doing something they both loved—golfing together. Jack could relate—he lost his wife of 47 years, Bonnie, to pancreatic cancer about four years ago. Once Jack told me that, I said to myself, “You never know someone’s story.”
So as Nick and Jack were chatting during golf, I decided to make it easy for Debbie to open up to me. I shared with her about Jack’s diagnosis of melanoma and that he had just completed his second of eight infusions of Keytruda that week. As I told her about Jack’s fantastic and positive mental attitude, she started to talk to me. By the end of the round, we invited Nick and Debbie to come to our house for wine and dinner on Saturday before they flew home Monday morning.
We were so excited to have Nick and Debbie come to our house. We both realized that our being matched up on the golf course was kismet (fate). When they arrived, it was as if we were lifelong friends. We had an amazing evening of wine, conversation and upscale pizza. (Nick is Italian, so we took him to our favorite San Clemente Italian restaurant Brick Woodfire Cuisine for authentic, handmade pizza.)
As the evening progressed, Debbie and I had a chance to talk privately and she made a few comments about her honest worries about her surgery, her chemo and her health. I took the opportunity to share with her how Jack’s positive attitude and almost effervescent commentary about his own health and prognosis really fueled his energy, and I believe his recovery. I told Debbie that both Jack and I were big believers in being positive and how saying only positive words and having only positive thoughts really does make a difference. I could tell by her reaction that this made a difference for her.
As they were leaving our home, we all hugged each other and talked about when we would come to visit them in New Jersey during our next visit to the East Coast. Debbie whispered to me, thanking me for giving her such a positive message about her future.
The next morning we received a text from them: “Karen & Jack … it feels like we’ve known you for decades. Hard to believe it’s only been ~72 hours. Thanks again …”
Next time you notice someone not having a good day, remember: “You never know someone’s story.” Ask questions and show empathy.
When you are feeling sorry for yourself, or negative feelings are going through your head, remember: you are sending negative energy into the universe. Why not send positive energy and thoughts out there? They will work harder for you.
The next time you have the opportunity to make new friends or meet new people, just think, you might be making lifelong friends and having an opportunity to make a positive impact on their life!
