Life Lessons

Can Your Assisted Living Use Honest Eyes I would like to share a best practice for Assisted Living or any business. I have always valued two opportunities to collect raw, unbiased feedback. The first time I visit an Assisted Living, Retirement campus or any business I write down my initial impressions as I drive up and also take a few minutes to journal my first impressions before I leave the parking lot. I've learned over the years with each visit to a community my ability to capture the initial detailed observations fade. I also ask every person during their initial visit (vendor, family, interviewee ) to share their honest 1st impressions with me. It allows me a perpetual fresh set of eyes, ears, noses and perceptions. I understand that each visitor will tell their friends, family and coworkers about their experience. All business can benefit from this exercise. Recently more of my clients outside of the Assisted Living or Senior Living industry are requesting this t...

What Message Are You Sending? I recently overheard a family conversation about the men my niece was dating. It reminded me of an extremely powerful challenge we face personally and professionally. The conversation went like this; "she doesn't like any of them. I don't understand her, one is an attorney, one is an accountant and the other one is in Pharmacy school". "What's wrong with her?". If you're in the nursing home or assisted living business you are aware how this same phenomenon affects business. Some perceptions / expectations are cultural others are based on word of mouth, some on visible impressions. The fact is every person and business has one or perhaps many perceptions to manage. If they accurately reflect you or your business, use them. If they don't, manage them the best you can. Understanding how you are perceived is critical for success: business or personal. Understanding why is even more important. I rec...

What is the Value of your Service?  The weekend newspaper seems to contain more sales inserts than actual news. My family members always gravitate to them, so they must be effective for certain retail products. Over the years when an Assisted Living or Independent Living community begins to struggle with occupancy, price discounting is the first topic of conversation. Frankly the thought of lowering the price of a quality product or service makes me sick. A decrease in your sales or occupancy is normally symptomatic of quality or service delivery problems. Around 2006 I was managing an Assisted Living Community located in Mooresville , North Carolina owned by Pulliam Investment s . The community was led by an amazing Executive Director who created a team of associates dedicated to providing the best service possible. The community was the price leader in the market and remained full. A new competitor was about to open and our pricing strategy was to continue premium pric...

Improve Customer Retention My entire organization works hard to produce and promote a wonderful service. I am a sales person. I work months overcoming objections, building a trust relationship, actively listening, showing sincere interest, being the face of my company, establishing expectations and creating a special bond. I remember a time when when our customer retention was declining.  There was a noticeable difference in customer attitudes, an increase in their complaints but never anything specific. I felt our trust relationship slipping. I was going through a divorce at the time and thought my distractions may have been the cause. While researching the leading causes of divorce, I had one those "WOW" moments.   According to enrichment journal on the divorce rate in America: The divorce rate in America for first marriage is 41% The divorce rate in America for second marriage is 60% The divorce rate in America for third ma...

Customer Loyalty Close your eyes, play some relaxing music and imagine your employees were like this. My name is Passion. I used to work for the sake of work – a paycheck, something to do. But these days, work has become an extension of who I am. It's my way of changing the world, to make it the kind of place we want to live in. Its my purpose, it's what I believe in, my passion. My teammates and I are 100% driven to delight our customers. I get a great deal of pleasure and a sense of accomplishment from moving my department and my company forward. My company knows I will do the right thing. I feel like a partner. I have a spirit to serve. I care about my team, company and customer. I take the initiative. I anticipate my customers needs. I enjoy people. Learning is important to me. I'm human and need to feel appreciated. It doesn't take allot. Ask me and I'll tell you. Say thank you, remember my birthday, make me laugh, feed me occasion...

Customer Service Apple recognized the power of Ritz Carlton's Mojo. If you want to gain a competitive advantage, improve service and create a winning team, follow this link. Ritz Mojo Rick D Watkins About Me

Assisted Living Advantage The 12th man or 12th player is a term for the fans within a stadium during football games. As most football leagues allow a maximum of eleven players per team on the playing field at a time, referring to a team's fans as the 12th man implies that they have a potentially helpful role in the game. The presence of fans can have a profound impact on how the team performs, an element in the home field advantage.  Sports teams have a greater chance of winning whenever they play at home. Gamblers use a home field factor to establish odds in many sports. A study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology quantifies the home field advantage by sport. I believe the home field advantage in many sales environments is more powerful than any sport in any arena. You have the opportunity to create the specific emotions driving the purchase decision through control of the physical and sensory elements. This is critical since baby boomers first impress...