“What if I am that person’s only interaction with another human being for a whole week? What would I like them to remember about me?”

See, here’s what happens when you start asking “What if.”

You start thinking about the possibilities and not the limitations.

Without “What if” there can never be a “What is.”

This also helps you focus on the other person, not yourself.

You can apply this question to any part of your daily life. And once you do, your mind begins to open doors that were previously closed.

Now, with anything there is a risk. You may ask the question and still have an unpleasant experience or result regardless. So what.

It started with me thinking that a lot of people may be feeling that they have been “sentenced” to spend their life in Customer Service. And I started thinking “How very sad for them” that they don’t see the real potential there is for a lifelong career and how rewarding that really is.

Now, some of you that know me would say that there were several times in my life that I did not see it that way at all. Yep, it happened to me too. I lost my objectivity.

There were also moments that I questioned my sanity, and I was sure that the root of all evil had to be the Customers and Employees I was working with.

I became a serious Schleprock. If there was a bad experience waiting to happen, all I had to do was show up, and it was sure to find me. As far as I could see there were nothing but idiots and morons and they were all trying to ruin my day.

Not what has this got to do with anything you might ask? Hmmmm?

It just that as a recovering Schleprock, (the steps are the same, starting with acknowledgement), I had to learn a few new skills to help me get through each and every day. And it starts with asking “What if” questions.

Let me illustrate.

“What if this upset Customer that is standing in front of me has only one experience this day with a human being, and that person is me?”

“What if I have only one chance to make this person my friend, what will I say and how will I act?”

“What if there were no tomorrow for me, would I look back on how I have served in this position with pride?”

“What if the next time I see this employee/customer/friend/person and his/her family I am standing next to them at his/her gravesite?”

“What if I was to listen to this person completely, without judgment and filters, could I really understand what they are trying to say?”

“What if I did give this person a raise?”

“What if I were to train everyone in basic skill sets, would I see an increase in Customer Satisfaction? And just as importantly, would I see an increase in Employee Satisfaction?”

“What if I really applied myself and learned everything I could about what I do, and just adopted one new idea a month?”

“What if I was to sit down with everyone who is responsible for taking care of the assets (our Customers) we worked so hard to get, and asked them what they think?”

“What if I followed through on action statements, recommendations, mission statements and promises? What would my career look like? What would my Department look like? What would my life look like?”

“What if I were to greet every person I meet for one full month with a smile, and a warm greeting?”

“What if I am that person’s only interaction with another human being for a whole week? What would I like them to remember about me?”

See, here’s what happens when you start asking “What if.”

You start thinking about the possibilities and not the limitations.

Without “What if” there can never be a “What is.”

This also helps you focus on the other person, not yourself.

You can apply this question to any part of your daily life. And once you do, your mind begins to open doors that were previously closed.

Now, with anything there is a risk. You may ask the question and still have an unpleasant experience or result regardless. So what.

Y

I became a serious Schleprock. If there was a bad experience waiting to happen, all I had to do was show up, and it was sure to find me. As far as I could see there were nothing but idiots and morons and they were all trying to ruin my day.

Not what has this got to do with anything you might ask? Hmmmm?

It just that as a recovering Schleprock, (the steps are the same, starting with acknowledgement), I had to learn a few new skills to help me get through each and every day. And it starts with asking “What if” questions.

Let me illustrate.

“What if this upset Customer that is standing in front of me has only one experience this day with a human being, and that person is me?”

“What if I have only one chance to make this person my friend, what will I say and how will I act?”

“What if there were no tomorrow for me, would I look back on how I have served in this position with pride?”

“What if the next time I see this employee/customer/friend/person and his/her family I am standing next to them at his/her gravesite?”

“What if I was to listen to this person completely, without judgment and filters, could I really understand what they are trying to say?”

“What if I did give this person a raise?”

“What if I were to train everyone in basic skill sets, would I see an increase in Customer Satisfaction? And just as importantly, would I see an increase in Employee Satisfaction?”

“What if I really applied myself and learned everything I could about what I do, and just adopted one new idea a month?”

“What if I was to sit down with everyone who is responsible for taking care of the assets (our Customers) we worked so hard to get, and asked them what they think?”

“What if I followed through on action statements, recommendations, mission statements and promises? What would my career look like? What would my Department look like? What would my life look like?”

“What if I were to greet every person I meet for one full month with a smile, and a warm greeting?”

“What if I am that person’s only interaction with another human being for a whole week? What would I like them to remember about me?”

See, here’s what happens when you start asking “What if.”

You start thinking about the possibilities and not the limitations.

Without “What if” there can never be a “What is.”

This also helps you focus on the other person, not yourself.

You can apply this question to any part of your daily life. And once you do, your mind begins to open doors that were previously closed.

Now, with anything there is a risk. You may ask the question and still have an unpleasant experience or result regardless. So what.

“What if I have only one chance to make this person my friend, what will I say and how will I act?”

“What if there were no tomorrow for me, would I look back on how I have served in this position with pride?”

“What if the next time I see this employee/customer/friend/person and his/her family I am standing next to them at his/her gravesite?”

“What if I was to listen to this person completely, without judgment and filters, could I really understand what they are trying to say?”

“What if I did give this person a raise?”

“What if I were to train everyone in basic skill sets, would I see an increase in Customer Satisfaction? And just as importantly, would I see an increase in Employee Satisfaction?”

“What if I really applied myself and learned everything I could about what I do, and just adopted one new idea a month?”

“What if I was to sit down with everyone who is responsible for taking care of the assets (our Customers) we worked so hard to get, and asked them what they think?”

“What if I followed through on action statements, recommendations, mission statements and promises? What would my career look like? What would my Department look like? What would my life look like?”

“What if I were to greet every person I meet for one full month with a smile, and a warm greeting?”

“What if I am that person’s only interaction with another human being for a whole week? What would I like them to remember about me?”

See, here’s what happens when you start asking “What if.”

You start thinking about the possibilities and not the limitations.

Without “What if” there can never be a “What is.”

This also helps you focus on the other person, not yourself.

You can apply this question to any part of your daily life. And once you do, your mind begins to open doors that were previously closed.

Now, with anything there is a risk. You may ask the question and still have an unpleasant experience or result regardless. So what.

“What if I really applied myself and learned everything I could about what I do, and just adopted one new idea a month?”

“What if I was to sit down with everyone who is responsible for taking care of the assets (our Customers) we worked so hard to get, and asked them what they think?”

“What if I followed through on action statements, recommendations, mission statements and promises? What would my career look like? What would my Department look like? What would my life look like?”

“What if I were to greet every person I meet for one full month with a smile, and a warm greeting?”

“What if I am that person’s only interaction with another human being for a whole week? What would I like them to remember about me?”

See, here’s what happens when you start asking “What if.”

You start thinking about the possibilities and not the limitations.

Without “What if” there can never be a “What is.”

This also helps you focus on the other person, not yourself.

You can apply this question to any part of your daily life. And once you do, your mind begins to open doors that were previously closed.

Now, with anything there is a risk. You may ask the question and still have an unpleasant experience or result regardless. So what.

“What if I am that person’s only interaction with another human being for a whole week? What would I like them to remember about me?”

See, here’s what happens when you start asking “What if.”

You start thinking about the possibilities and not the limitations.

Without “What if” there can never be a “What is.”

This also helps you focus on the other person, not yourself.

You can apply this question to any part of your daily life. And once you do, your mind begins to open doors that were previously closed.

Now, with anything there is a risk. You may ask the question and still have an unpleasant experience or result regardless. So what.

You would have anyways.

Think of it this way. If you are not asking “What if”, what are you asking?

Maybe “When am I ever going to get out of this” or “Why is everything always happening to me” or “How come everybody else…..?” Sounds a little like someone is calling the waaaaaaambulance doesn’t it?

So, get your head on right. Make a decision to start doing something about it. 1. Start by asking “What if” about everything you do. 2. Take note of what does and does not work. Not every idea is brilliant. If it works, keep doing it until it doesn’t. 3. Be willing to take a little risk. If you are always playing it safe, you will never score and always be dependent on someone else to help you.

And if you still feel like you have been sentenced, parole yourself. If you don’t like Customer Service, get out of it. Stop wasting everyone’s time including your own, and find something that you want to do. You will be a better person and have a better life.

Me, Glad to be here! Hope you are enjoying the articles.