Building a Winning Team
Written for the Retail Merchants of Hawaii Newsletter

When we think of team building, it is often associated with helping our employees work together more effectively.  I challenge you to broaden that perspective and think of team building as strengthening relationships with your employees and your customers.  After all, there are 3 key players in any successful business:  quality products/services, willing employees, and customer advocates.

On May 8, 2002, over 100 retailers gathered together and viewed FISH! ™ (created by Charthouse Learning Company).  FISH!™ tells us the story of how the Pike Place Fishmongers implemented a simple service philosophy and built a winning team.  Here is their magic formula:  play, be there, make their day, and choose your attitude.   While the video is always exciting, the most compelling part of our time together was when we sat down and shared ideas on how we could bring the FISH! ™ Philosophy to life in our own organizations.  Here are some of the ideas generated by the participants:

Play

Play and Work have become two mutually exclusive worlds. When we blend these two worlds together it becomes a magical experience for both the employee and the customer.  Time goes by faster and customers have a memorable experience.

• Have contests (i.e. identify who’s who by a baby picture or a picture of their feet).    
• Customer bingo:  Give each person a bingo card with random names on it.  As you service your customers, check to see if you have their name on your card and mark it off if you do.  The first person to get a bingo wins.    
• Re-title yourself: Brendan Barry of Bead It! gave himself the title of CEO and Janitor.      
• Play with your merchandise (i.e. if you sell Frisbees, why not toss them around?)    
• Have theme days (i.e. ugliest shirt day, everyone wear orange day, etc.)

Make Their Day

So many times we tell someone to “have a nice day”.  What does that really mean?  “I hope you get a nice day.  I am not the one who is going to give it to you.”   Why don’t YOU  be the person that Makes Your Customer’s Day ?   

• Bring snacks and flowers from your garden for co-workers.    
• Compliment people on work well done, don’t just scold them for work undone.    
• Give a coin to someone who needs one.    
• Let someone go ahead of you in the supermarket line.    
• Review the type of merchandise your customer is trying on and suggest similar items to them.    
• Write a thank you note to someone who does a good deed.    
• Write a note to someone’s supervisor informing them of a great job performed by one of their team members.    
• On the freeway, let someone into your lane    
• Stop pointing, start escorting.    
• Offer to do a project for a colleague when they are overwhelmed with work.

Be There

Being there is more than just showing up for work.  It is actively looking for moments to interact and listen to your customers and colleagues.  Listen for facts and emotions. 

• Use good eye contact.    
• Focus on the current customer, while ackno