And The Difference is... Attitude

I returned a rental car at an airport yesterday. As the person who was going to check me in approached, he smiled (which shocked me) and said, "Hello Mr. Galler," which shocked me further as I don't have a clue how he knew my name ? obviously there was some way of identifying my car, and therefore me, at a distance. "How was your trip; was everything OK with your car?" he inquired in a friendly, personal tone. "Everything was fine I replied" "Great ? I hope we'll see you back soon. There is some bottled water in the cooler over there for you" he said as he directed me towards the shuttle bus to the terminal.

As I made my way out of the facility, two more staffers greeted me, not in the impersonal manner of an automaton, but as if they really cared whether I had a good experience with their product, that they sincerely wanted me to return.

As I sat on the shuttle bus I considered my experience. Their product and price is about the same as their competitors. Why should I choose one car rental company over another? Simple, their attitude!

They impressed me with their attitude ? one of caring service, friendliness, helpfulness, and respectful courtesy. I noticed that corporate attitude on a trip over a year ago and have used this company a number of times since. I will continue to use them when I need to rent a car assuming they continue their wonderful attitude and competitive value.

Where does that attitude come from? It must be intentional, starting with top management. Certainly it doesn't come from each individual employee because I have observed the same attitude at other branches of the company and I have seen an opposite attitude at many other competing companies. That positive, friendly, helpful attitude has to come right from the top. They intentionally hire people who can express that attitude, they train them to deliver that attitude, and that attitude is shown at branches throughout their system. Customer loyalty based on their service and their attitude is growing the company. Your company can do the same if your management starts with an intentional attitude that makes the difference.

Larry Galler coaches and consults with high-performance executives, professionals, and small businesses since 1993. He is the writer of the long-running (every Sunday since November 2001) business column, "Front Lines with Larry Galler" Sign up for his newsletter at http://www.larrygaller.com

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Google News Updated : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 11:51:06 GMT Japan says will tap FX reserve if IMF steps up bailout - Reuters Voice of America Japan says will tap FX reserve if IMF steps up bailout Reuters - 6 hours ago WASHINGTON, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Japan said on Saturday it is ready to offer a part of its $1 trillion foreign reserves to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) if the multi-national lender is to support countries facing economic crisis. Video: IMF: Timing right for G7 ReutersVideo IMF Calls for Aggressive Response to Crisis New York Times Bloomberg - MarketWatch - Financial Times - Voice of America all 2,310 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 05:32:02 GMT ARM Holders Would Do Well to Shop Around Now - Washington Post Sify ARM Holders Would Do Well to Shop Around Now Washington Post - 4 hours ago By Nancy Trejos The global financial crisis has affected virtually every aspect of personal finance, from mortgages to student loans to credit cards to retirement savings. Finance giants reportedly ordered to buy $40 bln of mortgage bonds ... MarketWatch Fannie, Freddie to Buy $40 Billion a Month of Troubled Assets Bloomberg The Miami Herald - Orlando Sentinel - Sunday Paper - San Jose Mercury News all 227 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 07:07:17 GMT Many homers, and pitches, in Game 2 - MLB.com Los Angeles Times Many homers, and pitches, in Game 2 MLB.com - 2 hours ago By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com ST. PETERSBURG -- Five hours and 27 minutes elapsed during Saturday's American League Championship Series Game 2, bookending the moments when Scott Kazmir threw the game's first pitch over home plate and BJ Upton popped its ... Up, up, and away Boston Globe Mike Timlin shoulders blame Boston Herald Los Angeles Times - Washington Times - Tampa Tribune - ESPN all 495 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 09:22:57 GMT Van driver's work in Mass. aided Nobel winners - Boston Globe Boston Globe Van driver's work in Mass. aided Nobel winners Boston Globe - 7 hours ago HUNTSVILLE, Ala.—When two American scientists won a Nobel Prize this week in chemistry, the driver of a car dealership's courtesy van had reason to take special interest. Video: Nobel Chemistry Prize Goes for Jellyfish Protein AssociatedPress The Daily Yomiuri - The Associated Press - Ars Technica - New York Times all 1,253 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 04:14:18 GMT Theatrical Review of Body of Lies - DVDTOWN.com Theatrical Review of Body of Lies DVDTOWN.com - 11 hours ago By Jason P. Vargo "Body of Lies" is a certain type of movie designed for a certain type of moviegoer. I think the tagline describes the movie perfectly, actually. Will 'Chihuahua' take a bite out of 'Body of Lies'? Los Angeles Times Body of Lies Entertainment Weekly E! Online - San Francisco Chronicle - Reuters - Washington Post all 1,041 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 00:19:39 GMT McCain campaign's tone likened to George Wallace's - Newsday Malaysia Star McCain campaign's tone likened to George Wallace's Newsday - 2 hours ago WASHINGTON - Rep. John Lewis, a Georgia Democrat and veteran of the civil rights movement, says the negative tone of the Republican presidential campaign reminds him of the hateful atmosphere segregationist Gov. McCain in 'hatred' war of words BBC News Obama thanks, jabs at McCain Chicago Tribune New York Times - Los Angeles Times - Reuters - AFP all 404 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 09:27:11 GMT American space tourist blasts off in Soyuz rocket - The Associated Press Washington Post American space tourist blasts off in Soyuz rocket The Associated Press - 39 minutes ago BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan (AP) - A Soyuz spacecraft with two Americans and a Russian on board lifted off from Kazakhstan on Sunday for the international space station. Space Toilet Fixed – For Now eFluxMedia Russia launches spacecraft with sixth space tourist China Daily KGAN - MarketWatch - Spaceflight Now - USA Today all 615 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 11:11:37 GMT RSS to Blog RSS Software

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