How to Create a Culture of Enthusiasm that Drives Repeat and Referred Business Opportunities

The following is the lead article from the September 2011 edition of my Buzz Bulletin eNewsletter (subscribe for free here to get monthly stories, tips and strategies for building your business with word of mouth marketing):

In a previous newsletter, I stated that enthusiasm is crucial for business success yet is often lacking. I must have hit a nerve since the article elicited more responses than any other I've written over the past three years. Readers agreed with my argument, and one asked an interesting question: "How do you create a 'culture of enthusiasm' in the workplace?" 

Here are some approaches that have worked for me and others:

Hire enthusiastic people. As an employer, I never succeeded in turning an employee who was just punching a clock into a great customer service provider. That's why I always checked references. When I interviewed an applicant's previous employers, I asked questions about the individual's level of enthusiasm and used this information to make my hiring decisions.

Create opportunities for employees to experience a lack of enthusiasm. In my family's furniture business, we had new hires shop our competitors as if they were furniture buyers. The unenthusiastic customer service that our trainees received left a distasteful impression. This shopping exercise motivated our staff to serve customers with enthusiasm because they knew that it made people feel good and would improve their sales.  

Catch people in the act of being enthusiastic. Many business owners don't give employees timely feedback and save their evaluations for quarterly or annual reviews. I liked catching my sales people treating customers right and rewarding their behavior with a heartfelt thank you and an offer to take them out to lunch. I discovered that such an immediate response was the best way to boost employee enthusiasm.  

Make the workplace fun. On "This American Life," host Ira Glass interviewed Cole Lindbergh of Worlds of Fun Amusement Park. Cole had a season pass to the park as a little kid and started working summers there at age 14. Today, Cole is a full-time year-round employee running the games department. Listen to the podcast to learn the innovative techniques that Cole uses for raising the levels of employee enthusiasm which can work for many types of businesses.   

Measure and reward enthusiasm. With free or low-cost online survey tools like SurveyMonkey and Zoomerang, there's no reason to be left guessing whether your employees are serving your customers with enthusiasm. For instance, in an online survey after a sale, you might ask customers "On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate the enthusiasm with which your sales person answered your questions?" By monitoring results, you'll know whether enthusiasm is rising or falling. Consider offering a monthly award like a restaurant certificate or Amazon gift certificate to the salesperson who attains the best overall score for enthusiasm.  

By creating a culture of enthusiasm, you will enjoy greater prosperity and a happier workplace while giving customers a reason to come back and refer their friends. 

How are you creating a "culture of enthusiasm" in your business? I'd love to share your approach with others!

Comments

[Nina Cooper]

I loved that This American Life segment too. Very inspiring! I thought the young man who didn't know what he would do for a career after he left the Amusement Park might have a bright future at Zappos!

[Nina Cooper]

Yoga Fridays at our office. Fun and healthy! And the two small dogs running around make us laugh all day!

[Patrick Galvin]

Thanks for dropping by the blog and commenting, Nina. When we visited your office, I remember your employees having a lot of enthusiasm for their work at Nina Designs. Little did I know that yoga played a role. It's good inspiration for me since I've been meaning to restart yoga.