Great Customer Service Means Gettin' Comfy with PMMFI!

Want that warm and fuzzy feeling you get from doing something awesome? Swing on by - we appreciate you!

In this episode of Grossly Competent, Steve and Patrick do a deep dive into the world of PMMFI (pronounced Pum-Fee), a concept introduced and made infamous by Mark Kay Ash of Mary Kay Cosmetics. Specifically, the boys discuss real interactions they've expereinced with PMMFI, organizations that do it well, and how providing great customer service is so much more than just saying the 'customer is always right', it's about empathy, small gestures, and perhaps envisioning a wooden sign around everyone's neck that proposes a simple concept: Please Make Me Feel Important.

Oh... you want links? Well here! Have some links!

• PMMFI - Please Make Me Feel Important
• Right Thing, Right Now by Ryan Holiday
• This Used to Be My Playground - Madonna

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:29

Hello and welcome to Grossly Competent, the learning, development, and adulting podcast that doesn't claim to be pretty, no. But we'll happily pretend to be slightly competent. I am your host, Steve Council, and I'm joined by my co-host, a man so hideous, he makes fish close their eyes, Mr. Patrick Ayleshire.

SPEAKER_05 0:51

That's a good one. I mean, fish don't even close their eyes, and I make them close their eyes.

SPEAKER_00 0:57

Yeah. Uh that burn, by the way, is brought to you by my son.

SPEAKER_04 1:04

What?

SPEAKER_00 1:07

I asked him, I go, hey, bud, what's a good way for me to say that Mr. Patrick is ugly without saying he's ugly? And I kid you, he's like, what animal is there that doesn't close its eyes? Because you could say something like, you're so ugly that you make it close its eyes. I'm like, looks like we need to find out what animal doesn't close its eyes. And we found out fish don't. So your burn is brought to you by my 10-year-old son.

SPEAKER_06 1:44

Well played.

SPEAKER_00 1:46

Mm-hmm. Well you can beat him up in a month when you see him. Or not even two weeks. A week.

SPEAKER_05 1:54

A week.

SPEAKER_00 1:55

Oh, yeah, like a week. I'm sorry, yeah. Dang. Uh anyway.

SPEAKER_05 1:59

The countdown is on. Hey, hook. Nine more sleeps, buddy.

SPEAKER_00 2:05

It's like a countdown to Christmas. Nine more sleeps until you get a knuckle sandwich from Mr. Patrick. We do not condone violence on the Grossly Competent Podcast, especially against children.

SPEAKER_05 2:19

Well, Steve, you can actually hear Steve building the sentence while he's inside it. I don't even know what that one means.

SPEAKER_00 2:31

You can hear me building the sentence in my head.

SPEAKER_05 2:34

I think while you're trying to craft it, it's like the wheels are turning. The wheels are turning. That one was brought to my dog, which she doesn't speak English, so.

SPEAKER_00 2:44

Wow, what a what a deep burn.

unknown 2:49

Jeez.

SPEAKER_00 2:51

Wow.

SPEAKER_05 2:52

Anyway, I should re I should really proofread my thoughts before I put them down on a paper.

SPEAKER_00 2:59

Anyway, people don't want to listen to us giggle back and forth like school children. What they want to hear, Mr. Patrick. Is who is our sponsor of the week?

SPEAKER_05 3:14

This is a sponsor that I have been fully dedicated to for probably 15 years. This show is supported by we should get together sometime. No date, no follow-up, just vibes. We should get together sometime. Friendship hypothetically.

SPEAKER_00 3:42

Wow. Thanks. Big we should get together sometime. Uh now all those times you've said it to me, it makes so much sense.

SPEAKER_05 3:56

Not only hypothetical hangouts over the years, but how many trips and vacations and weekend getaways that have that are non-existent that have been planned in the moment.

SPEAKER_00 4:10

Yeah, uh I yeah, I'm guilty as charged on that. I feel like I have oddly enough gotten better over the years. Um yeah, but this I I I get it, man. I we're all guilty, let's be honest, right? Like we've all pulled this one out of our back pocket. And maybe the intent is pure, but I don't know. Well, Mr. Patrick, I uh I have a little surprise for you. I thought I would do something a little fun.

SPEAKER_05 4:41

You're leaving the podcast.

SPEAKER_00 4:43

No. That is not fun. That would cause everybody to weep with sadness because I feel like I really contribute. No, I'm gonna play this song right here.

SPEAKER_05 4:56

Is that Madonna? Can't play Madonna.

SPEAKER_00 4:59

I don't know what that was. I just heard somebody dinging on something. That no, that was definitely not Madonna. Like, come on, dude. We can't do that. We will be Whoa, whoa, what? Whoa, whoa! Hey, hey, hey, Madonna. That was an accident. Don't hate the player, hate the game. Okay. Sorry. No, that wasn't my surprise. Um, what listeners out there don't know is that for some really weird reason, Patrick and I got into this chat about Madonna before we started recording.

SPEAKER_05 5:34

For much longer than probably necessary.

SPEAKER_00 5:37

Uh, it all started because I made a reference to this used to be my playground. Um, that is a song, if you're not familiar from uh with it. Um, you can watch the like music video uh on the A League of Their Own disc. So um yeah, yeah, it's pretty great. No, um, this is kind of a weird thing. Um, well, everything that we do on here is weird, or at least I do. Um I was reading something earlier this week um talking about surnames, like last names, right? And like how um a lot of individuals their last names have um etymological or like historical reference to like um occupations or like where they were located or stuff like that, right? And that got me thinking, like, oh, it's been a hot minute, and I remember doing this in I think high school or maybe late elementary school, like looking that up. Like, what does my last name mean? What does my first name mean? Like uh you're saying like Johnson, son of John. Sure.

SPEAKER_05 6:45

Or Taylor was a Taylor.

SPEAKER_00 6:48

Yes.

SPEAKER_05 6:49

Although the the spelling has changed.

SPEAKER_00 6:50

Yep, yeah. So that that's Smith, right? Like it was he's like, oh uh, whatever. So I thought I would look up yours and my uh surname and first names. I thought I would I'd do some research and look them up. Uh, you ready for this? I'll I'll start I'll start with you, okay? Okay.

SPEAKER_01 7:15

So it don't be. Don't be. Don't be.

SPEAKER_00 7:21

So I'll start with Patrick. So Patrick is of Latin origin and it means nobleman or patrician or one of noble lineage. Now I looked up Ail Shire, which I was hoping there would be a Tolkien uh reference in here saying that uh Shire, like where hobbits live. Yes, um, because that's that's the important way to know how like that your name is spelled. No, um so the surname Ailshire is primarily an Americanized or anglicized form of German or German European name. And what it comes down to, let me look it up here, um is reference to old English meaning of noble strength. So I thought that was funny that your first name has noble, and now your last name is of noble strength. So you are the nobleman of noble strength.

SPEAKER_03 8:35

I uh I would say that's fairly accurate.

SPEAKER_00 8:41

There is also another part here that says um does not suffer from humility.

SPEAKER_02 8:47

Weird, crazy.

SPEAKER_00 8:49

So I so I thought that was kind of cool. I'm like, oh okay. Uh I'm gonna look up mine. And so I know I go by Steve because it rolls off the tongue so much easier than no, uh really, my name is Steven, um, and I'm a Ph. What up, Holmes? Um mine, so Stephen, is derived from Greek, and it means crown, garland, or wreath. And it is meant to symbolize honor and triumph. So there's that. Now, remember how I said last names usually have an affiliation with the occupation? For funsies, what do you think council could possibly mean?

SPEAKER_05 9:41

Law, probably uh rule, a rule breaker.

SPEAKER_00 9:44

Uh no. I know, crazy, right? Um, it is derived uh like the the meaning is derived from like these different like uh actually is primarily from England, but it has uh roots in French as well, which stands for consultation, deliberation, or uh thoughtful counsel to nobles. So I thought that was funny that your name had noble in it, and we chat and exchange advice. I thought that was really funny.

SPEAKER_05 10:18

And here we are.

SPEAKER_00 10:20

Not doing any of those things.

SPEAKER_05 10:22

No, I don't know about the advice, the advice part, but we are chatting.

SPEAKER_00 10:25

So I thought that was kind of cool. That is cool. Now I have to throw a wrench into this because I thought this was really funny. I was telling my wife as I was doing it, like doot do doot doot. Um, and I was like, hmm, she has a unique last name. I'm gonna look up hers. Oh boy. Um I just thought it was great. So I'm not gonna say her last name. I'm just gonna tell you what what I found. Um it is of North German or Polish origin, which is very true. Um, and it is a typically topographic name for someone who lives near a marshy place.

SPEAKER_03 11:06

That's it. Love it.

SPEAKER_00 11:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 11:08

I was like, neat.

SPEAKER_00 11:11

So when I read it to her, she's like, oh no, it looks like I really married down. So let's just say um I I got hit. Um, I know we don't speak about violence on this show, but I I was a I was I was struck. Um yeah, I just I thought that was hilarious. So like, uh, they can't all be singers. So you are noble of noble strength. I am the crowned counselor, and she is swampy.

SPEAKER_01 11:51

But uh yeah, I just thought that was kind of fun.

SPEAKER_03 11:54

That was fun.

SPEAKER_01 11:55

Thanks.

SPEAKER_00 11:55

Thank you, you know? Uh just a little little change of pace, and before we venture into our topic, um, folks, as I was writing out my little blurbs here and kind of doing my doot do doot do doot, my scripting, if you will, uh, my son was in the room and he goes, Dad, would you write a joke? And I was like, sure, dude, you tell me your joke. And he's like, uh, it's gonna be a really tell your whole audience. I was like, Oh, I love you. Your whole audience. Uh he's like, tell your whole audience that I have a joke, and it's gonna be awesome. Okay, sounds good. Um, and this joke is not your face, Mr. Patrick. Yep. Uh his joke is how do fish buy things? Like, how do they purchase things?

SPEAKER_05 12:48

I have no idea. I can't believe it.

SPEAKER_00 12:50

With a credit card.

SPEAKER_03 12:55

That's pretty good. That's pretty good.

SPEAKER_05 12:58

It is. It's so dumb. But I was like thinking, skills, something along those lines.

SPEAKER_00 13:05

Nope. Nope. With a credit card. Yeah, yeah. You are not kidding, man. Yeah. So uh, folks out there, feel free to throw that one out to your loved ones and say, What's up? And drop that bomb on them. Because uh, whoo. And also, if you feel like uh looking up your own surname, uh you should, and then let us know at girlslycompetent at gmail.com or at girlslycompetent at Instagram. So I'm just saying you should.

SPEAKER_01 13:37

Alright.

SPEAKER_00 13:38

Man, that was fun.

SPEAKER_01 13:41

Do you uh I don't know. Do you wanna you wanna get into our uh our little discussion? Okay, fantastic.

SPEAKER_00 13:49

So, folks, I know I've uh I've pulled this before, and guess what I did again today? Um I came up with our little blurb of what we're gonna talk about mere hours before us discussing. So when Patrick asks questions, I promise you they are fully intentional because he does not really know what we're talking about. Um and I assume a lot of you out there are not going to be familiar with this, so I hope you walk away learning something. Have you ever heard of the term Pumpy, which is an acronym, PMMFI, but pronounced Pumpy.

SPEAKER_05 14:28

Pumpy. It's just like six seven.

SPEAKER_00 14:32

Uh yeah, don't be cringe, bruh. Suss? Uh don't sus. Six seven. Uh no, no, so Pump Pumpy. That's okay. You're gonna learn something new along with our audience, hopefully. So Pumpfy is something that I learned working at an organization, and I I really don't like naming names of organizations. Um, but in this case, uh, I was working with their customer service team, their customer experience, whatever you want to reference it as. And one of the things they really strongly taught and advocated was really, really good customer service. And I imagine if I was to say the name of the organization, most people would be like, oh, they have really good stuff, all about customer service, they have a really great reputation. And they would talk about this concept of pumpy, which stands for please make me feel important. It's that simple. So the idea is to always put uh the other person at the forefront of everything, like make them feel as involved and as important as possible.

SPEAKER_05 15:56

I think that is super smart. Um logical, I think, especially since I guess it will call it that's an acronym, as you said what it stands for. So you know, I think working whether you're working in it really doesn't matter. I mean, it's it's customers, so uh hospitality, working in the service industry, really retail, it doesn't it really shouldn't matter. There are some industries that perhaps it's gonna maybe be a little more obvious, but really at the end of the day, your customer is really your main driver, I susp I suppose, because of without without the customers, without the guests, whatever you however you refer to them.

SPEAKER_01 16:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 16:40

If you've ever you've gone to Target before, obvious I'm assuming at one point in your life tar as at Target you're a guest.

SPEAKER_00 16:46

Uh yeah, that's right.

SPEAKER_05 16:48

Some places it's it's just customer, but either way, it's still the important aspect of that.

SPEAKER_00 16:55

It's funny you mention hospitality because uh and I actually didn't mention this as I was talking about what Pumpfee is, is um I have like recently in the uh last couple of weeks, I've just been really enthralled and immersed in hospitality in the organization I'm with right now. We're we're starting to ramp up, we're opening some restaurants and pubs and whatnot on premises, and there's been this real talk and conversation about we need people to understand what hospitality means. Like you're in food service, okay, yeah, I'll flip a burger, but that's not what we want. We want people that are in they're so involved with the experience that they make it like something magical for the people that they're serving. And uh like what comes to mind when I think of that is uh the online company, like I believe they it's pet foods, right? Chewy? Yeah, like I feel like I see them constantly in a really good light where somebody calls in, let's just say, uh they'll they'll call their customer service and let them know, like, hey, I don't need to continue the subscription anymore. Like my my dog passed or my cat passed, something like that. And you see these stories all the time of them of Chewy sending like gift baskets or like really cute, kind things to those owners that they know are going through a really hard time. But like that is that's not something they need to do, and it certainly isn't helping their bottom line per se, right? But they're doing it because they want that person to feel as important as possible. Yes, it's just it's a really wonderful sentiment.

SPEAKER_05 18:51

I I yeah, I I completely agree. I think that's uh that's a really good example. That's I have heard that multiple times over the years too. It's it's maybe no charge or yeah, you're gonna get a basket, just kind of going out of your way to because people are they get accustomed to maybe not great customer service, and so when you actually do get it, it's pretty cool in that way. And again, going kind of above and beyond what you were really maybe expected was gonna happen. Uh that actually brings up kind of an interesting uh comparison. So at my organization, again, uh county work, you know, there's all different departments. Yeah. And one of them actually has a really cool policy. Uh again, it's the healthcare side of things, but it's called No Wrong Door. And this is something they implemented a couple years ago, and it's actually something that the rest of the organization wants to try to adapt as well. So in the healthcare industry, you've got all sorts of clinics, right? You might have a clinic for aging, disability, youth and family services, uh anything across the board in the healthcare, right? So if but someone is looking for something and they go into a building, let's say, let's say pre-and this is just gonna be a hypothetical example, but let's say pre-no-wrong door, I would go into a clinic and let's say, hey, I'm looking for so-and-so, I need some help, I'm I'm behind on my payments, or I need I don't have insurance or whatever, and they'd say, Well, this is not the building. Okay, you you should probably go to this building, and then like, oh, thanks, and then walk away. Well, how the no-wrong door works in my organization is that every person in every different type of clinic or uh some hospital, whatever business that we we that we work with, they are all knowledgeable to a certain degree with everything that we offer. Like they're not gonna be experts on everything, that's impossible, right? But if I come in and say to this now the same clinic with no wrong door and say, hey, I could use this help, this support, this support, and it's not the right spot, they're gonna say, okay, you know what? This is not the exact area, but let's figure out how we can get the support you need. So they're gonna give them information, basic information, they're gonna give them contact info, they're gonna reach out to the other place, kind of just take those extra steps in. So the idea of no wrong door is that no matter where you go, you're gonna get some sort of support. And which is cool. I actually put this to practice a few weeks ago. I was at the uh courthouse and I was leaving work and I was just about heading out. I think I'd just gotten a cup of coffee and I was uh gonna be heading out. But this gentleman came up to me and said, Hey, I'm looking for this one room. Whatever. Okay, and I'm like, I I had no idea because I only know where my office is essentially. So there's in the in like the uh foyer, there's a bunch of signs of like m not only maps, but like just Diagrams like at you're at the mall, like okay, where's this building? Get the numbers and the floor or whatever. So I said, Well, let's let's walk over there and because I'd like to know where it is too. So I basically walked over there and I'm oh, we need to go to the seventh floor. And he's like, Oh, thank you. And I'm like, you know what? I'll go up there with you because I actually want to just make sure that you get the help. I don't want you to go up there and it's a big building. So we walked over where I needed to be. I said, Hey, this gentleman needs paperwork. I let him explain his whole thing, and then there the person at the window was like, Hey, appreciate. Thank you for letting us know. And then I he I I went on my way. But that was just like that, it felt good to put that to practice.

SPEAKER_01 22:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 22:34

You know, and so I I think that's something that is it's it could work, you know, in our organization all over the place.

SPEAKER_00 22:41

Well, and I think your example is awesome. Like, okay, did that really like cost you anything? Like a little bit of time. A little bit of time. Yep, okay. But yeah, but the difference of what you did for that person, maybe they won't remember it two years down the road or whatever, but like they certainly remembered it that day, and you know they're going to subconsciously have a reasonably good feeling if they have to come back. They're like, Wow, I remember the last time I came here and somebody helped me out. Now, compared to the Converse, they ask you a question, you're like, I don't know, and then you just leave. Yeah, so right. Now they're like, I have an issue. Now I really have a problem because nobody is willing to help me. Yeah, like what a crummy feeling, and it's just so unnecessary. I it that is one thing I'll say about the current state of the world, and maybe I'm insulated, I don't know, but I do feel like companies are starting to take notice of like what happens when you don't have good customer service.

SPEAKER_05 23:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 23:57

I like maybe it's people will gripe on Twitter or X, whatever the hell it's called. Um, like maybe they complain, like, well, that place sucks, man. Right? Like places are really now starting to understand, like, wow, there is real power in those voices of our customers. And the more people say good things about us, well, shockingly, the more people actually want to work with us.

SPEAKER_05 24:22

Yeah. It's weird.

SPEAKER_00 24:24

Yeah. I as a marriage, you know, kind of funny enough. Um early yeah, earlier this week. I think that sounds accurate. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It was earlier this week. I ordered some stuff for work. Um, some headphones for new hires, um, a couple mice for some laptops, like really nothing crazy. And I got the box on Monday. I'm like, oh, sweet. Rip it open, and it was four headphones, four mice, and I think that was oh, and like coffee cups, nothing crazy. Um, rip it open. There are four mice and then three headphones. I'm like, no, but I looked at the receipt on there and it said four. I'm like, well, that's dumb. So I went on to, and this is a shout out to Amazon. I went on to their like chat function on Amazon, just explained, hey, this is the order. I ordered four, three came. And instead of being like, Can you send me a picture of the box, your firstborn, and would you mind taking a blood test? Like, instead of like making me jump through infinite hoops, the dude, uh, I think his name was Andy. That's really weird. I remember that. Um, his response was, Oh, I'm really sorry. Boop, boop, boop, boop, boop. Okay, it's on its way, I'll be there tomorrow. Like, that was it. That was genuinely it. I was like, okay. Well, thank you. Like, I how nice is that just to be taken at face value? It's an honest mistake. I know Amazon workers are incredibly hard workers, and I'm talking about the individuals in warehouse, right? Like the people boxing stuff up, dude. You guys are the real heroes. Like, my god, you're doing that stuff constantly. Oh no, you made a mistake. So what? It's really not that big of a deal. But the fact is, they made it right instantly. Yeah, no problem. Sure enough, the next day, completely brand new pair of headphones, done. But like that makes me feel important. Like, wow, you didn't make me jump through infinite hoops. You just took me at face value, which well, maybe the face part should have been omitted. Just face value. Yeah, you took me at my word, right? Like you you I because really I could I have lied? Oh, yeah, you only sent me one headphone and you said four. Yeah, I guess so if I'm gonna be a creep about it. But if people do that, well, then you're just taking advantage of the system, and it's really unfair for everybody else. Yes, um, and that's a whole different topic in and of itself. But um, I love no wrong door. Hell yeah, man. That's awesome. I am I'm gonna introduce that at work. Like, that is such a great thing.

SPEAKER_05 27:17

It is, it is, and it's like I and I don't know of a full understanding because again, it's not my department that is utilizing it, but from my understanding from what I've heard from others too is that that whole thing of like we're all gonna have kind of a basic understanding of of where how to direct people where to go. It doesn't have to be like, oh, uh my arm hurts. Well, I am I'm a foot doctor, I can't help you. But it's more of a like, okay, well, this is how we can get you that information that we can show you where to go, we can kind of hold your hand along the way and then get you to that the help that you that you need.

SPEAKER_02 27:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 27:48

And that sounds like with your Amazon example, that is way better than the experience I had trying to roll over all my 401s into one account. That was a that was not a great customer service experience. I don't won't even get into that, but that took way longer than it it should have. And I'm not talking about like one phone call. It was multiple phone calls, multiple weeks, multiple months, and yikes. And they put it into your account for some reason. I was like, whoa, I I don't want Steve to have it. I want I want me to have it.

SPEAKER_00 28:18

Is that why I got that negative balance? That's weird.

SPEAKER_05 28:21

Yeah. Well, you have a nice little shiny microphone. Is that did you use my 401 money for that?

SPEAKER_00 28:26

You mean this bad boy right here? No, I got headphones. I got brand new headphones with it. Yeah. But I I like that the no wrong door and and really pumpy, please make me feel important. Like, they intersect perfectly in this idea of just making other people the center and focus of of the of the time that they're with you, right? Like, so it doesn't matter if it's somebody you work with or somebody that's visiting the organization that you're a part of, or just in your everyday life. Somebody happens to walk up to you and is like, excuse me, do you know where this is? Just rather than like, get away from me. Like, you can be dignified and go like, oh no, I don't. Um, maybe it's here, or like just try to help them out for a little bit. Because you know what? You're gonna eventually be on that receiving end at some point. Uh I firmly believe that. Like the universe has a way of balancing itself out, just like Thanos always wanted.

SPEAKER_05 29:31

Definitely. No, I'm kidding.

SPEAKER_00 29:33

There was a subreddit for a long time called called Thanos Did Nothing Wrong. Uh, it started off as a joke. Like he did nothing wrong. He just killed off half of all life. That's totally fine. Balance is normal, whatever. But then it got really bad and they had to shut it down. So I'm sorry if I offended anybody. It was it was meant in jest. It was just meant in jest, folks. Um but uh I I can't take credit for Pumphy. I can't take credit for Pumphy. It is actually now you're gonna learn something more. Uh Pumphy was famously introduced by Mary Kay Ash, who is famous for Mary Kay Cosmetics.

SPEAKER_03 30:12

Oh, yeah. I didn't know that was the last name.

SPEAKER_00 30:15

Yeah, Mary K. Ash. Um her whole quote, like there's like a big quote of hers, and instead of calling it Pumpfy, what she would tell her sales teams was you needed to imagine, like use your imagination. Imagine that there is a big wooden sign around everybody's neck that says, please make me feel important. And it was meant to like force you to kind of visually see something around, like, oh, if I acknowledge you have this big dopey sign around your neck, I'm now thinking of it. Like it's it's kind of a nice little ingenious way of like bypassing your subconscious and making you forcefully think of it every single time. Kind of a a neat little little tidbit of information. Thought that was fantastic.

SPEAKER_05 31:04

I like that. Yeah. I try to notice too when I walk into whether it's coffee shops or smaller local businesses of how they greet their customers. Um I am I'm a local coffee guy. I try to hit up just in Milwaukee, try to hit up the locals, but you know, there's occasionally where I gotta go to the big bad Starbucks. But when I do, I've noticed recently there too. They are they've gotten it's they're greeting you when they come in. Hey, hey, how are you?

SPEAKER_00 31:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 31:35

Maybe a follow-up question. I heard someone that was I think they were a little distracted when they came. I don't know if they were on their phone or whatever, but I heard them say and they didn't get a response. And so when they got closer, they asked, Hi, how are you? And then the and then that gentleman, huh? I'm I'm good. Thanks. He must have been distracted on the phone. But yeah, so it was just uh making sure that that was heard. So I thought that was kind of cool. I don't know if that's something they've always done.

SPEAKER_00 31:57

Um I can actually answer that for you. I'm sorry, I have to interrupt on that. Sure. Um, that is newer. Um, so Starbucks, now depending on when you're listening to this, but if you're listening to it, brand new. Um within the last uh I'm gonna call it within the last six to nine months, got a new CEO.

SPEAKER_05 32:17

Maybe it's been yes, that is that's true.

SPEAKER_00 32:19

And yes, uh they've been really big on pushing the customer service aspect. Um they felt like that was something that's been lost. Not to say that this CEO has made all the brightest choices. Like I remember one of them was uh not allowing people in the store unless they buy something, which I'm sorry, Starbucks is that was like always one of the linchpins of their organization. Was it was kind of like your third or your your home away from home. Sure. I was gonna say your third home, but that's not correct. Because I was thinking like house, work, third. Um but the he uh I think it's a he. Oh boy, I'm really digging myself here. Uh they have since gone back on that, which I think was a very smart play. But um I'm I'm sorry, I interrupted you, but I was like, oh, I actually know that answer.

SPEAKER_05 33:11

No, that was uh that definitely was something I've noticed as far as just with that organization too. And I I see it, I see it locally, obviously. Um but there's times where I'll go into places that maybe they're they're heads down or they're not totally you know, even uh I get when things are busy, but even uh I'll be with you in a moment. You know, I I'm I'm finishing this up, and I've seen that at local places too, and it's like okay, well like just you gotta you gotta say hi. You gotta gotta greet the customer.

SPEAKER_00 33:43

Do you ever drop like, do you know who I am?

SPEAKER_05 33:47

Yeah, and I I wear my my mask and everything, and they and they just go, No, am I supposed to?

SPEAKER_00 33:56

But yes, it's it doesn't need to be a flowery speech, or it doesn't even have to be like the uh example I gave earlier, like chewy. No, I'm not asking for organizations to send flowers to every single person that has a bad day. No, I'm not, I I don't think so. That's not at all. It those small gestures go so far, and there is real science and real data that backs this up that people will actually remember negative events far more vividly than they will positive. But absolutely positive events have a stronger, almost more visceral um impact on you. Like you will remember them for longer, but you're more likely to talk about the negative immediately. I I think I might have yeah, like it's it's weird, but it it's pretty wild. Like, and interestingly enough, if you have a good experience somewhere, more often than not, depending upon the level of the experience of it being positive, sometimes, like mentally, it will clean the slate of the negative. Okay, like it's kind of crazy, but one negative will wipe out like everything. Like, nope, this place trash, get it out of here. Like, yeah, it's really kind of wild when you really get into the psychological aspect of it. It's a really neat venture.

SPEAKER_05 35:36

I I feel like that's similar to sort of people like leaving reviews. You get I think in some some industries a little bit different. You've got like your Yelp, you know, and a lot of I think a lot of people tend to leave positive reviews when they're reviewing food because it's a fun thing to do together, or you go out even solo and you you enjoyed your meal, you want to talk about it, let others know. But then there's also a lot of a platform for people complaining. Like, for example, I I when I was looking at apartments years, this is years ago, but I made the apartment complex I live in, actually, I've been here a long time. I took a chance. The reviews were not great, but I loved the location and I knew of that I was noticing it was a lot of the it was a lot of people just complaining about kind of some stupid stuff that you know and so people just pick you know picking to and I have lived here a long time I I haven't really had any issues. And anytime let's say something needs to get fixed, maintenance is there right away. Now, granted, a couple years after I moved in, they got a whole new management team and they're phenomenal. The first when I moved in, the initial team was kind of like just all over the place. But it's I and I left a positive review, you know, just to help kind of push things along here. Let's okay, because it's uh one of those things where I I feel people will tend to nitpick, whether it's uh it could be hotels, it could be you know, I don't know, even smaller businesses that are you know that it's they really rely on those reviews, and it's like was it that bad that you had to like jump on and just you know scream or call someone out where if you maybe take a beat, give it a minute, give it a day, that like the next year you're like, Oh okay, it wasn't that bad. But yeah, I like what you said about the positive part where it can kind of wipe that out.

SPEAKER_00 37:28

Yeah, um so to that point, like if I if you have a bad experience somewhere, like I I don't know, name a restaurant or something. I don't know. Olive Garden.

SPEAKER_04 37:39

Olive Garden.

SPEAKER_05 37:39

I was just gonna say something you got you gave me to him.

SPEAKER_00 37:43

Sorry, Olive Garden. Please sponsor us. Anyway, um, no, so it I've I genuinely haven't had a bad experience there. It's just not my forte. It's just not my food. I just it's not my jam. But if I go to somewhere and I have an actu like a really bad experience there, I'm still of the mind, and I feel like most people are like this, that they may go back for round two if they're persuaded. Like, okay, maybe it was a one-off, it was not that great. But if they screw up a second time, you have a snowball's chance as hell of ever redeeming that person. Like, it's nope, not at all. Like you just cash in your check right away, you're finished. But if you go that second time and you have a really positive experience, most people will chalk up the first experience as like, oh, must have been a fluke. Like, they won't revert back to like it's almost like they won't hold that grudge any longer of like, oh no, no, that place was fine. Maybe they'll be like, well, the first time I went to was weird, but the second time I went was amazing, so it must have been just whatever. Like, so we'll kind of convince ourselves of what we actually don't have control over. It's just such a sure goofy thing.

SPEAKER_05 39:08

I think too that they should really they should really uh not allow reviews within like the first like three or four weeks of a place opening. Um that's just like they have to open, but they also have to get the kinks, work the kinks out. You just it's not gonna get in it. It might be months down the road, but the idea people are like, oh, I went there, they better, they better fix this. It was so busy. Well, they just open and it's a popular place. Well, they were it was so busy.

SPEAKER_00 39:35

Like, okay, so you raise a really valid point. Yes, like, oh, I'm I'm sorry they were doing business. Like, and that is another thing. There, we there is a whole topic of discussion we could get into with like the power of reviews. Um God, I that's a fascinating topic. Like, it's really wild, just the amount of weight reviews online have and influence what we purchase. It's crazy, it's absolutely wild. Um, but I I will not get too deep into that. Um to your credit of saying, like, come on, guys, like, do you did you have to jump down their throat or make those comments when something opens? Did you ever interact with rate myprofessor.com?

SPEAKER_05 40:26

I know what it is. I don't think I ever filled it out, but okay.

SPEAKER_00 40:30

So familiar. I rem so when I was in college, you know, the olden days, as my kids like to claim. Um, so ratemyprofessor.com is exactly what it sounds like. When you were looking to get into certain classes in college, you could look up a professor and see what their quote unquote rating was, which was completely public opinion, whatever. And you would get some individuals here like, whoa, one star, they must be terrible. But then you'd go into the comments and it's like he failed me because I didn't do my homework or any of my exams. Wow, who would have ever imagined? Like, I don't like him because he's tough on me. Well, no, I I that's not on him, dude. Like, come on, like, so I like that you said that for your apartment complex, you're like, I took a chance. But you at least looked at the reviews and saw, like, okay, man, really? I love doing that. I love looking at like I mentioned Amazon, I'll say it again. If I go to Amazon and it's like something I'm interested in buying, I will look up like the one-star reviews, like how you can filter to have it go from the top to the bottom and vice versa. And sometimes it's like it was delivered to the wrong address.

SPEAKER_02 41:57

That's not the product's fault. What? Yeah, like come on, dude.

SPEAKER_00 42:04

Oh, it's like, oh my gosh, or like it was missing a screw, and then you find like Layra, it's like edit, found the screw. Oh, okay, but you left the one star? Come on, dude. Yeah, so I know we're kind of on a that's we're going deep into the woods on that, but that's just so crazy. Come on, give places a chance to redeem themselves, good lord.

SPEAKER_05 42:32

Absolutely. Uh I wanted to mention though, you were you were talking a little bit about overall as far as this the customer experience and you know how important it is to really be positive with your employees and to really how how us as individuals as as customers can feel a certain way about things like your experience that you mentioned before. Um so this is actually this is funny because again, I didn't really know what we were doing until uh earlier today, as far as our topic goes, and so it was uh it so I was I'm reading a uh currently reading a book, and the this idea not exact idea, but similar about kindness was something I was reading today, and I want to actually share that. Yeah. So uh again, I mentioned it was uh about being kind. The book I'm reading is called Right Here, right now. It's by an author Ryan Holliday, who's one of my one of my favorites, kind of in the the stoicism realm. And he's quoted in this story, uh in this chapter, says, We're not asking much of people, but it's so rare. And then he quotes he quotes an author. Welcome to Earth, young man, the author Kurt Vonnegut once wrote to a fan. It's hot in the summer and cold in the winter. At the outside, you've got a hundred years here on Earth. There's only one rule that I know of. God damn it, Joe, you've got to be kind. And then Ryan goes on to say Ryan goes on to say kind to strangers. Kind to people who you work with or work for you. Kind to someone who just made a mistake. Kind to both customers and vendors. Kind to someone you dislike. Kind to the future to generations not yet born. So just like that whole idea of just kind of circling back to your make me feel important. Like just be kind. And yes, life's gonna happen, stuff's gonna get frustrating, but the end of the day, if you can put your head down at night and say, like, wow, I still even though that happened to me, I was still able to try to either spin it positively or at least know that, like, okay, I can only control so much, and what I can control is I can be a nice person, I can be a good person and giving my giving my best to the customers of my life.

SPEAKER_00 45:04

Well put, and I love that. Uh we will definitely put that in the show notes because that sounds awesome. What a what a great message. Um and and something that kind of comes to mind, and I will admit, when when Pumphy was first introduced to me, I thought it was gobbledygook. Like I just thought, like, oh god, like really just make people feel good. No, it's it's really not. And it's certainly, and I've actually had people that I've references to, they're like, well, that just sounds like you're being manipulative. No, like it's if you feel like you're being manipulative to be nice, I think there's a deeper problem that's going on. Oh, absolutely. And I I know that sounds like I'm being really harsh, but this this is not uh this is the stuff that you learn in kindergarten, right? Like if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all. Like, I mean, really, it's simple gestures that put somebody at the forefront. I know I've mentioned Dale Carnegie in the past with how to win friends and influence people, but the the whole crux of that book is just really pumpy. Please make me feel important. Help people feel important, and what they will do in turn is make you feel important just the same. Like it it genuinely is that. And I I would encourage every single person out there listening to put this to the test. I I promise you, put it to the test and tell me it doesn't work because it is so obnoxiously foolproof, it's almost ridiculous. Like the next person you work with or the next person you run into at a an establishment, restaurant, coffee shop, doesn't matter. And if somebody comes to you with, hey, can you help me with this or I have a question for you, actually like see them, just see them, see that wooden sign around their neck of please make me feel important and give it your all. Don't overdo it, don't make it sound like, oh, let me help you. No, just very simple, like, absolutely, let's get that figured out. Just like the gentleman that you referenced earlier on that they came to your work and for the the building you work in is huge. And interestingly enough, where I work, we have a very, very large sprawling campus. If I had a nickel, it just god, what was it? It was like two or three days ago. I had somebody come to our front door uh of HR and she was looking for a different building. And uh it is all of about it feels like 105 outside, at least it did that specific day, and it was right in the middle of the day, like noon one o'clock. And to celebrate the 4th of July, I was dressed in American flag pants. I had a red, white, and blue shirt, and I had a sport coat. It is 105 outside, and this woman is like, hey, I'm looking for this building. I'm like, oh, I have a feeling this is where you need to go. So I started walking with her around campus, and she's like, You have gotta be hot. I'm like, oh, I'm sweltering, but it's all good, like red, white, and blue, like just kind of having fun with it, right? I'm not doing this to make you feel bad. We're all this is all good. And we had a really nice talk, and she was awesome. I got her where she needed to go. Now you tell me how much that really took out of my day. Oh, yeah, I got a little sweaty. Oh no, goodness. I stepped into some air conditioning, I was fine. It's not a big deal. But I certainly made her feel important, just like you did, where you escort them and you see them through to the end of what they need. God, like, wouldn't the world just be so much better if everybody followed that logic?

SPEAKER_05 49:15

Like, holy for sure. Definitely.

SPEAKER_00 49:17

Last thing I'll say so I can get off my soapbox. Uh are you uh are you a World Cup viewer? Do you watch any of that? Okay. I do watch the World Cup. So I I I have to admit, I I don't follow soccer, football, excuse me. Um, World Cup, nothing like that. Like it just it's fine. It's great. I'm I'm glad it's here and I'm glad people are having fun. Um, but I have been seeing a lot of things on social media along the lines of I'm butchering it, but it's something like having the World Cup here is like having your cousins spend the night that you never get to see because mom and dad don't or like your parents don't get along. Yes. So I was like, that is so awesome. It's just and like please, listeners out there, like you can find these videos, and they are heart melting. Like just people from all over the world have come to the US to enjoy the World Cup here, and they're having fun, they're cheering, and everybody's getting along, and it just makes me realize like we are more alike than we would love to admit. Right? Like, we are always we, as in just the collective public, we're constantly being divided by the powers that be. And I know if that sounds conspiratorial, I'm very sorry, but it is the truth. It's an us versus them. No, it's really not.

SPEAKER_05 50:45

I'm gonna add to that. I heard I saw another one today which was fantastic, a little reel that was made, and it was a video, like maybe 15-20 seconds, of all different people from all different countries had all their own jerseys on, all like literally dancing around in the streets having fun. And the caption was maybe the politicians are the problem. So just overall in general, no matter what side you're on.

SPEAKER_00 51:08

Nope, you're absolutely right.

SPEAKER_04 51:10

You know, and I was like, I love that because like here are people just doesn't matter what color you are, what what jersey you have on, it's all just like having fun.

SPEAKER_05 51:19

And like yet, yet the this whole you know, media of just like, oh, it's gotta be a cat fight, gotta be this side, this side, and it's just it's exhausting. And yeah. Um you know, so kind of kind of going back to what we were talking about initially is like having good customer service, having patience and kindness, and just being a good person. I mean, that's really what it kind of comes down to.

SPEAKER_00 51:41

Preach, man. I couldn't agree more. I'm gonna have to look up that uh that video, because that is well said. Perfect. You're absolutely right. Like it is incredible to see this kind of stuff. So awesome. Well, Patrick, do you know who forgot to make us feel important?

SPEAKER_05 52:01

Oh gosh, do I ever? The Spinneruski!

SPEAKER_00 52:05

The Spinnerouski! It is indeed, folks. While Mr. Patrick fires up the wheel, a reminder for all of you beautiful listeners out there. Each episode we spin the spinneruski. It's a wheel of names that might belong to the woman who so generously shoved Mr. Patrick and I into the ugly club all those years ago. And the goal of the Spinnerouski is that eventually we will land on her name so we can thank her proper. Mr. Patrick. Are we ready? We are.

SPEAKER_02 52:39

Spin that roosky.

SPEAKER_05 52:44

Round she goes. Elizabeth.

SPEAKER_00 52:54

Goodness, Elizabeth. I have always felt that Elizabeth is such like a regal name. Like, like maybe it's because of Yeah, I was like, I was just gonna say, maybe it's because of Queen Elizabeth, but like I just always feel like, mmm, like I have to adjust my tie or like I have to make sure that I'm properly dressed when I address. Liz is somebody that I will I'll I'll I'll hang out with you and have a beer. That's a Liz. Beth?

SPEAKER_05 53:28

Intimidated by Liz.

SPEAKER_00 53:29

See, Beth is where I'm like, hmm, I feel like I need to have my guard up a little bit. And I don't know why. I do often wonder if sometimes like the way we interpret names has anything to do with like elementary school. Like, oh, I had a Beth in my class, and I now associate everybody that has Beth with this, or I had an Elizabeth in my class.

SPEAKER_05 53:58

I worked when I worked in childcare before I graduated college, uh, before, after school, daycare, even when I guess what I was teaching, it was like, well, someday if I have kids, can't name them that, can't name them that, can't name them that. No, no rhyme or reason other than the fact that there was one student or child that was like remember like, oh what, yeah, ruin that name for me. You know, I mean, but yeah, so there's there's something to be said about that.

SPEAKER_00 54:22

Oh god, yeah, yeah. You just get a bad taste in your mouth, like, no. But anyway, I'm sorry I got so carried away. Elizabeth, thank you so much for living rent-free in our heads. Thank you for all you have given us, and we hope you have an amazing 4th of July if you happen to be in the US of A.

SPEAKER_05 54:44

Thanks, Liz. Appreciate it.

SPEAKER_00 54:47

Whoa, we can't assume she goes by Liz.

unknown 54:51

That's true.

SPEAKER_00 54:52

We can't assume it.

SPEAKER_05 54:54

Elizabeth. Thank you, Elizabeth, for all those memories that have been stuck in my mind.

SPEAKER_00 55:00

You put some put some respect on that name.

SPEAKER_05 55:02

Steve, should we do some shout-outs?

SPEAKER_00 55:04

Yes! You want to go first?

SPEAKER_05 55:06

Sure. I've got a uh I've got a double shout-out. This is gonna be very quickly. Uh first one, you mentioned it a uh moment ago, but you said something about air conditioning, and that is actually one of my shoutouts is air conditioning because holy hell, if you live in the Midwest, uh, I'm sure it was warm all over, but uh it has been toasty. And when you're our age, you talk about the weather, and so that's what I was gonna do is that it's freaking hot. It is uh it's muggy, it's dew pointy, it's sweaty. Uh you couldn't have paid me money to go to the brewer games this week in Miller Park Ampham Field because holy hell, it's sweaty in there, swampy. And then, uh so thank you, air conditioning, for existing. Uh also, this is a turn of events. Steve, you know what the word resuscitate means?

SPEAKER_00 55:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 56:01

Bring back to life, essentially, right? Yeah. There's multiple ways to do that.

SPEAKER_00 56:05

Oh, I was like, what am I missing? Okay, yes.

SPEAKER_05 56:08

Right, right, yeah, okay. So to bring back to life in a certain way, and there's obviously different avenues to go down. Um, I was in the process of about to throw away the Black Decker uh shredder that was stopped working. Um, and I thought, you know what? I'm gonna try it one more time. And I plugged it in, I gave it a little shake, and uh that bad boy turned back on, still alive. Black Decker, you gotta be our sponsor because you're still kicking it after what I said 12 years or whatever.

SPEAKER_00 56:34

Yeah, you said 12 years.

SPEAKER_05 56:38

Back at it.

SPEAKER_00 56:39

That so I'm gonna start referring to you as Dr. Frankenstein.

SPEAKER_05 56:43

Yeah, I feel like there's a little there must be some sort of short in the cord, but it is it was functioning yesterday because I had I had that pile of receipts that I never got to before, but I hadn't thrown it away. It was sitting by the door ready to get taken out to the dumpster, and I a little part of me was like, I can't I can't part with this thing yet. And I'm gonna give it one more time, one more try.

SPEAKER_00 57:03

Wow. That see, that's um that was the universe just giving you that nudge of like you should probably check it one last time.

SPEAKER_03 57:13

We know you love to shred paper.

SPEAKER_00 57:15

Yeah, it's like the movie Inception, your future self was pushing books off a shelf and trying to tell you plug plug the Black Decker back in.

SPEAKER_05 57:30

Good call. What do you got for us, Steve? Do you want to shout out Black and Decker too?

SPEAKER_00 57:36

I mean, I mean, you know what? I will real quick. Um, I went to a benefit uh at a uh co-worker of mine she puts on every year. Um it's uh her brother's benefit. Um actually I'll I'll put a link in show notes so if you feel like checking it out, but it's it's really amazing. And so they had a bunch of raffles and prizes and stuff like that, and uh I saw a big giant box that said Black and Decker. And I thought of you right away. I was like, oh my god, that's so funny. But it was for like this like drink maker, and I was like, Well, Patrick doesn't want that. No, but I it just was really funny. I'm like, of all the things, blackendecker, huh? Like you slide dogs you, you make paper shredders and you make cocktail makers. What don't you do, Black Decker? Um, how many more times do I have to say it in order for them to Blackendecker? Blackendecker. Oh, Blackendecker, you guys, you silly geese. Just kidding. Um but you can sponsor us, that'd be great. Uh no, my uh my actual true factual uh shout out goes to Connor at T-Mobile. Okay. Uh this past weekend, my wife and I decided we need to upgrade our phones because um mine was five or six years old, and hers was on its last legs, too. You know it's bad when the battery does not last. You're like, okay, I gotta charge it midday. That's a problem. So we decided, you know what? We're gonna go and get new phones. Um, Connor was awesome because he made the entire process very seamless, and what's normally a brutal event was actually rather pleasant, and he was a lot of fun. So shout out for good customer service and making the missus and I feel very important. So thank you, Connor of T-Mobile. We appreciate you.

SPEAKER_03 59:42

Nicely done, Connor. That's a that's a good one.

SPEAKER_00 59:44

Yeah, he's a big deal.

SPEAKER_03 59:46

Good.

SPEAKER_00 59:46

All right, man, shall we?

SPEAKER_03 59:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 59:49

Alright, see you guys later. Bye. I'm skin. Seriously, though. Uggoes, beautiful, beautiful Uggos out there. Thank you. This is the end of this brand new spanking episode. Uh, thanks for coming. And um oh, and if you are in the US of A, happy Fourth of July, or that would have been like three or four days past once you listen. There it is. Thank you. Thank you. I really appreciate that. Um, but yeah, all right, let's do this, man.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:35

Walk, walk, walk like an ugly, talk like an ugly.

SPEAKER_05 1:01:16

I'm gonna get in trouble, Madonna.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:22

God damn it. So long to be trouble with what is he saying? Borderline Get into the groove of ugly yuck.

SPEAKER_05 1:01:42

I wanna leave that every every week.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:48

What have you You seriously been recording this whole time?

SPEAKER_05 1:01:51

Yeah. I didn't think you were. Well, until after we said we should record, so I love it.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:59

See, we need to have this as the B reel. Like, you wanna subscribe? Here's some garbage. But don't tell Madonna. Ooh, yeah, yeah, actually.

SPEAKER_05 1:02:13

God, that's such a borderline is probably my favorite. I don't Okay, now I gotta look it up quicker.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:21

Over the borderline.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:23

Over the borderline Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:25

Yeah.