The news is filled with opinions regarding the Pope as he trades his red shoes for a pair of brown loafers. (Are they from Wolverine World Wide?) That, not necessarily being as important as his resignation seems to me to get a bit too much air time. We are witnessing an event which hasn't happened in many centuries and although not catastrophic, signals a change of the guard for millions of Catholics. Regardless of faith affiliation, almost everyone in the world knows who the pope is and how keenly he is observed when it comes to religious leadership. Commentators from each end of the spectrum and everywhere in between offer their own spin on the effect this will have on the church. Interesting too, how so many that have no connection whatsoever to Peter's direct successor or a religious affiliation of their own feel they are knowledgeable enough to make such an infinite amount of assumptions. From laughing at the idea of such traditions as the red shoes, to offering advice as to how the next pope should direct the faithful. Arm chair coaches. We all have a tendency to be one of those from time to time don't we?
Today, as person of faith, I meditate on just how small and often insignificant I am in the scope of things. It would be easy for me to criticise the red shoes, they aren't really fashionable in my eyes. But then, they aren't meant to be, possibly they are meant to be shocking in some way, just like the pope. What would I do if I walked in his shoes for a time? How seriously would I take the tenets of God's own church? In my opinion, Pope Benedict is doing an incredibly unselfish thing. So often leaders simply hang on and on, well past their ability to be effective, essentially becoming simply a figurehead. The pope is not a figurehead. The faith of millions of catholics around the world is not based upon a man wearing red shoes. To us catholics, faith is based on the beliefs of rights and wrongs given to us over 2000 years ago by Jesus Christ. The popes down through the centuries along with the other leaders of the church, have been the protectors of those beliefs in a world of conflict and and diverse cultural perspectives. That is the immense responsibility of the office of pope in a nutshell. Red shoes or not, that's a heavy weight to carry. Pope Benedict saw his inability to carry on that tradition and acted on it. I admire that. We need someone strong, mentally, physically and especially spiritually.
Today I pray for Pope Benedict to have peace and be confident in his decision. Today I ask for God to give the College of Cardinals divine inspiration to bring us the spiritual leader we need. Someone to protect the truth with all the resources available. Someone to cleanse the church and make it Holy. Someone who is not afraid to wade into controversy and remain true to the word. Our faith is not based on a man in red shoes, our faith is based on the truth. Some things are right, some things are wrong. Pope Benedict sees that too. By resigning he is doing his part in moving God's own Church forward as it should. I look forward to seeing just who's feet those shoes go on now. History in the making. For now, I will sit down, shut up, and hang on. All those commentators will certainly have much to say about it.
Showing posts with label conflict. Show all posts
Showing posts with label conflict. Show all posts
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Problems, resolutions, moving on.
Conflict between people is an intricately complicated matter. Conflict resolution is dependant on open and honest communication between the parties involved in the conflict. Most people who have ever been involved in a relationship with another person has found that out in one way or another. The same principal of open and honest communication is just as relevant in business as it is in our personal lives. I just had to do damage control relating to a communication problem. It was a mess. As human beings we are subject to messing up occasionally. I feel as though I was almost set on proving that. I am still reeling from the consequences.
I am involved in a service business. I make cars clean, shiny, good smelling and as close to new looking as possible. I've been doing this for over 50 years. I know Americans have a love affair with their cars and how important it is to listen to my customers and accomplish what they want by using my knowledge and experience. It is a highly individual service. When I speak with my customers before we even begin the work on their car, I walk around that car with them and make written notes on every concern they bring up. Those notes stay with that car through the entire process. 99.99% of our customers are completely satisfied and recommend us to others without reservations. This week I ran across the .01%. No one could have ever imagined the series of circumstances that set the situation in motion:
Two customers came to us on the same day.
They each owned the same model car.
Both cars were the same color and year.
Each customer had a different set of requirements.
One customer was friendly, open and smiled and spoke easily, looking forward to a great experience. Wanting a "Complete" service.
One customer was of a difficult nature, abrupt and extremely specific as to the services desired. Only "this and that" service. (The husband explained to me in advance that his wife had a problem with her social skills, required medication for a personality disorder and apologized for any difficulties that may arise from that.).
Both customer's last names were pronounced the same but spelled differently.
The men's names each began with an M.
The women's names each began with an F.
Sometime during the processing of those two cars the specification sheets I had so meticulously written out were switched.
The customer with the specific requirements got more than they requested. The customer looking forward to "Everything" got slightly less. Not a huge difference but a difference none the less. When they picked up their cars they checked them over and were both very pleased.
The next morning I received a phone call from who I believed to be the woman that requested "specific" services. She was complaining that we did not do two services that she specifically instructed us not to do. I could not believe her denial of her own instructions. I was beginning to understand why her husband mentioned her instability problem. I handled the call as best as I could but she was still enveloped in denial. I called back in a few minutes and spoke with her husband, explained those things she had instructed us not to do but we wanted them happy. "What can we do to rectify this situation?" I asked. "We take pride in working hard to satisfy our customers, they are important and we will do anything within reason." He asked me again about a couple things and I explained again to him that his wife had specified we "not" do those things because he was going to do them. He even reacted in disbelief and denial but said he'd call back. I was very confused at this point. They were both in complete denial. How do I deal with that?
As is the case with any customer comments, good or bad, we have a company meeting and discuss the situation in depth. This was a very unique situation. We are not accustomed to dissatisfied customers......................Then, during the give and take of our meeting both spec notes were brought out, it was discovered that those sheets went back and forth between those two vehicles during the servicing. Suddenly, the realization came to me that I may not have been talking to the people I thought I was talking to. They really weren't in the denial I suspected but rather I was. Then it all came to me in a flash. I called the people back, they did not answer the phone or return my message. Apparently they believe they must have been talking to a crazy man. I really can't blame them. Innocent misunderstanding or not, they were not pleasant conversations. I immediately issued them a complete refund, wrote a personal apology explaining the situation as best I could and put it in the mail along with an offer for fulfill our original agreement without charge. There is nothing more I can do. It would seem that the cycle of communication has been severed.
Another day, another lesson in business and personal communication. I can't change what has happened. It was costly both financially and dealing with our self confidence. We come to work every day with the purpose of doing the very best we can with each and every one of our customers. This day it didn't quite work that way. It is part and parcel of the human situation. We've done what we could, taken action so the same situation doesn't happen again. apologized, made an offer of reconciliation and learned from it. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try it just gets messed up. Now, it's on to the next day. I wish you a wonderful one!
I am involved in a service business. I make cars clean, shiny, good smelling and as close to new looking as possible. I've been doing this for over 50 years. I know Americans have a love affair with their cars and how important it is to listen to my customers and accomplish what they want by using my knowledge and experience. It is a highly individual service. When I speak with my customers before we even begin the work on their car, I walk around that car with them and make written notes on every concern they bring up. Those notes stay with that car through the entire process. 99.99% of our customers are completely satisfied and recommend us to others without reservations. This week I ran across the .01%. No one could have ever imagined the series of circumstances that set the situation in motion:
Two customers came to us on the same day.
They each owned the same model car.
Both cars were the same color and year.
Each customer had a different set of requirements.
One customer was friendly, open and smiled and spoke easily, looking forward to a great experience. Wanting a "Complete" service.
One customer was of a difficult nature, abrupt and extremely specific as to the services desired. Only "this and that" service. (The husband explained to me in advance that his wife had a problem with her social skills, required medication for a personality disorder and apologized for any difficulties that may arise from that.).
Both customer's last names were pronounced the same but spelled differently.
The men's names each began with an M.
The women's names each began with an F.
Sometime during the processing of those two cars the specification sheets I had so meticulously written out were switched.
The customer with the specific requirements got more than they requested. The customer looking forward to "Everything" got slightly less. Not a huge difference but a difference none the less. When they picked up their cars they checked them over and were both very pleased.
The next morning I received a phone call from who I believed to be the woman that requested "specific" services. She was complaining that we did not do two services that she specifically instructed us not to do. I could not believe her denial of her own instructions. I was beginning to understand why her husband mentioned her instability problem. I handled the call as best as I could but she was still enveloped in denial. I called back in a few minutes and spoke with her husband, explained those things she had instructed us not to do but we wanted them happy. "What can we do to rectify this situation?" I asked. "We take pride in working hard to satisfy our customers, they are important and we will do anything within reason." He asked me again about a couple things and I explained again to him that his wife had specified we "not" do those things because he was going to do them. He even reacted in disbelief and denial but said he'd call back. I was very confused at this point. They were both in complete denial. How do I deal with that?
As is the case with any customer comments, good or bad, we have a company meeting and discuss the situation in depth. This was a very unique situation. We are not accustomed to dissatisfied customers......................Then, during the give and take of our meeting both spec notes were brought out, it was discovered that those sheets went back and forth between those two vehicles during the servicing. Suddenly, the realization came to me that I may not have been talking to the people I thought I was talking to. They really weren't in the denial I suspected but rather I was. Then it all came to me in a flash. I called the people back, they did not answer the phone or return my message. Apparently they believe they must have been talking to a crazy man. I really can't blame them. Innocent misunderstanding or not, they were not pleasant conversations. I immediately issued them a complete refund, wrote a personal apology explaining the situation as best I could and put it in the mail along with an offer for fulfill our original agreement without charge. There is nothing more I can do. It would seem that the cycle of communication has been severed.
Another day, another lesson in business and personal communication. I can't change what has happened. It was costly both financially and dealing with our self confidence. We come to work every day with the purpose of doing the very best we can with each and every one of our customers. This day it didn't quite work that way. It is part and parcel of the human situation. We've done what we could, taken action so the same situation doesn't happen again. apologized, made an offer of reconciliation and learned from it. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try it just gets messed up. Now, it's on to the next day. I wish you a wonderful one!
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