The ACR Industry needs a 'Fred' Award

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The ACR Industry needs a 'Fred' Award

It is around twenty years ago that Mark Sanborn, a professional speaker, trainer and author on leadership and customer services met Fred his postman. Mark had just moved into his new home in Denver when Fred knocked on his door, introduced himself and welcomed him to the neighbourhood. He also asked Mark about himself and how he wanted his mail handled while he was away.

Mark was astonished. This was not the service he had come to expect from a postman. He was truly pleasantly surprised and delighted by Fred's approach and manner.

Mark became interested and asked Fred more about his job and how he approached it. Fred's answers inspired him to develop motivational seminars and a bestselling book (The Fred Factor) promoting Fred's attitude and approach to life.
In a nutshell, the Fred philosophy is to realise and practise that everyone can make a difference; success is built on good relationships; you must continually create value for others and it doesn't have to cost anything; you can reinvent yourself whenever you want.

In the past few months I have had the pleasure to meet two 'Fred's from the ACR industry. The first was a service engineer who I bumped into by chance when I walked into a client's refrigeration plant room on a site in Birmingham. The young engineer was knowledgeable, enthusiastic, helpful and a pleasure to speak to. The second was a food factory engineer who managed the refrigeration plant along with all the other services required in a modern food production environment. Although not a specialist refrigeration engineer, he went out of his way to provide the information I required and to answer all my questions and more.

Both of these engineers embodied excellent customer service qualities described in the 'Fred Factor'.

We should never forget that although highly technical by nature, the ACR industry is a still a service industry with customer service excellence being a key to business success. If you think that is a cliché, imagine how long a company can survive that ignores this in the competitive market place we find ourselves in today. Customers do have a choice and they will go to where they perceive they most consistently get what pleases and impresses them.

The 'Fred' philosophy is built on timeless values like personal responsibility, authentic relationships, and respect for others. It is in essence, a mind-set that looks for and seizes opportunities to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary.
The ACR industry has individuals who go beyond the ordinary and create extraordinary experiences for their clients. These are not only service engineers; they are from all business fields, from sales through to administrators. Their attitude to customer service should be recognised by this industry in the same way as technical excellence is. Normal is overrated and has never been a term that should be applied to our industry. We should have a 'Fred' Award, although I am sure that we can give it a more appropriate name from one of the many fine examples from our own industry.

Posted by Steve Gill 15 April 2013 23:21:00 Categories: Fresh Talk

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Comments

By Chuck

16 April 2013 02:04:00

Hi everyone. I am from Denver where I work on the installation side of refrigeration systems for the food industry.
Even though I am from Denver I can honestly say that I had never heard of Fred the postman but I had heard of Steve Gill.
I have read his blogs a few times. I am connected to him on LinkedIn where he leaves many insightful comments and starts discussions. He has one going at the moment regarding the environment which is very good. He really is an environmental champion as well. I also read his many discussion comments about the UK Institute of Refrigeration a couple of years ago.
Is he known internationally? Yes, much more than Fred the postman who isn't even known in his own state when it comes to the refrigeration industry.
Open your eyes Mr Hopson. Read Steve's earlier blogs and you will know that Steve is the right man to have this award names after him.

By Martin Liu

16 April 2013 02:03:00

I think Mr B. Hopson is incorrect when he say Steve Gill is not well known internationally.

I worked with Steve in Shanghai almost 10 years ago when he was the boss of Shanghai Grasso.

He is well known in China. He is an English gentleman. Always polite and charming. We still have a photo of him on the wall here.

I heard that he was in South Africa recently also when he meet with one of my co-workers.

I think that makes him well known internationally.

By Sharon Cheu

16 April 2013 02:02:00

Dear my Hopson, I would like to reply to your post.

I live and work in Singapore and have met Steve Gill many many times. He is well known here and throughout Southeast Asia having worked for Johnson Controls as head of the Southeast Asia Refrigeration Department. I am not sure by what you mean by internationally but Southeast Asia is a very large region covering many countries. There is no no bigger role in this part of the world.
Steve is also the chair of the ASHRAE Singapore Chapter and attends ASHRAE meetings around the region. I also met him in Kuala Lumpur last year.
I guess perhaps you are unaware of just how well known Steve is internationally?
I hope this fresh information will help you change your opinion.
Best regards
Sharon

By John Freidland

16 April 2013 02:01:00

Great Blog Steve. Absolutely spot on. You have your finger on the pulse. I will watch for your future blogs.

There are so many excellent comments here. Great reading.

I particularly like to hear the examples of Freds around the industry.

It is true, that we mostly only ever hear from customers when there is a problem. I agree that we should celebrate when we receive good positive feedback. I think this award will change the ACR Industry's way of thinking and it will engage more with the customers because of this. We should actively seek feedback. Steve's proposal could be the start of a trend towards doing just that.

Great blog.

This is another international response as you put it Neil. I am writing from California - West Hollywood. How is Devon?

By John

16 April 2013 02:00:00

I met Steve last year when he visited the states. He came to the Frick and York factories and I spoke to him briefly. He is a really nice polite guy and knowledgeable too but not in a flash way.
He is quite a senior figure in the industry and well respected and liked.
To answer your doubt, Steve is actually very well known internationally and liked. I think that naming the award after him is a good idea. I had never heard of Fred the postman until I read this blog but I had heard of Steve. I hope that puts the discussion into perspective. I think most here will have heard of Steve before but not Fred, so why the doubt?
I hope to meet Steve again. He really is a great guy and he does go the extra mile for his customers so I don't see the leap as so great.
Mr Hopson, does that answer your doubt?

By Ed

16 April 2013 01:59:00

Hi, this is Ed from Houston. I can't really add to the discussion but wanted to let Neil know that there is an international interest.

Also, please let Steve know that I really liked the blog and think this is a great idea for the award.

Good night from Houston, Texas

By Jody

16 April 2013 01:58:00

Hello All! I found this blog from LinkedIn. What a surprise. This must be one of the ACR industry's best kept secrets.

My first visit to this site and this blog. I must say straight off that I think the Fred Award is a great idea. I am not an engineer but I work in a support role. I am part of this industry but you wouldn't think so most of the time. Without the Jody's of this world you engineering guys would fall flat on your faces.

Good for Steve for promoting this. I will read his other blogs too.

Neil and Lone Ranger - where exactly is Croydon. It does sound international to me.

Hope you all have a good day. This is a great discussion. I think I am in love with grumpy old Jason - what a star! :-) XX

Neil, I found you on Linkedin and Steve also. That is how I found this blog. It is promoted in the Industrial Refrigeration Group.

By Jason

16 April 2013 01:57:00

Hi Duke, that is a good question. I don't suppose that anyone has asked Steve about whether or not he would want his name associated with the award.

I would think that the way the industry works here in the UK that Steve will not be asked and that it will not be given his name. It is all to do with sponsorship and political correctness in case we offend someone else who feels that they should have it and not Steve. On the surface this is a open and sharing industry. Actually, most of it is, but like anything, once it reaches the higher atmosphere where most of us ordinary people can not breathe; in that stuffy environment it is wheels within wheels and still an old boys club.
Neil described Steve as a heavyweight in the institute. I wouldn't disagree, but he is only there because he has thrown himself in to it.
Ahh, I'm going off track again, Sorry.
Duke, very good question. It is very late here, I will sign off before I put my foot in it again.

By ASHLEY (from NZ)

16 April 2013 01:56:00

I think that this is such a good idea that it will be adopted by ACR communities around the world. I have heard talk of it already in Australia following Steve's blog entry.

I would imagine that some of these will use the opportunity to use a local name and have it as a commemorative to a leading figure in the ACR industry in that part of the world. That is what is being discussed in Aus. It is a nice thing to remember someone and this customer service award for extraordinary service will be a popular choice.

Having said all that, to start it off with the name of a living person and one of the ACR industries better known international representatives (I actually disagree with you that Steve is not well known internationally; he actually is, even here is NZ)championing the cause is a great idea and I agree with Graham Wright (and others) that this should be called the Steve Gill Award or Steve Gill ACR Industry Fred Award. Or, as someone else said (or was that Graham Wright again?) the awards themselves just become known as the Freds in the same way as the Oscars are. I think we should kick this off in Steve's name while we have the chance to so that it has that ACR Industry stamp (as someone put it).
Outside of the ACR industry Steve's name will not be known and certainly will not be associated with Customer care as you say. But who cares? We are inside the ACR Industry. Also, that is the reason for keeping the Fred name in there.
I hope that I have removed your doubts but if not, please feel free to post again.

Dear Neil and Lone Ranger. Greetings from Auckland. I think Croydon is international but then I am from NZ. It depends upon your perspective doesn't it!.

By Jason

16 April 2013 01:55:00

Dear Mr Hopson, may I call you B?

I like it it when people here raise their objections because this is what a debate is about. I would like to reply. If I jump down your throat please do not take it personally, it is just my galic charm and shouldn't be misunderstood as threatening. Mr Neil Everitt refers to it as my passion that needs to be harnessed, but that is another story.

So, B thank you for your input. My response is this:

First, Steve is much better known internationally than you may imagine. Sure he is not film star status or anything like that, but with the international ACR industry he is certainly known overseas for a number of reasons. These are that he actually works mostly outside of the UK so will naturally have made connections through his work, he is well connected in ASHRAE and if I understand correctly is the Refrigeration Chair for the Singapore Chapter, his blog and other writings are read internationally, and finally, just take a look at his Linked profile and his posting on their. He answers questions from people all over the world. So, actually, I think within the confines of the relatively small ACR world Steve is actually fairly well known internationally in a modest way, if you know what I mean. Certainly better than most.

I would agree that his name would not be known by all, or even 50% but disagree with your general statement.

I agree that his name will think not be instantly associated with Customer Care but I don't think it would come as a shock if it were in the same way as if one of the egg heads at a certain body tried to jump on the bandwagon of customer care. Steve is more of an all rounder and customer care and genuine interest in the people within the ACR Industry is part of that. He is not just a nuts and bolts man

Secondly, or is this thirdly? Choosing the name now is important because this may well grow internationally as Neil has pointed out, there is interest from all around the world for this. So wouldn't it be great to jump in ahead of the game and give this a British name to start with? If the Fred Award does grow they so will the name be spread, and by association his link to the UK. I think we should put our stamp on this now (as someone else said) and give it a British connection and there is no one better than Steve Gill for that.

B, please feel free to disagree or debate further. I really have no problem with people disagreeing with me, it is only the ones that are too arrogant and high and mighty to do so that get up my nose. You are not one of these or anyone else currently having posted a comment on this blog.

Look forward to seeing your reply B

By Neil Everitt

16 April 2013 01:54:00

No offence taken, Randy. In fairness, when that photo was taken I was in my 40s - a distant memory now.

And, Lone Ranger, as a resident if Croydon myself I wish you the very best of luck with that one. :-)

By Louis

16 April 2013 01:53:00

Hi Neil, I like your idea of this being an international award. There are many ways to approach this which will gain international support.

The web makes all this possible so why not use its power?

I look forward to hearing news of this when it is ready

I must admit that I have been surprised by the popularity of this blog. Not because it is not exceptionally good, but because as an industry we tend to be focused on details. We are engineers and unfortunately that sometimes prevents us seeing the bigger picture. This blog is quiet specific and very human. It is non-technical and also it conveys a vision and a challenge to the wider ACR industry, but it always returns to the individual again. It is not like any other ACR industry related blog or article that I have ever seen except from Steve. I am pleased that it has really taken off and become as popular as it has. It shows that this industry has a heart too.

Steve did say that the ACR Industry needs a Fred Award, he did not give that borders or boundaries.

This industry and the people in it are extraordinary. It has taken an extraordinary guy like Steve to make us realize it.

Neil, good luck with making this happen. I am sure that after you depart from ACR News, this will not be the last that we hear of you. Best of luck to you

By Lone ranger

16 April 2013 01:52:00

Yes to all.

Neil, does Croydon count as international?

:)

By Amit

16 April 2013 01:51:00

Yep to all.

Steve will make a good ambassador for the ACR Industry and gets my vote

By Randy from Denver

16 April 2013 01:50:00

Sorry Neil, I must have misread that you were retiring, or perhaps I assumed it.

I hope it didn't spoil your weekend. You are probably far too young to retire anyway. You sound quite an energetic young man and your picture looks like a serious guy with a keen sense of humor in his 40s now that I look closer.

Enjoy your weekend.

You may be right about the posts here being international. I am from Denver Colorado. The home of Fred the postman.

You and Steve are always welcome to visit.

By Duke

16 April 2013 01:49:00

YES but:

Has anyone asked Steve Gill if he wants an award named after himself?

If he is okay with it, then so am I

By John Sparrow

16 April 2013 01:48:00

Hi Neil, I hope you are enjoying your weekend in the wilds of Devon. Good to hear that you are still committed to blog and answering/posting messages.

I just wanted to say that I enjoyed the blog and also reading all the messages and comments. I hadn't heard of ACR News before but now you are firmly on the map and saved on my fav websites.

Seems that there are some characters out there in this industry and as soon as I get a Linkedin login etc I will try and connect up to some of you and to you of course Neil, and also to Steve Gill of course.

I have no idea about the ACR industry awards. I guess they are mainly GB things are they? Anyway, the idea of an award for customer care strikes me as a good one on a industry wide footing as it will help to promote the industry and make it all human and personal again.

The thing I like most about this blog and the others that I have read of Steve's is that he puts a human face to the industry. I read a few more of his blogs early this morning wish that I had read them before. This industry saves lives, flys people to the moon and makes us lose weight I read and learned about through his blog.

I never heard of Steve Gill before this morning but after only one hour of reading i think an Award named after him is a good thing. People don't have to die to be inspiring and be commemorated. Time to have a living ACR figure that leads and grows, and still breathes.

Neil, hope the walk does you good and I look forward to reading more comments tomorrow.

Have a good day my friend.

John

By MAT

16 April 2013 01:47:00

There are many negative comments here about MNCs. What is being said may be true of some but not all. I know of one MNC in the Industrial Refrigeration market that trains its staff to deliver quality and outstanding service. It is also managed in a way that is consistent with the quality of treatment that they give to customers. This ensures that all feel part of a quality business that values people and has an ambitious commitment to continuous improvement.
The company does this quietly and simply gets on with it while focusing on customer care and the staff.
So some Freds that you may come across may have been trained to be that way. Don't be too critical of all MNCs.

By Mike Adams

16 April 2013 01:46:00

YES to all.

Much as I like the idea of a Fred Award (and I like that a lot) I think that to give it the name of a living industry person is just as unique a proposal that it will ruffle a few feathers and bring about change. We need to modernize the imagine of this industry and by having Steve as a living ambassador for quality extraordinary service is a great idea. I think we should go with that.

"Normal is overrated and has no place in this industry" Too damn right. Lets change and become extraordinary. Starting now with the Steve Gill Award.

By Jason

16 April 2013 01:45:00

I hope that this time next year we are awash with Freds, but not necessarily with Fred Award dinners.

I think that the more ACR Freds that we find around the industry the better it will be. I think a website dedicated to receiving and collected ACR industry Fred stories will be a central point that can be accessed and enjoyed by all. What an inspiration site that would be.
If we have a lot to celebrate then we should. This could be big, and as Neil has said, this is international. There are some great stories to tell and to hear, lets share them. Neil can you start a ACR Fred website?

Also Neil, I tell you that my customers all love me and are extremely loyal. If my employer loves me, well he has a funny way of showing it.

Paul Smith, I liked your reasonable discussion. You are right, there are a number of ambassadors for this industry. I do not wish to step across the line again but I think that there will always be some that are in the limelight for a year or so while they hold high office. They use that elevated position to convey a message. I was reading that the new President of CIBSE (sorry I have forgotten his name already) is calling for energy reduction in buildings. Well, I guess he has to call for something. I don't know the guy and don't want to fire from the hip again, but these Presidents would be far more convincing and real to me if they were known for campaigning before they came to office.

I heard that Neil Nankivell received an award last year for something and that he has received awards before. Sounds like a great guy and an ACR Industry champion, a good ambassador as you say. But, I agree that Steve is different and also an ambassador in his own way. That is why I think that naming this award after him is very fitting. The Steve Gill ACR Industry Fred Award has a very good ring to it.

I really liked Red Dog telling us about his dream of receiving an award one day. May be on a Fred website all the Fred can have their 15 minutes of fame that will give them a much longer sense of recognition.

By B. Hopson

16 April 2013 01:44:00

Dear Graham (W),

I would like to say YES to all your proposals but I really do not see how calling this the Steve Gill Award adds anything to either the award itself or to the ACR Industry. This is with the greatest respect to Steve who is certainly a highly respected individual doing fine work for the industry as I understand it.
The reason for my doubt is that Steve will not be know internationally for his ACR industry work, nor will his name be naturally associated with extraordinary customer care in that same way that the name Fred is becoming.
I think this is a wonderful thought provoking and inspired blog and brilliant idea on Steve's part but I just am not convinced that naming the award after SG is the right thing to do.
Please do not all jump down my through, I will be very happy if you can convince me to change my mind and remove my doubt by sensible reasoning.
So, a 'YEs' but not to all.

By Neil Everitt

16 April 2013 01:43:00

Apologies if comments have been a bit slow in being posted- I am currently in deepest Devon where the nearest data connection is one mile away up a steep hill. But please keep the comments coming - it's good exercise.

Your comments have been taken on board and what is particularly significant, I feel, is that so many responses have come from outside the UK. For that reason this award needs to be promoted internationally.

I would like to thank all of you for your kind thoughts and best wishes on my pending departure (was a welcome change from the wild cheers that echoed around Faversham Towers).

However, I'm not retiring (can't afford to) and, while there may be a short hiatus, I won't be going too far away. Those who would like to keep in touch can do so by connecting with me on Linkedin if you haven't already done so.

Jason - I fear your comment may have been one of those lost during the change of servers. Either way, posting comments has been difficult enough, taking them down is even more problematic. For what it's worth I think your passion is something that, when harnessed, is of considerable value to your employer and, ultimately, the industry as a whole. I wouldn't mind betting that your care for the customer is first class as well.

By Peter Warwick

16 April 2013 01:42:00

The ACR Industry is awash with award dinners at the moment. Too many really. However, I think that there is a place for this Fred Award. I just hope that it is handled properly and that we are not awash with Freds this time next year.

Peter

By Phil Tucker

16 April 2013 01:41:00

I think that one way to find a true Fred is to see how they handle complaints. Anyone can be helpful when the business is all running smoothly and everyone is friendly. Bu what happens when something goes wrong. This is the ACR industry so there are lots of things that could and do go wrong
No one likes to receive complaints, whether it is criticism about themselves or about the business for which they work. A real Fred will have faced a few unpleasant situations and yet been able to turn that into a positive situation in some way for the customer. I can think of many examples when a potential Fred has evaporated at the hint of trouble and either simply blamed others, completely vanished or said that there was nothing they could do so that was it. Like it or leave it.
Find someone that doesn't avoid complaints and we may be on the right track to finding a Fred
Of course, a true Fred would head-off foreseeable problems in advance but is not superman and can't prevent every problem
Hope this helps
Great blog from Steve, I think an award in his name is a good choice and will be popular

By Roger

16 April 2013 01:40:00

Yes to all :)

By Ben

16 April 2013 01:39:00

Yes

By Peter

16 April 2013 01:38:00

Any plans to have this in Ireland?

I think it is a great idea.

Good blog and great suggestion Steve. I heard you speak at the CIBSE meeting a few years ago in Belfast. You spoke about Air Conditioning Inspections. It was nice to meet you in person

Hope to meet you again

Peter (I will send you a private email)

By Paul Smith

16 April 2013 01:37:00

I think it is fair to say that we in Britain have several people who are great ambassadors for the industry. I am thinking of Mike Nankivell for example. The AREA President and ACR News Blogger Graeme Fox is another. There are several. We are very fortunate in that respect.

They are all different and full credit to each of them including the ones that I haven't mentioned specifically here. I can't say that Steve's contribution is any greater than the others, or less so either. But one thing is very sure, it is different. He does have a vision that to my mind at least sets him apart.
Steve is not better than the others. That is not what I am saying I hope my words are not misunderstood.
What I want to say is that I feel that we would all welcome Steve unique contribution to this industry being recognised in some way and naming this Award after him seems extremely fitting.

I agree with Graham Wright and say yes to all his proposals.
This does not diminish or detract from all the other excellent work being done by the numerous hard working individuals who give up so much of their time for the industry that they care so much about.

Thank you Steve for yet another interesting and thought provoking blog.

Good luck Neil, very sorry to hear you are leaving. You will be greatly missed at ACR News

By Mike Scally

16 April 2013 01:36:00

YES to all and the Steve Gill Award

By Derek Rodriguez

16 April 2013 01:35:00

Brill idea. Give Steve his dues.

GW is right. The conversation can move on to making this happen.

I vote YES to all GW's proposals.

By London Calling

16 April 2013 01:34:00

We were talking about this yesterday at work.

We think it is a great idea.

I work for an HVAC contractor in London mainly doing shop fitting. We all agreed that this could be about to anyone from the ACR industry including us. It does not have to be our manager than nominates us. It would have to be the customer. Then we might get it

Just wanted to say. We all think it is a great idea. Good one Steve.

By Todd Stevens

16 April 2013 01:33:00

Good blog with a really important message.

Some people really do make a positive difference in whatever role they are in. I think this blog and many of the comments have really captured the sense that much of our work goes unnoticed. This has been a theme in a number of Steve's blogs.

This Fred Award is an amazing subtle way of bringing this message out and making it more public. This is more than about customer care by the individual, it is also about the service that the ACR industry gives to the public, the wider community and the world as a whole.

A very multilayer blog. Absolutely amazing.

I read Graham Wright's comments and thoughts with interest and wondered if there would be any negative lash back to them. I am glad to see that there is not so far and I hope there will not be.

My vote is YES. Give Steve the recognition that he deserves.

By Sharon Ray

16 April 2013 01:32:00

I really liked this blog and the idea of the award.

It is about recognizing the the small person that doesn't get noticed normally.

It is not an award for the head of a company, the boss, not for the leader, it is for the ordinary joe in an ordinary job. But someone that makes that job extraordinary

What an extraordinary blogger you are Steve. Great for the industry because really this blog is not about the ACR industry. It could be about any industry. You have highlighted something universal and very human.

You are the ambassador for the ACR industry in a way that no one else can be. That is why this extraordinary blog has received so much attention.

Most people write as the head of something, the president of something, but you write as you.

Others have said this but I will repeat them, you are the Fred to the ACR Industry. Great to have you on ourside

My vote is Yes to the Steve Gill Award

By Angeleigh Khoo

16 April 2013 01:31:00

I agree. Yes. Just what the industry needs.
YES

By HP

16 April 2013 01:30:00

I am in UAE. This is first time see the blog. I heard about the Fred Award through a Brit working here. I think it is a good award. Can we have it here also?

By Paulo

16 April 2013 01:29:00

The vote from Paris is in: It is a Yes vote for all!

By Jojo

16 April 2013 01:28:00

Yes

By Geo

16 April 2013 01:27:00

Here are my 2 cents on the debate:

I agree with everyone that this ACR industry Fred Award is a great idea. In fact it is an amazing one.

I personally have no problems with the award being called a Fred. In fact it is perfect and is easily identifiable through the Fred Factor books as a brand that is synonymous personal extraordinary customer care by an individual. Mark Sanborn has been promoting this for years and years but it has never really taken off on a scale that Steve has proposed. I think it can work and work well

Steve Gill Award or some other name? Well, I agree that we need to give it the ACR Industry stamp to make it our own. It could have a nondescript name such as Fred Award, or even ACR Industry Fred Award, but for me at least, I think that would be a mistake because this is about being personal and human and going the extra mile in the ACR Industry and yet we can't even find a industry champion to name it after if we give it a bland name. So, Steve Gill ACR Fred Award works for me.

That is my 2 cents worth.

I am from LA and the news of the award has reached here even. It may not be on the scale of the Oscars but where would the Oscars night be without the ACR Industry - very hot and sweaty.

Great blog and so many posts to read. Amazing

I can see an ACR Freds night in LA one day.

Hope to see you on the red carpet

G

By Randy From Denver

16 April 2013 01:26:00

In this modern age of social media and virtual connection some thing has been lost. Not just in business but in our social interaction with others.
The guy that sits next to me in the office would rather SMS me or email me than speak to me.
Sure, with social media and the internet we have gained something. We can now speak to thousands may be millions. But with that gain we have lost something.
In business it is now all to easy to send an email to a customer rather than just pick up the phone. Face to face human interaction is being lost in the business world.
Of course, in business, face-to-face is not always possible but it is nice to have someone helpful and friendly on the end of the phone.
That is also becoming rare, with automated systems - click 1 for yes, click 2 for no.
The ACR industry is still one of those industries that can have human contact because it is a physical service. Yes, Steve is right, we are a heavily technical industry but we are also a service industry - one that provides a service to its customers.
This blog has brought many of us together so it is powerful use of social media, but it is also a reminder than people matter. There have been so many insightful comments here in this blog thread that it is testimony to the relevance of this subject to the industry.
I think the award across the industry, the whole industry world wide is an amazing thought. Who would have thought that possible
Great blog Steve, one that is inspiring people with thoughts about how to make this happen.
It does seem that you are the Fred to the industry and I would not have any problems with the award being in your name. Yours and Freds.
I don't know where to vote for this so can I just say YES here?
I noticed that there is a poll on the home page of ACR News. Could we not have something similar for this? Neil, what do you say? By the way, i am sorry to see that you are leaving. I would guess that from what has been said, that you gave Steve the start in this industry. You have done great work. May you and your family have a long and happy retirement.
Randy

By Greg

16 April 2013 01:25:00

Hello from Perth Australia!
Now I know what a 'heavyweight' looks like at the Institute of Refrigeration!
I found the blog very interesting and different. I looked at your other blogs too and found them interesting too. You have an unusual slant on the world which opens our minds beyond the immediate technical problems of the day.
What I liked about this blog and your others is that you find the fantastic in the ordinary. We are all in the ACR Industry facing the same or similar issues and yet you help us to view this industry differently, you see the special and you help us to see it too.
I think your blog is the extraordinary in the world of ordinary, normal ACR blogs about Carbon Tax and HFOs. Good for you and good for ACR News for giving you this platform
I think the award should be in your name and agree with Graham Wright
Yes!
Hope to see you in Perth one day

By Rosie Roberts

16 April 2013 01:24:00

Very interesting blog and readers comments. This is probably the most interesting blog I have read ever when combined with all the different thoughts that the readers have shared. Well done to Steve for starting this all off.

I would like to share my thoughts with you all. I think that to be a Fred to really need to know your customers better than your spouse or your best friend. What do they like? What do they do? What are their activities and hobbies? What products do they use? What do they read? How does their business operate? What do they require to make them successful? And many more similar questions.

When you are as close to the customer as this, there is a good chance that you can help them. That you can be their Fred.

I hope this is helpful and that the ACR industry reveals its Freds and their working ways to the world.

Marvelous idea from Steve

By Peter Parker

16 April 2013 01:23:00

As human beings we pass on the kind of treatment we receive.

If staff do not feel that their role has value as is the case in many MNCs then the chances are that they convey the uncaring feeling onto the customer.

That is what makes the postman Fred story all the more remarkable. It would have easier and almost more understandable for Fred to become just a regular postman. To do what is expected of him. He didn't. His behavior was extraordinary. That is type of person or persons we want to find in the ACR Industry. Sure, we have them, so lets celebrate them.

Wonderful, imaginative, and forwarding thinking from Steve. Well done to Steve.

By Derby Ram

16 April 2013 01:22:00

Good for you Red Dog. Never give up dreaming. One day your dreams may come true.

This industry award is open to all, so someone in the industry for over 50 years stands as much a chance as some one that started recently. That is what makes it so appealing.

Good idea Steve. It gets my vote.

By Jon

16 April 2013 01:21:00

Yes!

I don't totally agree with your thoughts and reasoning but I do agree that it should have an industry name and seeing as Fred is alive and kicking to give it our own Steve Gill's name seems as good as any other.

As for him being an ambassador, well, that he may be, but there are others that also are so I don't quite agree that he should have it for that reason alone. Having said that, most are tied to companies or associations, so at least Steve seems to be doing it off his own back for no other reason that his love of this industry. Oh, hang-on, I think I have just convinced myself that perhaps Steve is the right ambassador after all, and as someone else said, he is a Fred to the ACR Industry. He listens, and he cares.

Yes to all!

By Graham Wright

16 April 2013 01:20:00

Hi Jumbo, to answer your question:

I do like the idea of awarding a Fred. As I said, it can become like an Oscar. We find our ACR Fred and we award them a Fred.

But I think the award should be have a name associated with the industry. So we could have a bland general name like ACR News Customer Care Award or we could name it after a sponsor company, like the J&E Hall Medal. Or we could name it after a person. As someone else said in this blog roll, in the ACR industry we have a habit of naming Awards after people that have died. That is fine. But why not break with tradition? After all, Fred the postman is still very much alive anyway.
So, then it becomes a question of whom. Although it was Steve's idea, that is not the reason I think it should be named after him. The real reason is that Steve is a great ambassador for the ACR Industry. If we are going to use a living person, he seems ideal to my mind. We need an ambassador who is none political and yet is the voices the concerns of the industry. Steve is the ACR Industry's Fred. I can think of no better person within the industry to name this after.

I hope that answers your question. To name the award anything else will dilute the long term impact and remove the opportunity for having the industry ambassador.

Like it or not. I feel the Award MUST be called the Steve Gill Award. I hope you all agree.

By Jason

16 April 2013 01:19:00

Hi Graham, my vote is a YES. But I had already said all this before you summarised it

Well done anyway

YES!

By Mike

16 April 2013 01:18:00

Yes - to all

By Jumbo

16 April 2013 01:17:00

Graham, I like you straight clear no nonsense approach.

The vote from me is a Yes to all, but with a 'why'.

Why 'MUST' the Award be called the Steve Gill Award. I agree with all but please explain why this is a 'must' in your mind.

By Paul Vance

16 April 2013 01:16:00

Neil sorry to hear that you are leaving. You will be greatly missed.
Good luck
Steve great blog. Remarkable idea.
Good luck to you too with this. I hope it happens. Be sure to announce when plans are made.
Paul

By Reporting Slave

16 April 2013 01:15:00

A very thought provoking blog which has opened up a wide range of subject lines all around the same topic of customer care by an individual.

I was particularly interested in the posts regarding MNCs. I also work for one and have to agree with the other people leaving comments that although many MNCs supposedly pride themselves on their customer care and organizational listening skills. In practice, this is lip service to for the share holders benefit only. The real customers have no place at board level. It is not the customer who is king anymore, it is the shareholder and the stock market. Corporate Customer Care programs are window dressing.

That doesn't mean that some individuals don't still take it upon themselves to provide the best service that they can and take pride in their work. These dedicated people are the ones that every customer recognizes and turns to time and time again when in need. It is almost fair to say that the customers actually place their work and trust in these people, not in the MNC. Very often these are subject to mergers and take-overs but still the customer seeks out the person that they trust to deliver the service they require. That can be a technical guy, a sales guy or an administer. In fact, it can be any role. It is not the role, it is the person that matters.

I think this proposed award has a place in the ACR industry and will be a very welcomed addition to the awards that we currently have which always favor technical people or companies.

I am not from Great Britain so I am sorry to say that I don't know anything about the individual Awards that Neil mentioned - the Alan Moor and the Fred Jamieson Award. From what was said, I understand that these are very different. I can say that we have nothing like the proposed Award in the States for the ACR industry that I know of.

Nominations should be from customers only to make this fair so quite a bit of industry wide awareness will need to take place first.

I really like the idea and this blog now has a new fan. I will look out for it again

You probably can guess that my real name is not Reporting Slave. I work in sales for an MNC and now the company is more interested in making sure that my weekly reports are in on time, and that I attend every internal meeting than it is on customer care. I think many will know what I am talking about and agree.

Great idea Steve. The ACR Industry should be proud of you and thank you.

By Bob Westlake

16 April 2013 01:14:00

Hi Steve, greetings from Denver; the former home of Fred Shea the postman.

Fred is a local legend in these parts as is his story made famous by the author Mark Sanborn.

It may interest you to know that a few places have adopted the Fred Award concept. These are usually small businesses or organizations such as a local school.

I have never heard of it being proposed on the scale of an industry wide award. I think this is a fantastic idea and a genuine leap forward in mind set.

I can understand why your blog has become so popular although I must confess that this is the first time that I have read it. I have looked at some of your previous blogs and can see a consistent vision for the ACR industry that you obviously care so much about. Perhaps there is a thing as an industry Fred and you are it.

I would like to add that I know two Freds myself. One the woman at the coffee store. Great lady but her story would not be of interest to the ACR industry. The other is one of my own guys. We operate a small ac company and Greg is our only sales guy. Everywhere he goes he has people make him coffee , buy him gifts, send him holiday postcards. These are his customers but they are more like family or friends. This is not because he is such a nice guy (which he is, it is because he really cares about HIS customers and has their interests at heart. He provides them exactly what the want and offers a live time service to them. Even customers that we sold to 15 years ago still phone him when they need some thing repairing or replacing. He has all the qualities of a Fred.

I would like to share his story and approach to life and business with others. The industry wide ACR Fred Award is just the vehicle to share these good stories.

A big thank you for Steve Gill. If you are ever in Denver, let me know. We would like to meet you and shake your hand. I will send you a private email with my details

Bob