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 Rachael Philip

16 April 2013 05:24:00

After reading the blog I was interested enough to buy Mark Sanborn's book 'The Fred Factor'. It is a great read with plenty of inspirational quotable lines in it. Here are a few:

'Be interested. "Appreciating the people we serve, I believe, increases the value of our service to them." Be a better listener. Care about people. Be honest. Be helpful. Be prompt.'

'The best Freds are true artists at taking ordinary products or job responsibilities and services and making them extraordinary.'

'Freds have a profound impact on others because of the example they set. Their efforts inspire, both directly and indirectly.'

And this is the one I like the best:

'Customers don t have relationships with organizations; they form relationships with individuals. Passionate employees, whether they are salespeople, technicians, or service reps, constantly show their commitment to customers.'

Anyone who works in a service industry like ours will just how true this last quote is. People buy from people; that doesn't just mean the initial sale. It refers to the servicing and maintenance too.

In the ACR Industry we are actually much better at this than many outsiders give us credit for. An award like this will give us an opportunity to showcase our best examples.

Great idea Steve, and great blog.

Rachael Philip

By Martijn Scheffers

16 April 2013 05:23:00

The quality of the relationships determines the quality of the product or service. Without forming some sort of connection, it is difficult to offer a better service.
The really stars of the industry are those who can form a relationship in the first few seconds of meeting, even if that is via email or over the telephone.
If people like you, and you like people, there is a good chance that you will succeed.

By Arun

16 April 2013 05:22:00

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. Aristotle

By Dave Brown

16 April 2013 05:21:00

You can make a difference. There are people in this industry that do just that.
A great blog can also make a difference.

By Ricky Smith

16 April 2013 05:20:00

This is the best suggestion I have heard in a long while
Some fresh thinking for a change

By T. Clarke

16 April 2013 05:19:00

Awards seem to be all the range these days which is not a bad thing if there is something to genuinely celebrate. Worthy Awards such as 'Student of the Year' do much to promote our industry and also to recognise excellence. Unfortunately, many of the other categories have now become merely an excuse for a get together as part of a money making machine.
I would like to think that the author of this blog suggested this award with the best of intentions to reward individuals, in the same light that the student one does. Personally, I think this is an excellent suggestion and will make an interesting change to the usual categories. It will also promote the industry in a positive light.

By Jason Crocker

16 April 2013 05:18:00

Some companies are clearly better at customer service than and place greater emphasis on it, but there some individuals who almost seem take great pride in doing their best and giving their best no matter what the official company approach it. We all recognise them when we are on the receiving end of their treatment. Now, wouldn't it be great if we as an industry can also recoginse these people?

By Dan Boonyarat

16 April 2013 05:17:00

This blog is as much about personal excellence and improvement as it is about customer service. It is about personal pride in offering the best service that one can. It is far more than about exceptional customer service.
An award for people who exceed their current role is very commendable and has a certain special merit to it, because the individual has striven to excel for no obvious person gain.

By Daniel Dimitrov

16 April 2013 05:16:00

A well written and convincing article. Not what I expected from an engineering industry blog

By Michael Kleck

16 April 2013 05:15:00

Mark Sanborn has dined out on this postman story for years. Never the less, it is still a good example of a person who goes the extra mile to make their own service better than expected.
Postman or not, we can all take something from this story.
Thank you for bringing it to the attention of the ACR Industry.

By Lynn Sencicle

16 April 2013 05:14:00

Mike,

All I can say at this point is, watch this space!

By Mark Boom

16 April 2013 05:13:00

Speaking as an end-user of industrial refrigeration I would welcome such an Award that gives us end-users - the actual ACR Industry customers a chance to have our say

By Mike

16 April 2013 05:12:00

Surprised to see some new comments here.

I received a flyer through for the ACR Awards 2014 calling for entries. There wasn't a category for the 'Fred', 'Steve' or anything even remotely similar.

Seems that ACR News have not taken this one up.

By Barrie Michael

16 April 2013 05:11:00

This is an aspect of our industry that really is worth highlighting.
All too often we forget to focus on who really pays for our industry; our customers

By Martin

16 April 2013 05:10:00

Good observation about Food Factory Engineers. We are often not given any credit for being as helpful as we can be for the whole spectrum of M&E services on a production site.
Nice that someone has noticed us

By Thomas Hagmeier

16 April 2013 05:09:00

Very insightful blog. We sometimes miss the most obvious opportunities to raise the industry profile and reward those most deserving, even when they are right under our nose.
Good suggestion for all the right reasons mentioned.

By Uwe Kessler

16 April 2013 05:08:00

Absolutely!

By Peter Tay

16 April 2013 05:07:00

Great article. It's a hard reality for some in the industry to embrace that good customer service makes a difference. As engineers, we naturally feel that the 'best' technical solution should always win and that clients will always return if our product is technically superior.

By Buzz MacDonald

16 April 2013 05:06:00

Exceptional Customer Service in the ACR Industry? Nah,that will never catch on.

Nice dream though
:-)

By Chaveevan Khampa

16 April 2013 05:05:00

When I receive poor service I am quick to complain about it. I usually email the Company, or even phone and complain in some instances.

We all appreciate and notice exceptionally good service when we are on the receiving end, just as we do when we receive poor quality service but few of us take the time to show that appreciation. I have never written to a company to say how pleased I was with the service.

Staff that offer exceptional customer service do not go unnoticed but often go without the recognition that they deserve.

The ACR Industry Fred Award for Exceptional Customer Service will make a welcome addition to the Awards currently offered. In fact it is long overdue. Time to wake up this industry to the good work that some are doing.

By Pier Magrini

16 April 2013 05:04:00

Industry Awards suggest glamour, bright lights, big smiles and glittering trophies, and lets face it, that is what our industry Awards dinners are.

That is very far removed from the 'Freds' of industry, the plodders who are none the less extraordinary. The ones that quietly make a difference within the circle to the people that they deal with. They do not change the world, or even set out to. They do not attend the glitzy dinners. They are not part of the circus that is necessary to promote and sponsor our industry award dinners.
They are however, essential to this industry and what is remarkable is that no one until has even bothered to mention them and high light their role.
Many would claim to champion customer service, but few actually do anything about it other than sell the concept within their organisation, and to their potential customers.
Interesting blog and a wonderful suggestion for an award. I doubt it will happen though. Where is the glamour is rewarding our frontline staff? Better keep rewarding the bosses, they are the ones funding the dinners.

By Graham Lightfoot

16 April 2013 05:03:00

An observation: many service industries have awards for exceptional customer service, but i can't think of any engineering ones do. It is as if customer service is viewed as a 'business' function but as engineers we should encourage should only recognize technology based excellence.
As an industry we are not that well rounded are we?
Great idea Steve

By Derek Satis

16 April 2013 05:02:00

What a wonderful proposal and interesting blog. As an industry we really do not do enough to promote the service (this description is used in its widest sense) staff who really go out of their way to make the customer experience something special.

By Afnan Ahsan

16 April 2013 05:01:00

Customer is King! Nice to know that some still remember this.

But who would have thought that those who treat the customer as Kings will be recognised as important? Wonderful blog Mr Gill

By Alex Chai

16 April 2013 05:00:00

Marvelous suggestion. I know we often joke that we would all be better off without customers but that is a joke, and it is those that make customer service and art who really keep this industry going

By Jonathan Walker

16 April 2013 04:59:00

I heard about this Fred Award and had to read this blog. Excellent suggestion. Grass roots awards are what is required as the mainstream ones have been hijacked by the corporates leaving very little chance for the people on the ground doing the real work

By Carlton Fathers

16 April 2013 04:58:00

Good idea. Some recognition for the people that really make this industry tick. Interesting blog. I am surprised that this has not received more attention.

By Peter Rowland

16 April 2013 04:57:00

As an industry we are great at Awards for technical innovation or engineering excellence. Where does the customer get a look in all this? As a service industry I think the Fred Award is wonderful idea.

By Matthew Keighley

16 April 2013 04:56:00

Here here! This is something lacking from this inudustry: recognistion for people that go beyond exceptional customer service.

By Graeme Fox

16 April 2013 04:55:00

Thanks for the comments Todd.

Never been to Arkansas but heard nice things about it. Just back from vacation in Florida with my family - every time I'm over there I always wonder how much better off I'd be financially if I lived there rather than Scotland? Definitely more cooling demand anyway! Saying that, we are having a heat wave right now so work is hectic and straight back into compressor changes and top-ups!

Thanks again,
Graeme

By Todd Hendricks

16 April 2013 04:54:00

Greetings from Little Rock, Arkansas

Hi Graeme, as a fellow hands-on guy all my life I was interested to learn more about you through the blog thread. You come across as an honest guy who wear his heart on his sleeve.

It is a shame if you have been criticized for your words here. But that is typical for those that do something to be criticized by those that don't. As engineers we face that all the time.

You are an engineer that writes and speaks, so there will always be someone that doesn't like what you say. But keep doing it because your honest true nature will shine though.

I agree with you about social media, particularly this blog. There have been so many comments and thoughts and ideas that it has really been put to good use.

I have become a fan of Steve's writing and have looked back through all his blogs. They are an excellent course of motivational quotes and thoughts about this industry.

I am very pleased to read that the Award is going ahead. I am not good at customer service but I think that it is a great idea to reward it and I am totally in agreement with Steve on that. I also liked his new blog and I saw that someone had suggested a modern ambassador award too. Another great idea. Awards that are moving with the times and reflecting modern changes whilst still embracing traditional values.

I would have liked to have seen these awards named after Steve and I hope that you win at least one of them.

Graeme, keep up the good work and don't get put off by nonsense negative feed back

Todd

By Graeme Fox

16 April 2013 04:53:00

Didn't mean to worry you and I wasn't offended London Calling. My words on another blog have been taken out of context and used against me though so was just putting record straight. I meant my comments to be a bit light hearted - don't fret about it.

This is the only problem I have with social media - it is difficult sometimes to get your point cross with the correct emphasis. I think a few have commented here and elsewhere and said things that have offended without meaning to (I would hope). I'm not against social media though - this is a great example of how this media can be used to garner a huge range of opinions.

By Steve Gill

16 April 2013 04:52:00

The honour would be all mine as I hope that we do get a chance to meet one day.

I am delighted to hear that the award is going ahead . I understand that there are still some details to be finalised but the important thing is that it will be happening.

I would like to thank every one for their support and interest. I hope that we can build on this and count your continued support to highlight and reward those extraordinary people in the industry.

London Calling, if you are one of these people I hope that you will be able to share you achievements with us all very soon.

By Mike

16 April 2013 04:51:00

Good point from Elizabeth Chell. The human factor as at the core of the blog and the idea behind the award.

By Steve Rogen

16 April 2013 04:50:00

I found this article after seeing the announcement in the latest blog. This article really is a treat and just as impressive as the newer one about Ambassadors.
After reading through it and skimming through the comments I have to say that this is a brilliant idea for an award because it rewards being good at the job and also being extraordinary at customer service. It is quite a special combination. This will reveal complete mastery of the position.
Really good idea for an award. Having not heard of it before and just finding out today, I can already see why this is proving so popular. I would be proud to win a Steve too.

By Elizabeth Chell

16 April 2013 04:49:00

Dear Neil, this award is about people. People dealing with people. People helping people. It is about person to person relationships. I think it needs a person's name and 'Steve' would be as good as any other, but is actually better for all the reasons others have said.
The Fred Factor is successful because it is human and has a human face that we can all relate to. Steve is an industry name that we can relate to.
I suggest that to really make this successful, you retain the 'human' factor and avoid the 'Customer Service Excellence' award type name and approach. I hope this advice helps
I am from HR (as you may have guessed) and not engineering or marketing but I think you will understand what I am saying.

By London Calling

16 April 2013 04:48:00

I am really bothered now that I may have landed Graeme in some trouble by misquoting him. I really want to say that the words 'simple techie' were my mistake and misquote and that I didn't mean that they are doing simple low work in anyway and I didn't take it that Graeme meant that either.
Is that clear enough to everyone?

By London Calling

16 April 2013 04:47:00

Sorry Graeme if I miss quoted you and suggested that you were meaning something else. Look, I am a simple guy and a humble techie so words are not particularly my thing. Nor are politics.

I work for a small company installing and servicing ac units in small shops around north London area. Hardly rocket science I am the first to admit but I do my best and I really want to improve as an engineer and as a person.

If I understand correctly, this award is one that even the likes of me can be considered for if I offer really good service to our customers. An award like this would be a real boast for me. You can't imagine how much. I am never going to win any other award in this industry but I can aspire to.

I read your blogs regularly and they talk the language of someone who is a techie. Hey, I mean that in a nice way I hope these words don't go against you in some way with the bosses and high fliers.

I don't know and have never met you, Steve Gill, or Neil Everitt so I am not about to say what level you guys are. But from what I have heard you are all ordinary guys that have done well for yourselves and what is more, you all care about the industry and I think you are all humble too. I hope one day I can meet you all. That would be an honour.

I said before, I would be extremely proud to win a Steve Award especially after reading a comment by a young man called Gary I think his name was. He summed it up very well.

We may be ordinary techies or whatever role we are, but as Steve put it much better than I can when we said that doesn't mean that we do ordinary work or should settle for giving ordinary service. Steve writes really well and put it much better.

Have I put the record straight too? I didn't mean any trouble by my comments to Graeme and sorry about the misquote.

It is a very busy time for us in London with this hot spell, We are working 7 days a week which is great but I still find the time to check the blogs.

Can I also say, I would leave a comment on your blog Graeme but I don't feel that I am qualified enough to. But that doesn't mean that me and others are not reading it. I hope you know that.

By Graeme Fox

16 April 2013 04:46:00

Before I get accused of being patronising: I referred to "ordinary techies on the ground" in an earlier comment as a means of referring to all the thousands of service technicians and engineers who are the public face of our industry sector on a daily basis and was in no way belittling this position. I now understand from the ever growing thread on this blog and in particular the very flattering references to me among others that people don't associate me with that level. However, I do see myself as a humble techie as that is what I do most working days. Install, service, maintain and repair.

For the record I never referred to techies as "simple" ;)

I too would be very proud to receive an award like this, as others have said, and thanks to those who have mentioned me in this way.

By Martin B

16 April 2013 04:45:00

I have got to say Neil that I thought the discussion as to the name was long over. To rake this all up again is a mistake I feel. It is dull and a distraction.
I made a nomination, or at least suggested a name and now we have to go through the whole debate again that has dragged on for months.
Can't help but feel a little deflated when I should be pleased.
Sorry Neil, I know you must have a lot to consider but and decide upon, and you are leaving too (so well done in making this happen) but I think you should have just announced the name and removed this uncertainty that you have reintroduced. It may be good for hits to have an active discussion but quite frankly I think most of us have had enough and moved on from the name.
Don't want to be harsh because I don't know all your considerations, but may I suggest that you reach a decision quickly and then we can all get down to the real purpose of this award, and that is finding those stars out there.
Hope you agree

By Amy

16 April 2013 04:44:00

I fear that my earlier comment may have caused some trouble here. I did not want to be called a 'Fred'. I have no objection to collecting a Steve if I fortunate enough to win.
I have read Steve's blogs for years and also his magazine articles. He is a true member of the industry. Sure, I don't want to be called 'Fred' and no disrespect to the Fred's reader this but who else would want to be.
I am a woman and will be proud to collect a Steve. Is that clear enough this time?

By London Calling

16 April 2013 04:43:00

Who ever heard of the Stevies? If you look up any name on the web you will probably find it somewhere.

Good news that the Award is going ahead but weak excuse not to call it the Steve Award.

We want an industry name and you have one. What more do you want? I think it was great of Steve to have thought of us simple techies (Graeme Fox's term not mine) in the first place and I understand that he is highly respected in the industry. Why make this more complicated than it need to be?

By Graham Wright

16 April 2013 04:42:00

Neil, well done, but don't mess it up now!

Danbi- are you from Korea? I believe that Danbi means 'rain' in Korean. It is an unusual name so I guess you are from there. Am I right?

By Danbi

16 April 2013 04:41:00

I agree with Pete and Gary.

Many people here have already called the Award as 'Steve Award' then why bother to be changed and confused?

By Gary

16 April 2013 04:40:00

That is good news but in a political answer.

If it was being named after Steve Jobs I don't think you would hesitate. It is a shame that we can't name it after one of our own.

I said before that I didn't want to win a Fred and that feeling is still the same. I want to win a Steve. If I do one day, I will be very proud. Good news but disappointed too

By pete

16 April 2013 04:39:00

great news neil. there is only one name for this award so why fight it? acronym or not. unisex or not. call in the steve award and get on with it.

steve gill is a guy from our industry. if he was dead you wouldn't be hesitating would you?

By Neil Everitt

16 April 2013 04:38:00

Just to let you all know, the introduction of a special customer service award has now been agreed. It is planned that it will form part of the ACR News Awards but will be run separately and exclusively online.

Although I am leaving in a week's time, it has been agreed that I will help to run it on behalf of ACR News.

The structure and format of the award is still to be pinned down but it will be international so that our readers around the world, many of whom have posted here, can be included.

It will be based on nominations from you, the visitors to the website, but will, obviously, be restricted to those working within the acr industry, be that manufacturing, distribution, supply, installation, consultancy, service or maintenance, etc. However, I feel it should be open to anyone working within those companies, from the receptionist to the md.

The name is still a sticking point. The Fred award is already out there so would not be unique to our industry and, as someone on here has pointed out already, there are some big customer service awards in the US already called the Stevies, so the idea of calling it the Steve might also be a problem.

I personally prefer the idea of a name (as in the Oscars and in the aforementioned Stevies), one that might be considered unisex and one that could also be formed from an acronym.

Your thoughts would be welcomed.

An official announcement will be made soon.

By Andrew L

16 April 2013 04:37:00

Always keep searching for opportunities to make customers happy and to feel valued. People love to feel important and taken care of. Positive surprises have immense value
This is my approach to customer care

By Sheffield Stan

16 April 2013 04:36:00

I found this blog after reading the one about being an Ambassador. Two very good reads. This blog is one of the industry's best kept secrets. Why is it not on the first page of the website?
It may be too late to say that I think this is a great idea. We need some recognition for the good work we do in this industry and Steve's fresh idea really is something special.
I hope my customers read this ( I will encourage them to do so) and that I get nominated for the Steve Award! Banging idea!

By Chris S

16 April 2013 04:35:00

I would like to nominate Simon Mills of J&E Hall. I have known Simon for years and can say that he is the most genuine Salesman and most technically sound I have ever met. A true gentleman, and a genuine person that would do anything to help

By Nathan

16 April 2013 04:34:00

I think the Steve Award needs to have consistency as one of the criteria. I have seen people be friendly and helpful once or twice but then on another occasion they have been the opposite because it no longer suits them. The true stars of this industry have been providing extraordinary customer service for many years. This is perhaps when some people leaving comments have made the mental leap to associate them with industry ambassadors. These are not the same but there are some similarities in terms of personal characteristics.