Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM OCTOBER 2018 42 John Tschohl Customer Service RO W e've heard it since childhood. We've heard it from parents, teachers, and friends…"You just have stick to it and try (work) harder." Success is more about how hard one is willing to work or practice than the God-given talents we are born with. Hard work has clearly paid off for the most successful people. Take these examples of diligence and commitment: • Bill Gates — For years, the richest man in the world evidently never slept, never changed clothes, never did anything but code and maneuver and strategize. For Gates, it was the ability to have access to a computer and log 10,000 hours of programming time. Gates didn't seem like a shoe-in for success after dropping out of Harvard and starting a failed first business—Traf-O-Data— with Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. While this early idea didn't work, Gates' later work did, creating the global empire that is Microsoft. In an industry filled with incredibly smart people— where smart was and is commonplace—he rose to the top by working incredibly hard. • The Beatles — It was playing 1,200 one-hour live shows to smaller audiences that would prepare them for stadium concerts and super-stardom. • Tom Brady — The quarterback of the New England Patriots prob- ably spends more time watching film than the rest of us spend at work. In a sport where incredible athletic talent is commonplace, he'll one day be in the Hall of Fame because he works incredibly hard. "It's hard to beat a person who never gives up." – Babe Ruth • Walt Disney — Today, Disney rakes in billions from merchandise, movies and theme parks around the world, but Walt Disney had a rough start. He was fired by a newspaper editor because, "he lacked imagination and had no good ideas." Disney started a number of businesses that didn't last too long and that ended in bankruptcy and failure. He kept plugging along (working harder), however, and eventually found a recipe for success. • Henry Ford — While Ford is today known for his innovative assembly line and American-made cars, he wasn't an instant success. His early businesses failed and left him broke five times before he founded the successful Ford Motor Company. "The trouble with opportunity is that it always comes disguised as hard work." — Anonymous These are examples of very talented individuals. But the common theme is taking that talent and supporting it with a fierce and committed work ethic. It sounds tough and sounds like a lot of hard work. Well, don't kid yourself, it is. There are four simple principles that I have talked about before and that are included in my books that relate to hard work and success: • Belief – Believing in yourself is all about being sure that you are going to do what you want even if others stand against you. • Dedication – It's part of your make-up; the way you do things. • Focus – It's a focal point that you aim for. For example, the object in target shooting is to aim for the center. The same standard applies for success. • Skill – It's the right combination of skill sets in order to be successful. For example, if you are going to be the best on the rodeo circuit, you will have to master the skills necessary to stay on a horse and get back in the saddle without fear. It takes hours and hours of incredibly hard work and a few bumps and bruises along the way. "I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more of it I have." – Thomas Jefferson In my book, Moving Up, I constantly remind readers that it's about your life, it's about succeeding in whatever you choose to do. It's about taking chances, being proactive, and being ready and willing to put in the hard work necessary. "Great things are not going to happen for you unless you are willing to work incredibly hard." – John Tschohl HARD WORK— RECIPE FOR SUCESS John Tschohl—described by Time and Entrepreneur magazines as a customer service guru and service strategist—is founder and president of the Service Quality Institute, which has developed more than 26 customer service training programs. John has authored several books on customer service, including Moving Up, and has just released the 10th edition of Achieving Excellence Through Customer Service. John@servicequality.com or www.customer-service.com.

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