Open up your mind and say, ahh...

Service matters. We know this in our guts, and yet, most companies make service an after-thought, and a cost center. They say, “We value our customers,” quite often on their pre-recorded 6-8 minute long hold message tape. Service has always mattered, but it’s coming to be a vital competitive edge. With that in mind, I wanted to offer you 9 starting points for improving your service craftsmanship.

Cure Your Amnesia

If someone buys from your organization and then later communicates with you about some matter, it would be good to know that they are a customer. Though we’re not really supposed to treat people differently, you would be foolish not to treat your best customers with the utmost of care. Remember that “most money paid” isn’t always the criteria for best. You’ll know the difference. To cure this, simply be sure that every system that requires one to know a name also gives that file some kind of nod to the fact that the customer is a repeat patron of your organization. Want to go a step further? Remember what I did last time and ask me if I want more of the same.

Consider The Extra Touches

In almost any business transaction, there’s an opportunity to add an extra nice touch. Quite often, this makes a powerful impact on your customer. What can you do? It can be simple, inexpensive, or even free, if it’s timely and shows a level of connectedness with your customer. Christopher Lynn from the famous Hotel Colonnade in Boston knew that Jacq and I were out at a Black Keys concert. He ran over to the mall across from his hotel, picked up a copy of the latest CD, and had it on our pillow when we came back. It was a perfect little touch that cost about $15 and 20 minutes of his time, but that strengthens my commitment to staying at the Colonnade any time I’m in Boston. What extra touch can you give? Can you draw smiley faces on my sales slips? Even that’s nice.

Communicate Simply, Clearly, and Almost Often

Airlines seem to have mastered the art of vagary, especially lately. As I experience more and more delays on flights, I’m getting answers like, “we’re just waiting on some paperwork.” First, it’s 2012. Do we really use a lot of paper? Evidently so. Second, why are you holding up my flight 10-15 minutes for a piece of paper? Answer: that’s not really why they’re delayed.

People want to feel informed. This improves outcome, even if the response from a company is a bit negative. It’s better to know that you’re not going to get your package today than it is to say, “Well, we’re tracking it and there haven’t been any updates to the status.” Be simple, be clear, and communicate fairly regularly (but not too much- if you over-communicate, it’s showing fear).

Reduce Friction Everywhere

Most processes come about from past experiences, and rarely from current circumstances. They almost never come from “what’s best for the customer.” If you have a process that makes it harder for people to do business, why would it shock you that people won’t do business with you? Policies are meant to facilitate business, not hamper it. Revisit every policy frequently to determine whether it’s giving you or your customers/clients a problem. It’s amazing what you’ll turn up. Sometimes, fixing this kind of friction costs money, but often, it’s as simple as crumpling up a piece of paper and starting with a new perspective. The rewards are magical.

Say Thank You

Companies have a strange history with saying thank you. Sometimes, they get the words out, but follow them up with, “And I’d love you to buy THIS item, too!” Other times, they say thank you only when they’re ready to hit you up in the sales process again, or when they need something. Get in the habit of thanking your clients and customers. It’s a magic secret to creating good service.

Service Craftsmanship

Service Craftsmanship is part of the Human Business Way, a set of guiding principles and practices we’ve assembled for professionals in companies of any size – solo to mega corporation – so we can help you build a sustainable, relationship-minded business. If you want to learn more about the Human Business Way, I’d recommend checking out my weekly newsletter (it’s FREE).

The United States Postal Service has banned all international shipments of electronics with lithium batteries effective May 16–including iPads, Kindles, smartphones, and laptops. Here’s the scoop.

Starting on May 16, new United States Postal Service (USPS) regulations will prohibit iPads, Kindles, smartphones, and other electronics with lithium batteries from being mailed to overseas troops or foreign customers. American firms with customers outside the country’s borders or people with loved ones serving overseas will have to use private parcel services at higher prices. The news is a headache for USPS employees, military families and electronic manufacturers and resellers… but a boon for private delivery firms like UPS, DHL, and FedEx.

Lithium batteries, which power many personal electronic devices, can explode or catch fire in certain conditions. In order to get around this, consumer electronic manufacturers such as Apple or Amazon ship their products with a minimal charge–which mitigates the safety risk. Fully charged, improperly stored, or improperly packed lithium batteries do pose a risk of explosion, however. Lithium batteries have been implicated in at least two fatal cargo plane crashes since 2006, including a UPS jet in Dubai.

For cargo shippers and postal services, this poses a quandry. Improperly shipped lithium batteries are a serious safety risk. However, shipping of personal electronics is a multibillion dollar business annually. According to the USPS, they will prohibit shipping of lithium batteries and any device containing them effective May 16. In a publicly issued document, the USPS says that the ban was made because of deliberations between the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the Universal Postal Union (UPU), two international bodies which issue semi-binding guidelines for global trade. The IATA’s 2012 regulations for lithium metal and lithium ion batteries allow for the shipment of consumer electronics with proper safety precautions, while the UPU’s lithium battery regulations are ambiguously worded–worthy of an entire phalanx of lawyers.

Lithium batteries have been implicated in at least two fatal cargo plane crashes since 200.

The USPS tells customers they anticipate “on January 1, 2013, customers will be able to mail specific quantities of lithium batteries internationally (including to and from an APO, FPO, or DPO location) when the batteries are properly installed in the personal electronic devices they are intended to operate.” In the meantime, Americans hoping to send iPads, Kindles, laptop batteries, and smartphones overseas will be forced to either break the law by lying about their package contents or to shell out dearly for higher-priced private shipping services.

Fast Company spoke to Darlene Casey of the Postal Service, who explained the new regulations. According to Casey, the revision was required by ICAO and UPU standards, both of which prohibit lithium batteries in mail shipments on international commercial air transportation (while allowing them in non-mail shipments such as private courier services). The May 16 start date was chosen “to provide mailers with time to make shipping adjustments;” the Postal Service also acknowledges that the change will be an inconvenience to cus­tomers and that the “USPS is working with expert organizations to determine if any new exceptions can be developed prior to January 2013. Further announcements will be made should USPS be able to accept lithium batteries in certain types of mail shipments as soon as any new options become available.” As a courtesy, Fast Company was provided with a graphic of consumer electronic items which will be forbidden on outbound U.S. international mail after May 16 (below).

Of course, the group hardest hit by the USPS decision are American troops. Servicemembers residing overseas with APO and FPO addresses are served only by the USPS and FedEx. Neither DHL not UPS deliver to APO or FPO boxes; however, both do ship to countries and cities where troops are based. After May 16, friends or family members hoping to send low-cost tablets and ereaders to servicemembers abroad will no longer be able to send parcels by US Mail. It’s important to note that the restrictions do not reply to shipping lithium batteries domestically or to American residents receiving lithium batteries; the ban only applies to outbound lithium battery products shipped international.

Winnie Pritchett of non-profit organization iPads for Soldiers, which ships iPads without any financial assistance from Apple to troops overseas, notes that they currently send the bulk of their iPads overseas via USPS.

Pritchett calls the new regulations a case of the Postal Service “shooting themselves in the foot.” iPads for Soldiers sent over 600 iPads to Afghanistan in 2011; each iPad took approximately two weeks to make it from the United States to Afghanistan. According to Pritchett, the iPads were a particular hit with wounded warriors with missing hands–they were able to use the touch-based iPad much more easily than a conventional computer.

As private parcel services, FedEx, DHL and UPS all permit shipping of lithium battery-powered electronic devices. UPS’ Mike Mangeot told Fast Company that the shipping giant handles lithium battery-containing electronic devices in compliance with U.S. and international shipping regulations, conducts extensive employee training for handling lithium battery shipments, and audits customers for proper packaging, handling, and documentation of lithium batteries.

Although the Postal Service claims to be adhering to international regulations, their strict ban on any international lithium battery shipment is semi-exceptional–among major worldwide postal services, only the Australia Post has a similar regulation. Other major postal services have less stringent rules; the Royal Post (UK), for instance, allows smartphone, iPad, and Kindles while forbidding laptop computer batteries, and Japan Post restricts lithium batteries to slower sea mail. Yet other services, such as the German Bundespost, still allow international air mail of lithium batteries within stringent safety requirements.

Another group hard hit by the USPS lithium battery ban are commercial resellers. Aaron Hall of bay.ru, an American firm specializing in consumer electronics exports to the Russian market, told Fast Company that “few outside of our industry realize that world’s best express shippers like FedEx, DHL, and UPS still have major challenges in Russia. That said, there is often one preferred shipping solution for any given good.” Hall’s firm will use alternate shippers for the Russian market; the issue is a large one for giants like Apple and Amazon, along with smaller resalers.

Other services, such as the German Bundespost, still allow international air mail of lithium batteries within stringent safety requirements.

In the end, the USPS’ rush to ban lithium batteries is surprising. Although the Postal Service claims they are just getting in line with international regulations, the Bundespost and Royal Mail either successfully straggled getting in line with overly cautious (and ambiguous) safety regulations, or find loopholes to get around them. The USPS has legendary financial difficulties and a track record of institutional paralysis and poor decision-making. Despite implied promises of a January 2013 policy change, shutting off Kindle exports to Amazon and iPad shipments to American troops is simply puzzling. The root of the matter is that lithium batteries, with proper safety precautions, are safe for air shipping. While it is the job of the ICAO and UPU to enact overly-stringent bureaucratic restrictions, a blanket ban offers minimal safety benefits and massive economic damage to the USPS.

Top Image: Fickr user Wheat_In_your_Hair/ Bottom Image: USPS

Via Fast Company: http://www.fastcompany.com

For the second installment of our weeklong investigation into the business of jerky, we talk to Brian Levin of Perky Jerky. Though its mascot’s presidential campaign is floundering, Perky Jerky posted its first profits last month.

Brian Levin is the founder and “Chairman of the Herd” of Perky Jerky, a brand of caffeinated jerky. Before he got into the performance-enhancing meat snacks space (yes, it’s a space), Levin was a tech entrepreneur, selling one company for a reported $15 million and another for an undisclosed sum. But Perky Jerky is his biggest venture yet, as he tells Fast Company in the second installment of Jerky Week.

FAST COMPANY: Thank you for being the second participant in Fast Company’s Jerky Week. Do you think more business publications should have a Jerky Week?

BRIAN LEVIN: I’m surprised the Wall Street Journal hasn’t already done my charcoal pencil sketch.

You’ve said that your story begins with two jerks in a ski lodge.

About seven or eight years ago, a few of my college buddies and I went out on a ski trip in Utah. We had our gear laid out for the next day, and our supplies–energy drinks and jerky. Amongst the craziness, we spilled some Red Bull in the jerky bag. The next morning, the inspiration set in: how come nobody had ever combined the two?

I thought the hard lesson we learned from Four Loko is that when you cross two awesome things, you get a third thing that is so dangerously awesome it may be illegal.

Well, we’re in a heavily regulated industry. We sprinkle a little guarana on it for flavoring effect. The caffeine equivalent is of a Diet Coke. But what we’ve done is go with an all-natural product that’s more healthy than most of the jerkies with unpronounceable additives and preservatives. Our product is much more hand-processed than the stuff you get from Big Jerky.

You sell in funny places. Home Depot? Best Buy?

We call that alternative distribution. Home Depot is a great place, if you think about it. You have a clientele of professional contractors who go in there every morning, so we’ve developed a loyal following. Also, it’s an impulse buy, getting it at the front, which is why we created packaging that stands out. Our marketing strategy is what we call “bovine oral insertion.”

That sounds wrong.

It’s the art of getting meat in mouths. Once people taste it, they get hooked. That’s why we invented the Jerk Man.

You’ve anticipated my next question.

The Jerk Man is the ultimate international man of meat. For us, it’s all about getting meat in mouths, so we came up with exciting and unique ways to sample our product. We came out with a patent-pending Velcro suit of jerky, and we attach sample bags of the product to the suit. The amount of surprise, shock, awe, and delight when you hear the sound of someone ripping the package of meaty goodness off the Jerk Man… it’s really something.

How is the Jerk Man’s campaign for the U.S. presidency going?

I think it’s kind of gone the way of Rick Santorum. The Jerk Man is taking more of a grassroots campaign, trying to drum up more support at the local level to get written onto every state ballot.

As I begin to develop expertise on the jerky beat, I begin to wonder whether jerky brands are really just another form of humor brand.

I can say that with a product like Perky Jerky, you can’t take yourself too seriously, and yet I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life.

You started the text-message voting system used on American Idol, selling it for $15 million in 2004.

Yeah, this is my third startup, and the first two were tech. It’s a stark difference. You write software once, you can sell it a million times. With this, you have to actually make a product and sell it.

Are you profitable?

We are.

When did you post your first profits?

Last month. There was a big party here.

When can we expect an IPO?

I don’t think being public is in the cards for us. The Jerk Man doesn’t want to answer to anybody.

Forbes recently called you the 93rd most promising company in America.

I guess that means we got 92 to go. Lots of work ahead!

But why?

We’re in 21,000 stores right now, and hopefully will be in 100,000 by the end of the year. I guess they actually believe it when I tell them we’re gonna be the next Red Bull, the next premium consumer lifestyle brand.

You’re probably doing alright following the sales of your last two companies. But if something makes you absurdly rich, will it be this?

I’m all in. If this were a poker game, all the chips would be in the middle of the table. Honestly, the potential is so big, and jerky is such a huge market, and nobody has really tackled what we’ve done.

A lot of people read Fast Company because they want to have the next big tech startup. But it sounds like maybe they should get into the performance-enhancing meat snacks space instead?

It’s all about versatility. Anybody can be a tech mogul. First I was in tech, then I got into consumer packaged goods. It’s like being a true, versatile athlete. Why can’t I be the Bo Jackson of startups?

This interview has been condensed and edited.