The Moment of Truth
del•liv•er n. to produce what is expected; make good.
33. Will Durant's The Mansions of Philosophy. 'We may take the same attitude to pugnacity and its advance agent, pride; these are virtues, not vices; and though we shall prune them, it is only to make them grow. Not quarrelsomeness, and not conceit: conceit is the imagination of victories to come, pride is the remembrance of victories achieved, and quarrelsomeness is the pugnacity of the weak. To fight does not mean of necessity to shout and strike; it may mean to persist quietly and politely to one’s goal.’
‘To be ambitious need not mean to be cruel and greedy; the strong man gives as readily as he earns, and finds his joy in building rather than in owning; he makes houses for others to live in, and money for others spend.’
‘Character does not come from conspicuous consumptions, it comes from construction and creation.'
- 34. Leadership is the ability to create an environment where people are motivated to give a 100% effort towards the desired result. Are you a leader?
- 35. Supply Time. We are all merchants. From preparation to execution, all of us are inexorably tied together in a process that produces a desired result [security, profitability, and growth]. It is my job to supply the leadership and the resources to help make it happen. You can't draw water from an empty well.
- 36. Are you empowered? I have to ask myself if I have supplied you with the reputation and resources so you can deliver. If you are taking care of a customer, have I empowered you with the authority and knowledge to satisfy their needs? This is my Supply Time. If I haven't, you better let me know. We have our faults, but we aim to correct them. Be critical not negative. We are committed to recognition and improvement. This is our strength. This is our responsibility.
- 37. Delivery Time. Delivery Time is your time to come through for The Advantage, this is your responsibility. It is that moment of truth when you have to deliver. Whether you are at home, work, or play – you are on call for Delivery Time. You redefine The Advantage every time you represent us. So make sure you understand, believe, and sell the 'Magic'. When you are at work people will respond to how you represent us, that will be their definition of The Advantage [be it good or bad]. The same is also true when you are not at work. If someone mentions The Advantage, this is a moment of truth, this is Delivery Time. Do you have the pride and the loyalty to make it happen? We are all counting on you.
- 38. Where the rubber meets the road. Our reputation is our most treasured asset. It is the one resource we can not replace. Our inventory, facility, personnel, and skills can be replaced, but our reputation has only one life. Every time you are faced with a moment of truth, remember, it's Delivery Time and our reputation depends on you. You should be able to say with confidence and sincerity that we are the right place, that we deliver on our promises, and that you believe in our future. It's a 24 hour a day commitment. It's not just your job – it's your reputation.
- 39. Measurement Time. This is the time when we take a look at how well we are keeping our promises. As a merchant we are making an implicit promise to satisfy particular needs. At the Stereo Advantage, customers come to us for consumer electronics, and we promise to give them the best product for their particular needs, at the right price, backed by a lifetime of service. We deliver on that promise better than anyone else - ever! We offer more value, performance, and confidence than anyone. We need to measure our success at maintaining and improving our standards.
- 40. Promises. As a company, we make many more promises. We have made unspoken promises, especially to the community we serve. We have also made considerable promises to our suppliers and each other. Measurement Time is the process of recognition for the sake of improvement. The Merchant [Peer] Evaluation is a fine example of Measurement Time.
- 41. Quality is external. It is measured by what people expect. They keep score. We are here to exceed expectations.
