Have you noticed that ‘6 degrees of separation’ seems like about 1, maybe 2 in Kentucky? Seems like everyone knows or is related to someone you know. It’s a natural tendency at a party or business gathering to ask someone you meet where they work, where they went to school, where they live. Then you start it. You start connecting dots. Oh, I know (fill in the name). He works there or went to school there or lives near there and you draw that line from one dot to another. This happens all the time. I wonder if they do that in the bigger cities around the country. It’s a way of life around here. And it can extend into your business.
At Unified Technologies, delivering quality products and exceptional customer service is more than just a priority, it’s our way of life. We believe that every person we meet, be it on a service call or just out in the community, should be treated with the utmost respect and kindness. So, we have started an initiative to remind ourselves that every person we meet is connected to someone else.
Connecting the Dots
Have you taken the time to think about where some of your best customers come from? Many of ours have come from referrals from mutual friends, relatives, maybe one of our customers who mentioned us at a networking event. In other words, people that were connected to us through someone else. Those connections make the difference. That’s why we have started a conscious effort to remind ourselves that our friends, acquaintances, connections, and even strangers are important to us. We are making it a company-wide initiative to be helpful and kind to others because you never know where that relationship could take you.
Our Reminder to Connect the Dots
We handed out bracelets to our team members as a reminder that every person you meet can be a connection, a friend, and an opportunity. A reminder to take the time to be nice, be helpful, and even just say hi. We want everyone to remember that you never know what can bloom out of a helping hand or a few kind words.
How We Connect the Dots
One of our Account Reps in our Lexington office, Dell Link, struck up a conversation in a beverage line (not going to say what kind of beverage) at Keeneland and it turned out to be a person who worked for a company in Louisville and was in the process of looking for a new telecommunications solution.
Two of our technicians participate in fishing tournaments all summer. The logo on their jackets prompted a conversation that opened the door to an opportunity to support a very large company just north of here.
According to Mike Gabhart, VP of Sales in Louisville, “If we live, be our core values, we’ll be the type of people that someone wants to do business with.” It’s that simple, really. It just helps to stay reminded of that throughout the day. Many of our customers today have stayed with us over the years because our technicians, project managers, and support staff have taken good care of them. People are always looking for someone to take better care of them, to make their lives easier, and it helps if the experience is friendly and fun along the way.
Everyone knows someone that could connect a dot that leads to a bigger and brighter future. So, while we always try to be helpful and kind on the job, we’re really focusing on being kind and helpful to everyone we cross paths with in every aspect of our lives. We encourage you to do that same. Take the plunge and make that extra effort. That new friend might introduce you to someone that needs your product, be someone that you could team up with, or turn out to be a great friend.
The bottom line is this: You never know where your next opportunity lies. Be helpful and kind to everyone you meet. They may be or may know someone who needs what your business provides. You never know until you connect the dots.
Want to connect a dot and start a conversation with us? Let’s talk!
