Congrats to OfficeMax for Celebrating Employee's WOWEDSighting

Amanda Kassabaum, OfficeMax Employee and WOWEDSighting Certificate Recipient,
Acknowledged by OfficeMax

Some background ...

• We received Tony's WOWEDSighting on Amanda of OfficeMax and our Board of Advisors deemed it a "best of the best" and we issued a Certificate of Sighting to Amanda.  (See our blog post of January 13, 2011.)
• OfficeMax recognized and celebrated Amanda (above) for being recognized by WOWEDAMERICA. 

I have to say, WOW, OfficeMax gets it!   By acknowledging Amanda for being acknowledged by WOWEDAMERICA, they send the clear message to all their employees that they are not just in the office supply business (transactions), but in the business of engaging customers in WOWEDFactor experiences (interactions).  It is apparent to me that OfficeMax understands the latter is their competitive advantage. 

They get that the only way their "Amandas" (OfficeMax employees) are going to engage their "Tonys" (OfficeMax customers) in WOWEDFactor experiences, is if employees have a sense of "ownership."  I'm not talking shares of stock here.  My definition of ownership:  employees feel "valued" and have a perceived sense that they "make the difference."  I call it having a "Piece of the Rock."  Their announcement above delivered big time.

Further, this employee sense of ownership has to be in place if employees are to "take it to the house" with customers by providing them a WOWEDFactor experience.   Here's the formula: No employee ownership ... no WOWEDFactor experiences ... no differentiation. 

So, does OfficeMax stand out for wanting to deliver employee ownership?  I think so.  A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to present to a group of CEOs on the topic of "Differentiate of Diminish" and I put up a slide that spoke to whether American companies deliver "ownership":

• According to a survey done by the Society for Human Resource Management, 79 percent of employees who quit their jobs say that a lack of appreciation is a key reason for their leaving.
• In 2004, Gallup reported that 65 percent of North American employees reported that they had received no praise or recognition in the workplace in the previous year.

Most companies just don't get it. WOWEDFactor interactions simply won't happen if employees don't feel appreciated, praised and recognized. Well played, OfficeMax!

Interested in how to set up a culture where more Amandas engage more Tonys?  For your reading pleasure: WOWEDFactor: Key to Business Differentiation!

Firestone

firestone@wowedamerica.com

314-863-4000

©2011 Ethical Selling Institute. All Rights Reserved.
©2011 Fred Firestone. All Rights Reserved.