Lets Talk! Since Dale Winter bought Dicks Office Supply (DOS) in 1989, he has implemented a quality program talking with the best from many successful businesses.  As DOS team members we have studied Disney to IBM.  We have studied Tom Peter's In Search of Excellence to Carl Sewell's Customers For Life and Stephen Covey.  We started with The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Principle Centered Leadership and First Things First.

In studying these different companies and authors we have learned there are certain foundations upon which a more successful business can be built.  Part of the necessary foundation consists of both personal and organizational mastery.  Personal mastery means each team member has made an "A" in their area of expertise.  We learn we don't move forward until we make the "A".  This achievement of personal mastery leads directly to organizational mastery.  Only with masters can we create a truly successful business.

Another cornerstone of the DOS foundation consists of two more phrases: "Mingle" and "Let's Talk".  In order to mingle, each team member must take an active part in the community in which they live.  Each member builds relationships which lend themselves to both personal and professional success.  "Let's talk" represents the ability of each member to openly discuss life within the community as well as the DOS organization.  Each customer delight representative must be able to have the necessary rapport with their clients to be able to discuss the clients' needs and how DOS can better meet those needs. 

"Let's Talk" is one of the foundations of Customer Delight.  However, the primary basis of Customer Delight is making sure all promises made to a customer are kept.  (It is the premise of under-promising and over-delivering.)  It is getting the job done right the first time!  It's understanding that if I don't have time to do the job right the first time, when will I ever have time to fix it?

We all know if our customers are delighted, their lives, as well as our own, are happier, healthier, easier and ultimately more successful.  When our customers are happy our Quality of Life is enhanced.  While each of us may have a slightly different definition of Quality of Life we can all agree it entails meeting our personal as well as professional goals.  Quality of life encompasses our journey through the enjoyment of life.  If we are masters of our lives, we are successful in our journey through life.  A DOS objective is to improve each team member's quality of life.

In studying Stephen Covey, we have learned about Quadrant II, one of four classifications of how and where we spend our time.  Quadrants I through IV range from the important and urgent to the not important and not urgent.  Spending time in quadrant II means we have identified what is important but not yet urgent to us.  This is where we plan, prepare, define our values, build relationships, re-create and empower ourselves and others.  Quadrant II is where we meet our spiritual, mental, physical and social needs to be able to live, love, learn and leave a legacy.  When we are in quadrant II, we are in our element enjoying the journey through life.

At DOS we have identified several E-tools.  These E-tools include effectiveness, efficiency, experience, expertise, education and electronic technology.  We can only be effective if we spend time in quadrant II, if we are efficient and if we are masters of our own lives.  Effective people produce results.  Effectiveness is a principle mission at DOS: Do today what other's won't, do tomorrow what other's can't.