The Earful – November 2010By Tim Underwood
www.thewebvoice.com
Over the next three months, I'll be sharing material that was supplemental to my June keynote at Voice 2010 in Los Angeles. The presentation was divided into three important skill sets that envelop all professional voice talents: business skills, technical skills and session skills.
The session was very well-received and I've had several requests from non-attendees to publish the material.
Here you go!
Business Skills - There’s a talent on my roster I occasionally use. This person is talented enough and is very attentive with sending invoices, keeping me updated with vacation outages, etc.
Still, I've not warmed up to them in the way I have to other talents and as such, don't frequent their "voice boutique" too often.
Then it hit me: it's their personality; their dourness, in particular.
I know what you're thinking. Get over it, Tim. Not everyone's like you and you're just being difficult. Learn to deal with people and rise above it.
Point taken.
Now, follow along with me as I indulge you in another restaurant corollary. This story is 100% true and not embellished for the sake of bolstering my position. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent (and guilty).
With a population of 80,000, Bend, Oregon is large enough to have the big box stores while still small enough to have a very healthy amount of "mom and pops".
My studio is located downtown. If I had to guess, downtown Bend is probably a 90-10 mix of businesses, with the little guys dominating most of the landscape.
While not as quaint as Mayberry, it's most certainly not as sprawling as downtown Los Angeles. If he were alive today, Norman Rockwell would have no trouble in finding subject matter for at least a dozen paintings after a 30 minute stroll up and down our two main thoroughfares.
Nearly every day, I'll "make the rounds" to the post office, the bank and less frequently, though still within walking distance, to my barber, lawyer and CPA. I've done this for more than 11 years and as you might imagine, either wave to or receive waves from shop owners tending their stores.
Often during my treks, I'll see someone I know. We exchange hugs and/or pleasantries and every once in a while a third person whom we both know will round a corner and our posse will spend a few precious moments together.
There's a great energy about downtown Bend. While vibrant with commerce, it's also rich with historic parks, jaw-dropping mountain views and a true sense of community. I feed off that energy. It invigorates, inspires and satisfies me.
Here's the "buzz-harsher" and the point of my analogy:
Near my studio is a Chinese restaurant. Though not a favorite of mine, I'd lunched there maybe a half-dozen times over the years due to its proximity and killer sesame beef. This restaurant was also financially sound with a well-established customer base and uniqueness as the only Chinese joint downtown.
A few years ago, it was purchased by an acquaintance. This individual had come into some money and was looking for a business opportunity. Daily, in true Rockwell-like fashion, "Steve" swept away debris from the eatery’s entrance area 15 or so minutes before flipping the Open sign.
Since our schedules didn't coincide, I saw Steve maybe once a month. On one particular and otherwise postcard perfect day, I headed out early to jump-start my energy absorption.
"Hey Steve," I proclaimed.
"Hey," he offered in an uninspired tone.
"How's biz?"
"Shitty. Fired my night cook and my f***ing produce guy hasn't shown up yet."
Unwittingly, Steve had just thrown a bucket of paint on my Rockwell and vandalized my picture.
After a pause to formulate my response, all I could seem to orate was an equally uninspired, "gosh...sorry to hear that."
With a few strokes of the broom he said, "wanna come by for lunch?"
"Uh...no thanks...packed a sandwich today."
I lied.
After a bit more conversing, I was on my way; hopeful that the anticipated energy of this day hadn't evaporated in those first few minutes.
I reflect on this moment often. While we as business owners aren't immune to the occasional funky mood or delinquent vendor, it's my belief that there's a certain amount of "game face" obligation required when you're serving the public.
I also reflect on this moment each time I become engaged in conversation with the aforementioned voice talent. Something is always wrong, broken or bad.
"Hey...I noticed you don't have your toll-free number anymore," I said during a recent call.
"Yeah...costs too much money. Besides, no one's calling anyway, what's the point?"
I took the bait. I didn't want to prolong the woe, but still bit.
"If no one's calling, then you don't get charged, sans what...eight or nine bucks in excise fees or some federal tax, right?"
"Eight or nine bucks is a big deal, Tim."
Come to think of it, the talent's right. Eight or nine bucks is a lunch out. And I know just the place. In fact, if Steve still owned the restaurant, the two of them could spend hours commiserating on the cruelties of life and how the government's just out to get 'em!
Rewind.
"Hey Steve," I proclaimed.
"Hey," he offered in a somewhat inspired tone.
"How's biz?"
"Always challenging, never boring! Breaking in a new cook at dinner tonight, maybe looking for a new produce vendor...know anyone?"
After a pause to gather ourselves after a shared chuckle, Steve offered, "sesame beef's awesome as always...see you for lunch?"
"Sure!"
In this imaginary scenario, Steve is still acknowledging that all is not perfect, though if anyone's up for the challenge, it's him. This may sound too Utopian for some of you, though considering the two scenarios, whose restaurant would you rather eat at? Which sounds like a more appetizing dining experience for your eight or nine bucks?
During Steve's remaining tenure at the restaurant, I never returned for a meal. After nearly running it into the ground, he eventually sold it. Haotian, the new owner, didn't make major changes to the menu, though he did have the place painted a brighter color.
His infectious smile and cheerful demeanor somehow make the sesame beef taste that much better and I'm now somewhat of a regular.
The graffiti is off the Rockwell.
Recommendations:
Am I going to want to book the talent who's friendly and time-efficient or the one who bends my ear for 10 minutes with the drama du jour?
Yes. A relative dying or a child with brain cancer (two real scenarios I've dealt with) are exceptions that I will absolutely make time for.
What I do find difficult (and very ironic), is feeling compassion for talents (and also customers and vendors) who have seemingly endless time to spend complaining about not being busy enough.
Get your nose to the grindstone, stop wasting time talking about not being busy and get busier. Cold call, optimize your Web site for the search engines, do something. Save the consoling 'til after five with a loved one or close friend.
You'd be surprised what a more positive attitude can produce during working hours, both in yourself and in those you serve.
