“There aren't very many scientists who achieved rock star status. Stephen Hawking, who has died at the age of 76, family members told British media early Wednesday, was definitely a contender,” writes Joe Palca in their latest NPR article entitled “Stephen Hawking, Who Awed Both Scientists And The Public, Dies.”
"He was a great scientist and an extraordinary man whose work and legacy will live on for many years,’ the family statement said, according to The Guardian. ‘His courage and persistence with his brilliance and humour inspired people across the world. He once said, 'It would not be much of a universe if it wasn't home to the people you love.' We will miss him forever," Palca’s article continues.
According to the NPR article, “Hawking was probably the best-known scientist in the world. He was a theoretical physicist whose early work on black holes transformed how scientists think about the nature of the universe.”
“But his fame wasn't just a result of his research. Hawking, who had a debilitating neurological disease that made it impossible for him to move his limbs or speak, was also a popular public figure and best-selling author. There was even a biopic about his life, The Theory of Everything, that won an Oscar for the actor, Eddie Redmayne, who portrayed Hawking,” explains Palca.
Today, we remember Stephen Hawking.
We celebrate his life, recognize his achievements, and remember the impact he made on the scientific community – and the world.
From his sense of humor to how he reshaped our understanding of physics, Hawking awed all of us.
So, as we remember him and reflect on how he impacted our lives, we have a question for you:
- Have you and do you continue to awe your customers?
It’s an important question because it’ll shape the legacy you leave behind one day.
Let’s work together to create an environment on your property that leads to customer memories you can be proud of every day.
Awe Your Customers Like Stephen Hawking
Running your operation might not be the same as physics.
But, the ability to make an impact on your customers is just as essential.
Hawking awed his peers and the public in two ways that readily come to mind.
- Experience: his sense of humor and how he made people feel around him
- Knowledge: his understanding of physics and how it profoundly impacted the way we think
According to Leonard Mlodinow, a physicist and science writer at the California Institute of Technology, “As hard as it was for him to communicate, he would sit there sometimes, and would take five or six minutes to be typing something out," Mlodinow says. "And then when he hit speak, and his system voices his words, it would be a joke," he shares in Palca’s NPR article.
After a couple of laughs ourselves, while reading Palca’s article, we realized how these two qualities of Hawking could be yours.
We had to share.
They might already be engrained into your leadership, but here is our perspective on both, and how we believe they could relate to your property, operation, and the people you lead to the customers you’re charged with delivering a first-class experience to every day.
Here are two ways you can awe your customers.
- Experience through effective communication
- Employing Proactive Operations to create a universe of efficiency
Experience through effective communication
Communicating with your customers from the moment they park their vehicle and arrive on your property to their exodus consists of a series of critical moments where you’ll affect their experience.
Consider these touchpoints on your property.
- Customer arrival & parking lot operations
- Property entrance
- Customer movement on the property
- Property exit
- Parking departure
Then, do these five simple actions at each touchpoint to make that experience memorable:
- Greet sincerely with eye contact
- Acknowledge and understand the customer’s needs
- Proactively engage yourself in helping customers promptly
- Always smile and be positive
- Thank customers every opportunity your team gets
We go in-depth on how to communicate with your customers effectively here. It’ll take you through each touchpoint and what you can do.
Employing Proactive Operations to create a universe of efficiency
One of the best ways to awe your customers is to remove the building from the equation.
What does this mean?
Create a universe [operation] of efficiency where your customers have a seamless experience.
They shouldn’t have to think about furniture, empty toilet paper, losing their wallet and never getting it back, and a lackluster staff that could not care less about their experience.
It must be the opposite.
- Manage issues and incidents in real time with confidence
- Engage in confidential two-way communication with customers and staff at the speed-of-type™
- Effortlessly automate and streamline maintenance functions
- Schedule and efficiently manage location inspections and guard tours
- Ensure lost & found items are easy to report and return back to customers
- Maximize the customers’ experiences with immediate responses to their requests
- Expertly manage important operational tasks
- Validate and bulletproof existing credentials and access for customers and vendors
Have Proactive Operations is in place, from your strategy to your infrastructure to your technology. Your team is aware and communicating in real-time without error.
Nothing slips through the cracks, and your customers’ only focus is the memorable experience you’ve provided for today and every day after.
Over to You
Stephen Hawking dies at 76, but his legacy forever lives on starting today. He’s made an impact on property operations by giving us two lessons to awe customers: Communication and Proactive Operations.
So, are you ready to awe your customers and leave behind a legacy like Hawking?
