You've heard about doing a job single-handedly, which I've always taken to mean you do it by yourself.
There are lots of jobs like this. You can drive a cab, sell magazines from a stall or serve lattes from a kiosk.
Nobody's looking over your shoulder and you don't get a fenced-in feeling.
Cleaning pools in Southern California is one of those fair weather, blue sky jobs that enables a person to work at generally nice places and feel he's his own boss.
But my pool man has taken single-handedness to an extreme.
He cleans my pool with one hand and chats on his cell phone with the other.
Not striking me as the type who is hustling scripts to Hollywood producers, or doing day trades through Charles Schwab, I have to surmise that he is shooting the bull with buddies or talking up someone else's lonely sun worshiper.
Of course, that's none of my business until he puts his private life into play, which he's doing by gluing his cell to one ear, and missing the yellow streaks with his other hand.
I left a message for his boss, whom I know. As a customer servant he's not very responsive, but I suggested: (1) The existing pool guy use two hands; (2) The pool company can substitute someone who does; or (3) We can make other arrangements.
All I know is when it comes time for the pool cleaner to be collecting his holiday bonus, I'll be too busy to get to it.
I'm sure I'll be tied up on the phone.
Dr. Gary S. Goodman is a top trainer, conference and convention speaker, and sales, customer service, and negotiation consultant. A frequent expert commentator on radio and TV, he is also the best-selling author of 12 books, more than 1,000 articles and several popular audio and video programs. His seminars are sponsored internationally and he is a faculty member at more than 40 universities, including UC Berkeley and UCLA. Gary brings over two decades of sales, management and consulting experience to the table, with impressive academic credentials: A Ph.D. from USC, an MBA from the Peter F. Drucker School of Management, and a J.D. degree from Loyola Law School, his clients include several Fortune 1000 companies..
His web site is: http://www.customersatisfaction.com and he can be seen on CNBC at: http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=417455932# and reached at: gary@customersatisfaction.com. His blogs include: YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE SUCKS! and ALWAYS COLD CALL! at: http://www.alwayscoldcall.blogspot.com
Source: www.isnare.com