Lisa Ford

…is a speaker with over 20 years of experience presenting to businesses, associations and government. She speaks throughout the United States and internationally on topics of customer service, leadership, team issues and change. Lisa is best known for her work in the areas of customer service. She is the author of the videotape series How to Give Exceptional Customer Service, the #1 selling business video series in the U.S. for over 5 years. Her other videos and audiotapes include: Developing a Customer Retention Program, Building a Customer Driven Organization: The Manager’s Role and Personal Power. Her recent book is Exceptional Customer Service – Going Beyond Good Service to Exceed the Customer’s Expectations.

Lisa designs content personalized to the audience and issues they face. She has also customized numerous videos for clients to use in their ongoing education efforts. Lisa’s experience includes working with Pfizer, Viacom, Edward Jones, CSX, Kaiser Permanente, Morton’s of Chicago, Citgo, American Gas Association, American Diabetes Association and American Veterinary Medical Association.

In 2002, Lisa was inducted into the Speakers Hall of Fame by the National Speakers Association. She is one about 240 speakers who have been honored over 30 years. She also serves a Board Member of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Tennessee.

Why Customer Service Is NOT Enough

This is a presentation on why customer service alone will not lead to long term survival. Everyone has read the books, many businesses have pledged fidelity to its customers but few have implemented actions that match their attitude. And most efforts are faint hearted, gimmicky or off the mark. Today’s organization must focus on the customer experience and retention with renewed energy. This speech is a combination of content, examples and motivation. The challenge is to get customers to love your products, services and people. The audience will learn the tough questions to make needed improvements. Lisa relates statistics, strategies and stories so the audience leaves with skills and the desire to win and keep customers.

Create A Customer Service-Focused Culture

Face it–front-line customer service is a tough job. One of the biggest challenges is keeping your team inspired and motivated every day. Learn what works when it comes to inspiring exceptional service and creating loyal customers. This session will cover the environment you must create to encourage a strong, engaged team, your role in modeling the right behavior and the strategies to maintain the right service attitude. Other hands-on information includes how to hire the right team member to start, how to train staff who are emotionally equipped to handle front-line intensity, and what to discuss at team meetings to maintain momentum. Lisa will also deliver ideas on service standards, using empowerment correctly and managing today’s generation of team members.

How to Lead a Team

The competition may be able to copy your products or services, but they cannot copy your team. This session will give you the strategies that will set your team apart from the rest. The ideas covered are: how leaders guide success; what the best organizations do; create trust to gain respect; develop operating agreements to ensure accountability; and get the team to make their own decisions. Lisa will also cover the characteristics of a successful, engaged team member and how to reward and recognize each team member to keep the motivation high and the team on track.

Everyday Excellence

The best way to survive in today’s fast moving and changing workplace is to be better and smarter every day. You must examine what value you add to the organization and you team. This session covers how individuals must make a difference and increase their results daily. People will learn to understand and love change, take risks and action to make things happen. Lisa shares questions to identify what value you add and create an action plan to increase your value. You will also hear how to create your own luck and success and maintain an attitude of energy and enthusiasm. Today’s world is one where everyone must accept that we are all “self-employed”. Lisa will give people a chance to laugh and learn while accepting the new reality.

Create a Culture of Engagement

To build a business, you must have a focused and engaged team. Your team makes the difference with your customer, your daily results, growth, innovation and profitability. As a leader, your actions set the tone for a productive, upbeat and customer focused business. Employees want to be engaged, connected contributors. Lisa will deliver strategies on how you can take your business to the next level for your employees and customers. You will learn what to give employees so they can perform at extraordinary levels and how to use empowerment and recognition to create engagement. Lisa will also discuss the fundamental drivers of engagement to start doing immediately.

“Lisa recently presented to over 2,100 attendees at our franchisee convention. Lisa’s message on how we can delight our Fans and create an experience that deepens the relationship was tailored to our audience. The preparation that Lisa put into her talk was like no other keynote speaker that I have worked with. Lisa spent time with our franchisees, vendors and customers to truly connect to our brand. Our operators walked away with a greater understanding of how they can add people to the product to create a memorable customer experience.” — President & CEO, International Dairy Queen

“Lisa hit a home run. I have received only positive feedback! Please convey my appreciation to Lisa for her great presentation and preparation with us. Many of the concepts Lisa presented not only resonated with our chiefs and administrators, they have inspired new direction and focus in our work to lead our market and industry in exceptional care experience delivery. Thanks!!” — Administration, Kaiser Permanente, South Bay

“Our group gave you rave reviews and references to your speech were repeated throughout the conference. Your speech showed you really listened to us during our pre-conference discussion, and it really came across that you understood our attendee’s job and their challenges. You had us all laughing and really drove home your six points for Everyday Excellence.” — Project Manager, Guardian Life Insurance Company

“Lisa’s real life stories and examples not only entertained our team, but caused us to reflect upon how simple acts can turn an everyday guest experience into an exceptional one. Ms. Ford seamlessly wove our training and service standards into her presentations, demonstrating key insight into our business and helping our team gain clarity on what needs to be accomplished to deliver a truly great guest experience.” — Director, El Pollo Loco