The former CEO Cees Maas, ING emphasized in the meeting of the Future of Banks that the customer again be at the core (see Times Sept. 9. 2009). Is the customer or a customer longer? In 1986, Postbank is a fully established customer Rijkspostspaarbank. The customer was an obvious basic attitude of the employees.
The old post office savings bank was friendly and human. Customers and staff felt at home. It worked for the customers and each other, because the employees were also their customers. The customer satisfaction has given satisfaction and pleasure in work, contributed to the quality of the company and also gave better opportunities to make a career.
The postal savings bank Postbank and the customer mentality drowning in the rapids of the money. Other banks join. There is a paradigm shift that the high point in the current crisis in the financial services. It's about money, to targets. That means another reward, the bonus system. Who makes more money, get more money. In order to make more money is needed scale. The human face becomes a bonus mentality. Money is addictive and the bonus mentality degenerates into money grabbing mentality. Man is cruel and sick. We are in a crisis.
The bank employee must meet particular targets, and sell products. They must develop new products such as savings and travel insurance to get to the targets. This target mentality is becoming more aggressive and eventually it every year with 12% growth. Before you go hunting for customers and the customer is prey. Whoever has the most catches prey, that is who sells the most products, benefits from a strong bonus. Customer emerging as a hunter at a prey to their targets.
This target orientation is a contagious disease that also affects other businesses and service institutions. The least and most sensitive target customer-oriented institutions that have the care and education are therefore low valued financially. To survive they must also target a focused work to participate in the market.
Even the police in working with its service-oriented targets for fines and even religious institutions are infected by this institution. It will generate or save money. Our current crisis is no cash crisis but a crisis of customer service and customer confidence. We are all customers of each other.
This customer commitment evaporates. The bonus mentality is just a symptom of the victim mentality of the sick man. It is about the man to heal and become more aware as a people and customers. This is primarily the task of politics that the man still looks too much like a part of the bureaucratic machinery with complex operating regulations and laws. As part of the machinery of political policy is not the man to his right as full client of the system.
The main task of politics in this time of crisis is the man to his right to meet with his or her own responsibility and awareness of the meaning of their existence. Then the people are able to generate cash and to restore the financial crisis. This is mainly education and health care a fundamental task for the future work and ensure a healthy society. These sectors, therefore the full support of politics, as Obama does.
| Kind regards, Paul de Blot Business professor of Spirituality Nyenrode Business Universiteit | ![]() |
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Dear Paul,
With all due respect, I think your article too easy. Why join the long list of critics that a group of people (those n bonus culture and those who grow up machinebureaucratien people) wish to demonize?
Correct from a spiritual perspective, n contribution by referring to demonic forces in ourselves. How can those who recognize them and how do we deal with it?
Kind regards,
Niels Willems
@: Niels Ward: You're right Niels, there are indeed several aspects to this. It is a subjective aspect, but also obkectieve.
Dear Mr. de Blot,
What am I with you. See now the DSB bank. People forget that other banks already have problems with usury policies.
I'm afraid we learn nothing of this crisis. We pack up the thread, the stock rise again (why I wonder) and we go on as usual.
Who's in order to restore a human?
Kind regards,
Jildert the Rapper
@ Jildert the rapper: thanks for your support Jildert. We learn a lot from the crisis but that is not in the media
Paul Day,
A very enlightening piece of what you write, I share your opinion for sure.
And now several studies that show a direct, or leading subject of a much larger power controlled. From this framework of view, it appears to be more to politics to the proper steps to take, Be it to the citizens wake up and rise, as many have been with me now. We ourselves are responsible for either us as part of an buraucratische machinery "to use, we have one choice, we have one vote. Let mostly hear mass!
And certainly, I also believe that you, as a great inspiration, many positive force moving forward.
With Heart Greetings
Astrid
Astrid @ Mulder: Thank you for your support Astrid. You can just vferanderen others by changing yourself.
Dear Paul,
You are a great inspiration for me and our project. The people are nice to each other, care for one another and to learn from each other, that survive the crisis. You give more money to spend on care. I call for more daring animated managers in the care for those who want to reach those who need it and we need to get proper care. How can we ensure that people have guts and energy to care for each other. You can give us direction aangevenn
Inspiration, inspiration and action I wish all the people to work with other people.
I keep you follow Paul de Blot!
Jeanine van Dam
Domaine de Puylagorge
Dutch holiday complex for families with disabled children
You describe the process of Postgiro, Postbank and ING as I have for years as staff and managers have experienced. It was great, a good employer, great colleagues and a lot to learn. I am very grateful for all the good years for this employer.
But along the way ... ... so that targets and rewards ... ...
Sick and dead less gifted employees expressed my personal reward.
One day my client was not our client but the marketing department had become our customer. We got pep talks from the now vanished CEO. It had everything better, we had to continue the momentum of history, number 1. And so one day there was a formula one car in the cafeteria where we walked along to hear how many thousands of people would lose their jobs. On the intranet, we could read how many millions the formula one sponsorship money received.
I was sick, lost more connection and felt myself harden and sour.
I am glad that you as an authoritative discussion feeds on human values other than dead matter. Values we can agree to stand still to achieve a better world for us all.
And I made the choice, a difficult though. I work with people rather than with dead figures and targets. Parents and children in multi-problem and complex circumstances of my days to determine where it really all about, which is usually just the first basic needs and respect.
I am often worried about my clients and the immense responsibility pressed harder than ever in my secure job with good earning ING.
In this work, I see it happen: the minister wants to know where the money is, there is much public disquiet surrounding youth and the control anxiety finds its way in the form of ... ... true: targets.
But yet ... I find a good despite less-filled wallet, sleepless nights of worry and poorer working conditions that re-opened my heart and I always learn more about compassion and respect. Moreover, I have to do with motivated and inspired colleagues who take responsibility for a better society without themselves better to be exhorbitant.
I do not begrudge anyone a living and working with passion and respect. And let us be aware of our comfort zone and do what is necessary in accordance with our own conscience and social
Thanks for your words! I come to the conclusion that silence is actually the best response to your article inspiring.
silence follows below: ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ..(-:
Dear Paul,
The bonus culture is indeed everywhere. In the company where I work. Recently I read in the newspaper that two of our three top executives bonuses given. A bonus equal to the annual net salary of a senior expert in our company. Besides the bonus they receive a salary well above the Balkenende norm. An internal letter of a Supervisory Board seeks the following day to explain why the bonus is justified. A failed attempt. There is misunderstanding in the company. It is clear that the culture also grabbing raging in the semi-public sector. Closer to home than I always thought.
Let us hope and they send positive enrgie that she should wake up.
From care and education are the best workers have disappeared, who worked with Heart and Soul.
that is not negative, it is busy with their own process to make.
Everything has its purpose, the so called crisis shakes people up, but who otherwise would continue to act unconsciously and automatically.
~ ~ Qahira
Dear Paul,
Very good piece of Petra and yes, while I join in!
The customer is always right.
I notice it in: in traffic, the priority shall not taken.
It is based on mutual trust and respect.
Commitment, sincerity and mutual trust and respect rather than a society based on mistrust.
In today's new legislation is neglected and sometimes you would think that nothing good. I feel very many people around me who do want it and act accordingly. Let us all remain above and clients are mostly unknowns, and so also confront, because after all: as the trust is worth his guests.
Please trust and respect, you will therefore recover!
And if you encounter someone who is so suspicious, that indicates that you have not because of one person, the rest then it too must confront.
Thanks for the inspiring Colum.
Sincerely,
Ben
Good morning Paul,
good to be here again the dialogue must continue. Day before yesterday I expressed me - someone gave an article about customer focus to write. I sincerely asked if the customer or client engagement is over. If we live in a society "genuine interest and attention" to each other wants and then we want our customers to remain focused ... .... However, I feel better commitment to customers (and I feel rather RELATIONS) - then I can empathize, to understand better what the specific customer needs. Natural fit and feel at CUSTOMER RELATIONS 'friendliness and solidarity. "
The targets set by various governments / companies / bosses etc. to be put purely for the other to count on what he / she does - not from thought but from a quality-quantity-doing. Targets are there to control - control from above so it can be controlled. So let us think otherwise agree and start promoting us feel connected and involved in everything we do and want to do - with our customers! Let us from this risk-thinking, feeling and power quality than then-do!
I go for it.
Who does it?
With enthusiasm,
Petra Portengen
So fine that you give voice to the profound disruptions in our society while also indicates direction.
But how could it be that it only penetrates so slowly that the problems of our time only with love and attention to solve?
What makes it important that we continue to find out than in? And what makes us prefer to continue sending rate, power and winning than on inner dignity and power sharing? Why do we attach so absurd as to maximize profits?
As if this brings us all safer!?!
What a strange twist is that in us that makes us constantly stray from truly constructive contributions to unnecessary and destructive contributions, while any child can tell you what counts in life?
I think it's so important that leaders high priority to that simple message to give! Fantastic effort that you have them,
thank you are there,
Alexandra van Smoorenburg
conflict coach
Dear Paul,
You write about the missing service to other people (customers), is clear and speaks to me. The hunt for the most lucrative customer, or rather the best prey is still in full swing. Everything revolves for the hunters to the most beautiful trophies of our time: the highest bonuses. Politicians especially now as their main task would have to raise man to his right to come on their own responsibility and the awareness of the meaning of life is a position where I can find.
But ....
Politicians are still in serious extent a cause of the result-thinking and loss of key standards and value. Examples are things like the taboo of market forces and economies of scale, one-liners in the news by "important" questions and the Minister to (almost) everything to do anyway in order to remain in power. As long as Mr Bos-supported by many fellow politicians-it just keeps finding that former minister Zalm in addition to his very generous ABN salary in four years time, another half million euro bonus may collect, there is no question of a paradigm shift or a new consciousness in politics. Needed in any case exemplary behavior, openness, honesty, prudence and to dare to be vulnerable.
Sincerely,
Ben
Dear Paul,
where, oh where, you article regarding the client. We as Growth in Jobs, get almost daily feedback from people who want to get away from such environments and look for smaller work environments where the man really central. A related phenomenon, moreover, that we all increasingly at the computer and / or crawling to record everything but serving targets. There too we see a demand from the PC to less labor-based work (much of higher education the way) and that is a tricky story. Perhaps an idea for something to say about it?
With warm regards,
Paul Visser
Growth in Jobs
This article comes to me just a moment I was greeted with suspicion on the theme of spirituality business. Last week I talked with several people, including through my blog http://confidocoaching.wordpress.com/2009/09/25/spirituele-ondernemers/ . The suspicion was this: how is this yet another ploy to more profitable? Among others, the question on Twitter. Now I am convinced of the need for business and personal spirituality impressed by the contribution of Paul de Blot. The above blog post is, I felt exactly how spirituality calls for a renewal that is beyond the old mechanisms in which the sick man will be destroyed as prey.
While calls to me the question of how this work can proceed in its course, profits for companies that need to continue to be: how do you design new forms that are again do justice to humanity and a healthy society and healthy at the same time deliver business?
Remmelt Meijer, Amsterdam coach
Thanks for this very inspiring article, Paul!
How do we heal all those "infected" people? Fina ... with flu?
How do we heal the "false doctrines" where young people during their internships in entering (or will be) and possibly the good weather unlearn what they told?
Can we achieve the desired culture change in laws, policies and control and bureaucratic institutions?
Should there be a movement in the Netherlands that penetrating the 'new' will tell you, go and do that too strong to sustain this against oppression?
Who is currently the driving force and the role model that we also can lead to the desired innovations.
I'm pretty positive about what is currently gaining momentum, but the road will dramatically long. Fortunately, we already on our way!
Now the right directions and roadmap for leaders who want to give an example. Yet!
Come Media EN, help a bit!
Fons Bitter
Consulate of Hospitality Management
Amazing how you can use these articles to me (usually) always knows how to motivate a response.
It is sometimes difficult not to go running with the rest of the world, just your own way to participate and enjoy the trip instead of the goal. Of course you should lock your goal and focus, yet there is plenty to enjoy.
Life is also fun. Understood that this sounds better than I like our Belgian friend Guido Thys, who cared for SME ING night last night. But the strange thing is that this is indeed the ING customer policy is to communicate and moreover, that "they are not there yet." Then got the entrepreneurial class of ING how they should deal with their business ...
A weird combination for me, since entrepreneurs (especially small) really understand how to deal with people. I think that the more "human" should be put back into the center and especially the ability of ING's own staff. As I understood from conversations with some employees, these people are only addressed in a very small piece of their skills and competencies, and one is averse to the creative abilities of the staff-people.
Das but difficult and unmanageable.
Anyway, we travel again and enjoy this human inability to make sure that life at least colorful and remains.
Yours
Ronald
(Living in the old engine Sphere)
A healthy society and - as you so nicely calls it - 'victim mentality'. That seems no successful combination. The lesson of (among others) the crisis is more, more, more money and not work as the highest goal. Significance as a lack of, and I test out your article. And money? Awfully handy. But not as the supreme goal, no, as a way meaningful to others!
Again and again wonderful inspiring to read these messages.
I do like a bit of education for my account to people awake and pledge not to be dragged by the underlying current that politics and our financial thinking often in the wrong place. This highly contagious target orientation is much worse than the dreaded flu virus. How many people are already infected with this virus euro, which no vaccine has been developed for. It spreads continuously and that we come across every day in the thinking and actions of people.
Glad there are people such as Mr Blot and fortunately he (despite AOW) the spirit for our monthly inject with a beautiful message! Thanks.
Nic Oosterveer