“Planning is everything. Plans are nothing.” – General Dwight D Eisenhower

I absolutely agree. And I left this week’s Wisconsin Governor’s Conference on Tourism (#WIGCOT) excited to… do. There was a sense that if we all put our noses down and roll our sleeves up, there is much we can accomplish. I am always energized when people join together to create a greater whole. Beyond this general enthusiasm, I also left the conference with a potentially paradigm-changing framework. A new way to think about a tried-and-true approach.

In her opening remarks, Secretary of Tourism Kelli Trumble talked about a Will Do attitude. I had never heard that before and I thought it was an interesting – and important – distinction from the much-lauded, time-tested Can Do attitude.

In a service industry, a “Can Do” spirit is a prerequisite for success. It does have a limitation, however. It’s a reactive mindset. What if the customer doesn’t know what she wants? Or hasn’t asked? Or is tolerably satisfied against a very low set of expectations?

A “Will Do” mindset is a game-changer. It is a commitment to action, not just optimism. It’s proactive. It’s an invitation to think about what you will do for a customer, prior to being asked. In doing so, it increases the odds of a positive customer experience.

If a Can Do attitude is a prerequisite for success, a Will Do attitude is the foundation for loyalty.

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