Customer service and sales: how to correct a crucial communication error

The walked into an office to purchase a service. The department manager, who was behind the computer in the office,  gave her a business card and said, "Email me with the details and I'll get back to you."

What happened? The prospective customer, who had been ready to buy, took the card and did not send the e-mail.

The office manager, who had the power to act immediately, was not pro-active. She did not take the prospective customer's name,  contact information,  and details, or give her the desired information on the spot. She sounded disinterested in having a prospective new customer. (If the problem was that she was busy, she did not bother to explain this.)

Instead, she expected the prospective customer to put forth more effort (by sending an e-mail) to request the service. She did not consider the number of competitors for that service that the customer passed regularly, or the other distractions competing for the person's attention. In other words, her reaction was all about her (the manager's) needs. It should have been about the customer's needs. The customer, internal or external, is the reason for the business.

This scenario also happens in another, more common, way. When a customer calls into an office, if he reaches the wrong person, that employee can either switch him to the correct person or can ask the customer to call back. The first way is pro-active, and shows great customer service. The second (reactive) way can lose a customer, or get him frustrated. How is this handled in your organization? Do all employees know how to locate the correct employee's name and phone extension, and do they get training in how to switch callers to the correct extension?

Internal customers also count; the work each employee does affects all of them in completing the finished product. (This would be a great topic to discuss when orienting new employees, or when doing the yearly talk on how the company is meeting its' goals,  to show the relationships between the various departments.)

Every customer interaction counts, and communication is vital to all of them. Make the internal or external customer feel wanted through efficient, pro-active communication and sales techniques!
Business Speech Improvement provides communication coaching and concise e-books. Check out your options now!

Persuasion: "What kind of a job would make you smile?"

    

    A recruiter called me up, and instead of going through her sales pitch, she asked a simple question. "What kind of a job would make you smile?" Then, she waited.

    Startled, I thought of my ideal job: the setting, the hours, the types of clients and co-workers I most enjoyed, and then I added the work values (independence vs team-work, travel vs being in one place, variety vs one type of work, a desire for status or power, etc, that I most enjoy). By the time I finished, the recruiter knew a lot about me, including whether she had an opening that I would enjoy. This recruiter was an extraordinary persuader - but now she knew what to focus on when persuading me.

    Take five minutes and write down the description of the ideal job for you.

What are the setting, the type of tasks done, the hours, the pay, the types of ideal customers, and the values that you most enjoy? What would be the impact on employee engagement if you asked each current employee this simple question? 

    If you are a recruiter or are on a recruiting team, ask each candidate this. Then go a step further, and figure out what you could do to be his or her employer of choice. For example, if he comes from out of town, could you provide him with some pamphlets on the community, including information how to find local property managers or realtors (or at least a map of the town)? Could your waiting area for candidates showcase what is special about your community as well as your organization?  Could you find out ahead of time in an anonymous survey why your current employees like working for your organization and share that with your candidate? People like to work with others with similar interests. Find out which of your benefits or other advantages of your workplace (such as a career ladder or tuition reimbursement) means the most to the person, and talk about that.

If you are not a recruiter, think about whoever is your customer. What could you do to make a customer (internal or external) smile tomorrow? 

 

Could you adapt the question above to fit your needs, such as "What kind of (product or service) would make you as the customer smile?"

Business Speech Improvement offers intensive training in verbal skills. Special topics in verbal skills relating to sales/recruiting can be designed to fit your needs; contact us!

Leadership Development: The Hidden Message and the Crucial Question

Have you ever received an e-mail or voice mail that seemed slightly odd from someone you thought you knew well? For example, you might wonder,
"Why did he ask me that? I just answered it!" Besides the possibility that the other person might not have received your e-mail, there could be a potential problem that the other person was tactfully trying to relate to you - if only you had asked, "Is there something else I should know about this?"

Sometimes a question is phrased in a certain way to request clarification of instructions, to get them in writing in case of a problem later, or to delicately alert the recipient that this question is of significant importance to at least one (and maybe several) people, for a reason you should know. However, the sender may want to assess your willingness to listen first, and thus is phrasing the question that way.

When in doubt, consider there might be an underlying message and ask the other person the crucial question: "Is there anything else I should know about this?"

Business Speech Improvement provides intensive training in executive communication skills for leadership development. For those who cannot attend, an e-book, Executive Communication Strategies, offers strategies in 18 vital aspects of communication.

5 ways to lose a customer

Have you listened to your business's outgoing message lately? It can easily turn off a prospective customer.

Here are 5 business message mistakes.
1. Jargon The voice uses industry jargon or worse, acronyms, to tell prospective customers what button to push. A customer who is not familiar with the jargon has no idea what to push. At the least, everyone's time is wasted. At most, you lose a prospective customer.

2. Giving a wrong number The voice prompts people interested in an option to call another phone number - which has been disconnected. Is this company going out of business?

3. Long wait for an online or telephone customer service rep  One company informed me that there were 68 people in line ahead of me to talk to the online reps. Did they really think I was going to wait, too?
In fact, I wondered what the problem was with the company's management that they were so short-sighted about staffing needs.

4.  Departments of a company that refer customers back to each other  One department refers a customer to another department for a quote, while the second department refers the same customer back to the first one for a quote. Clearly, this company has communication issues - and the customer goes elsewhere.

5. The fast talker  The receptionist is so used to answering the incoming calls that she speaks too fast for the name of the company to be understood. The prospective client wonders if he reached the right company.

Any of these can negatively affect your bottom line. For an analysis of the communication from a prospective customer's point of view,  and other services, visit www.BusinessSpeechImprovement.com    
We can pose as a customer and analyze what we observe!

To read the latest blog post from Business Speech Improvement.com, and find out how else we can help you,  go to www.BusinessSpeechImprovement.com/more/blog.
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Sales Communication: Three Errors You Don't Want to Make

As a salesperson, your first job is to match up the customer with the right product, or to determine the prospect is not right for any of your products. Then you need to close the sale with the customer. Here are some major errors novice salespeople make. 1. Don't focus on the features (such as the product's size, ability to do it X times faster, or array of buttons). Instead, focus on the customer's needs, such as a need for ease of use, rapid delivery time, or ability to fit into a tiny space. You will only find out the needs if you ask well-chosen questions, such as "What type of features are you searching for?" When getting to know the customer, immediately start asking him or her questions, which gets the customer involved and focused on the conversation. This is especially crucial with telephone conversations, because the customer may be doing computer work (or other things) without you being aware of it. Asking questions lets you know whether there is a potential fit between the product and customer. 2. Don't talk too long at one time. Always keep involving the customer. In a recent sales telephone call made to me by a nervous and inexperienced salesperson, the person spoke for over 30 minutes. As I was not in a rush, was doing something else while she spoke and was curious as to how she was going to handle this sales call, I patiently listened. However, 99.9% of the time, the customer would have hung up long before that point. 3. Don't speak spontaneously and also don't read from a script. Speaking totally spontaneously may mean a poorly chosen flow of words or a bad example. It may result in making you sound incompetent. However, reading from a script may make you sound mechanical. Few people can read with such wonderful expression that you sound spontaneous. Instead, if your company allows it, memorize the talking points or other crucial items and flow, while using your own words. This is a happy medium. Business Speech Improvement provides coaching in verbal communication skills. Visit us online to see our coaching and e-book options!

A tale of two salesmen

I had the great fortune to sit next to a professional fund-raiser today. I asked him the the secret of his success, and he said, "It's all in the listening. I ask them what matters to them, I listen to their emotions, and then I put all that together in a proposal." He repeated, "It's all in the listening." Later in the day I called a company to ask about getting an expensive service. I told the salesman what I needed, stressing that convenience was important in this case. He told me the way the company worked, which was definitely not customer-friendly but was employee-convenient. I told him why I needed it be more convenient to me, and he said "We don't do it that way." Case closed, sale lost, employee clueless. Are you in the business of selling ideas, services or products, informally or as a profession? Remember the fund-raiser's words: "It's all in the listening." Knowing what matters to your prospect helps you emphasize vital points that will make a sale. As for the emphatic "We don't do it that way", that leads to closing of the wallet! Business Speech Improvement provides intensive training in verbal skills, including sales and executive communication skills. Training options include in-person coaching and convenient e-books! Check us out at www.BusinessSpeechImprovement.com  .

The customer experience: the crucial first impression

When a prospective customer or client contacts your company for the first time, does she or he get a positive impression, of a knowledgeable staff member or a voice mail system that is truly easy to navigate? Try calling yourself and having others call, and see how your system rates.

Today I contacted a company, and got a temporary receptionist. Everything I said had to be repeated several times so she could write it down. She could not give me any information I needed, and could not transfer me to someone else who was more knowledgeable. When I asked, she admitted she was a "fill-in".
If only the company knew what she was costing them in lost business and a terrible first impression!

How does your company rate in its' first impression to prospective customers?


Business Speech Improvement provides intensive training in verbal skills, including sales communication and executive communication skills.

How to lose a customer without even trying

I walked into a service business to possibly buy something. The sales rep referred me to his colleague, who specializes in that service. The colleague was not available today, so the sales rep gave me her contact information so I could call her later.

His poor customer service skills most likely cost a sale for the business. The customer service rep should have taken my contact information and passed it on to the proper specialist, himself. In doing so, he would have shown more professionalism, the company would have had a better impression in my mind, and the right specialist would have had a chance at a sale.

As some sage said, take care of the (potential) customer, and the customer takes care of you!

Business Speech Improvement (www.BusinessSpeechImprovement.com) provides intensive training in verbal communication skills, including small talk skills and also sales communication. Great speech makes business sense!

Need to be more persuasive? Try this surprising technique.

Researchers at Yale University have found a link between holding a warm object
(such as a cup of a hot beverage) and increased friendliness, which could result in increased persuasiveness. If you are an attorney, salesperson, recruiter, manager, negotiator, or other person who needs to be persuasive, offer a hot beverage of choice.
(Keep a supply of both caffeinated and non-caffeinated beverages on hand.)
Read more about these fascinating studies at http://www.romow.com/health-blog/new-research-says-warm-drinks-make-us-warmer-emotionally/ .

Business Speech Improvement (www.BusinessSpeechImprovement.com) provides intensive, targeted training in verbal communication skills through group seminars, individual coaching and concise e-books.
Training options include presentation skills (with specific options for litigators and for salespeople), accent modification, rate of speech and much more.

Managers: How clear are your directions?

I recently witnessed a scene where a person was trying to give directions to a supervisee. The supervisor was vague, and each time the supervisee tried to follow the instructions carefully. After the fourth revision, with increasing details, of the instructions, the supervisee became obviously frustrated.

How are your instructions to others? Do you include the who, what, when, where, why and how, as well as other relevant details (brands, sizes, times, etc)? Do you plan for a "check in time", to follow up on progress made?

Reduce employee frustration - get all the details right the first time!

Business Speech Improvement (www.BusinessSpeechImprovement.com) provides intensive, customized training in executive communication skills, accent modification, listening skills and much more! E-books for "help in a hurry"© are also available onsite.

Your voice in sales

A strong, engaging voice can have an impact on your ability to sell in the USA.

1. Enthusiasm - Start by waiting for the next time someone says, "How are you?" Instead of answering with a wan "good", try enthusiastically answering "terrific!" You will see the impact of using a more powerful word and enthusiasm. Then find a product, any product at all, that you really are enthusiastic about. It may be something you do not sell, but enjoy as a consumer. Pretend you would get a million dollars if you could sell this to someone. Act excited about it! If you aren't excited about it, your listeners won't be, either. Then act excited about the products you do sell. If you positively can't act excited about them, look for another job selling products you respect. Record yourself speaking with enthusiasm.

2. An authoritative voice comes from having authority or expertise in a subject. You should know a great deal about your company's products that you sell. You should know how they are made, how they work, their benefits over the competition, and what negative things are being said about them online, so you can develop responses.

You should also know a lot about psychology and sales. What sales strategies does the best salesman on your team use or recommend? If he or she does not reveal this, read every book you can find and attend workshops or seminars on sales strategies. You need to know what works and when to use it, whether you go for relationship-based selling, hard sales or a softer approach.

Pay attention to your use of filler words, such as "um" and "uh". We all use them sometimes; however, if used too much the speaker appears uncertain of his information. Instead, train yourself to use silence if you are not certain of the word to use.

3. Engaging voice - If your voice comes across as harsh, gravelly, or otherwise unpleasant, there could be many reasons for this. Start by going to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) physician who will look down your throat and see if there is a physical reason for a problem. If there isn't, find a corporate speech pathologist (www.corspan.org) or a traditional speech pathologist (www.asha.org) who specializes in voice issues, who can provide individual guidance. (Corporate speech pathology is a specialty focusing on communication in the workplace.)

4. A general lack of confidence in your product or your ability to sell the product can cause an overly-relaxed sounding voice.
In that case, you need to identify the reasons for this and set some small goals to increase your self-confidence. Sometimes a few sessions with a psychotherapist or psychologist can help.

Business Speech Improvement (www.BusinessSpeechImprovement.com) provides intensive training in verbal communication skills. Training is offered through in-person coaching and concise e-books filled with practical tips. Check them out!

Rate of speech and persuasiveess

Many people think of salespeople as "fast-talking". Does a faster rate of speech increase their (or your) persuasiveness? An interesting study by Caroline Jones, Lynn Berry and Catherine Stevens found that use of a normal rate of speech was more persuasive. They also found that talking fast reduces the ability of the listener to understand. This makes sense, because people who don't understand don't usually buy. Also, children and senior citizens process language more slowly than other people.

What do you do if you are a fast talker and want to reduce your rate of speech?
Business Speech Improvement (www.BusinessSpeechImprovement.com) offers a one day class on Speak Slowly! Speech Rate Reduction Strategies to be held July 9, 2010. It also offers an e-book on Six Simple Steps to Speak Slower. More information is at www.BusinessSpeechImprovement.com.

Give written instructions for your products or services?

If you produce a product or service and give written instructions to your customers or clients, do you TEST these instructions with a "naive" (new, ignorant) audience before assuming anyone can follow them? (This also applies to driving instructions to your office, which should be at the fingertips of employees answering the phone and on the website.) Testing these instructions with potential clients allows you to see how someone else interprets "easy" directions. If they misinterpret the directions, what do they do wrong, and how would they suggest it be worded better?

Doing this can save a company money, as fewer products will need to be returned by irritated customers, and the feedback on the company via Twitter, Facebook and other sources will be better.


Business Speech Improvement (www.BusinessSpeechImprovement.com) provides intensive, customized training in communication skills. See our upcoming courses and e-books!

Connecting training in customer ervice to the bottom line

Three people were standing in a line at a discount store, and the store was about to close. The clerk suddenly announced that she had to take a "lunch break", and would only help the first two customers. The third customer announced firmly, "But I have been standing in line waiting for several minutes!" The second customer, not wanting to deal with the conflict and also furious with the store clerk, replied to the third customer, "I will go into another lane, and then you will get waited on." A few minutes later, the third customer had been waited on and saw the second customer still waiting at the end of another line. She mouthed the words, "Thank you!" and left the store. The second customer commented to someone nearby that she would not shop at the store again, and would tell others about the poor customer service.

Apparently the clerk had not had her break that shift, and, instead of notifying her supervisor, decided to close her check-out herself. If you were the manager, clerk or one of the customers, how would you have handled this situation?