orglearn.org

Obviously we all go to lunch on most work days however when our staff are explaining why we can’t take a telephone call they should never say we are “having lunch”, “in the lunchroom” or “out to lunch”. Actually the information that inept staff or colleagues will offer over the phone is often astounding. In the toilet is probably the worst I have encountered, however the one that really annoys is he (or she) is “in a meeting”.

So if you are unavailable for any reason what is the best “can’t come to the phone” explanation (excuse) that can be given. I suppose a simple “he’s out of the office” is OK however there is something I believe is better. “He/she is attending to another customer” for my money is the only phrase that will let me hang up without being annoyed at my inability to reach the parson I wanted to contact.

While I’m at it forget the “who’s calling please” it makes the caller feel as if your deciding if they are important enough to be put through. A better question is “may I tell him/her who’s calling”.

One last thing… never tell a customer, as someone did to me today, “he’s at lunch can you call back in an hour“, that’s terrible. Telephone diplomacy can win or lose you and your company great amounts of business!

Effective business writing skills in my experience are still one of the most difficult competencies for young employees to master. Here are a few rules that may help.

Rule 1. Write like a journalist, or as some call it the A:B:C way

Obviously good journalists are experts at getting their message across so the skills they display give a great skeleton to use as a guide to our writing. The A B C stands for:

A – Accuracy
B – Brevity
C – Clarity

In journalism’s ABC they add “coherence,  emphasis, objectivity  and unity” which are perhaps a topics for another day. So lets just look at the basic ABC’s of effective business writing.

What can you do to ensure your accuracy?

As a writer one of the most difficult issues to come to grips with is to judge how well your writing covers the topic, how well the ideas flow or if you have answered the questions being addressed. A key to good writing is to ensure what you have stated in your writing paints an accurate image in the readers mind.

A great exercise to develop this skill is to write some instructions on how to use a calculator plus solve a maths problem. Once done hand what you have written to a another person to see what happens and if the answer is correct. You can also use a geometric shape as a model to  write a description of how to draw it and then see what others come up with as a result of your written instructions.

Proofreading your own work is difficult however if you have the time, leave your piece of work for a day and then read it again. Using this method can help you find the weaknesses in what you have produced. Of course the best method is then to hand what you have written to a colleague to see if you have made sense,

It’s desirable if not essential, even today, for you to ensure that what you have written is grammatically ‘correct’ and that you have followed the conventions that your organization requires. As another writer on this topic puts it: “This is one of the most important post-writing tasks that you need to do.” Grammar in most cases is what difference between a readable and understandable piece of work and a nonsensical one. Remember grammar can change your meaning dramatically!

This classic example will perhaps demonstrate the point:

a) A woman without her man is nothing.
b) A woman: without her, man is nothing.

Once more – you must proofread your work as another reader may not know that if your intent was to express point a) above or point b)

Accuracy is also governed by giving the appropriate amount of information, too little and mistaken image will  occur in the readers mind and too much will lead to reader confusion. That leads me to part two beginning with brevity.

Before we move on, finally on accuracy: Check your facts, shouldn’t really need to say it however, don’t believe everything you read and try to confirm information – ‘facts’ – from more than one source.

Go to part 2 brevity and clarity or through direct post writing-brevity-clarity

Finally…

5) Facilitative Listening This goes beyond even empathic listening because it implies and requires that you are able to extend an especially helpful approach to the other person or people. A crucial factor here is “the capability to interpret the cognisance or self-awareness  of the speaker and the extent to which you are hearing and observing genuine ‘adult’ sounds and signals as distinct from [the senders] emotionally skewed [‘child’ or ‘parent’] outputs”. Again according to Business Balls ‘facilitative listening requires that you as listener will pause to think and prepare your responses during the exchange’, which is not a common trait with many listeners. They go on to say, “facilitative listening contains a strong additional element of being interested in helping the other person see and understand their options and choices”. To be a facilitative listener ‘you need to be devoid of any selfish personal motive, other than to extend help and to place the other person’s interests are at the forefront’. In my experience sound practitioners of this form of listening are able to use effective questions rather than making long winded so called ‘statements of fact’ to help the sender get where they need to be in their conversation and thoughts.

As I said the type of listening we use can have considerable outcomes in terms of our relationships and we all have a natural tendency to use one type or another. Again different situations or message senders will tend to influence our listening behaviour. I guess the most important thing to understand is that there are different forms of listening or listening behaviours and whether you see them as a hierarchy of “seven stages” or “eight levels” implying ‘improving progressions’ or you just accept my “five types” model you must be aware of how you are perceived as a listener and the consequences.

references

(1) http://www.managementblog.org/archives/2010/04/09/seven-stages-of-listening/

(2) http://www.businessballs.com/empathy.htm

To continue listening…

3) Listening to understand. Business Balls states here “you listen only to the content and fail to receive all the non-verbal sounds and signals, such as tone of voice, facial expression, reaction of speaker to your own listening and reactions”. “Attentive data-only listening is typically driven by a strong personal results motive. It can be highly manipulative and forceful.” With this type of listening no effort is put into trying to build a relationship with the speaker. Here the listener is often asking lots of questions to reaffirm facts and can akin to the interrogator or inquisitor type of behaviour as described in the Johari Window model. This form of listening can at its best become listening to learn or active listening and can be quite difficult as we as listener attempt to come to “grips with new ideas or views to consolidated some long term memory”(2).

4) Empathetic listening or as Tom calls it “listening for the intersection where someone else’s experience meets our experience on which we can build trust.” Business Balls describe this as ‘listening with full attention to the sounds, and all other relevant signals, including: tone of voice, other verbal aspects – e.g., pace, volume, flow, style, emphasis facial expression body language, cultural or ethnic or other aspects of the person which would affect the way their communications and signals are affecting you.’ “This requires you to have an overall collective appreciation through all relevant senses of how the other person is feeling you able to see and feel the situation from the other person’s position.” With this type of listening “you are also reacting and giving feedback and checking understanding with the speaker. You will be [selectively questioning,] summarizing and probably taking notes.” Here you will be able to disagree constructively, signal understanding and use appropriate emotion controls. If you are able to engage in this type of listening behaviour you will be able to create an “improved relationship” and hopefully reach a state of “mutual awareness” with the other party.

If you are having trouble getting anyone to listen to you, perhaps its time for a change, so take a look at the free blank resume form to find some better listeners!

go to listening skills part 3

To start at the blunt end of communication problems obviously if a relationship with others is desired it will be very difficult if the other party uses a tactic of total withdrawal by refusing to engage in any interpersonal contact. This is a blatant act that is easy to recognize and can be virtually impossible to overcome. There are however many other less obvious indications that reveal that our interpersonal communication or efforts to form relationships with others are not succeeding.

Many connections or interactions are not much more than rituals which are just “meaningless, repetitive routines devoid of real contact”. If you find that each interaction with another individual always seems to be nothing more than a polite conversation that is just following an almost rehearsed script you are obviously not really communicating or building a relationship. These situations are often built around “pastimes that fill up time with others in social, however superficial activities”. A more dangerous scenario is when these ritualized interactions become the sum total of our ‘working activities with all tasks strictly following the rules and procedures of contact and nothing more’.

As humans are political animals by nature there will always be the risk (or opportunity) for the communicators to be plying games which are usually “subtle, manipulative interactions which are about winning and losing”. If those around you are engaging in game playing fruitful communication and the chances to build any meaningful “closeness” is unlikely.

Maybe your communication problems are in part due to your body language or your facial expressions however they are topics for another day.

So where do you start to build your skill to become a more effective communicator. I still find that if you can be brutally honest with yourself  a reflection on how you behave with others based on the old however still valid JOHARI WINDOW model can give you some insights. A better road if you can stand it is to have your friends or colleagues assess you based on the model.

For a quick look at your style are you fond of using any of the following tactics during interactions with others?

1. Attacking -interrogating, criticizing, blaming, shaming or scoffing

2. Being overly reliant on “You Messages” – moralizing, preaching, advising, diagnosing or talking about you and what you have done or achieved.

3. Showing your actual or perceived power with most your communication taking the form of orders, threats, commands or giving directives

4. Falling victim to other verbal barriers can including poor use of tone, shouting, name calling, verbal abuse, berating or even pouting and refusing to speak.

We need to remember that if any of these undesirable verbal tactics are used trust will be lost and no real interpersonal relationships will be formed.

Before I finish direct page viewers can go to main blog to check out other posts by clicking on the white “orglearn.org” in the header panel above!

While you’re here take a look at the free blank resume form!

Finally: For effective communication to occur it must be two way, involve active listening, ‘reflect the accountability of speaker and listener’, utilize feedback, be free of stress and of course be clear and concise. The basic requirement for good communication is perhaps to develop a “closeness” with others that is built on open communication, mutual respect and above all trust.

refs:

wiki.answers.com/Q/How_can_you_overcome_communication_barriers

www.coachingachievement.co.uk/overcoming_communication_barriers

HAVE YOU DESTROYED THE SALES SCRIPT AND STOPPED PITCHING?

Helping the prospect through the buying process should be a conversation not a one person narrative. If you are using a script you are probably not listening to the customer nor understanding their wants… you are just pitching and pitching isn’t selling.

Are you working very very hard and still not making the sales?

THEY KEY TO BETTER SALES IS TRAINING YOUSELF TO BECOME THE CUSTOMER’S ‘ASSISTANT BUYER’

Do you look for the five steps of the buying process?

ATTENTION
INTEREST
CONVICTION
DESIRE
PURCHASE

Do you know how to respond effectively to the prospects state of mind and emotions at each of the five stages?

Have you done a sales training course, read a book or even an article on sales in the last 30 days?

If you want to be a real “SALESPERSON” which of the following phrases describe you…

1. long term associate
2. partnership seeker
3. trustworthy individual
4. communicative and a good listener
5. human relations expert
6. product/service expert
7. problem solver
8. referral getter
9. lead generator
10. attractive and well presented
11. caring and considerate
12. often with the customer
13. welcome if you call in unexpectedly,
14. always positive and active
15. someone to respect.

FLOGGING OR PITCHING IS NOT SELLING, IT’S A CON, SELLING IS KNOWING HOW TO BEST SOLVE A CUSTOMERS PROBLEM WITH THE APPROPRIATE SOLUTION

If you need the sales script you have not reached the level of selling competence in the product knowledge area (features, advantages and benefits) that you will need to succeed!

DO YOU UNDERSTAND AND PRACTICE THE “DON’T SELL, LISTEN” PRINCIPLE?

Being sold makes us all uncomfortable; pressure is pressure no matter how slickly it’s applied.

The book ‘High Probability Selling’ (Abba Publishing Company), by Ruben & Werth, proposes that the salesperson’s objective is ‘not to get the prospect to buy, rather to find out if there is a mutually acceptable basis to do business’. Sales success comes from being an expert in human relations; it’s about earning respect, using effective communication and particularly it’s about listening.

LISTENING to what you are being told during a sales appointment is still the best way to find a sale. By listening rather than talking you can uncover what the prospect is looking for and then you can provide the ‘fix’.

Just before I finish…

*Here is the link for direct page viewers return to main career success blog to check out other posts!

While you’re here take a look at the free blank resume form just in case after the last two posts you think selling as a career is just a bit too hard!

REMEMBER it is hard if not impossible to listen, think and talk all at the same time!

Finally: If you do stay in sales and practice long and hard enough it can be on of the most personally rewarding and financially rewarding careers you can have.

AND

Its the product of the product that your customer is seeking… they don’t want your ALKA SELTZER nor even relief from pain they want to get on with what is important to them!

Put the salespersons checklist on your wall as a reminder or in your car to review before you make a call!

Have you reminded yourself lately that you are in a crucial and honourable profession?

“Nothing happens until somebody sells something”

All businesses exist for one reason only… to serve a customer

“Selling is the key to all human activity and progress”

The greatest idea, the best system improvement or even the technically superior product is of no value unless somebody buys it.

“Passion is the pusher of progress and desire is the deliverer of destiny”

Unless we can convince all sections of our organization to passionately want to satisfy our customers and strengthen their desire to become the best in their field, someone else is likely to fulfil ‘our destiny’.

HOW ABOUT YOU… RATHER BE SOLD… OR TOLD?

SELL OR PERISH

If the ability to sell is critical to success, how much time are we investing in becoming more proficient at it?

Have you read at least one article on selling this week?

REMEMBER PEOPLE BUY WHAT THEY WANT NOT WHAT THEY NEED!

A notably successful ad from the past shows a hung over man who takes an ‘Alka-Seltzer’ and walks away looking refreshed and invigorated. For salespeople the question should be what did the man buy. An ALKA-Seltzer many will reply. Those with a little better understanding may realize he bought the product of the product, relief from discomfort. This product of the product or PRINCIPLE BUYING MOTIVE is often referred to as the buying NEED. There is however a more powerful buying motive, even deeper than the need, that is the all-important… SECRET BUYING MOTIVE. This ‘secret’ is what the customer REALLY wants. The man in the ALKA-Seltzer needed relief however wanted to be able to feel good and get on with what he wanted to do or achieve.

Remind yourself that a customer’s inner wants are far more powerful motivators than their perceived needs.

Am I finding out what my customers real motivators are or just pitching features?

Am I able through the sales process able to find out what the prospect really wants?

Am I asking questions or just talking?

Good questioning technique is important (and powerful), as people are usually SKEPTICAL ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE TOLD but generally BELIEVE WHAT THEY SAY.

OKAY YOU SAY ASK QUESTIONS… HOW DO I DO THAT!

TIP 1: Asking permission to ask questions will work 99% of the time.

A good start is to say… ‘In order to save you time and to ensure I fully understand your requirements, do you mind if I ask you a few questions’?

TIP 2: Some polite a relationship building questions based on what you know about the prospect and his or her company are a wise start. How are you? How many people on your staff? How long have you worked for XYZ? How’s your…whatever is appropriate…?

TIP 3: Effective salespeople do their best (through research) to know what to ask to ensure that their questions will get the answers they want. Example – Don’t ask about the last dealing the prospect had with your company without checking on the success or difficulties that have gone before.

OPEN QUESTIONS GET LONG EXPLANATIONS & CLOSED Q’s GET ONE WORD ANSWERS…

TIP 4: Do I only ask questions that will get yes responses? Can I rethink and rephrase my questions so a YES is the only logical response.

e.g ’Do you see improved effectiveness of your company as a key management responsibility’? The person you are talking to would have to be a very ‘hard nosed’ individual to say anything but YES (or a total idiot).

PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE IS VERY IMPORTANT…

PRODUCT OF THE PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE IS CRUCIAL

PEOPLE BUY FOR THEIR REASONS NOT OURS

Remember this useful motivation reference point that is common among many buyers.

Buying Criteria Guide: S – Security/Safety

P – Performance/Power

A – Availability/Appearance

C – Comfort/Class

E – Economy/Ecology

D – Dependability/Durability

Example… if the prospect wants a fast car don’t try to sell a safe green one… or if a prospect wants a ‘cheap’ computer don’t waffle on about a Pentium sixteen with 50,000 meg of ram and a 45 inch screen…

DO I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THE SPACED BENEFITS OF WHAT I SELL?

CRITICAL POINT: PEOPLE BUY BENEFITS NOT PRODUCTS!

How do we discover the real benefits of our product or service? The best way is to complete a FEATURES/ADVANTAGES/BENEFITS analysis.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines a feature as a – ‘distinctive or characteristic part of a thing’ and an advantage as a – ‘better position, superiority, favorable circumstances’. A benefit is defined as’ ‘do good to, receive benefit (by thing)’.

Product features should be fairly obvious to anyone selling their product for more than a few weeks. Acknowledging that some products are more complicated than others the fact remains we can’t sell what we don’t understand.

List down six to ten of the most important features of your product or service. Check that they only have features listed buy checking if what you have written qualifies under ‘The Concise Oxford’ definition above. Examples may be, this pot has two handles, this traing is conducted over 3 days, it has a 3-litre engine, it has river views, or it has a 1000-hz ‘Pentium’ chip.

Then give each of the features at least two advantages. In the Pentium chip example the advantages could be, faster processing, quicker programme loading, superior movie viewing or quicker web browsing.

Review the features and advantages in light of the definitions and turn the advantages into real customer benefits. To do this it is best to line the three headings up side-by-side and turn the three categories into a sentence joining them with the words (feature) “which means” (advantage) “which gives you” (benefit). In the case of the two handled pot it could be ‘this pot has two handles which means it is better balanced when being carried improving your chance of getting from A to B with out spilling the contents.

SALES – QUICK TIPS

ARE YOU TURNING ONE CALL INTO THREE?

Go next door, both sides, or at least visit two more potential or current customers in the same area.

ARE YOU CROSS-SELLING and/or UPSELLING?

Sell aligned products or a range rather than having only “one product expertise”.

ARE YOU SENDING THANK YOU NOTES?

Everyone likes to be thanked, a quick note saying thanks for seeing me, or thanks for the order, or thanks for whatever can be a powerful relationship builder.

ARE YOU PLAYING THE NUMBERS GAME?

Rule of thumb, ten cold leads will get one prospect, ten prospects will get one customer. How many calls a week is that against the number of customers you are expected to see or sell?

ARE YOU GETTING TESTIMONIALS?

The best way to do it is to ring up the customer (when you know things have gone well) and ask questions that you know will get positive responses. Then ask permission to write the customers experience down, ask permission to send it to him/her and then ask that he/she put it on the company letterhead and send it to you.

ARE YOU ASKING FOR AND GETTING REFERRALS?

All to-do lists and of course sales reports should include a referrals section and if you don’t come back with at least one from each satisfied customer find a sharp object and insert it where it will inflict the most pain.

ARE YOU USING THE OFTEN OVERLOOKED PROSPECTING TECHNIQUE?

Look in the phone book, you think I’m joking, I’ll bet many sales staff have never even thought of it.

HAVE YOU CONTACTED ALL YOUR SOURCES?

Existing customers, suppliers, colleagues, investors, advisors, associates, family, friends, acquaintances, researched leads, past customers, public presentations, civic activities, networking, trade shows, competitors internet sites, next door

IT IS VERY HARD TO FIND NEW CUSTOMERS AT OUR DESK… GET OUT THERE. ARE YOU SPENDING TOO MUCH TIME AT YOUR DESK?

ARE YOU ONLY TALKING TO DECISION MAKERS?

How many secretaries, purchasing officers, clerks and other strange characters are you talking to, I mean wasting time with?

ARE YOU A NO FEAR SALESPERSON OR IS IT TIME FOR A RESUME UPDATE?

Have you overcome their fear of rejection and call reluctance? Do you to understand the biggest risk in your profession comes from developing too few customers and prospects, not from having too many!

Can’t do it?

Need a different career then? While you’re here maybe you should take a look at the free blank resume form!

OR…

Can you accept that as a professional salesperson rejection as part of your life and so you cannot allow a prospect’s rejection to effect and control your mental attitude? Fear can be reduced by planning, being prepared for every step of the selling process through practice and making sure you are backed up with solid product knowledge.

The hardest complainant type first:

If a customer is abusive you must to make you first goal to calm the customer’s temper and take control of the situation. You need remain open and friendly, stay calm and keep your voice low and controlled. Tell the customer you are interested in his/her complaint and say ‘in order to help you I need to fully understand your problem’. Then ask ‘can you tell me what is wrong in a calm voice to ensure I focus on the problem (rather than the emotion) so I am better able to find a solution’. Let customer ‘vent his or her frustration’ and don’t interrupt. Telling you their complete story, and describing how upset they are, allows customers to release pent-up frustrations. It is wise to take notes as you go as it helps you with your response and shows the customer you are seriously interested in their problem.

BLAMING OTHERS IN YOUR ORGANIZATION

The worst tactic I have come across is a customer service officer trying to blame me, the customer, for the problem. Never play the blame game! Blaming the customer for the problem will dramatically worsen the situation. Also particularly never use the phrase ‘sir our system requires…‘ or even worse ‘sir you don’t understand our system’ (a common phrase with many service providers in Asia, especially bank staff).

Never blame others in your organization. Both the ‘system excuse’ and blaming others will be seen as evasive (or even worse cowardly) and destroy your credibility with the customer. No customer cares about your ‘problems’, they just want their problem solved. Accept responsibility as a representative of your company and place your efforts into solving the problem.

‘FRUSTRATION: HAVING TO RESIST THE TEMPTATION TO CHOKE THE LIVING S..T OUT OF SOMEONE WHO REALLY DESERVES IT!’ This is a funny saying however it has no place in customer complaint handling, in spite of the bad attitude of many customer service’s staff I have met (and trained) over the years.

GET THE ENTIRE STORY:

When the customer has told you the whole story regarding a complaint tell the customer what you will do to solve the problem. Do not tell the customer what he or she must do to solve the problem. Use phrases such as… ‘I will contact the xyz department’… ‘I will find the document’… ‘I will gather the necessary information’ etc. If you use ‘I’ in place of ‘you,’ you will help to minimise tension as it assures the customer that you are taking responsibility for the resolution of the issue. If you need to refer the matter to a third party always check back with the customer to ensure the other party has made contact and that the problem has been solved. Sure it’s wise to check with the third party to ensure a solution has been found first, however contacting the customer after the event will reinforce both your own and your company’s image. Important point never use the word ‘no’, either recommend a solution or suggest a compromise.

PROBLEM SOLVING AS A CHANCE TO LEARN AND IMPROVE

If you view problem solving as a chance to find out how to improve your company’s operation (or image) and as an opportunity to learn something, rather than a nasty experience, you can approach these difficult situations with a more positive frame of mind. In most complaint situations there are only win-win or lose-lose results. Everyone will win with satisfied customers as you can gain a positive company image and an advocate for you and your products/services (plus hopefully some personal satisfaction) or everyone can lose with upset customers and the gradual destruction of your company’s place in the market plus… personal emotional upset. Every time you allow someone else to change your emotional state YOU LOSE. Turn complaints into opportunities! In reality when you win, so does the customer and if you lose, so does the customer.

IT’S BETTER TO RECEIVE A COMPLAINT THAN HAVE AN EX-CUSTOMER THAT NEVER TELLS YOU WHY THEY LEFT!

FOLLOW-UP:

1. After you’ve resolved a customers’ complaint, it’s essential you place a record on file to ensure the next person handling the customer is aware of the problems encountered so they do not inadvertently ‘walk into a minefield’.
2. Best practice in customer service demands that we place a file note to give a little extra attention to the customer to reinforce the fact that the previous problem was a ‘one off’. This may well cement good future relations.
3. You must also ensure that the problem’s causes are analysed and counter measures are employed to make sure the same situation does not recur. If you learn a ‘better’ way you do business make the learning worthwhile and find a way for your company to make the changes required. Also the last thing you want is for any customer to have a similar problem let alone the same customer have two bad experiences in a row. If they do, chances are you’ve lost them (and all those they can influence) forever.

ONE UNANSWERED COMPLAINT CAN LEAD TO THE LOSS OF LARGE NUMBERS OF POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS

Effective or ’good’ customer service needs to be a company wide philosophy not just a procedure. Effective complaint handling is a key element to retaining customers. All job descriptions should contain a responsibility statement for all functions and levels of staff, regardless of their perceived requirement for direct customer contact (or not). In hiring interviews, orientation programmes and training sessions, emphasize that everyone is in the customer service business. Make sure that all employees understand how they directly or indirectly ‘effect’ the customer. Include customer service in all performance evaluations and set up a complaint recording system with a section to report outcomes and responsible personnel. Even if you don’t have a formal ‘Total Quality Management’ function ask employees to submit a list of the specific things they’ve done to help provide superior customer service. If ‘to serve a customer is the only reason for a business to exist’ (and it is) you need to be passionate about updating or modifying your staff’s attitudes and company procedures to eliminate as many complaints as you can.

LEARN TO LOVE COMPLAINTS, THEY ARE GUIDEPOSTS TO IMPROVED PERFORMANCE!

If you can view problem solving as a chance to find out how to improve your company’s operation (or image) and as an opportunity to learn something, rather than a nasty experience, you can approach these difficult situations with a more positive frame of mind. In most complaint situations there is only win-win or lose-lose results. Win with satisfied customers and a positive company image (plus personal satisfaction) or upset customers and the gradual destruction of your company’s hard fought place in the market and personal emotional upset. Every time you allow someone else to change your emotional state YOU LOSE. Turn complaints into opportunities! Remember when you win, so does the customer and if you lose, so does the customer.

Under the heading of “focus on the people who focus on the customers”, a manager’s customer service guide I once read (source unknown) stated:

“Make customer service a part of all written or verbal job descriptions—no matter the function or level. In hiring interviews, orientation, and on-the-job training, emphasize that everyone is in the customer service business. And make sure that all employees understand how they directly or indirectly ‘touch’ the customer.”

“Remember that people do what’s expected when it’s inspected! Include customer service in all performance evaluations. Prior to conducting evaluations, ask employees to submit a list of the specific things they’ve done to help provide superior customer service.”

“Go on a paralysing policy hunt! Ask employees to identify policies and procedures that get in the way of providing good service. Then do your best to update, modify, or eliminate as many as you can.”

*Link for direct page viewers return to main career success blog if you would like to read other posts by Ric at orglearn.

NOTE research indicates that:

1. Seven out of ten complaining customers will do business with you again if you resolve the complaint in their favour and if it is resolved on the spot, 95% will do business with you again.
2. A typical business hears from only 4% of its dissatisfied customers; the other 96% just go silently away and 91% of them will never come back.
3. A typical dissatisfied customer personally tells more than eight people about his or her problem. With today’s communication options and social media usage a dissatisfied customer may now publicize his or her dissatisfaction to thousands.

Talking of dissatisfaction… dissatisfied with your job? Take a look at the free blank resume form and update your resume perhaps!

WHAT ARE SPIN-DOCTORS AND WHAT IS SPIN?

Spin-Doctor is a term that has spread from US politics. Spin-doctors are similar to (and as some complain often confused with) ‘REAL’ public relations or public affairs individuals. Professional Spin-Doctors are used to create ‘spin’ for everything from charities, entertainers, sports people, businesses and politicians.

Spin is usually a biased or at least a limited interpretation what has happened. The ‘doctors’ analyse the matter for us and tell us what we need to understand, how to interpret information about an event and what perspective or context we should have when considering what has happened. Spin-doctors ‘advise’ us… usually they take the approach that it’s never a matter of what actually happened, it’s always how we look at it, or that it is only their ‘true’ perspective that counts. Spin is not about reality or consequences its more a matter of understanding why something happened.

Why are these people called spin-doctors? The majority of us develop an attitude or belief about an event by the manner that event is presented to us. So if we want to manipulate people’s perception, we need to alter their perspective by the way we present the information to them. To do this effectively we must put the right “spin” or ‘bent’ on the facts to influence perception in order to manipulate interpretations. The payoff is that if we put the right “spin” on the information we may be able to lead people to the interpretation and perception that we want.

“YOU CAN FOOL MOST OF THE PEOPLE MOST OF THE TIME”

WHY DO SO MANY GROUPS USE SPIN-DOCTORS?

Spin-Doctors exist because facts, figures, events and words, all have different meanings to different people. As an example the phrase, when talking to a builder, ‘you work like lightening’ can be interpreted as FAST. If the builder, is knocking nails in it can mean, INEPT, as he keeps missing the nailhead because “lightening never strikes the same place twice”. The presentation and interpretation of information is often the key to success for those pushing their version of the truth. Careers, businesses, whole communities can be made or broken through the power of public opinion. The media moulds public opinion and the media in particular can be manipulated by spin.

Most reasonable individuals, one would hope, will take the view that although spin can help, what really matters is how people (we) BEHAVE! If you ‘suck’ (as they say in the classics), all the spin in the world won’t help. For companies, successful spin means we need to be seen as ‘good’ corporate citizens and take account of HOW OUR ACTIONS effect those with a stake in our organization.

Wisdom dictates that we understand that spin-doctors come disguised as news commentators, political analysts, PR consultants, HR directors, financial controllers, ‘in the know’ mates at the office, ‘independent’ personal financial advisors or even friends and family. (Some even come disguised as educators. The difference is that a true educator informs to allow us to learn how to think, a spin-doctor informs to control our thinking.) Beware of the spin-doctors in your organization for they can blur your vision, destroy your mission and disrupt your well-laid plans.

IN AUSTRALIA THEY USE A TERM, “BULLSHIT BAFFLES BRAINS” AND TODAY IT SEEMS TRUER THAN EVER! (Pardon my language however it says it clearly)

SPIN ON THE NET

Lets face it today there is so much rubbish on the net and the tide of spin is rising, so many marketers trying to sell get rich schemes to the gullible. I have been on the net for over ten years, I make a little money, however the get rich stuff just doesn’t do it for me at all. Sure I’ve found a couple of systems that work for me, in fact one earns me and 18% return however it takes constant work and effort to get that return, just as it does with any business. Lots of internet marking activitiy I can tell you is boring, mundane and you need persistance and commitment! So don’t throw your hard eaned cash into some thing that some slick spin doctor is telling you. Best remember the old adage “if it sounds too good to be true it probably is”.

PS If you really want an online/net activity to make a few of dollars, that’s free to try and cheap to get into, take a look at this.

If you do like the media ownership idea and need any help you can Skype me at rictownsend

I’m also in another small marketing group that is very helpful and has taught me lots of good stuff that you could take a look at. Although I haven’t personally made a lot of money from it, I have made friends and learned not what to get into. This one is a bit like a marketing social group mainly older guys and girls and the friendship value itself has made it worthwhile let alone the knowledge I’ve gained. This one is Ric’s RML Friends

Ric (orglearn) **Link for direct page viewers return to main career success blog to check out other posts!

Want to ’spin’ yourself to an employer? While you’re here take a look at the free blank resume form!

This is a recent email I received from Clate Mask CEO, Infusionsoft regarding the & “things” you must know about your customers:

1. Their Name- Nothing speaks to an individual faster than their first name. Use it to build your relationship with your customer.

2. What They’ve Purchased- If you know what your customers purchased in the past, you have a good idea what they will buy again. (And won’t waste your time promoting products of little to no interest.)

3. How Often They Purchase- Individuals who buy rarely from you may need additional encouragement – more marketing. Whereas, consistent customers may not need extra sales pitches, but might benefit from a newsletter or coupon.

Ric comment: Perhaps the sentence above should read “sales contacts” as “pitches” are an outdated and inefficient mode of selling.

4. How Much They Spend (on average)- Why spend precious time pitching (there’s that no no word again) products to customers that they can’t afford? It might embarrass your customer, shows your lack of personal interest, and may cause customers to lose interest.

5. The Last Time They Purchased- Have you lost a customer without even knowing it? Who’s still loyal? Who has strayed (and needs to be brought back)?

6. Each Interaction You’ve Had With Them- Documentation is important for obvious reasons. But being able to “recall” previous conversations will make your customer feel important and appreciated.

7. How They Feel About Your Business- Feedback from your customers is the best way to improve your products/services, meet your customers needs, and attract more customers.”

And from me:

8. What is the one thing (other than price) we can do to help you more- This is an essential question for all salespeople to ask

9. Who are his/her their friends- Do you know anyone that you do business with as a supplier or customer that would benefit from our product or service

Ric (orglearn) **Link for direct page viewers return to main career success blog to check out other posts!

While you’re here take a look at the free blank resume form!