There are many uncontrollable variables in business, but how you behave during your interactions with other human beings is not one of them. You have the ability to make or break a relationship during every conversation.
During Sales and Customer Service training sessions we ask the customers of our clients the following question; “What are our sales and service providers doing really well, and where are they dropping the ball?” We have hundreds of different answers from people across a wide variety of industries. Here are 3 things that are destroying customer interactions – according to the customer
1. Not Listening:
What have your customers told you about their budget, their needs, preferred method of communication or time lines? What problems are they currently going through at their organization? Are you adhering to their requests? Or have you deployed a selective listening strategy that has you behaving in a way that you think will benefit you more? Are you missing out on opportunities to solve a problem for them by trying to push one of your company solutions?
What about customers you interact with on a regular basis, do you know anything about them? Do they have kids? A spouse? Taken a vacation lately? Reached their goal of running a ½ Marathon? The personal touch matters. The little things are important in customer relationships. By listening you show them that you care. You show them that you put their needs above your own. it will pay exponentially more than any tactic that simply has you selectively listen to them and then go for your needs.
2. Withholding Energy & Passion:
The person in front of you may not be your only client of the day – they may be your 20th, but you may be the only service/sales rep interaction that they have today. Even more important, if the interaction is a bust – because of you – it will likely be the only interaction that person ever has with your business.
When someone walks through your doors, or you through theirs – greet with energy and passion. Stand up tall, put a smile on your face and communicate through non-verbal cues that you believe in what you do and that it excites you. Your customer will mirror your energy. Let them get swept up in your enthusiasm; it makes them want to do business with you!
3. Obsessing the Numbers:
Numbers are important, cash is always king but without repeat business you won’t survive. Instead, obsess the person. Make sure that you are doing everything in your power to make their experience with you a great one. It may be the one they tell people about.
Achieving numbers through tactics that forget about customer experience may get you what you need in the short term, but it is people who ensure a business thrives over the long haul.
Natalie is an impactful facilitator, speaker and coach on a wide variety of topics from leadership and personal development to strength and conditioning, lifestyle change and Yoga. Her background includes over 10 years’ experience deploying leadership training to organizations throughout the United States and Latin America.
In addition to her skill-set in leadership development she holds a Master’s in Exercise Physiology which allows her to train participants to be better leaders from the inside out based on personal and individual need. You can reach her via email at natalie@donbrown.org
