Are you tired of sales scripts from the 800 customer service lines and call centers? You’ve heard the canned responses to your questions. You’ve wasted hours upon hours trying to resolve your problem. You’ve experienced the robot sales method. And it likely didn’t work. It probably ended up with you being frustrated, not feeling like you were heard, not finding the answer you called for in the first place, not impressed. It might have even left you so irritated that you couldn’t help but share your customer dissatisfaction with your spouse, co-worker, friend, or review site.
If you own a business, you probably don’t want your sales and customer service people to give that cold, unfuzzy feeling to any of your customers. No matter what your industry, there are thousands of tips and tricks to help you win sale and build relationships: Be available. Be genuine. Be witty. Etc. Whether you are selling vacuums, books, software, office supplies or anything else under the sun, you are fighting the same battle. The battle of time, money, and trust. It’s a challenge, it’s a game, and it’s discouraging when you don’t win.
When you are selling: The majority of people on your call list don’t have the time or the interest to listen to your spiel. So make sure you are talking to the right person. Network among affinity groups to make connections within your prospective customer’s industry. Qualify your leads. Do the research to see if that person or company would even be a good customer before you do any heavy sales lifting. Is it worth the chase if it’s a one-time order? Talk to the decision-maker, the person who has the power to buy. That way, you aren’t bounced around the organization like a pinball.
The biggest secret to selling is to listen. Ask the right questions. Put yourself in the psychiatrist position. Let your prospective customer talk about their current situation, their pride and joy (whether it be their company, their family, or their dog) and their problems. Get the full picture. Listen. When the time comes for you to talk, and it seems like your product or service is a fit for the customer, bring customized solutions to some of the problems that have been vocalized. Be a real person. Have feelings. Be honest. Ditch those sales scripts that map out conversations. Provide a real response. Put yourself in your customers’ shoes. When you listen, you are gaining insight on how to better serve your customer. Keep your ears open and eyes toward the future to see how you can continuously be improving.
When you are servicing: Customer service is more of a call-response game. Many of the same rules apply. Listening still comes first. Be respectful. Have compassion. Toss out those customer service labyrinth scripts that limit your natural ability to converse. Put yourself in your customers’ shoes while using your company’s expertise to find a solution that is a win-win. Don’t bend company rules just to please a customer. Look for ways to benefit each party involved. If you are working on building relationships to have a base of customers who are in it for the long haul, you should be building trust, so be reliable.
You want your customers and your prospective customers to get the warm and fuzzies. You want your business to thrive on mutually beneficial relationships from committed customers who are with you ’til the end. They want someone who will fulfill their needs, help them grow and/or add value to their life or company. They want you to listen.
Brand well and prosper.
Cyndi