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Newsletter: August 2009

Customer Service – The Powerful and Overlooked Differentiator

Many books have been written on quality customer service. In business there has been a great deal of emphasis on this topic in the last two decades. So much so, that the term quality customer service is considered worn out (and at times an oxymoron), and there is an underlying expectation that people know enough about it, so it will just happen.

Likely, we have all had the experience of being a "valued" customer. The problem is that we didn't feel very valued. A common example is that you call a company for either customer service or to order one of their products. You enter into the electronic triage system only to be put on hold and told: please stay on the line, your call is important to us. Sometimes we dutifully follow the electronic request, and we wait, and even wait longer. Other times we hang up in frustration. Most of the time we are annoyed. Or, have you been asked to complete a customer satisfaction questionnaire? Again, you are told that your comments are "very important to us". Really? How maddening it is when you have taken the time to complete such surveys after receiving poor service, spelling out in detail what the issue was and why you were dissatisfied, only to receive no acknowledgement of your issue or concern. Perception, as we have heard endless times, and as we have written about in a recent blog, is reality. The reality here is that you won't go back or use them in the future. (And likely, you will tell your friends!) If you need to use them, you return anticipating poor service and you are upset before you even pick up the phone.

We believe that providing excellent customer service should be an obsession. For solo practitioners, small business owners, newly hired or promoted executives, you are known by how you respond to your customers and prospects. Respond well and your repute grows. Respond poorly and you are quickly deselected and forgotten. You are not Verizon, a cable company, or a computer help desk – although our tips apply to them as well. So, to help you, here are Growth without Sabotage™ tips for how you can notably differentiate your customer service.

1. Have a person answer all of your calls.
2. If a person cannot answer all your calls, subscribe to a voice message service from one of the telephone service providers and include a message that you will return all calls within one business day – and do it.
   
3. Return all calls within one business day. If late in the day, it is acceptable to wait until the next business morning. Remember, the message and perception in timing/promptness is, "you count" -- you are important and a priority to me.
4. Return emails within one business day (two days maximum).
5. Learn to be comfortable introducing yourself by your full name. When meeting in person, look at people directly in the eye, especially when you first meet them and insure you know how to give and reciprocate a firm handshake.
6. Insure you clearly understand the customer or prospects need and priorities. Do this by listening sincerely and asking clarifying questions. Listen FIRST and more than you talk/speak. Probe (ask questions to clarify understanding of) the client's / buyer's motivation to buy – but do so respectfully and carefully.
7. Keep agreements you make to the prospect or the customer– When you say you will do something, do what you said you would do, and when you said you would do it. Emergencies should be the only exception (it is a rare customer or prospect who does not understand an emergency).
   
8. Eliminate negative surprises for the customer. If there is a problem, acknowledge it quickly, apologize if appropriate (read: your error) and do your best to fix it to the customers satisfaction.
   
9. Always have the client's / buyer's best interest in mind – how will you help them to improve needs to be in the forefront.
10. Think of the long term sale- that means go slow, don't push now to sell or attempt to up-sell. Think of the longer-term relationship and resulting opportunities forthcoming.
11. Warming- Flirting and fawning are forms of overselling (as well as demeaning) yourself. Realize how unprofessional and damaging these behaviors are with your customers and prospects.
12. Warning - Don't expect the customer will understand that you are busy or short staffed … they won't and they shouldn't have to.

You may be thinking that this is obvious. Yes, indeed, it is not rocket science. While it may be obvious, the truth is that it is also frequently not practiced. And because it is not done well or consistently, it represents a key differentiator.

You need to capture the attention of your future customers and keep your current customers. Without consistent excellent customer care, customer loyalty, a "business lifeline", especially in the current economy, is improbable. And the captured interest will not last long. Now more than ever in business, we need to find ways to differentiate ourselves. We find that customer service is a simple yet powerful differentiating strategy.

Copyright Kubica & LaForest 2009

Tony Kubica and Sara LaForest are Founding Partners of Kubica & LaForest Consulting LLC and the Growth without Sabotage™ model for performance and organizational improvement.

The information presented in this article is based on the ideas and concepts in their forthcoming book on the damaging effects of self-sabotaging behaviors in business.

Sales Reality Check: How to Jump- Start Your Sales People When Times are Tough

True, the economy is burdened and yes budgets are tight in many companies and organizations; however, the economy is not poor for everyone. Some companies are spending money while others are even growing. We also find that those in companies that are struggling are tending to do more of the same - i.e. more sales calls.

In our clients, more sales calls is only part of the solution, the other part is to re-think your business model, get out of the rut, and stop sabotaging yourself.

Here are four key considerations to help you and your sales people refine your work and value to the market:

1. There is no better time than now to build relationships, internally as well as externally.
   • First, the sales manager with the sales force.
   • Second, the sales force with the client, and beginning with existing clients.
   • If the sales manager is not working to build better relationships with the sales staff and support them – sales will ultimately suffer.
   • High pressure to sell – now! – will not work. It will only add more stress to the already strained.
   • While the tendency is to cut costs, be very cautious of cutting costs in areas that directly impact relationships. For example, one of our clients decided to maintain their investment in conference attendance in one of the worst years they've had since they've been in business. They did so because, as a service company, they understood that sales are based on relationships, and this is not the time to stop cultivating relationships.
2. There is no better time than now to refine and articulate your value and benefit to the buyer, which will better position you in the market.
   • One of our clients took the time to reposition themselves from a company that did projects to a product positioning company. As a result, sales in the first half of 2009 equaled the best annual sales year in the company's 12 year history.
3. Don't get caught up in generalized fear (read: the recession that won't go away). This only feeds the fear monster and perpetuates uncertainty and reactive behavior. Make your decisions off of evidence specific to your business and to your market.
• An example not to follow: A manufacturing company in the northeast cut back on its sales and marketing initiative because "the economy is poor and we need to conserve cash." The problem is that economy is not poor for them or their products. In fact, they have a slight competitive edge in the marketplace and cash flow is good. Regardless, they did start cutting back, and sales are now flat – they are contemplating layoffs.
4. Don't quit at no.
   • Sales people hear no more than they have since the early 80's. People are clearly more cautious in spending their money. Be prepared to hear no and know how to respond appropriately. Certainly, at times, no is no. However, in many cases no does not have to be an ending. At the very least, it is a chance to build a relationship. We encourage a contrarian view of questions or objections, as an opportunity to better understand the customer's need and to create more clarity of the value you are offering. Remember, no comes more easily when there is no relationship or no product / service differentiation.
   • One of our clients (a software company) called us because they were caught in the increasing volume of no. We helped them reposition their service offerings, refocus their message to the market on what they do and the benefit derived and, while they still receive no's, they have a strong sales year – more calls and a better message.

The economy is bad enough, and we do not believe companies or organizations should exacerbate it through self-sabotaging behaviors.