April 2, 2011
Top performing companies engage in a talent management process that is strategic and planned. A structured talent management program within your organization can help you: Increase Revenue Improve Customer Satisfaction Ensure Quality Products and Services Increase Productivity Reduce Costs What type of training can you provide your employees to follow through on a strategic talent management initiative? This is what our clients tell us: Recruiting, Interviewing and Hiring Skills New Hire On the Job Training Skills Communication and Team Building […]
April 2, 2011
#1 – Learn – Before you move from the selling phase to the negotiating phase of the sales cycle, learn as much as possible about the needs of your client. Understand how the client defines value, know the client’s business priorities and who/what you are competing with for the business. Negotiate from a point of value and not price. #2 – Think before you speak – Use pauses strategically. You do not have to fill the void if no one […]
April 2, 2011
Responding to Irate Customers None of us wake up in the morning hoping that we will have an irate customer, however, this is a reality in any customer service role. It is not always your fault, but it is your responsibility to rectify the situation. How you and your employees respond to an angry customer has an impact that goes beyond the interaction itself. If you handle the customer with respect and listen carefully to his or her concerns, you […]
April 2, 2011
LEADERSHIP TIP Three Core Competencies If you run a business or a department and are responsible for the performance of a team, it is important to understand three key competencies in your role that have a direct impact on your success. In your role, at any given time, you may be called on to: 1. Lead 2. Manage 3. Coach Lead – What words come to mind when you think of a leader? A leader motivates, inspires, innovates, empowers, aligns, is visionary and sees […]
April 2, 2011
Business to Business Sales Tip – Winging It Is NOT a Strategy What is the difference between an average salesperson and a stellar salesperson? Hands down it is preparation. Clients tell us, those salespeople who have excelled after we’ve trained and coached them, were able to shorten their sales cycles because they changed the way they prepared for their sales calls. This feedback comes from a wide range of salespeople – from those with limited experience to those with 20 […]
April 2, 2011
Do you live your brand? I recently visited a bank that has signs all over about their “Exceptional Service”. I read these signs in great detail as I waited 10 minutes for someone to help me at the customer service area. Then I read more signs while I waited at the teller line. When this line didn’t move, I walked outside to the ATM machine, and read more signs. The ATM machine was not working, so I walked to […]
March 31, 2011
Loyal to Livid – Don’t Let This Happen in Your Organization! I recently had an experience with one of my vendors that sparked the idea for this article. The chain of events when I had a technical problem, proved to be a great example of how not to treat one of your loyal, long time customers. Before we go into the details, let me describe what it means to have a LOYAL customer. Loyal Customers generally: Recommend your services to […]
March 15, 2011
Listen Closely for Concerns Most customers don’t actually use the word objection and we have observed many salespeople miss the fact that their customer had an objection because it was phrased as a concern. This is a very common mistake made on sales calls and easily rectified! For purposes of being consistent with what actually happens on a sales call, I am going to replace the word objection with concern in this tip. Since your customer is more likely to […]
March 15, 2011
Superior customer service naturally increases sales. It’s a simple statement, and one which most business owners know intuitively. But do they take time to implement internal processes necessary to make the link? What is customer service in the 21st century? As the saying goes, ‘It’s not your father’s customer service.” Certainly, being nice to customers still rings true in the ears of business owners, employees and consumers. If businesses are to exceed customer expectations at every point of contact, it […]
