Tags |
|
|
Links |
|
|
Suggest You - How to Offer Delightful Customer Service Part 2- Listen
One of the primary duties of the Federal Trade Commission is to over see Mergers and Acquisitions in industry to prevent one company from inadvertently growing so large that it corners the market and thus becomes a monopoly inhibiting competition in the market place. Administering the Merger Review Process at the FTC is not an easy task and it maybe a good thing as they do not manage these things very well anyway. In fact many times when one company wishes to merge with another the FTC kills the deal by wasting weeks to review all the information and thus hurts both companies making them weak. This hurts shareholder’s equity, quarterly profits and therefore the company has to raise prices hurting consumers to re-coup the money lost during the transition.Here is how the FTC describes th
Now that we have reviewed a few of the keys to effective listening, let’s visit how these skills help deliver delightful customer service. Effective listening will delight your customers because;
You will understand the customer’s point of view.
Their needs, wants, and expectations will be clearly understood. Successful sales people uncover the need behind the need of their customer. A sales person that actually listens will also be aware of the value they provide from their customers perspective. There is an old saying that sales people should follow; “We must try harder to understand than to explain.”
You will grow from the feedback you receive.
A good listener is generally more approachable and therefore will get honest feedback from their clients. The term “constructive criticism” is generally perceived as a negative, but developmental feedback can be received as a positive. If
Do you have a recent college graduate who is unemployed, or if they are employed, dislikes and maybe even hates their first job? Well, don't feel bad, because by all estimates, at least half of all recent graduates are either unemployed or underemployed (working a job that doesn't use either their education or their ambition). It's difficult deciding who should feel worse, our kids or us.The children of baby boomers (our kids) are going to college in record numbers. There are more applicants to American universities today than at any time in our country's history. There are also record numbers of foreign students flocking to American universities taking up a limited number of seats. Our college track and soccer teams have very talented South Americans, our swim teams include world
Did the sales person give me what I asked for? Yes!
Did the sales person give me what I needed? NO!
Could he have asked a simple question to clarify my needs? Yes!
Was I delighted or disappointed?
One of the most important skills professional sales people must have is highly effective listening skills. Active listening will provide the listener with the customer’s needs, wants, and more importantly their expectations. One of my favorite sayings is; “I have never heard of a sales person who listened their way out of a sale.”
Let’s take a look at some common skills used in effective listening. Following this quick review of the skills, an overview of the benefits will offered.
Keys to Effective Listening
Ask open ended questions-
If the goal in a conversation is to uncover the needs and wants of a customer, open ended questions are a must. Ask questions that start with; who, what, when, how, where, for example. One of my favorite open ended questions isn’t a question at all. Simply ask the customer to “Tell me more about….” and they will. The point here is to get and keep them talking. My friend in the story above could have asked one simple open ended question and solved my needs accurately. “What will you be using the tire gauge for?”
Be present-
When listening to others, this may be one of the most common mistakes people make. They do not listen. What I mean by that is, often people are distracted by outside factors. Factors such as; other conversations, background noise, other people near by, or even the overall environment can be a distraction.
Maybe the most overlooked distraction is an internal distraction. For example, many people can’t remember the name of a person they just met. This happens because they are thinking of the next thing they are going to say, instead of paying attention to the person. They same thing happens to a sales person who is thinking of the next thing to say and not truly listening to the customer’s point. Focus on the other person when they are talking, be present. Again, if the parts counter salesman would have thought for a second, it seems logical that a Joe Consumer would most often need an air pressure gauge and not a tread depth gauge. In fact, I didn’t even know what it was when he handed it to me.
Paraphrase what you heard-
One of the preeminent listening skills is the ability to paraphrase what the customer has said. Not only does this send a strong signal that you are actually listening, but it instantly confirms the listener properly interpreted what was said. Although it may not be the best example, the salesman above could have stated the following: “So what I hear you saying is you need a tread depth gauge?” See how this would have clearly defined my needs for him?
Write it down-
Another strong listening skill is writing down a summary of what the client or customer is saying. Not only does this give you a record of what is being said, but it also shows you are intently listening to the other party. An additional benefit from scribing the points in a conversation is it will help you remember what commitments were made. If it is important enough, give a copy of your notes to the customer. This will garner greater commitment from them as well.
Now that we have reviewed a few of the keys to effective listening, let’s visit how these skills help deliver delightful customer service. Effective listening will delight your customers because;
You will understand the customer’s point of view.
Their needs, wants, and expectations will be clearly understood. Successful sales people uncover the need behind the need of their customer. A sales person that actually listens will also be aware of the value they provide from their customers perspective. There is an old saying that sales people should follow; “We must try harder to understand than to explain.”
You will grow from the feedback you receive.
A good listener is generally more approachable and therefore will get honest feedback from their clients. The term “constructive criticism” is generally perceived as a negative, but developmental feedback can be received as a positive. If
When you think of doing backups, the most common thoughts go to your computer and maybe your emails but as business owners we have much more than that to consider. Here are some things that likely haven't occurred to you that you need to be backing up.Backup your mailing list - What would you do if you lost all the leads and prospects you have worked so hard and paid good money to backup? Many marketers agree, a mailing list is invaluable; So, treat it as such. Save a copy of it every day.Affiliate list - I shouldn't need to tell you just how important this is. Affiliates help you make money. Don't lose them. No matter what system you use to manage your affiliates, get a backup list of them now.Autoresponder emails - You spend a lot of time and energy creating emails tha
Let’s take a look at some common skills used in effective listening. Following this quick review of the skills, an overview of the benefits will offered.
Keys to Effective Listening
Ask open ended questions-
If the goal in a conversation is to uncover the needs and wants of a customer, open ended questions are a must. Ask questions that start with; who, what, when, how, where, for example. One of my favorite open ended questions isn’t a question at all. Simply ask the customer to “Tell me more about….” and they will. The point here is to get and keep them talking. My friend in the story above could have asked one simple open ended question and solved my needs accurately. “What will you be using the tire gauge for?”
Be present-
When listening to others, this may be one of the most common mistakes people make. They do not listen. What I mean by that is, often people are distracted by outside factors. Factors such as; other conversations, background noise, other people near by, or even the overall environment can be a distraction.
Maybe the most overlooked distraction is an internal distraction. For example, many people can’t remember the name of a person they just met. This happens because they are thinking of the next thing they are going to say, instead of paying attention to the person. They same thing happens to a sales person who is thinking of the next thing to say and not truly listening to the customer’s point. Focus on the other person when they are talking, be present. Again, if the parts counter salesman would have thought for a second, it seems logical that a Joe Consumer would most often need an air pressure gauge and not a tread depth gauge. In fact, I didn’t even know what it was when he handed it to me.
Paraphrase what you heard-
One of the preeminent listening skills is the ability to paraphrase what the customer has said. Not only does this send a strong signal that you are actually listening, but it instantly confirms the listener properly interpreted what was said. Although it may not be the best example, the salesman above could have stated the following: “So what I hear you saying is you need a tread depth gauge?” See how this would have clearly defined my needs for him?
Write it down-
Another strong listening skill is writing down a summary of what the client or customer is saying. Not only does this give you a record of what is being said, but it also shows you are intently listening to the other party. An additional benefit from scribing the points in a conversation is it will help you remember what commitments were made. If it is important enough, give a copy of your notes to the customer. This will garner greater commitment from them as well.
Now that we have reviewed a few of the keys to effective listening, let’s visit how these skills help deliver delightful customer service. Effective listening will delight your customers because;
You will understand the customer’s point of view.
Their needs, wants, and expectations will be clearly understood. Successful sales people uncover the need behind the need of their customer. A sales person that actually listens will also be aware of the value they provide from their customers perspective. There is an old saying that sales people should follow; “We must try harder to understand than to explain.”
You will grow from the feedback you receive.
A good listener is generally more approachable and therefore will get honest feedback from their clients. The term “constructive criticism” is generally perceived as a negative, but developmental feedback can be received as a positive. If
One of the biggest challenges companies are facing is the attraction and retention of top performers. The World Future Society predicted that the greatest test of durability for companies in the next five years would be the ability to get and keep good people. In some industries such as the homebuilding industry there is a phenomenon of merry-go-round employees where employees jump ship within the industry and companies are recycling employees. In the finance industry the big question to a top performer is "Where did you jump from?"One executive management client had left a specific financial institution because a competitor wooed her. Once there, she wasn't as happy as she thought would be and was wooed back again to the original employer. She did this back and forth thing two more ti
Maybe the most overlooked distraction is an internal distraction. For example, many people can’t remember the name of a person they just met. This happens because they are thinking of the next thing they are going to say, instead of paying attention to the person. They same thing happens to a sales person who is thinking of the next thing to say and not truly listening to the customer’s point. Focus on the other person when they are talking, be present. Again, if the parts counter salesman would have thought for a second, it seems logical that a Joe Consumer would most often need an air pressure gauge and not a tread depth gauge. In fact, I didn’t even know what it was when he handed it to me.
Paraphrase what you heard-
One of the preeminent listening skills is the ability to paraphrase what the customer has said. Not only does this send a strong signal that you are actually listening, but it instantly confirms the listener properly interpreted what was said. Although it may not be the best example, the salesman above could have stated the following: “So what I hear you saying is you need a tread depth gauge?” See how this would have clearly defined my needs for him?
Write it down-
Another strong listening skill is writing down a summary of what the client or customer is saying. Not only does this give you a record of what is being said, but it also shows you are intently listening to the other party. An additional benefit from scribing the points in a conversation is it will help you remember what commitments were made. If it is important enough, give a copy of your notes to the customer. This will garner greater commitment from them as well.
Now that we have reviewed a few of the keys to effective listening, let’s visit how these skills help deliver delightful customer service. Effective listening will delight your customers because;
You will understand the customer’s point of view.
Their needs, wants, and expectations will be clearly understood. Successful sales people uncover the need behind the need of their customer. A sales person that actually listens will also be aware of the value they provide from their customers perspective. There is an old saying that sales people should follow; “We must try harder to understand than to explain.”
You will grow from the feedback you receive.
A good listener is generally more approachable and therefore will get honest feedback from their clients. The term “constructive criticism” is generally perceived as a negative, but developmental feedback can be received as a positive. If
The ultimate goal of factoring consultants is to maximize the wealth of the shareholders. This is represented by the market value of the shares of the factoring companies. Wealth is defined as the net present worth of the company, i.e., the present value of all future returns. This is determined by capitalizing the net income after taxes, which is achieved by discounting the return expected by the investors - also known as cost of equity.Though the wealth maximization seems superior to profit maximization objective, it is to be noted that the former is based upon the latter. The market price of shares, which is the indicator of the wealth of the firm, is based on the long-term returns of the firm. The returns that accrue to the investor would be a function of the earnings of the compan
Write it down-
Another strong listening skill is writing down a summary of what the client or customer is saying. Not only does this give you a record of what is being said, but it also shows you are intently listening to the other party. An additional benefit from scribing the points in a conversation is it will help you remember what commitments were made. If it is important enough, give a copy of your notes to the customer. This will garner greater commitment from them as well.
Now that we have reviewed a few of the keys to effective listening, let’s visit how these skills help deliver delightful customer service. Effective listening will delight your customers because;
You will understand the customer’s point of view.
Their needs, wants, and expectations will be clearly understood. Successful sales people uncover the need behind the need of their customer. A sales person that actually listens will also be aware of the value they provide from their customers perspective. There is an old saying that sales people should follow; “We must try harder to understand than to explain.”
You will grow from the feedback you receive.
A good listener is generally more approachable and therefore will get honest feedback from their clients. The term “constructive criticism” is generally perceived as a negative, but developmental feedback can be received as a positive. If
The naming of your business could be one of the most important decisions you will make. A name's originality and legal availability will create a real asset value of its own, as it becomes marketed and gains market acceptance.The name you choose will become the focal point of all the benefits and features that relate to your product or business. Customers will be able to find and refer others to it in the future. Established products or businesses realize the value of customer good will.A well chosen name will provide an extra marketing advantage, which may mean the difference between failure and success.The vital question is…is your company name truly available?While the name may be unique and distinctive to you, there is a possibility that another p
Now that we have reviewed a few of the keys to effective listening, let’s visit how these skills help deliver delightful customer service. Effective listening will delight your customers because;
You will understand the customer’s point of view.
Their needs, wants, and expectations will be clearly understood. Successful sales people uncover the need behind the need of their customer. A sales person that actually listens will also be aware of the value they provide from their customers perspective. There is an old saying that sales people should follow; “We must try harder to understand than to explain.”
You will grow from the feedback you receive.
A good listener is generally more approachable and therefore will get honest feedback from their clients. The term “constructive criticism” is generally perceived as a negative, but developmental feedback can be received as a positive. If you have developed the ability to relate to your customers, as in Part 1 of this series of articles, they will be much more prone to offering sincere feedback. Customers can give a sales person feedback on the company’s product, processes, and services, as well as on their personal selling style. Whenever a customer does provide feedback, be sure to inform them of any corrective actions you or your company took as a result. If feedback is given and nothing changes, the feedback will evaporate. And so will your customers.
You will learn more about the business.
It’s that simple. The more you listen… the more you learn. Listen to what the customer is saying about trends in the industry. As customers offer perspectives regarding their specific business, you can use that information to help other accounts. Look for every opportunity to learn from your customers and their employees.
Remember, customers don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care. Listening to your customers will show them you care.
In the 1500’s, French essayist, Michel de Montaigne said: “Speech belongs half to the speaker, half to the listener.” In order to deliver delightful customer service, the customer should speak far more than the sales person. The tire gauge story is somewhat one-dimensional, but it serves as a basic model to help understand the importance of effective listening. Using the aforementioned keys to effective listening will result in delightful customer sales and service. Don’t give your customers a tread depth gauge when they require an air pressure gauge. Ask questions and listen to the response, you will understand, grow, and learn. All while delighting your customers.
HTTP = HTML link (for blogs, profiles,phorums):
<a href="http://www.suggestyou.com/article/15146/suggestyou-How-to-Offer-Delightful-Customer-Service-Part-2-Listen.html">How to Offer Delightful Customer Service Part 2- Listen</a>
BB link (for phorums):
[url=http://www.suggestyou.com/article/15146/suggestyou-How-to-Offer-Delightful-Customer-Service-Part-2-Listen.html]How to Offer Delightful Customer Service Part 2- Listen[/url]
Related Articles:
Selecting The Right Promo Item
Supercharge Your Business With the RIGHT Kind of Marketing!
Bookmark it:
|