Satisfy Your Customers Through Compromise
To keep customers in today's competitive business market you must develop a more collaborative style..
Businesses try to influence customers by one of two
ways. There's the win-lose approach which is where you're not friendly and
don't give at all. Where winning is the first priority. The other strategy
is one of influencing. It's cooperative, gentle and much more effective.
Power is shared and not wielded.
There aren't many win-win situations in life because you generally have to
give up something to influence people successfully. Having a cooperative
strategy toward customer service is more of a win some-lose some strategy.
Here are ten basic rules for influencing your customers:
1. Think problem solving. Treat each discussion as an opportunity to help
your customer. You'll be surprised at how quickly your customer will follow
your lead.
2. Emphasize partnering and teamwork. Find common ground. You both may want
the same thing; profit, a fair deal, better business. You just need to find
a way to get there.
3. Emphasize benefits. The sale will help you but what will it do for your
customers? Give them a reason to buy from you.
4. Have a fall back. You may be tempted to give away too much if you have
only one option. Think of alternatives you can negotiate.
5. Line up you ducks. Support your position by showing other people like
your product; you're an expert in this area; similar proposals have been
safe; similar proposals have benefited others.
6. Get the other party to invest time. People are more likely to commit when
they invest time discussing and considering your proposal.
7. Keep emphasizing what you have in common. Especially when things get
tough.
8. Don't issue ultimatums. Think about it. What's your next move if you tell
your customers, "This is your last chance," and they say, "Okay, then,
goodbye"?
9. Watch the nuances. Telling customers that you want to be very honest with
them may actually cast suspicion on yourself. Be conscious also of nonverbal
clues: Look at them, not at your watch or out the window.
10. Protect everyone's self-esteem. This is not a competition. It's not
personal. It's not about winning and losing. This is building a
relationship.
Working with customers can get complicated. Sooner or later you're likely to
face some trouble spots. What do you do?
Suppose, for example, you have an irate customer. Something is wrong with
the product, delivery has been delayed, or maybe your customer has had a bad
day. Let him vent. Encourage him to tell you the problem in detail. In a
minute or two he'll calm down.
Then, ask some questions. He'll see you're listening and interested. Ask him
what he would like you to do to make things right. Tell him you know how he
feels, agree on a solution, and carry it out.
Now let's suppose you have to give a customer bad news. The product is
back-ordered. The customer's credit has been cut off. A recurring problem is
back. Be direct, state the bad news clearly and then, apologize sincerely.
It's important that you give the customer hope. Suggest a remedy, such as
offering to work out a payment plan until he squares off accounts with your
company. You want to emphasize the relationship here and specifically point
out how well things have gone in the past.
Let's look at another example, where the customer asks for help you can't
give and have to refer him elsewhere. Tell him what you will do, not what he
should do. Say, "I'll help you find a way to accomplish what you want," not
"We can't do that."
In this situation, you need to take action to move the problem along. Put
the customer in touch with someone who can help him, then, follow up to make
sure the problem was handled and that the customer is happy.
What do you do if a customer is unreasonable and making your life miserable?
Start by taking responsibility for the problem. Tell him how you feel
without being accusatory. Say something like, "Jim, I sense you aren't happy
with our relationship and that bothers me because I want to work well with
you and give you the kind of service you want."
Listen to what the customer says. Some people don't communicate well and my
sound unreasonable even when they don't mean to be. Then, agree on what
you're going to do, and then do it. It may not make the customer happy but
at least you will have tried.
If you can't improve things, live with it or pass on the account to someone
else, but above all, remember that you've made a commitment to the customer.
Keep it. No excuses!
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