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"All of us are involved in selling every day. Whenever we present a product or a principle, inform a client, or instruct a child, we are engaging in the art of persuasion."
~ Zig Ziglar
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Leading During Times of Change
"The future ain't what it used to be!" - Yogi Berra
Of the many issues with which we wrestle each day, one certain truth is: the future  will not look like the present. Competition, human creativity, and high technology will redefine the future. Yet many leaders continue to lead, manage, and operate as they have in the past.
"There is a story by Price Pritchett in which he recounts his experience of viewing firsthand a life and death struggle that occurred just a few feet away from where he was sitting. He was watching a fly burn out the last of its short life's energies in a futile attempt to fly through the glass of a windowpane. The frenzied effort of the fly gave no hope for survival. Ironically, had the fly just flown in another direction, it could have easily escaped through an open door."
All too often, we are like the fly. Instead of trying harder, doing the same things, we need to do different things. We must break the shackles of conformity, challenge the routine, and break out of existing paradigms. At the core of succeeding in today's competitive environment is the ability to constantly improve, and reinvent the way we do business. The key to working smarter is knowing the difference between motion and direction, between activity and focused action.
To lead, we must be adept at balancing what must stay constant with what must change. Nurture a culture in which people are encouraged to seek new and better methods, while feeling secure in the familiar and in the future success of their organization. Align all resources and strategies toward the realization of the vision and goals.
- Adapted with permission from Executive Leadership. Copyright © 2003-2007 Resource Associates Corporation - Sorrell Associates. All rights reserved. | |
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Six Phrases that Every Customer Loves to Hear!
Customers respond to certain words and phrases more than others. If you can get your employees who deal with  customers to start using these phrases, you should see an immediate improvement in your customer relations:
1. "Welcome to our company." This offer is warm and sincere, and it tells customers that you are glad to be talking to them. It's also a great way to calm down a frazzled customer, because it sounds soothing.
2. "How may I help you?" This question tells customers one important thing: that helping them is the purpose of your work, not just an interruption of it. A common mistake with this phrase is to ask the question and then continue talking. Once you ask it, let customers do the talking.
3. "I understand." This phrase is an immediate rapport-builder. It tells customers that you're on their side and that you know what needs to be done. This goes a long way toward building loyalty with customers.
4. "Is this what you had in mind?" Say this after you have listened completely to the customer's problem and presented your best solution. Give the customer time to evaluate your solution; if he or she isn't happy, ask for ways to improve upon it. Eventually, the two of you will come up with a solution that works for everyone involved.
5. "Is there anything else I can help you with today?" This is a great way to end calls with customers without giving the impression that you are trying to get rid of them. It also sends the powerful message that you are there to help not just with the current problem, but with anything else that comes along.
6. "Has this transaction met your expectations?" This is such a rare question, that when you ask it, customers really sit up and take notice. It's a great way to reaffirm that your number one goal is to serve the customer; it also gives the customer a chance to voice any complaints, which you should use to improve your service for the next person you deal with.
- Adapted with permission from Customer Service & Retention Newsletter 2007 |
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Thank you for spending your valuable time reading our newsletter. Let us know if any of these ideas put to practice helped you overcome a challenge - we'd like to tell your story. And, let us know if you want us to include a topic we haven't covered. |
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Happy Trails,
Lesley Boucher and Renee Lewis
Pensare Group
Closing the Gap between Vision and Reality | | |
