Earth Day

Earth Day in the office

This Friday is Earth Day.  What a great time to show your support for the environment, but how?

Go paperless.

At home, change your billing choices to email vs. snail mail.

At work, ask customers if they would like to switch to paperless billing.  If your company offers an incentive for e-billing then this is a win for the customer and Mother Earth.

Tip: Be sure to ask politely and assertively.

Instead of saying:  “You've probably considered this already, but let me ask…”

Or “Hope you don’t mind, but let me ask if you would like…”

Try:  “While I have you on the phone, why don't I set you up to receive your invoices by email?   It’s good to the Earth and to your wallet."

The Dreaded Price Calls...

Getting a lot of price calls?  If so, I hope you are talking value vs. price and sharing how terrific your company is.  But beware!  Sometimes that passion can make you sound defensive.

Here’s how to avoid that trap.

Be prepared.  Work with your office to come up with sound solutions for the price or service concern.  What questions do you want to ask to engage the caller?  How will you explain your different price or package options?  Brainstorm as a team and practice your replies on each other.

Choose the right tone.  When you are practicing, give each other feedback on your tone of voice.  It’s easy for a little sarcasm or apathy to creep in.  Catch it!

Be appreciative.  When the Customer tells you about a competitive offer, thank them for sharing the information.  It will catch them off guard!

Be patient. These are not quick calls.  Persuading takes time and effort.  Focus on this call not the others that are in the queue.

What a little more help?  Ask about our webinar Handling Price Concerns.

People Before Paper...

Take a quick look at your desk.  What do you see?

Lots of paperwork?   I thought so.   

Chances are, your job involves paperwork and phone work and sometimes the ringing phone feels like an interruption.   That feeling can lead to a greeting that sounds rushed or unhelpful, which sets you up for a tough call.

This week, aim to catch yourself thinking: "Arghhh – the phone is ringing!" and say instead:  "Yay, the phone is ringing!" or "I’ve got this!"  Then, your greeting will sound professional and friendly and you’re off to a great start!

Happy Easter Monday!

If you, like so many of us, over-indulged in family, friends and feasting this weekend, you might be feeling a little sluggish today.

Time to get moving! 

Today, aim to walk as much as possible: 
- offer to pick up someone else's printing or fax.
- offer to go get a coffee refill for a colleague.
- walk that email up to Accounting.
- walk that special order over to Dispatch and explain in person what your notes were trying to say.

The goal is simply to move. 

Negative…Realistic…Positive

Which one are you?

Let's say a customer calls and wants to book an appointment. You check and discover the first appointment available is in May.  Do you say:

1. Yikes, there is nothing until May, you should have called earlier.

2. I've checked and there is nothing until May.

3. Good news! I've got openings in May, do you prefer mornings or afternoons?

Sometimes in our effort to be realistic, we come across as negative.  Aim for positive!

Minute to Win-It

In the first minute of your calls, your customers are making a decision about you.  They are deciding if they can trust you and whether you know your stuff. 

How do I know?

Because Amy Cuddy, a psychologist at the Harvard Business School, has been studying first impressions for more than a decade. She and her colleagues found that we make snap judgments about other people that answer two primary questions:

·       Can I trust this person?

·       Can I respect this person’s capabilities?

According to Cuddy’s research, 80% to 90% of a first impression is based on these two traits. Subconsciously, you and the people you meet are asking yourselves, “Can I trust that this person has good intentions toward me?” and “Is this person capable?”

Cuddy tells us that, “A warm, trustworthy person who is also strong elicits admiration, but only after you’ve achieved trust does your strength become a gift rather than a threat.”

Here are some tips for sounding trustworthy and competent over the phone.

1.    Sit up for better projection.  Slumping in your chair or straining towards the computer blocks your airflow and your energy.
2.   Add some inflection.  Punch up the key words of your greeting. "GOOD MORNING, you’ve reached AWESOME CO, this is ANN."
3.    Slow your pace down.  Focus on moving your lips as you say your greeting, or air-write your name.  Each one will help decrease your pace.

A great greeting doesn’t solve everything, but it does set the stage for a better interaction.  

Keeping It Simple...

When talking to customers, it is important to be clear.  That means skipping the jargon (your industry-specific terminology) and idiomatic expressions.

Here's a quiz for you.  Can you identify what this waitress in a diner is ordering?

a) Burn one, take it through the garden, pin a rose on it
b) Shingle with shimmy and shake, squeeze one
c) Keep off the grass

1. Hamburger with Lettuce, Tomato and Onion
2. Buttered toast with jam and OJ
3. Hold the lettuce

There is a shorthand type of ordering and addressing people that seems very appropriate and fun in that setting, but is confusing to the rest of us.

This week, make sure you don't confuse your customers with your industry-specific terms.  Keep it simple.