The Outdoor Power Equipment and Engine Service Association (OPEESA) held their annual meeting February 25-28, 2007 at the Fairmont Southampton in Southampton, Bermuda. The weather was chilly and very windy. But our speakers were excellent and gave us lots of good ideas to think about. Let me share a few with you.
Jeff Thredgold, President, Thredgold Economic Associates’ (http://www.thredgold.com/) topic was “Your Money, Your World, You Family – The Future.”
“One half of the world population has never made a phone call and less than 2% are college graduates.”
“Seven out of every eight people entering the US labor pool over the next 30 years will be minorities.”
“One out of every three US college students today is over 40.”
“In 1980 the average college graduate made 25% more than a high school grad.”
“Today, the average college graduate makes 90% more than a high school grad.”
“US labor markets will get extremely tight over the next 10 to 20 years. And you will be scrambling for workers like you never thought possible.”
“By mid-year 2007, the long term interest rate will be in the high 5 to low 6 % range.”
“Where will the new jobs be in the US in the coming years: health care, financial planning, and leisure and recreation.”
Nancy Friedman, President, The Telephone Doctor (http://www.telephonedoctor.com/) spoke on “Sales & Customer Service from a Management Point of View.”
FIVE FORBIDDEN PHRASES IN THE CALL CENTER
(1) “I don’t know.”
When you answer “I don’t know” there is no safety net.
And you never want to use negative words at the beginning of a conversation.
The Best Answer to a question you don’t know the answer to is to say “Gee, that is a very good question, let me find out for you. When do you need that information?” You may find out there is not real hurry to supply the answer anyway.
(2) “I can’t…….”
When you say “I’m sorry, I can’t do that,” you are injecting negativity.
Don’t ever tell them what can’t be done. Provide a positive alternative. Reject gently.
The Best Answer is “Let me see what I can do.”
If it is absolutely an impossible situation, you would say “I wish we could do that. Unfortunately that is not an option I have.”
(3) “Hang on a second, I’ll be right back.”
Ask if they are able to hold, then wait for a response.
The Best Answer is “If you’re able to hold, I’ll get you that information. If you cannot hold, I’ll be glad to call you back.”
(4) “You have to…………….”
Don’t ever say what the “have” to do. Always tell them what they “need” to do.
(5) “No.”
Never, ever start a sentence for any reason with the word “no.”
What consumers hate most when calling a business – 1st the use of an automated attendant, 2nd rude employees, and 3rd being put on hold.
SWITCHBOARD
Answer first with a buffer – “Good Morning. Thanks for calling. This is Marsha.” You don’t have to identify the business
DO NOT ever say “How can I help you?”
VOICE MAIL
An automated attendant should always zero out to a person
Never Use the following terms on voice mail:
“I’m not at my desk right now.”
“Your call is very important to me.”
“I’m sorry I missed your call.”
“I’ll call you back as soon as possible.”
The Best Answer is “This is ____. Please leave a message and I will return your call.”
Your teeth must always be visible when you are recording your message (i.e. smile.)
When you leave your name and number on a voicemail, always say your name and the phone number twice, clearly and distinctly.
YOUR ON-HOLD MUSIC OR?
Ask you customers what they want to hear on hold. Then follow their advice.
Michael Workman, President, Michael E. Workman Associates, (http://www.mworkman.com/) spoke on “Profit-Enhancing Collaboration.”
“The purpose of a business is to create and maintain a customer.”
“Profit is only a test of management decision-making ability.”
“Leadership is much stronger than management skills in a small business.”
“In relationships between a manufacturer and a distributor, if a common goal is shared, communication is never a problem.”
“Manufacturers say “ I cannot pay you for your effort. I can only pay you for your performance.”
“If sales go up while margins are declining and people costs are going up, the business is in trouble.”
“Where there is no accountability, there is no change.”
“When the salesman owns the customer, your business is in trouble.”
“The less information I know and have about my customer, the more inventory I must have to serve him.”
“In a 2003 National Association of Wholesalers (NAW) sponsored study, there was no correlation found between how the type of compensation a sales person received and their sales results.”
“You can’t take a C player and make him an A player by paying him more.”
“An A player is always an A player no matter how you pay them.”
“The only true motivator proven to work is: setting goals.”
“You can’t pay a sales person the same for maintenance that you pay him for growth. You always pay a lot less for maintenance.”
“Know why your customers buy from you.”
“Never let your customers decide how they will measure your value to them. Your sales people should show them what the value is you provide and how they should measure it.”
“Never let your accountants make your strategic decisions.”
“Good – Cheap – Fast. You can only excel at any two of these with a profitable customer.”
“Manufacturers are always driven by ‘share,’ distributors are driven by profitability, dealers always want ‘all of it,’ and consumers always want a better deal.”
“Self-selecting teams are always much more effective than teams with members selected by management. Your people know better than you who belongs on their team.”
“Outside sales is becoming the training ground for inside sales. And inside sales is always much more profitable.”
“Ask your customer how they want to be served and then do it. You may find that many don’t need or want outside sales personnel calling on them.”
“The Chinese are building manufacturing plants in Mexico to reduce delivery time to North America to a max of six days. It’s happening now and is the wave of the future.”
“Jim Collins said ‘Great companies focus on profit maximization, not growing market share.’”
Jeff Thredgold, President, Thredgold Economic Associates’ (http://www.thredgold.com/) topic was “Your Money, Your World, You Family – The Future.”
“One half of the world population has never made a phone call and less than 2% are college graduates.”
“Seven out of every eight people entering the US labor pool over the next 30 years will be minorities.”
“One out of every three US college students today is over 40.”
“In 1980 the average college graduate made 25% more than a high school grad.”
“Today, the average college graduate makes 90% more than a high school grad.”
“US labor markets will get extremely tight over the next 10 to 20 years. And you will be scrambling for workers like you never thought possible.”
“By mid-year 2007, the long term interest rate will be in the high 5 to low 6 % range.”
“Where will the new jobs be in the US in the coming years: health care, financial planning, and leisure and recreation.”
Nancy Friedman, President, The Telephone Doctor (http://www.telephonedoctor.com/) spoke on “Sales & Customer Service from a Management Point of View.”
FIVE FORBIDDEN PHRASES IN THE CALL CENTER
(1) “I don’t know.”
When you answer “I don’t know” there is no safety net.
And you never want to use negative words at the beginning of a conversation.
The Best Answer to a question you don’t know the answer to is to say “Gee, that is a very good question, let me find out for you. When do you need that information?” You may find out there is not real hurry to supply the answer anyway.
(2) “I can’t…….”
When you say “I’m sorry, I can’t do that,” you are injecting negativity.
Don’t ever tell them what can’t be done. Provide a positive alternative. Reject gently.
The Best Answer is “Let me see what I can do.”
If it is absolutely an impossible situation, you would say “I wish we could do that. Unfortunately that is not an option I have.”
(3) “Hang on a second, I’ll be right back.”
Ask if they are able to hold, then wait for a response.
The Best Answer is “If you’re able to hold, I’ll get you that information. If you cannot hold, I’ll be glad to call you back.”
(4) “You have to…………….”
Don’t ever say what the “have” to do. Always tell them what they “need” to do.
(5) “No.”
Never, ever start a sentence for any reason with the word “no.”
What consumers hate most when calling a business – 1st the use of an automated attendant, 2nd rude employees, and 3rd being put on hold.
SWITCHBOARD
Answer first with a buffer – “Good Morning. Thanks for calling. This is Marsha.” You don’t have to identify the business
DO NOT ever say “How can I help you?”
VOICE MAIL
An automated attendant should always zero out to a person
Never Use the following terms on voice mail:
“I’m not at my desk right now.”
“Your call is very important to me.”
“I’m sorry I missed your call.”
“I’ll call you back as soon as possible.”
The Best Answer is “This is ____. Please leave a message and I will return your call.”
Your teeth must always be visible when you are recording your message (i.e. smile.)
When you leave your name and number on a voicemail, always say your name and the phone number twice, clearly and distinctly.
YOUR ON-HOLD MUSIC OR?
Ask you customers what they want to hear on hold. Then follow their advice.
Michael Workman, President, Michael E. Workman Associates, (http://www.mworkman.com/) spoke on “Profit-Enhancing Collaboration.”
“The purpose of a business is to create and maintain a customer.”
“Profit is only a test of management decision-making ability.”
“Leadership is much stronger than management skills in a small business.”
“In relationships between a manufacturer and a distributor, if a common goal is shared, communication is never a problem.”
“Manufacturers say “ I cannot pay you for your effort. I can only pay you for your performance.”
“If sales go up while margins are declining and people costs are going up, the business is in trouble.”
“Where there is no accountability, there is no change.”
“When the salesman owns the customer, your business is in trouble.”
“The less information I know and have about my customer, the more inventory I must have to serve him.”
“In a 2003 National Association of Wholesalers (NAW) sponsored study, there was no correlation found between how the type of compensation a sales person received and their sales results.”
“You can’t take a C player and make him an A player by paying him more.”
“An A player is always an A player no matter how you pay them.”
“The only true motivator proven to work is: setting goals.”
“You can’t pay a sales person the same for maintenance that you pay him for growth. You always pay a lot less for maintenance.”
“Know why your customers buy from you.”
“Never let your customers decide how they will measure your value to them. Your sales people should show them what the value is you provide and how they should measure it.”
“Never let your accountants make your strategic decisions.”
“Good – Cheap – Fast. You can only excel at any two of these with a profitable customer.”
“Manufacturers are always driven by ‘share,’ distributors are driven by profitability, dealers always want ‘all of it,’ and consumers always want a better deal.”
“Self-selecting teams are always much more effective than teams with members selected by management. Your people know better than you who belongs on their team.”
“Outside sales is becoming the training ground for inside sales. And inside sales is always much more profitable.”
“Ask your customer how they want to be served and then do it. You may find that many don’t need or want outside sales personnel calling on them.”
“The Chinese are building manufacturing plants in Mexico to reduce delivery time to North America to a max of six days. It’s happening now and is the wave of the future.”
“Jim Collins said ‘Great companies focus on profit maximization, not growing market share.’”
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