Unmasking Your Sales Service Potential in a Post

Unmasking Your Sales & Service Potential in a Post COVID World DPHA 2020 Customer Service Expert TERESA ALLEN © 2020 Common Sense Solutions

Thrilled to be back with DPHA ! If I met you in Seattle last year, LOTS has changed. . . www. Allen. Speaks. com

The GOAL of GREAT SERVICE: Build Relationships in EVERY Close Encounter that Builds Sales!

Learn from DPHA connections … Who says we can’t talk at a Virtual Conference? !

Our Zoom Breakout Rooms: • Assign a note taker for your group • Keep responses brief 30 to 60 sec • Not everyone every time… but hopefully all participate! • Wrap up when you see countdown timer

Breakout 1: 5 minutes Greatest Post COVID challenge for YOU in your DPH business 20 second answer! Note taker summarizes for group as a whole…

Common Sense Service Strategy #1 KNOW My Customers and WHY They are Here !

Customer Types Retail (Homeowners) Builders Contractors Designers WHY Here Remodel/New Home Remodel/NH/New Subdiv Repair/Remodel/Design New Devel

Breakout 2: 5 minutes What were LIFE reasons that led to decision to buy new home or remodel existing one?

How can you provide PROactive Service instead of REactive?

Common Sense Service Strategy #2 Meet & Exceed Customer Expectations

Customer Value Expectations Convergys Research Study 2500 customers, 1500 employees and 120 execs in US and UK Value my time Value my money Value my preferences Value ME

Customer Value Expectations Value my time Address my needs on first contact Have knowledgeable employees

Customer Value Expectations Value my money Your Customers are about to invest in your products Value the relationship with your words & actions! i. e. DON’T be just like the big box store!

Customer Value Expectations Value my preferences Give me Choice of service channel In Person Telephone Email Zoom ? ? ? !!! No method satisfies all! Give me Choices within channels Hold or Call Back

Customer Value Expectations I need to get plumbing fixtures down $2, 000 on this project – what can you do to make that happen? ! Let me check with a few people and get back with you on that! Under Promise and OVER Deliver!

Customer Value Expectations Value ME I want to interact with a PERSON I want you to show EMPATHY I want you to be interested in MY PROJECT & MY LIFE

Customer Expectations Before, During & After the Sale

Customer Expectations Before the Sale

Customer Expectations During the Showroom Visit

Customer Expectations After the Sale

Customer Expectations by Personality Type Mrs. Sweet Ms. Analytical Mr. Connected Gen. Patton

Customer Expectations Post COVID-19 Don’t waste my time – get me IN and OUT Create a BRAND STORY Give me an interconnected ONLINE and IN PERSON experience

INTERNAL Service Leads to EXTERNAL Results !

Common Sense Service Strategy #3 Make It Right When Things Go Wrong

What do customers expect after a poor service experience? 52% Something in return beyond solving problem 70% Apology or some reimbursement Source: American Express

Are YOU Making it Right? Is your whole team empowered to Make it Right ?

2 Types of Complaints Company Error Not on time re delivery Understand your customer journey! Under Promise / Over Deliver “We’ll get it out to you soon” (vague/dangerous!) Customer Error Said they wanted chrome/ meant brushed nickel

You people can’t get anything right!

6 Steps to CALM the customer Keep Yourself Calm Listen for Facts / Register Feelings Empathize / Call Customer by Name Repeat in Your Own Words to Clarify Propose a Solution Confirm Agreement If none of this works… you may have to state consequences to customer actions.

Avoid Industry LINGO That May Confuse Customer What are some terms or abbreviations that your customer may not know? Type in chat

Institutional vs. Transactional Complaints Transactional Focuses on specific transaction Usually product or personnel related Institutional Representative interacting w customer has no control Focus is on HOW you do business

Handling Transactional Complaints: Listen with Concern Take Action to Satisfy Customer Handling Institutional Complaints: Listen with Concern Show Empathy Tell Customer You Will Pass Concern to Management

Breakout 3: 5 minutes Share examples of institutional complaints Note taker report back

If a conflict or complaint is handled promptly and positively, the customer relationship can be STRONGER than before it happened! --Teresa Allen The Sales Team is the eyes and ears of your business… Have a method to pass customer feedback/complaints to your management team!

Common Sense Service Strategy #4 Create Positive Spin & Referrals

Are YOU creating POSITIVE SPIN for your DPH Business in EVERY Close Encounter EVERY day? What are avenues of Positive or Negative Spin for Your Customers ? Type in Chat

When do you ask for a referral? • • • Follow up calls When customer comes in for ancillary products ASK Designers to recommend you to other clients & mention you at ASID mtgs ASK Plumber to do same at HVAC mtgs ASK Builder to recc you at Homebuilder Assn Mtgs

HOW do you ask for a referral? • When customer thanks you I was glad to help…as you know it can be overwhelming. . Would love to help your friends too! • Ask for social posts Could you post on YELP/Nextdoor on your way home?

Common Sense Service Strategy #5 Build/Protect Relationships Proactively

Ask the RIGHT QUESTIONS at the RIGHT TIME ! OPEN What brought you in today? CLOSED Are you working with a designer contractor? CROSS SELL Have you picked out your door hardware yet? Have you picked out your bath accessories? or

Features so tha t yo uc an Benefit

If you have asked the RIGHT QUESTIONS you can say this… Based on what you have told me, I would recommend … Your confidence in your recommendations breeds customer confidence !

Kathleen Glossa, Residential Designer Video re Shopping for Kitchen and Bathroom Fixtures at DPHA Member Best Plumbing Showroom in Seattle Notice her actions and her words!

Sales and Service Success is NOT accidental… Sales & Service Success IS Intentional ! # of Contractors/Designers ____ X How many times/yr I should contact ____ = Total # contacts per yr needed ____ Total / 52 weeks = ____ # Contacts/Week How often are your competitors contacting your customers ? !

Don’t be a victim of Sales KILLERS… I don’t know. . . Whatever you like. . .

Has ‘Showrooming’ got you down ? ? ? The best defense is a good OFFENSE !

Selling is 2% Product Knowledge and 98% Understanding Human Behavior. Og Mandino Author: The Greatest Salesman in the World

Customers have lots of choices… Choice of whether or not to do a remodel, build a house, etc Choice of whether or not to purchase from you and how much to purchase from you Choice of how often to refer you and your DPH business to other potential customers.

As a DPH Professional You must remember It’s NOT about the hardware or the fixture. . .

b a s It’ h t t ou ! E F I L e

Be a DPHA Superstar. . . Build Relationships in EVERY Customer Encounter that will Build Sales It’s COMMON SENSE !

Breakout 4: 5 minutes What is your ACTION Item when you return from DPHA? Write it down and commit to it! MORE RESOURCES: www. Allen. Speaks. com/DPHA

Thank YOU for being MY customer! Globalgurus. org/customer-service Vote for Teresa – Inspirational