11 Ways to Get What You Want - Be a Clever Customer!Written by Martin Haworth
There is so much about 'customer service' in media these days and, well, yes, maybe things aren't what they were. But you can do more, much more as a customer, to get best results for yourself. It's in your hands...We all want great service, whether we are buying our weekly groceries from a store, or want a billing hitch resolved at our local utilities provider. Whether it's getting our car fixed, or a great meal in a restaurant. So we can holler and complain about how poor customer service and satisfaction has become - or we can do something about it ourselves, when we have those one-to-one opportunities with a real person. - Be positive and confident Busy sales staff are under pressure and they like to deal with people who are clear and know what they want - then they can get on with their next customer! So perk up, do your homework and have everything ready and clear.
- Smile - a little! By adopting a positive demeanour, making eye contact and being friendly, you will be one in twenty who is. Don't try it too much, or that will irritate too, but just nice, friendly and a little smiley will work wonders!
- Don't Use Their Name This will vary culturally. In UK, sales people don't like to be called by their name at all. So be careful - if you know it fits wherever you live and shop, then fine - but observe and notice what is going to work and stick to it.
- Ask for help Use words 'I wonder if you can help me' and then be clear about what you want. This links in with their emotions - ('someone needs me'!) - which is very powerful relationship-building for you
- Match! As you give clear information about what you need from them, make positive and supportive movements and sounds that encourage them onwards. This builds rapport and makes a relationship much more likely to happen. Because people like to help, feedback indicates that is what they are doing and...they will like you - one more step forwards in getting what you want.
| | 6 Simple Steps to Dealing with Difficult ManagersWritten by Martin Haworth
Managing teams is tricky enough, but when you have a challenging manager to deal with as well - I guess you could do without it. But a structured approach can mean success for all sides.The challenge of managing difficult managers can be rather daunting, especially when you inherit them! If they are your own born and bred, then hopefully they would have evolved into great managers! Experience shows that difficult managers are difficult because they are angry and frustrated about something or somebody (even themselves - especially where they are, or have become, a square peg in a round hole of a job), so steps to take are these:- - Always a first is to build great relationships with your people. This involves protected one-to-one time, where they feel valued. Get to know them. 'Getting to know name of their dog' has a good feel to it! Get them talking about anything and everything that is important to them - this deflects 'difficult' bit and creates a common place for you to communicate. It also builds all those things like trust and valued-ness etc.
- Get really clear on standards for all of your managers and get them involved in process. Itinerant trouble-makers usually fall in if majority do. Do same with personal objectives based on their best skillset, not their worst. It's easier to get success from things folks are good at then waste energy on things that are very tough for them (in fact, frankly, they are in wrong job).
- Ensure that everyone complies with these standards consistently and fairly and be flexible if they don't work. It's OK to be a bit tolerant, though only in 'how' things are delivered as long as outcome (the 'what') really happens.
- If these measures don't work, it's time to get emotional (no. not tears!). The phrase, 'I need your help...' is a great way to go - as is 'I wanted to tell you how I felt after...'. Both are EQ dialogue, aimed to find out what's wrong and how you can help. If push back is to 'stop hassling them', then groundwork you did with standards proves it's worth.
|
