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by Leigh Ashton
How good is your company when it comes down to passing your MOT tests?
MOT? Moment…Of…Truth.
Those occasions when you come into direct contact with your customers and potential customers. Those moments which, ultimately, determine what your customers think of you.
It might be an incoming phone call. It might be a chat on an exhibition stand. It might be at the very point you deliver your product. It could be when your products are returned to you, deemed unsuitable by your customer.
These are the key moments when your customer or potential customer decides…are you any good at what you do?
You’ll know your MOT’s — and you’ll know that you should be wowing the customer at each and every MOT.
The ultimate MOT
And then there’s that ultimate Moment Of Truth for the customer…when they complain to you. Your company’s future could depend on how well you deal with those complaints. And with the onset of social media, whether you work for a multi-national brand or own the local cafe, if you don’t handle customer complaints and comments in the right way, you could be in trouble.
My thoughts about turning complaints into opportunities are not new, you’ll see them in many ‘how to’ guides. But, as we head towards the busiest time of the year for many companies, we’re heading for the busiest time of the year for complaints too.
So it’s worth checking in…how good are you at dealing with complaints? Here are my thoughts…
* Welcome complaints. What fantastic feedback they are. If something’s not right, surely you want to know about it? When you get a complaint it’s not time to hide – it’s time to spring into action! Treat it as valuable feedback on your product or service. Receiving complaints in the short run might save your company in the long run. It’s those that don’t complain and quietly ditch you that are the concern! So…when clients complain, it’s not a nuisance; it’s an opportunity.
* Make it quick and easy to complain. Make sure that if ever your customers have need to complain — that they are QUICKLY able to speak to the correct person to complain to. There’s nothing worse than being passed around the houses before getting through to the right person.
* Recognise a complaint when it arrives. A complaint can be subtle – they may tell you very calmly, rather than shown in anger, but they are giving you an important message all the same. They may not tell you anything at all – but their actions make it clear something’s not right. Better to find out there and then.
* Empathise. Think about the complaint from the customer’s point of view – we’ve all complained at some point, or should have!
* Treat it as an opportunity. Individual complaints give you the chance to demonstrate your value the customer. See complaints as your chance to shine. Respond proactively and these customers will become your biggest fans. Make sure you get on the case quickly — and turn the whole thing around in a way that befits the image you want to create.
* Spot the trends. A complaint may well be a one-off. Maybe not! Record all of your incoming complaints even if seems like a one-off, you never know, a trend might be emerging which you’ll want to nip in the bud.
And of course make sure you’ve developed a mindset which embraces complaints – you might have the best sales operations in the world, but much of that can be in vain if you don’t handle complaints properly.
It’s all about sales psychology.
Until next time
Leigh
About the author
Hi I’m Leigh Ashton of The Sales Consultancy
Whether you’re a small business or a leading brand, an area manager or a Chief Executive, whether you’re new to sales or an experienced sales professional. Even if you’re not in sales at all but want to understand it, you’ve come to the right place.
The World of Sales is changing.
Today’s conventional sales training doesn’t address the psychological barriers that get in their way.
My approach takes your sales team through a process that:
* Helps them identify their psychological barriers and gives them the tools to overcome them * Teaches them how the mind works so they can keep motivated and stay focused * Gives them the ability to identify the psychological patterns of their clients and prospects so they connect with them at a deeper level and close more sales
And at a higher level…
* It creates more success in other areas of their lives so they are happier generally…and happier sales people generate more sales
Wherever you are on your personal sales journey what’s the best course of action for YOU.
– Sales Training – that actually gets results – Leadership and Management – Personal Coaching and Mentoring – Sales Mentoring Programme – NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) and how it can help you accelerate your success – Keynote Speaking