Posted: October 27, 2020 | Categories: Customer service, Leadership, Networking, Sales, Team Building

Who is Coach “K”?  If you said “Duke University basketball coach”, you are correct.  For extra credit, what does the “K” stand for?  Answer: Krzyzewski (pronounced “sha-chef-ski”)

Dale Carnegie once said, “A person’s name is the sweetest sound in any language”.  If that is so, it is important we learn people’s names and remember them, even if they are difficult names to spell and pronounce.  In my 40 years of leadership training and coaching, I have found that people who put great effort towards remembering names are well respected.  Here is an example of how powerful this can be:

Yesterday I went to the hospital to give a blood sample for my rheumatologist.  As I was registering, I said, “I am here to give a blood sample.  If is for Dr. Geevarghese.  (Pronounced “Gee-var-geese”).  When I said that, the receptionist and her assistant stopped and stared with their mouths open.  Then one of them said, “This is the first time someone has said the doctor’s full name and procounced it correctly.  Everyone says “Dr. G”

It is my assumption that Alex Geevarghese is just as proud of his name as someone named John Smith.  With that in mind, I make my best effort to remember names.  I find that doing so shows respect and helps build trust.

If this sounds trivial, here’s another example for you:  A few years ago I was coaching someone who worked with people from the country of Laos.  The name of one of his co-workers was extremely long with many syllables.  None of this person’s co-workers knew how to pronounce his name.  It was too much work.  They just called him “Nick”.  My client was determined to learn Nick’s name, and he did  The next time he saw Nick, he said, “Hello _____  _______”  Tears came to the man’s eyes, and he said, “You are the only person here who has taken the time to learn my name.  Thank you so much” Lesson learned:  We need to make a full effort to learn and use names – even if it is challenging.  Take the challenge!

Posted: October 23, 2020 | Categories: Customer service, Leadership, Management, Presentation skills, Sales, Team Building

Charisma.  Every boss, professional athlete, politician, or PTA president seems to like that word.  We hear people say, “He or she has charisma.”  We have also heard someone say, “He or she has no charisma.” OK…so charisma is good…but what is it?

I toiled with this question for many years until one day 20 years ago.  I was reading a book by Barbara De Angelis, and she defined charisma as “paying attention”.  What a boring definition for such an energy noun!  In many ways, she was right:

Several years ago our family was on a cruise ship in the Caribbean.  We had two main servers when we dined:  Peter and Ozzie.  We liked them both.  Ozzie was a natural showman, and knew how to perform.  Peter was also engaging, but his demeanor was slightly more tempered.  Peter ended up being our favorite.  Afterwards, we tried to figure out why.  Our thoughts kept going back to Peter’s attentiveness.  He was the most genuine, and put his focus on others, being in tune to us as individuals.  He would sense needs, and respond with help.  It seemed his thoughts were so focused on helping others, he did not have time to say, “Look at me!”  We did anyway.  Peter had true charisma:  He was enthusiastic about his work, and he put his focus on serving others.  He put these two magic ingredients together.  So everyone…pay attention!

Posted: August 7, 2020 | Categories: Sales

Have you ever made a decision and later looked back and regretted it?  Most of us have.  Why did we make that decision?  It was likely because we missed something in the beginning.  There was valuable information or input available, and we didn’t know it.  Now we know it, but look at all the suffering it took.  As sales professionals we can be proud that we help people make better decisions.

I have a friend who is a financial planner.  A few months ago he received an unsettling phone call.  A long-time client informed Dave that he was changing to another advisor.  He got a better deal.  Dave was surprised.  He had done well for his client, and been in there with him side-by-side all the way.  Dave was a good sport and accepted the decision.  With gentle persistence he also found out who his client was switching to.

The next day Dave decided to do some research on this person his client was moving to. He found that he had only been in the business two years and had worked for three different firms in that time.  That concerned Dave, and he called his departing client.  First Dave affirmed the clients decision.  He then said, “If you are like me, when you make a decision, you want to get all the relevant information you can.  I took a few moments to research the person you are moving your account to.  Here is some information I thought you would want to know as you move forward….”

Dave shared this information.  His client thanked him.  Later that afternoon, the client called, and said he had changed his mind, and wanted to stay with Dave.

The most important point to note is that the intent of Dave’s call was pure.  He wasn’t trying to get him to change his mind.  He was being a good friend, and sharing information he thought would help his client.   Let’s remember Dave’s story and the message:  As sales professionals, we help people make better decisions.

Posted: June 26, 2020 | Categories: Customer service, Sales

Two years ago I received a call from a client who was in a dilemma.  He had just been informed by his company accountant that some equipment he had sold several months ago had not been paid for.  The equipment was expensive and the unpaid balance was hefty.

Jack thought about his options:  He could go the legal route and take the heavy-handed approach.  This would burn the relationship.  He didn’t want to do that.  The other option was to set up a video conference with himself, his boss, and the two owners that owed them.  They set the meeting up.

Next, we talked about preparation for the meeting.  The most seasoned negotiators are very aware of these two fundamentals:

• Know your position of strength going into the meeting.
• Clearly define these three different categories:
  • The ideal outcome of the meeting
  • The acceptable outcome
  • The “walk away”

The meeting began on a friendly tone that enabled everyone to relax.  Jack’s boss is an excellent listener and he let the owners talk first.  He then paraphrased and affirmed what they said, and they nodded in agreement.  Throughout the meeting, Jack and his boss were able were able to clearly communicate their negotiables and non-negotiables.  The meeting went well, and they were pleased with the plan that was agreed upon.

When I think about this situation I realize there are so many ways this situation could have gone bad with shouting matches and the destruction of a relationship.

We are all in the midst of recovering from the Pandemic.  It is likely that you are holding someone’s inventory and have a balance that is overdue.  If you value the relationship, consider having a meeting with them to find a common ground.  Once again, here are the key fundamentals:

1. Know your position of strength (and theirs)
2. Define your ideal, acceptable, and walk-away outcomes.
3. Begin in a friendly way.

And remember the “4 F’s”

1. Firm
2. Friendly
3. Frank
4. Fair

Posted: May 29, 2020 | Categories: Customer service, Sales

Yesterday, following a doctor appointment, I was waiting for the elevator to come to my floor.  When the door opened, a man standing a few feet away from me politely asked, “Is there room for two?”  I quickly responded, “Yes. Absolutely”, and thanked him for asking.  The elevator carried us to our destination, and we then went our separate paths.

Afterwards I was reflecting on the exchange.  If I were a merchant, and he was a vendor, I would probably be very comfortable doing business with him.  He thought of me and my world, and he valued it.  Such unselfish acts go a long way in displaying our character.

During this current Covid-19 Crisis, I am frequently asked by my clients, “How do I manage my customer relationships during this time?”  Most folks are very distracted now, and the last thing they want to do is talk to a salesperson.  They need support, friends, and people who give them confidence in the future. They need us. 

Successful salespeople are good friends.  Surveys have consistently shown that those who are most loyal to their suppliers describe their rep most often with these three words: Friend, consultant, and teacher.  When we are struggling through tough times, we count on friends, people who will listen, and those who can help us gain a more favorable perspective.  That’s you!

If you haven’t already, make a list of all the people who have counted on you to serve them.  Give them a call.  Get in to their world.  Ask “how” and “what” questions.  Listen to understand.  Show you understand.  If you can do this, you will help them out and strengthen the relationship.  If they need something, they will ask.