Do You See An Opportunity Here?
Unhappy customers can be bad news for any company, yet properly dealt with can become a huge benefit. It only takes one poorly handled one to ruin your day, and perhaps even your reputation. One handled well can do just the opposite.

The first rule is, “Don’t take it personal”. The customer may not be right, BUT, the customer is ALWAYS right; RIGHT? It could just be a “mood thing” on the part of the customer. Never let YOUR MOOD add to the problem. Some customers have unrealistic expectations, while others may have a legitimate complaint. The important thing is for YOU to make things better.

Here are some things that YOU can do to make unhappy customers your ally rather than your enemy.

1. Listen, and do not interrupt customers while they are venting. They need to tell their story and feel that they have been heard.

2. Say, “Thank you.” You do not have to agree to be thankful. You can say, “Thank you for calling this to my attention.”

3. Apologize: Again, you do not have to agree. You can say, “I’m sorry that you feel this way.” Do not attempt to lecture the customer, make excuses, or try to justify what has happened. Doing so will just make it worse.

4. Seek a Solution: Ask your customer, “What do you think we should do about this?” Oftentimes the customer’s solution is easier than what you might have in mind. Sometimes the venting and apology is enough.

5. Agree: Look for a solution that will satisfy the customer. The cost of the solution is most likely less costly than a tarnished reputation would be.

6. Do It Now: Show a sense of urgency. Your willingness to fix the problem quickly will do more FOR YOU than the problem DID TO the customer.

7. Follow-up: Make sure that what you agreed to do was done, and done right. A lack of follow through can undo all of the good you just created.

Remember; STUFF HAPPENS. It’s how you handle the STUFF that is more important than the STUFF.

They Operate at a Higher Level
Jim Fregosi was my business partner in the 60’s. I was dirt poor and he was making millions playing shortstop for the California Angels. Jimmy made a comment to me at lunch one day that has stuck with me all these years, and gives me goose bumps every time I repeat it.
We were having lunch and Jimmy commented that he has to get out to the ball park to take batting practice. I said, “Why do YOU have to take batting practice, you have been hitting baseballs all of your life?”
Jimmy said, “We don’t take batting practice to learn how to hit the ball, we all know how to hit the ball. We take batting practice to get our minds into tonight’s game. On the way to the ball park I have a little bit of little Jimmy on my mind and a little bit of last night’s game, but to play at this level you can’t have anything else on your mind than tonight’s game. When we get suited up and take practice it transforms our minds from home and everything else into why we are here tonight.”
Jimmy not only knew HOW to do his job, but he understood WHY. When you know HOW to do a job you can keep it, when you know WHY you can be the boss.

The Boss
Sure enough, when Jimmy got too old to hit baseballs (at that level) he became the manager of the California Angels. He later went on to manage The Phillies and several other major league baseball teams.
I have never forgotten Jimmy’s wise words and often ask myself and others, “What level are YOU playing at?” Are YOU working in the minors or the majors?

Mahalo Jimmy…

Ten Selling Success Traits
There are certain “superstars” that outsell everyone else day after day, month after month and year after year. These superstars possess certain traits that can be applied by all salespeople. The following 10 Super Salespersonship Traits are embodied by all of them.

The Superstar Sellers are all:

Enthusiastic
Enthusiasm sells and you will sell more by being more enthusiastic about your product or service.

Honest
The best salespeople do not lie or exaggerate the truth. Honesty pays big dividends.

Focused
The “great ones” always remember why they are where they are. They keep mind and body “tuned in” to the purpose of their presence.

Positive
Successful salespeople expect success and they get it.

Goal-Oriented
Exceptional salespeople set hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly goals. They know where they are going and they get there.

Disciplined
Outstanding salespeople don’t take short cuts. They follow the system. They are on time, every time, all of the time.

Reliable
Those that outsell the rest never miss a selling shift. They can be counted on to always attend sales meetings and sales classes. They keep getting better and better.

Clean
The best always look their best.

Healthy
Healthy people sell more because they feel better, look better, have more energy and miss fewer, if any, selling shifts.

Knowledgeable
Gaining knowledge requires time and study. Super salespeople invest that time and continue to study, even after they “know it all”.

For further details on how exactly how to integrate these Super Salesmanship Traits into your life, read chapter 13 of RETAIL SELLING MADE EASY.

It’s Easy!

Ask Yourself, “What if…?”
What if you were blind and could suddenly see?
What if you were deaf and could suddenly hear?
What if you were numb and could suddenly feel?
What if your nose was blocked and could suddenly smell?
What if your taste buds were dead and could suddenly taste?

Unless you are unusually gifted or severely handicapped you have these five senses. Each one is a reason to be joyful.

How would you feel if you lost everything you have and then suddenly got it all back? Rejoyce over the things you have while striving for more. It will make the journey easier to endure.

Royalty
The Japanese people understand that the customer is king. They institutionalize that philosophy in the term, Okyakusama; meaning customer.
The title “Sama” in Japan represents a very high, even a God-like person. Every customer entering a store in Japan is GREETED. This is something that westerners can learn from, and keep in mind when selling to Japanese customers.
My father used to say, “The two rules of selling are, number one, the customer is always right, and number two, when that is not the case, refer to rule number one.”
While that is good advice when selling to anyone, it is crucial when selling to the Japanese.

Ask For the Money
Everyone has heard the old adage that when you “assume” you make an ass out of you and me. In most cases that’s true, but there are times in selling when you must assume the sale and ask for the money.
Once you have overcome any objections and are certain your customer wants what you are selling, do not “ASSUME” that he or she will whip out the credit card and say, “I’ll take it.” Simply ask, “Will that be cash or check?” Your customers will not be shocked to hear that they need to pay for it.

Different Strokes…
We’ve all heard that old saying, “Different strokes for different folks.” Truer words were never spoken. Sales managers are always looking for the right “hot buttons” to get their salespeople motivated. Selling is a tough profession. There are always dissapointments and potential discouragements. Nobody likes rejection and salespeople live with it daily. That’s why commissions, contests and other incentives are so prevelent in the world of selling.
Not everyone however is motivated by money. The assumption that commissions are enough to cause people to do their best leads to a lot of management frustration. Basically there are three things that motivate people to try harder.

Desire for Gain
People who are driven by success will see every possibility as an opportunity, and continue to “go for it.” They are in it for the money and want all they can get. These people are focused on betterment and need very little outside motivation. It comes from within. Their mantra is, “Give me the money.”

Fear of Loss
Then there are those people that are fine with mediocrity and not motivated to do more until they are about to lose what they have. When that happens and they decide they want to keep it, they get going. My desire for gain was strong when I started my own business in the 60’s. Starting a business is tough, and I was willing to do whatever it took to get it going. However, once things got going I became complacement and content. I began to slack off and fell behind in my obligations. It wasn’t until I got a phone call threatening to take away my Cadillac that I started moving again. Read that story in Success Made Easy. I was never the same after that phone call. Some people need to lose a job (or business) or come close to it in order to start doing it better.

Recognition
It’s been said, and I believe it, that some people will work harder for recognition than for money. These are the people that welcome competition and like to win. “Winning” could be a prize, a trophy, or just some praise from the boss. One of our goals with the Morning Report is to institutionalize recognition. We make certain that good performance is known by all, and it’s not uncommon to see the same names on the Stars Page day after day and month after month.
As a manager you owe it to yourself and your staff to determine what motivates each of your employees and press those hot buttons. If you are the employee, you owe it to yourself, your customers and your company to do your best. Think about what motivates you and be sure to put yourself in a position to get the motivation you need. And, if it turns out to be fear of loss, welcome the “heads up” and get going, you’ll be glad you did.