| With all of the calendars and PDA's and lists I make I | | | | style? |
| recently did a really dumb thing. I forgot my best | | | | |
| friend's birthday and her anniversary. Both special | | | | Who likes these fabulous scented candles? |
| days are back to back and I forgot both of them. | | | | |
| After being friends for twenty years I feel old and | | | | When will you need these invitations for? |
| stupid! | | | | |
| | | | Where will you be sending this Precious Moments |
| | | | keepsake figurine? |
| | | | |
| It could have been that I was packing my last child | | | | How about buying a second charm to give as a |
| to go off to college and the constant comments | | | | stocking stuffer? |
| like," You're going to be empty nesters", like I was a | | | | |
| big, fat robin, were starting to wear very thin. Even | | | | It is all about building a conversation by asking |
| having my youngest leave home was not enough of | | | | open-ended questions that will help you to learn more |
| an excuse to miss two important days in my best | | | | about your customer's wants and needs. Little |
| friend's life. | | | | children are great at this technique. They will ask you |
| | | | "w" questions until they are blue in the face because |
| So what did I do the minute I realized my mistake? I | | | | they want to know the answers to their questions. |
| went shopping! | | | | So should you! |
| | | | |
| I drove to my local card shop in the strip center by | | | | I was just reading an article entitled, "Clone Your Top |
| my home because I knew that not only could I use | | | | Performers", by Louise Anderson in a new publication |
| my special coupon that I had, but that I probably | | | | called Incentive magazine. She states in the article |
| could find something unique there. Just as I thought, | | | | that they worked with a bank that needed to |
| as soon as I walked in I saw a display of "retro" | | | | increase sales at each branch. They taught the tellers |
| Barbie items. | | | | to ask each customer an open-ended question about |
| | | | graduations, home renovation projects or other |
| Not a big deal to you, but a big deal to me and I | | | | seasonal events. The teller would then relate a story |
| know, my best friend. You see, we grew up in that | | | | from his or her own experience to build rapport. |
| era and for a short time, I was time warped back to | | | | Based on this conversation, the teller might be able |
| the sixties! I bought an armful of things! A special | | | | to refer the customer to the appropriate personal |
| Christmas ornament, a photo album, a special gift | | | | banker with a specific need. |
| bag, a card and a picture frame! I would have bought | | | | |
| more but I was starting to feel a little less guilty at | | | | Interestingly enough, when they "rewarded their |
| this point! I could just imagine her face when she | | | | people for adopting this pattern the bank averaged |
| opens the package. She and I both love "girly" things | | | | 26 closed sales per team member, versus15 |
| and this was the epitome of "girly"! I was so excited | | | | previously- a 58% improvement!" |
| about these things that I decided right there in the | | | | |
| store I needed to mail the package overnight so I | | | | Amazing that the increases came simply from |
| could hear how much she loved each item! | | | | developing a relationship with the customer by asking |
| | | | simple questions that you would ask a friend or |
| As I carried all of my special "finds" throughout the | | | | family member! |
| store, I picked up an anniversary card and made my | | | | |
| way to the counter. I was the only customer in the | | | | How could the sales associate at my card shop |
| store at the time and I noticed that there was only | | | | improve her sales per transaction with me? Did I |
| one employee behind the counter doing what looked | | | | mention there was a huge display board as I came in |
| to be "busy work". | | | | the store that stated, "If you buy $30 worth of |
| | | | Barbie merchandise you can get a special piece for |
| As she looked up she said, "Oh, don't you love this | | | | 50% off the regular price?" Could she have reminded |
| Barbie stuff?" Well, it was rather obvious. That was | | | | me of that??? I told her that I still had my original |
| the end of the discussion. The conversation | | | | Barbie. Could she have said, "Why don't you pick |
| converted to what I call "parrot" talk. Do you have a | | | | something special for yourself, like the beautiful silver |
| "---------mark card?" Will that be cash or charge? Do | | | | bracelet?" What special occasion do you have coming |
| you want the receipt with you or in the bag? Have a | | | | up that you could treat yourself to? My, how fast |
| nice evening. | | | | these ornaments have sold; you might want to get |
| | | | one for your Christmas tree this year! And she |
| It was a simple $50 sale that had so much more | | | | should have noticed that I bought a gift bag but no |
| potential. The average sale in a card store is | | | | tissue. How easy would it have been for her to say, |
| between $8 and $14 so maybe that sale wasn't so | | | | "I see you didn't get tissue for the bag? Did you see |
| average. Maybe she thought I had purchased | | | | that great Barbie tissue with the shoes on it?" How |
| everything I wanted. So what would make me return | | | | about I grab you a pack to just add that last special |
| to that store? Why would I tell my best friend about | | | | touch to this gift for your best friend?" |
| the selection? Where else could I buy the same | | | | |
| merchandise? When will companies learn the simple | | | | I would have started feeling better about being |
| technique to bring customers back? | | | | "forgetful" right away! |
| | | | |
| And how can they improve those simple | | | | This type of selling is built on the fast food sales |
| communication skills. | | | | strategy. "Would you like fries with that?" Sometimes |
| | | | I don't want fries. I don't want anything extra. But |
| I call this the Win-Win "W" words! | | | | this time, I was in a "buying mood" and even a simple |
| | | | compliment like "What a lucky best friend you have", |
| Simple words that create open-ended questions that | | | | could have warmed up the conversation. Better yet, |
| the customer can't say "no" to but that also help to | | | | I would have thought, "What would I like to take |
| build a conversation! Employees should try to build a | | | | home for me?" |
| conversation with a customer in which each of the | | | | |
| sentences they use begin with a "w" word; who, | | | | You see boomerang customers come back to us |
| what, where, when, why and a non-"w" word, how. | | | | because they know we know the right questions to |
| | | | ask! |
| The questions can be developed into either a service | | | | |
| approach or a merchandise approach. Here are | | | | Now where did I leave my day timer? |
| examples: | | | | |
| | | | |
| The Service approach: | | | | |
| | | | |
| What brings you in today? | | | | |
| | | | Anne M. Obarski is "The Customer Service Spy!" As a |
| Who is celebrating an anniversary? | | | | professional speaker and trainer, Anne will work with |
| | | | your company to provide you with the clues to keep |
| When is the big occasion? | | | | your customers coming back. Anne presents |
| | | | keynotes, break-out sessions and customized training, |
| Where will the wedding be? | | | | nationwide, in the area of customer service. You'll |
| | | | want her two new books, "Surprising Secrets of |
| How are you planning to wrap this? | | | | Mystery Shoppers" and "Real World Customer |
| | | | Service Strategies That Work". |
| | | | |
| | | | For a limited time get her free, "10 Big Secrets to |
| The Merchandise approach: | | | | Giving Mystery Shopper Feedback and Get the |
| | | | Changes You Want", by faxing 724-941-4304 on |
| What type of frame will match their decorating | | | | your letterhead and write the words, BIG SECRETS. |