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