A- A- A+ Does your receptionist turn off callers? Does she offer help and go out of her way to any caller? Is she pleasant regardless how upset the caller is? Does she make sure someone answers for all callers and gets back with them when no one answers? Does she go out of her …
A- A- A+ How long does it take to get new orders entered and showing in your internal system so all employees can see them? Find out what may be wrong and correct it if there is an unreasonable delay. Seeing new orders is important not only to management but to the sales reps that …
A- A- A+ When you find likable, personable and hardworking employees, put them in front of your customers. Likable people are difficult to find. Many employees are not sociable enough to handle customer complaints and do not willingly invite comments. You want your customer service personnel and salespeople to be likable and easy to deal …
A- A- A+ Check the recorded message or the music that is playing when your customers are put on hold. Is it relevant to what you are doing today as a company? Does it offer something of value to the listener? If it does not, assign someone or outside firm to keep it updated on …
A- A- A+ Add a recording on your main telephone number for customers to call and hear what is on sale this week at your company. Add this option to the main recording on your company telephone as well as a page you click on the company website.
A- A- A+ When starting business with a new client or customer, give them direct numbers for their assigned sales person and the designated inside sales staff so customers do not have to go through a receptionist and wait on line what seems like forever. Give vendors direct numbers for the AP staff that cut …
A- A- A+ You need to know why your inside and outside sales personnel must tell customers “No” any time they do so. Why? They may need to be retrained or your company may need to change its policies. Review the reasons why the are declining to help the customer and reanalyze your procedures (i.e. …
IDEA: Ask your sales personnel to report each time they must say “No” to customers. Read More »
A- A- A+ Create a picture book of examples of the products you sell and services you provide. Show your products in action. Show your major projects in progress. Put minimal text to describe the photos. Make sure this is updated with new products regularly. Put it in your lobby for visitors to read. Give …
A- A- A+ Instruct your receptionists to ask new unknown callers for their names, companies’ names and reason for the call prior to transferring them to an employee. Use this as a standard rule answering the company telephone in order to minimize unwanted ‘sales’ calls. This will help to leave more time for incoming ‘sales …
A- A- A+ If your firm sends email advertisements, do not waste your effort unless you are going to make sure the email titles that appear first are appealing enough to make the recipient want to open the emails to read them. If an email title looks like a boring advertisement and does not grab …
A- A- A+ Instruct all of your sales representatives to ask their buyers periodically if they are getting their questions and requests answered by your company’s internal staff or not. You want to know if the buyer is having problems and is just being patient when in fact, your people need training before they cause …
A- A- A+ Automatically have the assigned sales representative’s name, cell phone number, email address listed on the face of the invoice. You do not want the customer to call your office,then get transferred, then finally be told he is assigned to a sales representative who is not in the office. At that point you …
IDEA: Print assigned sales reps’ names/phone #s / emails on all company invoices. Read More »
A- A- A+ Instruct all employees how to answer the telephone in behalf of the company. “Hello, this is Jason, may I help you?” Tell to be friendly and identify themselves or their department. “Hello, this is Jill in Quality Control, may I help you?” Hold contests where random calls are made to test the …
IDEA: Teach all employees how to answer the telephone courteously. Test them constantly. Read More »
A- A- A+ Does your company invoice make it difficult for the customer’s AP department to process it and pay it? Does it go into a pile to the side because it needs researched and someone to find out who purchased the product or service? Make your invoices extremely informative, understandable, easy to process and …
A- A- A+ Never put your caller on a speakerphone without asking his or her permission first. Before doing, also announce who is also listening on the conversation. If he balks at this, do not use the speaker phone, especially customers or customers’ reps.
A- A- A+ Your customers will normally not call you but hand them cards with telephone numbers to call after your closing hours. You are committed to their satisfaction and will try to help them after hours or weekends if at possible. Chances are they will not call you but their buyer will feel better …
A- A- A+ One way to show your customers you follow through on your promises is to deliver early. Give the customer a date a time that you should be able to deliver their order and then plan to beat that promise. Print the original due date on your packing list so when you deliver …
IDEA: Deliver early and follow through on promises to your customers. Read More »
A- A- A+ Do not use industry jargon and unknown terms when communicating with customers. They will ignore you. Speak to them in common layman terms that are easy for nearly anyone to understand. Make assembling and operating your products EASY to understand. Write customer instructions which are included inside and outside the packaging for …
A- A- A+ When asked for a price cut, offer one if the customer buys more products from your firm. Take sales from competitors thereby saving your customer money while increasing market share. Convince him to buy more from you in exchange for a cost savings from him (increase sales on a little lower margin …
A- A- A+ Inform the customer of the benefits of getting your company’s quote. When trying to get the attention of a new potential customer, most buyers are complacent and get used to their current vendor. You must tell these new potential customers that getting your company’s quote will only help them regardless whether they pick …
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