Archive for the ‘Customer Service’ Category

“I’m just not getting that interview right”.

Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011
im-just-not-getting-that-interview-right

How many people feel they are not managing to get past their first interview and make the short list of candidates for the role?

I was talking recently to a senior person who had been interviewing a young woman for a new position. Let’s call the candidate Liz.  She said that Liz’s CV looked excellent and she had made the cut from more than 40 applicants to 6 being interviewed.

“I was really looking forward to interviewing her” she said

However the interview did not go as well as hoped.

“What went wrong?” I asked

“Well” she said  “Liz came in and first impressions were good. But she continued to text during the whole interview. I just couldn’t put her forward for the role. Did I do the right thing?”

I asked if the candidate was going to have any customer contact and she replied “Yes, a lot of contact”

My reply was easy  “If Liz didn’t have the wit to pay attention in an interview her EQ skills were poor and she would be a liability not an asset with customers”

It does seem obvious to most of us that being prepared for an interview is important but don’t forget being totally in the zone during the interview is equally important if not more important as well.

Posted in Communication Tips, Customer Service, Personal Presence, Relationship Management | No Comments »

Caring is not just for customers

Wednesday, October 20th, 2010
caring-is-not-just-for-customers

The recent earthquake in Christchurch Christchurchcity.govt.nz  showed us that fundamental core value of caring is alive and well.  Neighbours rallied around to help each other setting up BBQs, sharing with each other and making the most of a very difficult  situation.  Organisations donated generously in both cash and goods

And yet we so often read ,or experience, situations when caring seems to have been forgotten.

Caring translates into all our dealings with people not just those closest to us.

  • When we deliver a presentation we should ‘care’ about our audience
  • When we work with clients and customers we should ‘care’ about them
  • As managers and leaders we should care about our staff.

 Yet unfortunatelyoften we get too busy ,or just plain forget to use that core value in almost all of us.

Roger Steare rogersteare.com recently spoke at a meeting  and he talked passionately about the need to get back to using our core values at work. We care about the things that matter close to us -our families (and/or animals!)  and yet so often at work the culture dulls what we know is intrinsically right -the universals that make us civilised.  The too tight job description so we don’t ‘go the extra mile’.  The rules that stifle common sense

Perhaps it’s time to take stock and not wait for a disaster to bring out the best in us .We all do care  it’s now time to show it

Posted in Communication Tips, Community involvement, Conflict Resolution, Customer Service, Leadership, Presentation skills, Relationship Management, Speeches | No Comments »

Change and choice the answer is in your hands

Thursday, July 8th, 2010
change-and-choice-the-answer-is-in-your-hands

Every Year around Christmas we start thinking about the new year and many of us make resolutions far too difficult to keep-especially if it is something that will break a long time habit e.g Not going to the gym ,or not eating sensibly!

Well its Matariki now the Maori New Year and as it is in the middle of our very long wet and cold winter maybe its time to make some resolutions and call them choices.

We all can make choices .Whether it is to take a breath and count to ten before we say things that are best not said. or perhaps its time to make the choice of saying what does need to be said -the courageous conversation. And we can always make the choice to enhance our skills and develop our potential -find out what we ‘can do’ rather than what we can’t.

It is a great time to change just think of it as your new New Year-Matariki.

Posted in Communication Tips, Conflict Resolution, Customer Service, Leadership, Relationship Management | No Comments »

Presenting to different types of people

Monday, May 11th, 2009
presenting-to-different-types-of-people

When planning a presentation, make sure you think about the mindset of the main group in your audience. Don’t present as you would be presented to; your audience might not like that!

A simple form of four quadrant behavioural style is a very practical way to look at four key different types of needs in an audience. There is a good summary of a four quadrant framework at: What planet is my audience from? .

1. Work out roughly which of the four types fits you. Whilst you no doubt have a wonderfully subtle personality, this main style is how you instinctively communicate – it is your default option. Unless you stop and think about it, you will use that main style.

So the solution is clear – stop and think about it!
2. Think about the most common type in your audience and prepare your presentation on the basis of their needs, not yours. Sometimes you will know the personalities of the key decision makers and can use the right approach for them. On other occasions, certain types dominate in particular jobs – IT attracts analysis driven people, social work attracts people who are very focused on how people feel and so on.

Some occupational groups attract certain types. If you are presenting to a group of farmers, many in the audience will be very task-focused and interested in the end point, not the journey along the way. Of course, not all of them will be like this, but this type will cover a fair proportion of the group. With such groups, give them the facts, get to the point quickly and give them room to make up their own minds.

Catering for some of the various types may require you to get creative. However, we can all communicate in a way that suits the other types, but for some of the styles we need to really consciously think about it.  The key is to present in the way the audience wants.
Try it out and enjoy the increase in audience engagement.

Posted in Communication Tips, Conflict Resolution, Customer Service, Leadership, Personal Presence, Presentation skills, Public Speaking, Relationship Management, Speeches, Uncategorized | No Comments »

We need to communicate to achieve customer service

Monday, May 4th, 2009
we-need-to-communicate-to-achieve-customer-service

How confident are we in giving feedback when we have received poor service? How much easier it would be if we knew what we do well and we don’t do well.

Al Switzler,  www.alswitzler.com says “When it comes to crucial confrontations, we’ve taught a kind of mantra over the years. We say: ‘If you don’t talk it out, you act it out.’

As a customer, we already know what to expect when we dash in for a quick bite at the Golden Arches.  However, when it comes to eating in a highly priced restaurant, two people can have entirely different service experiences.  Think how often people disagree with the reviewer of a best dining guide!

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Posted in Communication Tips, Customer Service | No Comments »