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What Every Manager Should Know About How to Win the Loyalty of Their Customers and Employees
by Etienne A Gibbs, MSW
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Dr. Michael LeBoeuf, in his cassette album entitled, Win Customers and Keep Them for Lifeput twelve principles that will transform the workplace into a customer-driven, highly motivational team.
Dr. LeBoeuf's program goes like this:
1. Make a positive first impression. Set a positive example: You only get one chance to make that first impression.
2. Help customers buy what is right for them. Also help your employees by delegating, where possible and practical, the tasks or special projects that are "right" for them.
3. Asking the right customer-focused questions will keep them coming back. Show genuine concern about satisfying their concerns and needs.
4. Develop an appreciation of customer loyalty. Put your genuine concern into action for their benefit.
5. Understand customers and their buying behavior. Also, make every effort to let your employees know that you want to understand and do whatever it would take to have them feel comfortable, safe, and cared-for in your place of work.
6. Use realistic expectations to turn angry customers into loyal ones. Practice preventive management; do whatever is necessary to keep the situation from getting out of hand and escalating into a crisis where you would lose the customer or employee, or worst yet, someone would get hurt.
7. Go the extra mile to help indecisive customers and counter-productive employees. Again show genuine concern that you want to make every effort to let them know that you want to understand and do whatever it would take to have them feel comfortable, safe, and cared-for in your place of business.
8. Overcome obstacles by turning their buying signals into sales. Ask people-focused questions that will address their concerns and needs. Don't be afraid to use your gut feelings or intuitions.
9. Reward the customer when he buys and when he refuses to buy. Find a way to show genuine concern for him as a person who has reasonable concerns and needs.
10. Turn complaints into dollars and frowns into smiles. Give it your best shot. This can be easily done, but is not successful with every customer or employee, especially those who have defiantly set their own angry agenda.
11. Keep the spotlight on the customer and the employee, within reason. Realize that there is only so much that you can and should reasonably do on your part. It is their responsibility to do their own. Don't do it for them.
12. Develop and implement a quality customer service and employee action and contingency plans. At least, by doing so in advance you will be semi-prepared for come what may. Realize that you are human and that you cannot out-guess or prepare for every conceivable situation.
Apply these twelve principles to your customer service program and watch your customers start coming back again and again. Likewise, on the employee side of the house, watch savings in your human resources budget by measuring the reductions in absenteeism, counterproductive behaviors, "selective" sick leaves, and tardiness.
Remember: When you maximize your potential and help your customers and employees to maximize theirs, everyone wins. When you don't, we all lose.
Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW, Management Consultant and Trainer, conducts lectures, seminars, webinars, and writes articles on his theme: "... helping you maximize your potential." For more information visit www.MaximizingYourPotential.blogspot.com, or email him at execandgroup-consulting@yahoo.com.
PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in ezine, newsletters, and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box, and live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required.
© Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW
PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in ezine, newsletters, and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box, and live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required.
© Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW
Article Source: www.businesshighlight.org
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