Iriana Suraya Abdul Wahabiriana.abdulwahab@newinti.edu.my

After learning this topic, students should be able to:Recognise the kinds of behaviors and personality factors that please customersUse 15 specific action tips that convey a positive personalityApply 6 organisational behaviors that convey a customer-centered culture

Behavior is conveyed to others via both verbal and non–verbal communications.

Even when no words are exchanged, personality can still communicate loud and clear.

Two important rules of communication that must be kept in mind: - Anything can and will communicate- The receiver of the message determine what it ‘means’

3

Conversation with customers should be initiated promptly

A prompt friendly greeting can help people feel comfortable and reduce their stress

A friendly greeting can help everyone relax and grease the wheels of comfortable interaction

4

For example, ◦ Employees should verbally greet customers within

a few seconds of their entrance into the business. If employees are busy, customers should be acknowledged and informed that they will be served shortly.

◦ Employees should greet customer promptly, verbally if possible and try to commit them to do something as soon as feasible when they come into the business or work area (i.e. McDonalds greet customer in line)

5

Customers need first to be reassured that this is a nice, friendly place to do business.

Customers need to overcome worries about being high pressured into buying.

For example, give an off topic and friendly comment or compliment to make the customers feel comfortable (i.e. nice tie, children are cute, nice weather, sports)

6

Different icebreakers will work for different type of client profile.

Always be attentive to customer needs, give them time to browse and be responsive in helping them make a buying decision.

Research shows that 60 – 80% of all shopping decisions are made in the store at the point of sale.

7

Say something nice to the customer which could add enormous good will and move people towards A-plus experience.

Safe grounds for sincere compliments:◦ Some article of clothing or accessories (nice shirt,

shoes, tie)◦ Their children (cute boy, smart girl)◦ Their behavior (thanks for waiting, you’re been very

patient)◦ Something they own (I like your car)

People love to be complimented. Many people are too hesitant to give

compliments, yet everyone loves to receive a sincere compliment

8

Customers will appreciate if they could be addressed by their name.

Example: If a bank teller calls the customer by name, the customer will feel pleasant and experience A-plus service.

This could help build brand loyalty. The use of customers name if given the

opportunity. It builds the relationship.

9

Making eye contact tells the customers about your willingness to serve.

It creates a bond between you and your customer. It conveys your interest in communicating further. Employees should make eye contact with the

customer as soon as possible to reduce the chance of them feeling ignored and then leave the premises.

Bert and Decker’s 3 I’s of eye communication.◦ Intimacy (expressing love)◦ Intimidation (exert power)◦ Involvement (looking at for 5-10secs)

10

An attitude of receptiveness is revealed by a willingness to ask questions and listen to the answers.

Employees asking feedback and getting people’s feedback is a critical key in providing A-plus personality, even though criticism could be challenging.

11

Listening provides an excellent A-plus opportunity. Effective listeners will do the following:

1. Focus on the content of what people are saying, not the way they are saying it. (customers might not know how to express themselves properly).

2. Hold their fire – don’t jump and assume customer thoughts before they finish talking.

3. Work at listening – maintain eye contact and discipline to listen to what is being said.

4. Resist distractions – make the customer centre of their attention.

5. Seek clarification from customers to fully understand their needs – ask open ended questions.

12

These are powerful word in building customer rapport and creating customer loyalty.

Attention to such words can exceed customer expectation and produce an A-plus experience.

13

Service providers can inoculate against remorse by reassuring customers that they made a very good purchasing decision.

Such phrases are like; ‘your family will love it’. It will reassure buyer to go through with the purchase and feel good about it. This creates and A-plus experience.

14

Smiling to the customers tells the customer that they came to the right place and are on friendly ground.

Personality is rarely projected without a smile. The employee’s face should show that they are

glad the guest arrived.

15

Some customers may make their initial contact with the company via the telephone.

The key to successful phone use is to simply remember that your customer cannot see you, hence voice needs to be used effectively.

16

Follow through immediately, especially after the customers have made the purchase.

Customer oriented people always follow up on commitments to customers.

17

Employee can take opportunity toshake hands and pat him or her in the back. For example, a cashier employee should place the

money in the hand of the customer rather than on the counter.

However, never touch a person in a manner that could be interpreted as being overly intimate or having sexual overtones.

Touching can be a powerful form of communication, but be sure it is socially and personally acceptable (i.e. In an Islamic countries, it may not be appropriate for man and woman to shake hands)

18

Each and every person is different, each has a unique personality. Need to accept diversity and learn to enjoy it.

Understand that people’s needs are basically the same at some level and that treating them as guests will create the most goodwill, most of the time.

Avoid being judgmental.

19

Customer contact people refuse to call them sales people, preferring terms like associate or even consultant. Yet everyone is in sales to some degree.

We, constantly sell to other people on ourselves, our products and services and our company.

20

The composite result of group and individual behavior conveys much about the culture of the organisation.

Therefore, if customers like your company’s culture and beliefs, it could build satisfaction and loyalty.

21

1. Consider your company appearance and grooming

◦ Appearance of the employees is the first things seen by the customer.

◦ Dress standards can set company apart from the competition and create an A-plus experience. It will exceed the expectations of the customers.

◦ For example: Employees wearing uniforms can provide A-plus opportunity

22

2. Check the appearance of your work area◦ People arrange their work space with a desk,

counter or table between them and the customer.

◦ Companies may establish better personality by:a. Inviting customers to sit beside a desk with

employee instead of across.b. Offer a comfortable living room (tv, magazines,

coffee)c. Get close to the customer (use a round table

for meetings to impose sense of corporation)

23

3. Get customers to interact with your organisation◦ Customers interacting with employees will

enable the sample of the culture (the organisational personality)

◦ Some less obvious ways to involve customers include: Personally handing them shopping cart at the

supermarket Begin filling out paperwork (recruitment agency) Inviting client to sample the product Offering candy and drinks while they wait Offer a product flyer or do a video presentation.

24

4. Correspond regularly ◦ Providing thank you note for purchasing a

product (personalised hand written notes).◦ Maintain an open channel of communication

with customers via mail-outs.◦ Another way to maintain the relationship is

send information of upcoming sales or new promotions.

25

5. Use fun◦ People enjoy working with an organisation that

has fun.◦ Excellent organisations are fun places to work,

they will have their own rituals. (employee of the month recognition, casual

dress day, family picnics)

26

6. Reward the right actions◦ Organisation hopes something will happen but

actually rewards an opposite behavior.◦ For example, if a customer service

department is rewarded for zero complains, there may be a possibility that the complains are being suppressed

27