Communication is an “unlearned” skill. We just pick it up as we grow. Based on the patterns and models we hear and experience around us, we develop our own style of communication and language use. But real awareness andconscioususe of language as a communication tool is critical for developing business relationships.

Notice the language that people around you are using to describe their business, experience and intentions. You might hear things like, “I’m justa realtor”, “I’m busy”, “I can’t take on new clients”.

These are statements that have actually been heard at networking events. What do you think is communicated to the listeners by each one? Is that the intended message?

For the next week, pay close attention to your own word choice and decide if you need to dig out a thesaurus and choose the words that will communicate your intended message.

The post Awareness of the Impact of Your Words first appeared on Lane Business Consulting.

“Attention is devoted to recognizing the importance of customer service and to honoring the people who serve and support customers with the highest degree of care and professionalism.”

How amazing is that?! Congress recognized that without caring employees who provide excellent service, businesses would suffer. While I think that a more appropriate name for the week’s observance would be “Employee Recognition Week”, it is important to acknowledge what your staff and employees contribute to your business. Even if you are a ‘solo’ business owner, there are people who contribute to your business; a bookkeeper, administrative assistant, computer guru, social media consultant, etc. Take the time to acknowledge each person’s contribution to your business and your customers. There are numerous studies that cite the power that recognition has to motivate employees. Nearly 80% of employees who quit their jobs, do so because they feel unappreciated. While they may say in an exit interview, that they are leaving because of salary or a better offer, the underlying reason is most often a lack of recognition. We all need to feel that our efforts make a difference and a contribution. If we are never acknowledged for our work, demotivation sets in and we need to get that very human need met in some way.

When staff is demoralized, how can the customer be served well? Recognition does not require a trophy or cash, it is about taking the time to verbally thank people for their contribution. A genuine “thank you” from the business owner or manager can make a huge difference in performance and productivity. Knowing how to acknowledge and thank people is a skill worth developing.

Many times, when I suggest to a client that employee acknowledgement is an important part of their work, I hear comments like, “ why should I thank them for just doing their jobs?” or “ if I recognize them too much, they will expect pats on the back all the time.” Those comments drive me to look at the turn-over statistics for the business. Acknowledgement – real and genuine acknowledgement – is a powerful employee and customer retention tool! Use it.

If you don’t know how to provide recognition that is meaningful, learn how. Say, “Thank you” and use the person’s name and be specific about what you are thanking the employee for. Write a ‘thank you’ note. Bring in lunch for the team when you want to recognize effort. Give fun awards or certificates.

Make your “thank you’s” fun for both you and your staff!

Your customers will benefit from your acknowledgement of your staff. A happier staff will mean more satisfied and served customers.

The post Customer Service… It’s About “Thank You” first appeared on Lane Business Consulting.

Not your first job. When I ask this question, the answers range from delivering newspapers, picking vegetables on a neighbor’s farm, babysitting, cleaning out the horse barn for a neighbor, caddying at the local golf course to picking berries in the garden.

My first work experience was when I was 10 years old. My Mom had gone back to work as a nurse and had said (or what I heard her say) that her return to work was because we needed the money. I thought that if I could contribute to the family budget, my mom would not have to work. I knew that my getting a job was out of the question because of my age.

I was very skilled at making potholders. Remember those square looms with the loopy things that you stretched over the loom? I could turn out very nice potholders and learned from my grandmother how to sew a ring for hanging on one corner. It was summer vacation and I began to manufacture potholders. When I had enough product to sell, I initiated my door-to-door sales career. I knocked on our neighbors’ doors and sold my wares at 75¢ each or 2 for $1.00. I even had a special orders! Color combinations were requested. I used the money I made to buy more loops.

Then some neighbor shared with my Dad how impressed she was at my entrepreneurship. My business closed that evening. My parents had no idea I was knocking on doors and selling potholders! They probably thought I was loving my hobby. When I explained to my Dad that I wanted to contribute to the family budget so Mom would be able to stay home, he tried to explain that Mom’s return to work was because nurses were needed in the hospital and Mom was a good nurse.

I had not thought about this early experience as a first work experience until recently. As I told the story, it was evident that there was some important learning in the recollection. The entrepreneurial spirit was there early on! At the age of 10, I had no fear when it came to offering what I considered to be of value. I thoroughly enjoyed the exchange of my work for money. And, the comments about my great handiwork and choice of colors were very welcome. At the time, I didn’t fret or worry about what I didn’t know! I just acted on my idea. I have used those early skills over and over in my business.

If you are so inspired, please share your first work experience.

The post What is Your Work Experience? first appeared on Lane Business Consulting.

Yes, it’s confirmed. We are still in a recession although recovering. There’s no avoiding that reality. And, if you read recent news features, you will see gloom and doom articles warning us of a bigger recession on its way by the end of 2013! Those who encourage business owners to get “back to basics” are loudly shouting that attention to the delivery of excellent customer service will help to keep you in business. There’s been a recent flood of articles relating to customer service in the Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Inc., and too many books to list. The torrent of words to raise service awareness promises increased sales, customer loyalty, increased productivity and greater job satisfaction. This information is not new! When has customer service not mattered? Don’t we all know that without loyal customers, businesses will find themselves with no business?

Teller Gone Bad

An example of a recent customer interaction that was brought to my attention has me wondering if anyone is listening to the business advisors. A colleague shared with me his experience with a local bank in the Carrollwood, FL area. He walked in to make a sizeable deposit. The teller was extremely rude! Without going into the details of the encounter, do you think that he will ever recommend this bank? Do you think he is going to move his account to another bank? How many people will he tell about the less than optimal service? This one teller’s rudeness will effect more than this one customer and no one in this bank’s management is aware of how much business will be lost because of her attitude.

So, why share this one story which is repeated hundreds of times in many businesses every day?

Your Business

My purpose is to bring to your attention how important it is to know what’s going on in your business. How would your customers describe their experience in conducting business with you? Are they treated with warmth and respect? Is each customer viewed as an individual with personal needs? Are your front-line employees, who are your face to your customers, given the latitude to accommodate the needs of your key customers? Or do they need permission to do the right thing?

I am sure that you don’t wake up in the morning and decide to make your customers’ lives miserable. Yet, everyday, many employees (from the front-line to senior managers) make decisions that send customers to the competition.

95% of the time when customers decide to take their business elsewhere, it is because they were not heard. The customer’s voice needs to be heard.

If you want to improve the customer’s experience with your business, then it would appear obvious to focus your attention on the customer. Not so! The focus needs to be on employees. The relationship between employee engagement and the customer experience is where service happens. As Walt Disney observed, if employees are well trained and feel valued, then you can be 98% sure that your customers will receive excellent service.

The rules for employee engagement:

• Provide training
• Make it easy to do the right thing
• Communicate, communicate, communicate
• Celebrate and reward good customer service
• Give employees a voice

Treating employees with the recognition that they are the lifeblood of your business is so basic and critical. If your employees do not feel valued and appreciated, do you think they will love working for you and be motivated to extend themselves to your customers?

Pay attention to the basics!

The post Customer Service….Bah Humbug? first appeared on Lane Business Consulting.

One way to get customers to become steady clients is to create and offer them a buying schedule. Marketing professionals call this “till forbid”. This is an on-going buying arrangement in which the seller keeps sending product or providing service till told to stop.

How can you encourage your customers to become steady, repeat clients?

Book-of-the-month clubs, fruit-of-the-month clubs, monthly or yearly service agreements are examples of this sort of scheduled buy.

The service is turned on and customers are billed until they say, “stop”. Could you offer the same sort of service or product for your customers? It is worth thinking about!

I helped several clients develop programs that are bringing in monthly revenue.

That on-going ka-ching has a nice ring to it. Are your cash registers singing ka-ching, ka-ching?

The post Non-Stop Business: How to Generate Sales first appeared on Lane Business Consulting.