The important of "The Parting Tell"

When the parting comment is the real message.


A friend of mine recently visited the doctor. After a relatively quick consultation was going out the door and made what he consider an off-hand remark. The doctor stopped him in his tracks and preceded to question him at length.

After 15 minutes of interrogation the doctor expanded on my friends treatment to cover an additional, more significant ailment. When my friend finally left the doctor joked that he had made many significant prognosis based on a patients parting comment.

It struck me that the world outside medicine could do worse than adopt this listening technique. Lets call it "the parting tell". When interacting with clients and fiends alike we are incline to tune out or drop our guard as a meeting comes to an end. By having our eyes and ears open for the parting tell we could glean a vital clue that could allow us do a better job or be a better friend.

The next time you meet a client or simply interact with someone look out for the parting tell and ask your self what additional piece of information did you gain and how could it help you the next time you deal with them

A cure to the effects of Office Gossip?

Office gossip is part of our daily working lives but what do you do if you think you are the one being talked about?

A friend of mine recently mentioned an unexpected piece of advice she received on the subject, "it's none of your business what they talk about" she was firmly told when she expressed concern that her work colleagues might be talking about her.   

When the advice was shared with me I was surprise, to say the least, but from the smile on my friends face the reaction had been mutual.  We discussed it's wisdom at length and here are some of my own conclusions:

• Context is everything, not being there means you have missed 70-80% on the true message.
• Who cares what opeople talk about when you are not there.
• Gossip, office or otherwise, invariably becomes negative.
• If it doesn't server don't say it

It is easier said than done to "mind your own business" especially when it could be you they are talking about but life is too short to waste time worrying about it.

Fast food Relationships

"A Savage servility slides by on grease" - Robert Lowell





I recently read Eric Schlosser expose on the fast food industry, Fast Food Nation. It's a shocking and compelling read on many levels, especially given that fast food is such an integral part of our culture

One of the many thoughts that struck me while reading it was that some of the problems could have been avoided if working relationships had not been let deteriorate to such an extent over the years as the fast food business rushed towards lower cost, higher margins and standardisation.

It is very easy for organisation, from large corporation to mom-and-pop shops, to loose their way in the pursuit of profits when there is no sense of loyalty, commitment or empathy with the people who have to live with that organisations decisions.

It's not all doom and gloom and there are glimmers of hope throughout the book and in every case you see that it's because relationships with individuals, society, nature and the environment have been respected and developed. It is also encouraging that individuals (that includes us) can make a difference.

The irony is that the fast food industry are actually experts in developing relationships with their
customers, franchisees, suppliers and employees (ask any 6 year old child who Ronald McDonald is!). Its just that these are very often exploited for short term gain rather than nurtured for mutual benefit

I recommend you read it. I don't know if you will agree with my observations on relationships in this instance but you will not be left without food for thought.

To get both sides of this story I have also got John Love's McDonald's - Beyond the Arches on the shelf. It might be an old one but I know it will be a interesting one.

Technology cannot replace the human touch

Technology cannot replace the human touch when it comes to building a relationship with your customers



While reading an article by Nick Rowley titled "Is Technology really being used to improve customer service" I was reminded how we have become so reliant on CRM tools, web sites, IVR and a variety of other tools to assist us in delivering a better service without taking our time to add the personal touch. Are we loosing touch and more importantly are we being left out of the customer conversation?

As any sales man will tell you that "you sell to people not companies". So is it not the case that relationships are built between people not systems? Rather that avoiding the customer surely we should be taking every opportunity to engage with them.

Research has proven that the customers who complain the most and have their complaints addressed (not necessarily resolved) are less likely to change providers. A phenomenon that psychologists call Reciprocity.

Technology and tools are aids but should constantly be helping us build our relationship with customers not used to avoid them. If the customer is not talking to you they'll find someone else to talk to and you may not be happy about what they're saying.


PS:
Chris Bucholtz over at InsideCRM had an amusing take on this in his post The call centre conspiracy

Happy Fathers Day

To one of the most important relationship there is, thanks dad and thanks kids.

Difference between New Account and New relationship

"If you're looking to build a successful business, it doesn't start with sales and evolve to "satisfied" customers (unless you're still selling in 1985). It starts with relationships and builds to loyalty.." quote Jeffrey Gitomer.

I receive a weekly eZine from one of the many sales guru's Jeffrey Gitomer. I highly recommend his eZine, Sales Caffeine, as it's very well produced and strikes the right balance between being informative while still marketing. This weeks article struck a cord with me "The difference between new account and new relationship". He was making the point that when we make a sale that's great but the real sale is that you have forged a new relationship. He expands on this, especially with his relationship check list. Summing up with how important it is to truly relate to your customer.

The article struck a cord because it emphasised the point that we are custodians of an extremely valuable asset in a customers relationship. That relationship represents trust, referrals, testimonials, your next sale and recurring revenue. It begins with the sale but is strengthen with every conversation, meeting, promise kept, problem pre-empted and instance of excellent service. The truly great organisation have this engraved at every level from service desk agent to the CEO, not just one or two sales or relationship managers out in the field.