peterkaraoglanis

At the age of 16 I started an apprenticeship as a motor mechanic, it was a dream come true for me as I was a car enthusiast and really enjoyed motor racing. The beginning of success for me was being Masters Apprenticed under an old timer called Les Spilsbury, he was well in his 60’s and had started his trade in the late 1930’s. He was a great teacher and I lapped it up, he taught me the keys to succeeding.

8 SIMPLE LITTLE STEPS

1: Learn the clients name and use it.
2: Ask lots of relevant specific questions.
3: Listen to what they say and be interested.
4: Repeat what they say and nod in agreement to get confirmation.
5: Be observant of them and their vehicle.
6: Get permission to help them by making suggestions and solving their problems.

The 2 final and most important principals of all

7: Have a toolbox with ALL the right tools and SELECT the right tool to do the job properly.
8: Repeat all the above time and again.

These became life lessons for me, I often imagined Les Spilsbury, as a kindly faced Santa Clause with warmth and great wisdom. This became part of who I am today. I grew up in a family that served others.  As a teenager, our house was a drop in for my mates, and as time went on, my parents helped many people whos lives were in dissaray or looking for solace and purpose in their lives.

My Mum and Dad took time to know people and serve, they shared their faith through hospitatlity and compassion. They both had succesful careers because their personal and professional life reflected their values.

For me business begins in the common places and common courtesy is the key to someone’s mind and heart. I’m intentional about how I speak to people on the telephone or personal interactions. I’ve had various businesses for 28 years to which I’m quite good. People have said my ability to be at ease and share professionally with people comes from my sales training, but I believe my ability to be at ease with people and sell is because my personal and professional life are aligned.

I enjoy and really like people I just ask general questions about their life whether that be about their favourite sports team, occupation, the weather, movies etc. If I meet people in shops or in their homes or work places I pay attention to what their wearing or reading. What’s on their walls or book shelves gives me clues to what they value most.
I always glance for books or other  paraphernalia as a clue to their upbringing or passions.

Over the years I’ve had the privilege of sharing professionaly and personally with men and women about their lives, often amusing, at times searching for meaning, sometimes distressing.

People tell me their life stories or dreams often within minutes of meeting them; I just smile, listen and ask thoughtful directed questions. I silently listen and enquire of their thoughts, talking about the value of wisdom and direction, more often than not a question is asked or an observation is made that strikes gold.
A flood of emotion or a realisation is made by them about their lives, which leads to them now asking me questions about the source of my understanding or wisdom.

I’m very careful here and I don’t answer every question, if people are hungry they will search. I’m not their guru or sage, knowledge and wisdom first comes from searching or enquiring, rarely is it served up on a plate like supernatural dessert.

You see today I still have a toolbox but this toolbox has different tools, it has the good book, it has my prayers, it has questions, it has access to counsellors, it has compassion, it has non judgementilism, it has a family, it has coffee and tea, it has health foods, it has invitations to lunch with my family, but most of all I have COMPASSION in my toolbox.

I strongly beleive to be truly succesful in business and life you’ve gotta love people, because if you don’t love people you’ll only do things for money or personal gain, and if that’s all you desire you’ll lie, cheat and steal to get it.

The question I have for you is…

WHAT’S IN YOUR TOOLBOX?

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We’ve all experienced that sense of dread when a client either calls, emails or embarrassingly confronts us in person to complain. Worse still, is if they’re highly agitated or downright enraged with the product or service provided.

Here are a few examples of what is often our immediate emotional response.

1. Ignore the clients concerns
2. Defend or justify ourselves
3. Dismiss their complaint
4. Respond in anger

So I’ll deal with each of these issues one at a time.

Ignore the clients concerns

Reactive

This generally happens when the complaint is received via email, text or voice message, by avoiding or ignoring the client it’s akin to saying “the cheque is in the mail”, everyone knows it’s simply a delaying tactic.

Proactive

Acknowledge the client’s complaint either verbally or in written form, if it’s a complex issue or you can’t immediately deal with the complaint state your case, respond via email, phone call or book an appointment to meet them. Give a firm commitment to help them, set the time frame and stick to it.

Defend or justify ourselves

Reactive

We are emotionally invested in our jobs or businesses and when someone complains it often calls into question our process, integrity or professionalism, so we attempt to convince the client that their complaints are ill founded or plainly wrong.

Proactive

Seek to understand before being understood, it’s not just a cute saying rather a relational truism, take time to write down precisely what the client is saying and repeat it back to them. This demonstrates that you are acknowledging their perspective, in a considered manner respond to each of their issues one at a time. You have just moved from being an adversary to a partner in this situation.

Dismiss their complaint

Reactive

Generally we become dismissive if we feel the client is trying to take advantage of us or has manufactured a situation to get out of paying, wanting a refund or reducing the cost. Alternatively the client is overly fussy or didn’t pay attention to the services quoted on.

Proactive

Embrace the clients complaint rather than dismiss it, most clients are looking for a genuine resolution to the problem rather than a financial settlement, discover that tipping point in which they’ll become delighted with the services or goods provided, often just a little extra give on your behalf satiates the customers needs. I have experienced occasions when the client is vindictive and you’ll need to be wise as to how far you’re prepared to meet their needs or settle in their favour, a tactical retreat can save much emotional, financial and professional expenditure.

Respond in anger

Reactive

Either an immediate response or act of frustration, normally in proportion to the person you feel is harassing you or being outright belligerent. They‘ve managed to get under your skin and it’s time to share a few home truths.

Proactive

Meeting fire with fire simply ignites an inferno, take control of the situation by letting the client know you’re prepared to hear their complaints, then set the parameters on how that happens. When they know you’re genuine it often takes heat out of the situation.

Interestingly people often go on the attack because they believe and often with experience they won’t be heard.

Remember he who asks the questions controls the conversation.

Why no complaints are bad news

For every 26 unhappy customers, only one will lodge a formal complaint. What’s most alarming is a finding that an average of 1,560 people will hear about at least one of these unhappy customer interactions

Unbelievably 1 unhappy customer will tell 10 people, who in turn will tell 5 others.  Research by US firm TARP http://www.tarp.com

Why customer complaints are good news

Our complaints department is also our quality control department, my staff have heard me say this numerous times, when a customer complains they are in fact unintentionally telling you how to succeed.

Here are a few examples

1.    Poor communication
2.    Substandard services or workmanship
3.    Cost of services
4.    Ambiguous or confusing information
5.    Weak business systems
6.    Bad presentation, either staff grooming or marketing

These are but a common sample of the issues faced daily by professionals and businesses alike, we will deal with these complaints in another blog.

By embracing the complaint process and making it a central part of business building, you’ll reduce emotional stress.

Be sure of this, whilst your competitors are avoiding their problems and ignoring customer complaints you’re turning yours into goodwill and customer referrals.