Studies continue to show – customers who have a problem that is resolved quickly and properly are likely to develop more loyalty to a business as opposed to a customer who never had a problem. Yet often still, many businesses operate with a complaint/problem resolution system that is so complex, not even the staff is able to quickly (let alone amicably) bring a complaint to satisfactory resolve for the customer and the company. In effect, some complaint processes are so convoluted, they seem to say to the customer, “Prove us wrong and perhaps we’ll talk about it.” … I think most of us have had that experience as a customer. You know – the one where it was less painful to just remain silent, suck it up and cut your losses rather than deal with the frustration of trying to get someone (anyone) to even listen. And dare you hope, perhaps get them to see things from your point-of-view. Even worse, some companies still operate under the premise that if no one’s complaining, business is good! - Hmmm, did you hear that?

Silence is not a good sign … If they don’t speak up, you lose! In most every industry competition is stiff, so when companies make it difficult for a customer to “tell them how they are doing”, it can impact sales and ultimately kill their business. When a customer experiences problems you never hear about, that means you never have an opportunity to make it better.  When this happens be assured, the customer never forgets the problem and most likely, they will not do business with your company again – Can you hear it now?

If you want to know what people are saying about your business you have to speak their language! Recent research has revealed that almost 75% of the “consumer population” is using social networks to help them make informed buying decisions and influence the decisions of others. In a recent Frontline Sales Forum post from the article How to Succeed With Today’s Empowered Customers, the author suggests, “…empowered customers have to be met by your empowered employees, using the same Internet technologies to keep up.”  - Go on, get beyond the brush!  

So, how should you handle a complaint? Whether your business has invested in a state-of-the-art complaint management system is less relevant to the cause than adhering to the fundamentals; here are a few tips:

1. Show appreciation!  Let the customer know that you strive to improve every day.
2. Listen Well!  You can help a lot more if you know the whole story. 
3. Be empathetic!  Make the customer feel comfortable about telling you the problem. Never take it personally.
4. Ask the customer what can be done to make them happy – their answer may surprise you! Many times they only want to be heard – which is less than you would have given.
5. Do whatever it takes! Perhaps price or some catchy marketing campaign will continue to drive that “first-time” customer to your door; but your primary goal should be to make sure that every customer will happily continue to business with you again. Almost any discount costs the company less than losing a customer for life.

Bottom-line, keep your ear to the ground – customers are falling. And if you pay close attention, you’ll save more than a few.

Lynda Fleming – Director of Learning & Development, Frontline Performance Group

What is the definition of a frontline sales representative?

Any team member that interacts with your customers is considered to be on the frontline. This includes face-to-face interactions, phone interactions, and on-line communications.

Why is the frontline important to my business?

In this increasingly competitive market, it is more important than ever for companies to do more than the status quo of merely maintaining business relationships. Business leaders who seek to improve company profit must continually strive to differentiate themselves through the service and sales ability of their frontline.

Imagine what would happen if your frontline sales team was not only genuine, sincere and helpful, but built a good first impression and rapport with your customers, asked the questions they needed to ask to truly understand your customers’ needs, really knew your products and/or services, and built value into what they were selling. The results would be tremendous! New avenues of growth and profit would be created including additional and incremental sales revenue opportunities.

Understand and appreciate the role of your frontline as the vehicle that can transform your bottom-line and you will create the power to generate unprecedented profits!

Consider this…

Chances are if you don’t enjoy what you do, not many people will enjoy dealing with you while you’re doing it!

A few weeks ago, I was listening to a colleague as he spoke to a group of sales professionals about the importance of harnessing the power of attitude. He reminded us that while not many people get the opportunity to do what they love, it is essential to love, find fulfillment, contentment and joy in what we do.

Having a keen awareness of the impact attitude can have on one’s ultimate success is key. It is our mindset that determines end results – so when analyzing a career choice, it is important to identify “the prize.” Ask yourself what it is about the work you do that will bring meaning and value to you, your employer, and your customers. Perhaps the most important question is will “it” bring about enough to sustain you through the rough, mundane tasks and the challenging times?

For a few of you, the first thing that may come to mind is your bottom-line. And while everyone’s goal is to be richly rewarded for one’s effort, it cannot be what gets you up and keeps you going every day.

I Love my job and that is not to say that every moment of every day brings me joy. Like most everyone, I have experienced moments when I’ve thought “I would rather be doing anything other than this!” What gets me through is keeping my eye on the prize, which for me is the gratification of helping others achieve their goals; it is the reason I have chosen to do what I do. It is that assurance of ultimate fulfillment which gets me through the difficult times.

You have the power! Your attitude is the foundation of all successes and failures. Maintaining a positive attitude and keeping your eye on the prize, whatever that may be for you, is a power only you can control.

Lynda Fleming - Director of Learning & Development, Frontline Performance Group

When you are booking a hotel over the Internet, can you “feel” the difference between one five-star hotel in New York City and another? Of course not. This changes however, if you are on the phone and you have an enthusiastic and motivated salesperson on the other end of the line, describing the property’s distinct benefits. In those moments, that representative is the hotel. It is in those situations that a company becomes “relational” versus “transactional,” producing a huge flashpoint of advantage.

Need proof? Consider these revealing responses from a study performed by T. Scott Gross & BIGresearch that included over 9,000 customers in the retail arena. The participants were asked, “What is the most important thing you look for in a shopping experience?”

• 41.4% of participants wanted knowledgeable and helpful salespeople
• 27.0% of participants wanted courteous, caring and friendly staff
• 18.3% of participants wanted low prices and product information
• 8.8% of participants wanted merchandise that is easy to find
• 4.5% of participants wanted a fast check out

As you can see, 72.9% of what people are looking for is impacted by your frontline!

To be truly successful, you must understand and appreciate the role of your frontline as the vehicle that can transform your bottom-line.