February 23, 2010 - FPG
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.
