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Like, know and trust – how often do you hear that phrase? I hear it alot.

This like, know and trust, shows up in so many different ways.

When you relate this to customers they either like you or they don’t and of course they may know you – but do they trust you?

I’d agree trust takes time to gain and normally shows itself after you’ve consistently met their expectations and continued to be honest, sprinkled with oodles of integrity. AND got to know them.

Most customers do follow those they like and trust, that’s where loyalty is born.

I’ve seen customers stop doing business with a company because their ‘trusted’ contact has gone else where – normally to a competitor.

I’ve gained 3 large clients in 24 months, all referred to me by ONE contact who I delivered some training for and still do. I doubt I would have secured this work without knowing my contact. Both directors in the other companies play golf with him. They have done for years.

So although they might not have initially liked, known or trusted me, they 100% trusted the judgement of my contact.

All this of course was based on ‘relationships formed over time.’ Which is why treating customers and prospects as single transactions instead of aiming to form long term relationships is a BIG mistake.

Audrey Bodman

Email: info@outshinegroup.co.uk

Website: https://www.telephonetraininguk.co.uk/

Today’s world revolves around effective communication. Despite the digital age we inhabit, speaking on the telephone to customers, stakeholders, and clients remains one of the most effective ways of adding value to, growing, and protecting your business.

Here are my top three reasons why the telephone is still relevant, and how you can make sure you’re getting the most out of yours!

Maximise Orders With Your Silent Sales Team

When you’ve got someone on the end of the telephone looking to buy, it’s the perfect opportunity for your team to upsell. Like all of us, your customers have an overflowing To Do List, so if you can give them what they need in one fell swoop, they’ll probably bite your hand off.

Problem is, if you don’t tell them about how you can help them, they’ll go elsewhere. Your sales team need to know how to speak to customers, ask relevant questions, and then quickly connect the dots to make them an offer they can’t refuse.

Not only that, but favouring a reactive approach over a proactive one can limit the potential of your business.  If you’ve ever sold anything to anyone, there’s more than likely a whole database of information ready to be put to good use.

Get in touch with customers that haven’t ordered in a while and remind them you’re still around, waiting to help them out. If your employees can make that customer feel special and communicate a solution to their problem, you’re almost guaranteed to see them buying from you time and time again!

Build Trust, Make Money

Every organisation has some sort of accounts department, or at least one employee responsible for collecting monies owed. Communicating effectively with customers at this stage is absolutely vital to avoiding misunderstandings and sustaining positive business relationships.

How you speak to people about money can be make or break, especially in competitive markets where customers can vote with their feet following unsatisfactory communication. Employees need thorough and regular training on the way that they approach clients, especially when talking about money. This includes saying the right thing at the right time!

Finance and Accounts teams can avoid sticky situations by asking open-ended questions that get customers talking, identifying ways of solving problems, gaining commitment from customers, and (above all) providing a great level of service no matter how old the debt. Customers judge you based on how well you treat them when they need your support the most, so be friendly, open and consistent in your communications with them and you’re more likely to achieve the desired result.

First Impressions Count (And Second…And Third!)

Most likely, interactions with your internal telephone team is the first real-time communication a customer will have with your business.

Whether that comes in the form of making an appointment, finding out more information about an account, promoting products or services, or reaching out for repeat business — the telephone should be the first tool in your sales teams armory.

Really take some time to look at how effective your company is at using the phone. Is it being used at all? Are your employees confident in using it?  Is it being shunned in favour or e-mail communications?

Most importantly: Is it working for your business?Your phones are powerful and consistency in using them is the key to improving interactions between your business and customers. That consistency begins with training, coaching, and regular feedback either from internal sources (such as line managers)  or external trainers.

Audrey Bodman is a Telephone Training Specialist at Outshine Telephone Training & Resources Ltd www.telephonetraininguk.co.uk. She delivers telephone training to sales and customer service teams that create positive, long-lasting results. For more information on getting training for your business, contact her on: 0785 5213591.

 Here’s a rather important statistic for you… did you know that up to 60% of available jobs are never advertised?

That’s right, over half the employment opportunities out there are hidden from public sight.

With the rise in social media, on and offline networking and employee recommendation and reward schemes, businesses are saving on advertising budgets and using less conventional ways to fill vacancies.

Which means if you’re only responding to conventional job advertisements on behalf of your customers, you’re quite literally just scratching the surface of the potential employment opportunities out there.

[Read more…] about Why cold calling skills are super essential to creating job opportunities in the Welfare to Work, Skills and Social Care sectors

Do you or your team ever procrastinate over picking up the phone to call potential customers or clients?

Instead of working through your list of leads you dawdle, shuffling papers or checking emails whilst you think…

“There are so many other competitors out there. How can I stand out?” 

“I’m just a small business. Why would anyone pay attention to me?” 

“There so much noise out there, no one will ever notice me. What’s the point calling anyone?” 

Sound familiar?

One of the most frustrating things in the world is feeling like you have something amazing to offer, but you’re struggling to get people to listen.

[Read more…] about 7 Proven Ways to Stand Out from the Competition when Prospecting by Phone

“Do I really need to use a CRM when making calls?” This is a question I get asked by clients all the time… And the short answer?

Yes, you do.

So often I come across organisations who are asking staff to build pipelines and nurture relationships, ultimately to increase sales. But they still don’t see the vital importance of having a system that captures conversations with customers or prospects who aren’t interested right now.

At first this may seem like a thrifty, productive move – there’s no point collecting information from a ‘no’ call right?

Wrong!

To put it bluntly, if you’re not collecting this information then you’re being incredibly short-sighted. You see it’s not just about capturing information; recording what you do and what your staff do helps with future planning, understanding trends, analysing the success of certain offers, approaches or market segments and many other things. Far too many things to put in this article.

On top of this many organisations still don’t see that there’s anything wrong with five different employees from the company ringing the same prospect or customer, sometime in a short space of time. Not only is this annoying for potential prospects but by not sharing information you’re giving the message that your staff don’t communicate with each other internally.

Not great for your credibility.

I myself fell foul of this mistake many years ago. I’ve been in business for 25 years and fully admit to being guilty of this in the ‘old days’.

My CRM was sheets of paper and an excel spreadsheet. None of these could be shared. My staff had the same too and it was painful when they left trying to find the ‘bits of paper’ or making sense of a spreadsheet I’d never seen before.  I had 15 staff at the time, they did tend to talk to each other and shared information, the problem was that it was often diluted or highly personalised. But at least it still existed.

Fast forward 20 years and whether it’s to make time or cost savings or simply because they don’t know better, some companies still use this method.

So what should you be doing when you use a CRM when making calls? Here’s my list of essential dos when it comes to internal communication, information sharing and recording

1. Do record information that captures what was said during a conversation – you never know when you might be able use it again to ‘warm up’ a call. It also helps build a great profile of your potential customers going forward.

 

2. Do use an automated tool that allows you to create follow up calls. Calling when you say you will doesn’t go unnoticed and is normally a reflection of how good you are at managing customer expectations going forward. Very important should that prospect ever become a client.

 

3. Do create campaigns with potential prospects. Those who might have said ‘no interest now’, with permission still could be open to knowing more about you. Brand awareness has to start somewhere. In these days when consumers and businesses have so much choice, many like to take their time and build a relationship before parting with cash. With the right nurturing a no can become a maybe which could become a yes.

 

4. Do recognise that when someone says they could have a need in 12 months, this is a great opportunity (if you’ve identified needs through questioning) to fit them into a pipeline. You can’t do that without an automated system! You can when you use a CRM. Follow these calls up.

 

5. Do remember that trust and credibility are built over time. So take time to know those who aren’t in the market straight away. Social media is a great way to find out more about your ideal market – have somewhere to record this.

 

6. Do put the cost of a CRM to one side. There are so many out in the market place, suiting so many different budgets it begs a question – why would you not want to record what you know on your customer? The initial investment usually pays for itself over time.