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Stellar
Service Requires A “Bias
to Action”
"Peak performers and high achievers have a
bias to action." So says Bill Cole, MS, MA, known as
America's Mental Game CoachÔ.
According to Cole, who coaches Davis Cup Tennis Players,
Olympians and executive achievers: "high achievers can't wait to
get started, they want to take action now, have a can-do
attitude, and a 'good as done' vision of success that drives
them."
Moreover, according to Cole, who coached
professional tennis clients at the US Open and Wimbledon in
2001, "peak performers consider their success a done deal and
act with confidence, starting projects now and adjusting as they
go along."
The same holds true for the best sales and
customer service practices. For example, top service and sales
professionals:
·
See a need and fill it (exemplifying this same 'bias to action')
·
Anticipate a problem and head it off (proactively serving)
·
Don't rest on their laurels or reputation ("standing pat")
·
Are always looking for better ways to serve their customers
(continuously refining and improving)
·
Explore new and emerging markets before their competition
·
Respond immediately to serve customers in need
It is said that there are two types of people in
our world: Those who make it happen (demonstrating this bias
to action) and those who let things happen to them (the
passive set).
Those in the latter group, who 'lay back and
wait,' are wont to ask "what happened?" as their customers
migrate toward those more biased to action. Make sure your
service staff and sales professionals are biased to action. Can
you answer these questions about your own staff?
·
Do they anticipate their customers' needs?
·
Are they poised to serve? (If not, they'll swerve reflexively when
they should serve instead.)
·
Are they trained and empowered to act independently without
supervision or permission?
The Ritz-Carlton hotel staff is not only trained
to serve, but empowered to rectify problems wherever and
whenever they are found. Each employee, at any time, is
authorized to spend up to $150 per guest to fix a problem or
rectify an unsatisfactory situation to the benefit of a hotel
guest. The results: Instant action! No excuses such as "I
don't have the authority…" or "it's not my responsibility."
Your staff should similarly be biased to
action to solve problems, improve systems, train new
personnel, up-sell and cross-sell, and enhance customers'
experiences in any number of ways. Once you are biased in this
way the opportunities to serve multiply. The difference is in
one's orientation. When you are looking for ways to serve
customers they suddenly appear, in little and big ways.
Customers pine for staffs that are more than
pledged to serve, but poised to serve. Help your staff be
biased to action and the reaction of customers will be
great. On your marks, get set, ACT!
© Copyright 2002-2206 Craig Harrison. All Rights
Reserved.
Author Craig
Harrison is a professional speaker, corporate trainer and
founder of Expressions Of Excellence! provides solutions through
speaking. Craig inspires stellar sales and service leadership
among professionals in a variety of fields. He can be reached at
(510) 547-0664 or through craig@craigspeaks.com. Visit his
website:
www.ExpressionsOfExcellence.com.
Read more
about Craig Harrison's Customer Service programs at:
http://www.expressionsofexcellence.com/Customer_Service.html |
