Pattern for Excellence. Brigham Dickinson
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positive attitude. Some are born with a greater tendency towards positivity, the rest of us have to work actively at it daily.
Several years ago, when I was new to the world of sales, I was told, “Brigham, you can’t sell.” Can you believe that? The person didn’t know me. He didn’t respect my capacity to become an incredible success, to learn powerful tools and create meaningful relationships with customers. Of course, I disagreed with his assessment of me, but I purposed to devour every sales book I could find. I wanted to leave absolutely no doubt that he was dead wrong. In the end, my work made me a much better salesman, and a more successful businessman.
If that manager were to read this book, he would probably expect me to thank him for providing me with powerful motivation. That might be true, but it’s equally true that I don’t appreciate him. If he had chosen to encourage me, I would venture to say it would have had the same impact but without all of the collateral damage to my confidence and self-worth! Everyone needs positive reinforcement. If he had chosen to be positive and to treat me with dignity, I could have seen him as a mentor and not as someone to avoid.
Positive people always assume the best in others first. It is essential to condition ourselves to look at life in a positive light, not just when it is easy but more importantly, when it is difficult. Keeping a positive attitude gives us the ability to help others gain a positive attitude.
Use the Power of Positive Language
Communicating a positive message about your organization is key to creating a WOW Experience and building your brand. But how is this accomplished over the phone when there are no non-verbal cues for customers?
Here are six simple tips for using the power of positive language when communicating on the phone.
1 Use their name. Using a customer’s name is the first way to create a connection. Ask for it early, and include it naturally in the conversation—but don’t abuse it. Don’t be afraid to ask the customer how to pronounce it and spell it. Your callers will value this personal touch. If you need to, write it down.
2 Be sincere. Customers know when you aren’t genuine—they can hear it in your words and tone of voice. Start the conversation by identifying yourself, your company and your purpose. Giving customers this basic information and telling them what you’ll provide helps to put them at ease right from the start. Sincerity engenders a feeling of authenticity which allows the customer a feeling of freedom to explain their situation and ask questions unhindered.
3 Answer questions. Once the tone is set for the conversation, give the caller answers using positive language. Using phrases such as “I can’t do that,” “ I don’t know,” and “just a second” frustrates callers; instead, focus in on how you can help by stating what you can do. Answering questions sincerely and positively builds patience, calms angry callers and helps turn them into satisfied customers.
4 Speak clearly. If you’ve spoken on the phone with a CSR who is mumbling or difficult to understand, you know how frustrating and tense that is. Focus on speaking clearly, using simple words and phrases which make constructive problem solving easier for both parties. Avoid jargon that is complicated and which only people within the company understand.
5 Project a positive attitude. Smile when you answer the phone. It will connect you with the caller. Slow down your rate of speech and vary your inflection to communicate your interest. A natural, enthusiastic, and attentive attitude helps customers feel
6 comfortable. Always be aware of how your rate of speech, pitch and overall tone affects the call.
7 WOW the customer. Leaving the customer more than satisfied is the best way to create a WOW Experience. Following the Pattern for Excellence enables you to connect with customers, anticipate their needs and WOW them.
Stop Negative Speech and Behavior
There’s far more to this sage advice than simply being nice. Being positive is a state of mind that requires action with our body; it requires you to do something physical, not just mental. It is easier to be positive when life is going well, but it’s an entirely different matter when life isn’t necessarily going your way. At those points, positivity can be hard to find. Negativity, however, seems easier to find and embrace if you do not prepare for its inevitable occurrence.
Consider the last time you had to interact with a glass-half-empty kind of person. “Glass half empty” is probably putting it lightly. What about the last time you spoke to a person who was being so negative that it began to make you feel negative? I’m betting it wasn’t very long ago. Why do negative people ruffle our feathers? I find that the ripple effect that comes from one negative attitude can be incredibly damaging to the overall attitude of a larger group. In effect, any person who brings negativity into the office becomes an invisible sales killer.
Humans are a frail bunch, capable of finding ways to put each other down with the intention of lifting ourselves up. However, if you spend a moment thinking about it, you realize it simply does not work that way. It never has. Thus, it becomes your job to stop behaving in this negative manner.
To limit negativity and foster positivity, try doing four things: 1) train yourself to speak highly of others; 2) be honest with them in the most positive light possible; 3) speak about others with kindness; and 4) consider the potential greatness of each person with whom you interact.
Note that each of these four actions is proactive. Being proactive is “creating or controlling a situation by causing something to happen rather than responding to it after it has happened” —Google Free Dictionary. We foster positivity in ourselves, by proactively being positive, because positivity is separate and distinct from non-negativity.
My good friend, Mark Matteson, once told me: “Brigham, your future is so bright that it makes my eyes burn.” I felt certain that I was one of a select few that received a compliment like that from Mark. Since then, I have heard him say the same many times to others, but at that moment, it had a positive impact. And by the way, it did not diminish the positive impact the words had on me. It, in fact, gave me more appreciation for how Mark has mastered the art of building others up.
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