Making Mistakes – Service Providers
In this part we will concentrate on the mistakes made by some service providers (SP) with the customer’s point of view in mind. Whether we are selling a product or service we all have internal and external customers and need to serve them well if we want return business and referrals. However we are all human and mistakes are part of our make-up, although they also presents an opportunity not just to learn, but also to turn an unsatisfied customer into a valued loyal one. I’m sure there have been times when you have had what you perceived to be a disaster on your hands, and then you apologised and put everything right with knobs on. At this point you then find out you have not just kept this customer but they have remained with you over the years and recommended you to others. Well…that’s how it should be. Treat mistakes and disasters as opportunities to excel at customer service and you will not just survive, you will flourish. It is important to know what not to do as well as what you must do. So here are two lists checkers: Do Not Build unattainable customer expectation Ignore customer communication Lie Hide from your customer Put off dealing with the situation for any length of time Use/make excuses – customers don’t care Blame others – this is your problem not someone else’s Forget or decide not to apologise Treat your customer as a burden Fuel the fire by invoicing for cock-ups Do Deal with the customer’s expectation right up front Communicate well, returning calls as soon as you can Listen to your customer’s complaints – find out the problem from the customer’s point of view Apologise if you have made any mistakes Find out what would make the customer happy again and then do something more to exceed their expectations Make your customer feel they are the most important customer to you – think what you would need if you were in the customer’s shoes Deliver everything you promised and more – on time and in full Customers are vital to any business/service, and if we don’t handle them in the best way possible they can inflict major damage. If on the other hand, we look after our customers even at the time of problems then we don’t just retain them, we gain others. Remember the old adage – people will tell 3 others of the great service they have had, but inform 10 people of bad service provided. So it is worthwhile investing the time and energy!
Making Mistakes – Customers
This article and the next are borne out of both my own mistake and the mistakes made by a service company. Let’s Deal With My Own Mistake First As we (Paul and I) were in a stressful and frustrating situation, with our lives on hold and only waiting for one thing to happen before we could completely move forward again, desperation set in after 13 weeks. We had to make a decision on picking up a new service provider (SP). We had already met, and were happy to work with, one SP1. Then we looked at another service provider, SP2. I had asked a question regarding belief systems, a subject which is very important to me. When I asked them both the question, SP1 was slightly unsure and SP2 was very sure when they answered. So we chose to work with SP2. At this point I usually check out any Red Flags* and my instinctive gut feel. From the beginning of our working relationship, SP2 was flying a number of Red Flags and they appeared more and more as the weeks rolled on. Some of the Red Flags were; SP2 turned up 3 hours late for an appointment and I had to phone to find out where they were, one and half hours into this 3 hour period; SP2 also never returned calls from either Paul or I. We always had to phone. However on this occasion as desperation set in, I totally ignored my very good instinctive intuition. In business, I would not expect any of my customers to go through what we were being put through. Neither would I ever accept it from a SP in my business life, so why was I allowing this to happen in my personal life? This was to be a very big and expensive lesson for us to learn from. It was brought home to me that, in business, I had learned to be less emotional and to listen to my gut feel, focusing on facts when making big decisions. Also using fairness, looking for any incongruence and using my intuition has led me to make very good business decisions. In this situation in my personal life, however, I was still using total emotion to drive my decisions and was ignoring Red Flags, intuition and expectations. Paul is usually also a good source of practicality and objectivity; however the emotional roller coaster we had been on over the last few months had taken its toll on him too. It is good to reflect and know that by using some simple but effective techniques you make better decisions. I held my hands up to our new SP1 and admitted that I had made a big mistake by not going with them in the first place and would they work for us. They agreed and we feel very happy and in perfectly capable hands. The communication and teamwork we now have has brightened our moods no end. We’re back on top and feeling very positive again because we have learned from a very difficult situation and then put it right. *Red Flags – just in case you have not come across this phrase before – are things that are incongruent with the situations, events or what is being said. They usually make you feel uneasy or unsure. Things just don’t seem to add up.
Dealing With Difficult Staff
When managing people, it is very unlikely that at any time you will have a whole team who get on with doing a great job, very well. If you are in that situation then, as I was once warned: ‘it could mean, you’re not on top of what is happening within your team and there could be something big around the corner that you will need to mop up soon!’ So the first thing is setting out your expectations for your staff and remembering to do this as part of their induction when they newly arrive in your team. (At the beginning of my managerial career I was given the advice – when taking over a team or taking on a new team member ‘go in with very high standards and expectations because you can always come down, however it is much more difficult to raise standards.’ This was very good advice that I use throughout my life.) Set out their personal objectives and how these fit into the team and company objectives; good clear directions are needed at this stage. You Need To Be Close To Your Staff Getting to really know them; what makes them tick; what motivates them; what style are they (who they may clash with in the team); what their strengths and weaknesses are; and how they like to be managed. So you know all this and you have set out objectives – behavioural and performance related – as well as expectations, and yet you have someone who is not performing in the way they need to or their behaviour is not acceptable. What do you do? The Most Important Thing To Do In This Situation… …is not to judge or use subjectivity with the person. This is a time for fact only! There could be very sensitive reasons behind the behaviour or the poor performance. Going in like ‘a bull in a china shop’ will just exacerbate the problem. You need to sit down face to face and sensitively ask – and listen to – the reasons behind the problems from the employee’s viewpoint. If there is a sensitive personal problem then you can easily negotiate with the employee a planned way forward that will suit both parties. However if you are in the position where the employee has no real reason behind poor performance/behaviour then you need to establish if this is a training or development issue, or if maybe they are in the wrong job. Establish an agreed set of short-term objectives that should be reviewed on a 2-4 week period. You can reset as many times as you wish, however this may be very unfair on the employee, who can then start to believe this is normal working practice. If there is no improvement in poor performance/behaviour then it is time to turn to your disciplinary policy and procedures. This policy is there to help you turn the performance/behaviour of the employee around and some employees need this very serious procedure to make them realise how important their performance/behaviour is, even if you have been clear about the importance from the start. This is a very time consuming and stressful process for everyone involved. The day you start to enjoy this process is the day you should give up the job! Remember to take this process very seriously. Detail is so important, as mistakes made at this stage can lead to enormous costs to the company both in time and fines. An HR team is a vital resource to keep you right on the details and procedures. This is why it is so much better to set out clear agreed objectives and expectations right up front, as they will stand you in good stead for the future.
Different Styles Vs. Behaviours
We could spend a number of days and weeks talking about the different ‘people styles’ out there in our lives…but we won’t. Instead we’ll look at different people styles and different behaviours. What Are ‘People Styles’? Well, there are various versions on the market that categorise the way we react instinctively in different situations. Some have us as colours and some give us an over-riding word that describes us in those situations. Regardless of how we are categorised, it is our ability to flex that is the key. All versions of the people styles categorisation that I have come across, have all shown that we can at any time, depending on the situation, move from one style into any of the others. However we usually favour one particular style. When we come across someone else who favours our opposite style, that is where we usually clash. If we are all able to use all of the styles at different times and in different situations the real key to this is- as I’ve already mentioned – Flexibility. We need to understand and move our style towards the other person’s style to enable better communication to flow so that both parties can be understood better. Now Behaviour Is A Different Thing Altogether. We build up our behaviours through positive and negative experiences; therefore we build up good and bad behaviours. We can change our unwanted behaviours by observing/obtaining feedback and recognising and accepting that we have certain behaviours. Once we recognise them, and only when we recognise and accept them, can we then catch ourselves saying or doing the unwanted behaviour and that’s when we can prevent it happening. When we catch ourselves, we make a mental note and then start to change the behaviour as we are saying or doing it, until we stop saying or doing altogether. Positive behaviours should always be praised if observed in others, as this is the way to reinforce good behaviours. So when it comes to styles, we can be flexible if we understand and recognise the other person’s style then move towards that style ourselves. Behaviours, on the other hand, can be changed through recognition. And if you are not prepared to feedback to another constructively, or accept your own difficult to deal with behaviour, then it will never change, so don’t expect it to!
Giving Developmental Feedback
This topic comes up time and time again. I am constantly asked how best to give developmental feedback. Some people avoid feedback at all costs, some only ever give good feedback (praise – another topic altogether), and others do the opposite, and only give developmental (bad) feedback. Some give the feedback in the wrong manner, while some plan it out and get it just right. Let’s first look at the issues involved in not feeding back or only giving good feedback. What happens here is that there is no personal growth for the individuals involved. This is just not fair. Everyone deserves to grow on a personal basis. If you only ever get good feedback, then you may actually start to believe you have nothing left to learn. This stifles personal growth too. There are many ways in which people feedback in the wrong manner Not planning a proper feedback session Choosing the wrong time or wrong place Not investigating all the facts from all sides Taking too long to get to the point – procrastinating Not considering the impact of the feedback on the individual Hitting the person too early and/or too hard with the feedback Bringing in feelings Being vague Not providing help or support for the individual moving forward Leaving it too long after the event happened Rushing the feedback to hit deadlines Lack of respect for the person involved. We don’t need to like who we work with, but we do need to respect their thoughts and opinions. And countless others. So How Do You Get It Right Every Time? There is only one way – by PLANNING. Plan where, when and how you will deliver the feedback. Have all the facts and specifics from all areas. Make sure you give enough time and respect to the individual concerned. Timing – Always try to feedback as close to the event as possible. Make sure it is appropriate timing. Ask the individual for their point of view on the event first, before discussing the facts. Listen very carefully and take notes if necessary, to help your recall of specifics. Make sure you re-phrase back what you think you’ve heard them say, allowing you to make sure that your understanding is right. Don’t move on until both sides agree on the meaning of what’s been said. Stick only to specific facts. Avoid hearsay or how you or others may feel about the feedback. This is the biggest mistake people make: using subjectivity. There is no place for subjectivity in developmental feedback; there is only room for fact. Be clear and direct with the facts. People deserve that. Together look for ways forward – If it is a skills gap, then set up training. If it is behavioural, then set up a plan of learning between both of you. You both may want to involve another person who can help the individual with the changing behaviour – possibly a mentor? Review progress by looking for the new behaviour and making sure you encourage the progress. Comment on the positive! Always remember to give good constructive praise consistently, along with the constructive developmental feedback you give consistently. Consistency is a big key to all of this – to always – with everyone – be factual, and focus on development, rather than only feeding back when you are fed up with the same problem or issue arising. Creating a motivational environment is all about people feeling good about growing and developing in a fun environment, and there is no better way to grow than through feedback. When you use clear, factual feedback consistently – with everyone – and you are open to it yourself, people will thrive on the development.
Communication
Often we complain about lack of communication when we are in situations that affect us and we don’t know what is going on. When we seem to be kept in the dark as others tell us it’s being dealt with, we get frustrated and even angry, as we have no control or knowledge of what the ‘true picture’ really is. So why, when we are trying to deal with difficult situations, do we sometimes hold onto information and try to deal with it before we feel we need to tell people? Could it be that we fear what may happen, or that we are trying to solve things without help? We need to make sure that we keep communications open and honest, as that is how we like it. If we know what is happening and what is being done about our situation regularly, then we are less likely to become agitated, defensive or aggressive. Remember, when in the situation that affects others; simply communicate the situation factually and fairly and without emotion. Put yourself in the other person’s shoes and think about what you need in the way of communications. Also remember that communication is a two way street and we must always listen to the other side. I don’t just mean let them talk; I mean REALLY listen to how they feel. This will help you with your communication strategy. Communication is simple; it is the planning, preparation and choosing the proper execution of the communication that is the hard part.
Knowledge Is Power
I’m sure you have heard this phrase many times. It is very true! Each time we take on something new to us, there are many others who have already been through the experience and who we can learn from. People we know, others who have written about the area, experts in the field, mentors etc. We can either take a long-time view (which costs us in many different ways) re-inventing the wheel and trying to do it ourselves. Or we find out how we can take a short cut to gaining that information and knowledge quicker. This enables us to put the knowledge into action rapidly, saving us time, money, and pain. So the next time you take on a new project, try to break into a new market or take on a new role, make sure you choose the easiest, most painless path, to knowledge and ultimately the power to use that knowledge in the best way possible.
Dealing with Changing Environments?
The World Is Constantly Changing Around Us Our markets are evolving. Our people are growing and developing. And as far as our working practices are concerned, what may have worked very well for us in the past, is now not working for us at all. What Are You Doing To Keep Up With The Changes Around You? Don’t wait until it’s too late and your competitors have reacted quicker than you. Keep a constant eye out to check the changes all around you! Listen carefully to your customers and your staff. They are your front line eyes and ears to changes. Sound out customers and staff re what is needed to cope with the changes. Ask them! Plan out and research with your customers and staff, any changes you are considering. Remember it affects everyone, so they must be on side and the changes must be useful to all. Be proactive not reactive. So keep on top of changes of any kind. Open communication with customers and staff is a MUST, when you are being proactive to change. Remember changes are happening all the time and in every area of our lives, so make this a habitual event (proactive), not just once in a blue moon afterthought (reactive). In All Changes There Are Opportunities Look for – and be prepared to take – those opportunities! Struggling with change? Contact Us now.
Interview Rejection
First I would like to thank one of our readers for sending in a request for help with this topic. I’m sure most of us have been in the situation where we go for a job only to find out we did not get it. We may feel disappointed or even have mixed emotions over the decision. There are two main points I want to make regarding not attaining the results that we wanted in an interview situation.w There Are Many Reasons We Go For A Job Next step on the ladder being asked to go for it being pushed to go for it by others feeling I should because it is expected of me I would like to; why shouldn’t I I’m already doing the job? I want away from the job or people I’m working with at the moment I have good skills in that area and the competence to succeed in the role, and would love the opportunity to create better for myself and others, while learning and stretching myself on the way. The Only Real Reason We Should Be Going For A New Position ….is because we have good skills in that area as well as the competence to succeed in the role, and would love to have the opportunity to create better for ourselves and others, while learning and stretching ourselves on the way. However too many of us apply for positions for other reasons and then get annoyed that we didn’t get the job! Secondly – and this is linked to the first point. Are You Really Ready For The Position? Because we sometimes go for positions because of others or because of our ambition, we can miss the fact that we are not completely ready for that career move we’re chasing. Ask yourself: have I really researched this position fully and have I actually any experience in this role? If not how can I gain the experience needed? So How Should We Deal With Rejection After Interviews? 1Viewing this as a result, rather than rejection or failure has a big positive psychological effect on us. It may not be the result we wanted, but what can we learn from it? 2We learn by our mistakes, so seek feedback – remember to listen to the feedback, be open to criticism, do not defend it. 3Be honest with yourself. How much did you really want the job? Too much and you can put so much pressure on yourself that you don’t give a good interview; too little and it will come over at interview, no matter how much you try to hide it. 4Preparation is a must; so how much preparation into the position did you seriously do? Was it the right preparation? 5What can you do better next time? Now What? Using all the answers from the above questions, plan out what position you really want. Put your learning from your previous results into actions by verbalising, visualising and behaving as if you are naturally doing the job now, without stepping on toes. This means being keen and showing real willingness to help someone who is already in this position, enabling you to learn more about doing the actual job you want. This will lead to confidence in your own ability and positive belief that you really can do it. That job will be yours next time if you plan and work at doing it now! Having problem achieving the position you want? Contact Us now.
Manage Your Manager
Your Destiny Is In Your Own Hands! A number of years ago I worked with a manager who was only interested in themselves and their own achievements. That meant they wanted things for me, only to show themselves in a good light. I was very frustrated and unhappy with my working situation and started to really hate working for the company and especially my manager. The job was still the same; I was a high achieving sales manager, in the same company, with the same responsibility for a great team of 12 people spread far and wide throughout the country, who were consistently well above target and delighting the customers. Only One Thing Had Changed My manager! And that, in turn, had changed my environment. I had two options to consider; either to stay and find a way to work more effectively with my manager, or to find a new job. I have never been a quitter, so I had to find a way to work with my manager. I was due to have a 1:1 meeting with my manager one Monday, so the weekend before; I sat down in my dining room with an A4 piece of paper and a pen. On one side of the paper I wrote down the heading ‘Pros’ and on the other side, ‘Cons’. The most difficult part for me was to clear my mind of the emotions I felt towards this manager, as I wrote down all the pros and cons about this person and working with them. As I’m sure you can imagine, if you have ever been in this situation, I had a very long list of Cons and a very small list of Pros. But when I analysed both lists, I realised the clashes that arose were very much aligned with clashes in our values. This was vital information for me to be able to rationalise how I could work with my manager. So as I planned out my strategy for a better working relationship, I thought about what motivated my manager, what few values we had in common and what little I liked about them. I used all of these Pro points to plan out our meeting and work on going forward. The result? To ‘Manage My Manager’! On That Monday… I believe my manager expected to do battle with me on a few areas in which we had previously clashed. Instead, I came armed with positive ideas for moving forward. As we talked, I hit their buttons and they left the meeting seeing a different side to me and commenting on my great work. I Had Not Changed Any Of My Values …my principles or my position on the beliefs that had caused us to clash previously. All I had changed was my attitude and how I was communicating with my manager. Over the following months my manager commented on how well my team and I were doing – nothing had changed; we were still well ahead of our targets and delighting the customers. It was my manager’s interpretation and attitude that had changed. My work and social life (as they always affect each other) became easier, and although my thoughts on my manager had not changed, my attitude and actions had. This allowed me the space and time to stay on top of my game until the right offer came my way…and it did. Four Months Later… I had the opportunity to move to another position within the same company, which I loved working for again, and I took it. My manager asked me to stay as we worked so well together and said they would help even more with my development. This really meant that they would take whatever glory would come from my hard work as they had been obstructive in a number of development opportunities that had come my way previously. I thanked them for everything they had taught me and I meant every word of it. Believe me, I learned plenty under that dreadful manager; how not to manage people was just one thing and of course, how to Manage Your Manager, was another! Years Later… I still use the same tactics when dealing with people whose values clash with my own and whom I still have a need to work or socialise with. So if you are in a similar situation, or become so in the future, feel free to adopt the above tactics to help you move forward! Having difficulties with your manager, contact us now.