| Welcome
to the December 1, 2004 issue of The Total View
Published by Success
Performance Solutions, Written by Ira S. Wolfe
New! Human Resources Blog
- We're very excited to announce our new Human
Resources Blog and Perfect
Labor Storm Blog where we can post daily (and more often) human
resource updates, news, and Perfect Labor Storm facts. Reply
to this email how to syndicate our blogs on your commercial websites
or intranets.
What's Inside
1. Why Customers
Rant or Rave - It May Be DISC Style
2. Perfect Labor Storm Alerts #301 to #305
3. Tips You Can Use
- NEW! Background Checks
4. In The News! Major Labor Shortage
5. The Complete Manager's
Pocket Guide Library
6. How to Hire High Motivation Employees
7. You don't need a huge budget and staff to hire the
best employees
8. Over 250 Supervisors
Have Attended Managing to Excel Workshops
9. Fall Workshop and Speaking Schedule
10. Wondering if you have the right people on your team?
1.
Why Customers Rant or Rave - It May Be DISC Style
Black Friday came and went. Shoppers perused merchandise to the
steady sound of cha-ching as harried clerks rang up purchases. Most
people are pleased with their decisions. Others are not. Tell me.
Will your customers rant or rave about your service?
A few weeks ago, you learned through this column that 73 percent
of Americans with a product or service problem are extremely upset
with how companies handle serious complaints. Customer Care Alliance,
the survey publisher, dubs this unfavorable response “customer
rage”.
What would turn these enraged people into satisfied customers? Curiously,
it’s not a “freebee” or some other form of compensation.
First and foremost, dissatisfied customers want a flawed product
to be repaired, serviced or replaced. Then, 78 percent of these
customers want to know why the problem occurred; with an equal percentage
seeking assurance that there problem won’t reoccur. More than
half of complaining customers need to vent their dissatisfaction
and believe an apology is in order.
Here's the problem: Dissatisfied customers did not get what they
wanted. A mere 38 percent of survey respondents believed they had
ample opportunity to vent, with a scant 25 percent receiving an
apology from the company. Less than a quarter of the respondents
received assurance that the problem would not reoccur.
There is a gaping chasm between what it takes to keep customers
satisfied and loyal and what actually happens. Why? Because customer
service starts with the customer service representative and not
every employee hired to manage customer dissatisfaction is suited
to the task. Add to that the misguided use of the economy of scale
principle. The reasons for customer dissatisfaction are as varied
as the people complaining. Yet, many customer service representatives
address all problems the same way. In customer service, cookie-cutter
tactics don’t work. Sure, it’s fine to teach people
to be “nice” and “good listeners.” But,
excellent customer service goes beyond a friendly smile and answering
all phone calls within three rings, Excellent customer service starts
with speaking to each customer in a "language" he or she
understands.
By way of example, let’s look at four responses to a customer
complaint. Each scenario represents one of the four behavioral styles
identified through DISC. Remember DISC? It’s the “universal
language" of communication and assessed through CriteriaOne
DISC offered by SPS. As you read, picture in your mind each
scenario. Recognize the participants? Remember, each employee believes
the response given the appropriate one. We start with style D, the
assertive employee.
“Just tell me the problem and I’ll take care of it right
now,” says the employee with a high “D” behavioral
style. No beating around the bush. On the plus side, high D employees
listen to the complaint and quickly offer a solution. This person
is perfect when customer service means getting to the point, fixing
the problem, and moving on to the next customer. Bear in mind that
assertive behavioral type employees are impatient and relationship
building is secondary to fixing the problem. Never put an employee
who exhibits high “D” behavior across the counter from
the customer who wants to vent. If you do, this customer service
representative may cut-off the customer mid-rant. An explanation
may come across as an excuse, with an apology that seems insincere.
"Oh yeh, I'm sorry too" sounds more like one more thing
on the checklist evern if intentions are pure. Remember, DISC is
a language and two-thirds of the population hear an abrupt “tell
me what you want me to do to the fix your problem” as cold
and un-empathetic.
Let’s move on to the “I” behavioral type. “I
“ represents the influencer. This customer service representative
offers explanations, over and over again. It’s next to impossible
for a customer, who is lucky to get a word in edgewise, to vent.
The influencer offers assurances, often not knowing if the promises
can be fulfilled. Influencers measure results by good intentions.
They trade on creating relationships, sharing personal information
as a routine part of a customer service call. When the conversation
winds down, the influencer may have to ask a customer to restate
the problem. “I’m sorry, what was your problem again?”
she says. “I have had so much fun talking; I forgot to write
it down.” As an employer, you have to make a choice. Do you
want customer service staff to satisfy customer complaints or make
friends with disgruntled customers? I behavioral types often are
the naturals at communicating but the least likely to track the
details and follow through, without a conscious effort to do so.
Apologies sound like, " I can't be this happened to you too.
I had the very same problem." High I's generally tell stories
about themselves, hoping that company relieves the misery of customer
dissatisfaction.
Next is the “S” behavioral type, born to serve mankind,
or so it appears. This person gets energy from cooperation. She
is easy going, reserved, and listens well; a behavioral style most
compatible with customers who need to vent. The “S”
behavioral type employee easily builds endorsement, making it comfortable
for an unhappy customer to speak freely. “Have we (note “we”,
not “I”) successfully resolved your problem?”,
asks the high “S” behavioral type employee. This person
gets energy from bringing closure to what she starts, so follow-up
is a natural extension of a service call. However, this behavioral
style is exhausted by confrontation and may go to great lengths
to avoid any type of conflict. An irate, demanding, verging-on-hysteria
customer eventually gets to the high “S” customer service
representative who simply wants to resolve the problem and close
the file. Open projects and unattended files in the inbox frustrate
a high “S” employee. Apologies from the high S appear
the most sincere and honest when they say "I really wish this
never happened and I'll do whatever I can to make this right."
And most people believe them, too.
Finally, we get to the “C” behavioral type, as identified
by CriteriaOne DISC. High “C” behavioral type employees
are evaluators. They need to understand everything about everything.
The employee with this behavioral style makes sure the problem never
happens again. He provides a minutely detailed product history including
product evolution and repair record. This customer service representative
believes failure to read directions is the root cause of most problems.
Skeptical to the core, the high “C” employee goes through
instructions line-by-line to rule out operator error. He may ask
a complaining customer to answer detailed questions to ensure that
he gets all the facts. Because accuracy is important, questions
must be answered in order. This customer service representative
wants to assign blame, although it’s important that the right
person (who may be the customer) or department is identified as
the culprit. The high “C” behavioral type offers an
apology after identifying the problem’s cause and only if
one is warranted. If an apology is offered, expect conditions and
contingencies, and assurances couched with “there really are
no guarantees in life.” When you are finished complaining
to the high C agent, you're comfortable the company has the whole
story but not sure anything will change.
So, what is the best behavioral
style (Use our proprietary DISC
Style Map to determine the right style for the customer) for
customer service? The simple answer is the best style is SITUATIONAL.
Flexibility is the essential core competency required from customer
service employees. Interpersonal skills, listening skills, emotional
stability, organization, and follow through are important, too.
Good analytical and root cause analysis skills don’t hurt
either. The key is the best customer service employees intuitively
understand which skills to apply at the right time and with the
right intensity. That’s how personality tests can help a manager
determine which employees are the best natural customer service
fit, if they will be motivated by helping people and solving problems,
and how they will relate to different customer styles.
How crucial is putting the right people in customer service jobs?
You tell me. More than half of all respondents to the survey mentioned
earlier decided against doing business with the company again. Ninety
percent of respondent admitted to complaining about the experience
to friends, family, neighbors and anyone else willing to listen.
The take home lesson for business owners are that dissatisfied customers
WILL vent. You choose the listener. It can be a competent customer
service representative who assures future business and good-will.
Or, you let loose hostile venting that will likely spread like wildfire.
And, for the record and to bring the power of DISC home, the high
“D” and high “I “ behavioral type customers
are most likely to spread the negative word-of-mouth advertising
that no company can afford and they make up 58 percent of the population.
The "S" and "C" types may do even more harm
- they just go away quietly. When you realize your mistake, it's
too late.
NEW! Customer
Service Skills Profile and 100
Activities and Actions
for
Customer Service Excellence
2. Perfect
Labor Storm Alerts #301 to #305
Visit
our blog, too.
We've been forecasting
increases in employee churn and turn. A new survey by The
Hay Group confirmed turnover is on the rise in pharmaceutical and
biotech sales.
- Turnover jumped from 10 percent in 2002 to 14 percent
in 2003.
- It cost the pharms an average of $89,000 to replace a
single rep.
- Why are reps leaving? The number one reason is compensation.
Number two is difficulty with an immediate supervisor. (Solution?
See Managing to Excel below)
Fact #301:
The ratio of entry level wage earners to retirees has fallen from
9 to 1 in 1955 to 4 to 1 in 1995 to 2 to 1 by 2020. (Source:
Hudson Institute)
Fact #302: In 1991 less than 24% of dentists
were over age 54 and past their most productive years. (Source:
American Dental Association)
Fact #303: By 2010 over 38% of practicing
dentists will be older than 54, a 60% increase. (Source: American
Dental Association)
Fact #304: The labor market grew approximately
1.2 % a year in the 1990s. From 2000 to 2010 is expected to
grow only 0.8%. From 2010 to 2020 growth declines to 0.4 percent
and 0.2 percent from 2020 on.
Fact #305: Active adults account for 60%
of all healthcare spending. They purchase 70% of all prescriptions
and 51% of all over the counter drugs.
Don't be caught in storm
without all the facts. "The
Perfect Labor Storm Fact Book: Why Worker Shortages Won't Go Away"
is a must-read leading edge forecast that predicts workforce trends
for decades to come. Order
your copy today - Only $7.95.
3. Tips
You Can Use - Background
Checks
A Dauphin County (PA)
woman was given two years probation from stealing $21,942 from her
employer, an 83-year old dentist. She worked as a receptionist
and bookkeeper.
Leaders of Rejoice Ministries
thought they were being extra careful when they hired James Poole.
That's because its last pastor bilked them out of $10,000.
Three months after they hired him, he skipped town with $3,344.
After reporting the losses, they discoverd both men were veteran
con artisits. The church is now debating whether to hire yet another
pastor or close the church.
Last month, the Arizona
Diamondbacks hired......then fired their manager. Wally Beckman
admitted to several "mistakes" in his past life - arrests
for domestic disputes, drunken-driving, restraining orders - only
after he was hired. Ken Kendrick, one of the Diamondbacks'
managing partners, after the "mistakes" became public
stated they will now make background checks a layer of their hiring.
The owner of a motel in
New Holland PA might want to do the same. A young couple working
as managers were arrested for stealing the cash payments received
by guests.
If, like Pinocchio's
nose, each lie a candidate told on his/her resume or during the
interview became immediately apparent, business owners could easily
weed out employees who cheat and deceive. So, how can you tell if
an employee is lying about their work experience,
To provide our clients
with one-stop shopping for employee evaluation from pre-employment
to career succession, we are very pleased to introduce our new partnership
with Information
Architects,
a leading provider of Employment Screening and Background Investigations.
BACKGROUND CHECKS.
Sixty-one percent of the human resource (HR) professionals surveyed
said they find inaccuracies in résumés after carrying
out background checks. (Source: SHRM Background Checks/ Résumé
Inaccuracies online survey, 2004)
Services include:
- Employment Verification
- Criminal Records Search
- Civil Records Search
- Workers Comp Search
- SSN Verification
- Credit Reports
- DMV Reports
- Bankruptcy Search
- Degree Verification
- Professional License Verification
- Drug Screening
Learn more about background
checks here.
4. In the
News!
Coming
Soon to a Location Near You: Major Labor Shortage -
Featured in HRWire,
November 1, 2004
Business2Business - November
2004
What
Is Keeping Human Resource Professionals Awake at Night?
(This original article
written by Ira S. Wolfe was the November 2004 cover story.)
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
- October 31, 2004
Firms
probing employees' pasts
Central Penn Business
Journal - October 8, 2004
Companies
struggle to replace good, retiring managers
5.
The Complete Manager's Pocket Guide Library
Today's busy leaders and
knowledge workers are looking for informative, to the point self-study
resources that will answer questions, stimulate new thinking and
help solve problems.
These management
development pocket guides are ideal for self-directed learning,
training and coaching workers, corporate universities, or to use
in seminars and workshops.
Each guide
covers an important topic such as managing generations, mentoring,
creativity, project management, knowledge management or strategies
for handling people issues such as conflict management, sexual harassment
and performance.
Order the
complete library of these 32 best selling Manager's Pocket Guides
for only $279 - that's like getting 5 books free, a savings of $39.
Order the
Manager's
Pocket Guide Library for Management Development today.
Plus this
bonus! We'll include a copy of "Understanding
Business Values and Motivators"
at nor additional charge,
a $12.95 value.
6. How to
Hire High Motivation Employees.
Begin to Hire The High Motivation Employee with The Interpreter's
Guide to The TotalView Assessment System. This e-book, written
by employee selection expert Ira S. Wolfe, describes in easy to
understand detail how to differentiate the winner takes all candidate
from the employee who'll give away the store, the nit-picking-controller
from the why-get-it-done-today-when-you-can-put-it-off-until-tomorrow
candidate, the cool-calm-collected from the easily frazzled-sky-is-falling
employee.....and more.
Why TotalView? It is simply
the best job matching and employee evaluation system on the market
today.
For a limited time this
$197 value will be offered to Total View subscribers for only $69.
Order
How to Hire The High Motivation Employee Interpreter's Guide.
7. You don't
need a huge budget and staff to hire the best employees
Eliminate The Hassles and Headaches Associated With Screening Candidate
with Total APS.
The Total Applicant Processing System enables the small and medium
sized employer to do online recruiting and screen applicants with
customizable and scorable filtering questions with a click of the
mouse. Save time and money by qualifying candidates before
you interview.
Use Total APS to recruit
and screen applicants for your next job opening.
8. Over 250
Supervisors Have Attended Managing to Excel Workshops
Just announced!
M2E Team Building Workshops at Beard Miller Company (York, PA) beginning
January 18, 2005. Call Heather at 717.846.7000 for more information.
Ever since Success Performance Solutions introduced Managing to
Excel in 2002, Central PA supervisors and managers have been learning
and developing proficiency in the twelve competencies that highly
effective managers and supervisors have that average performers
don't.
To read more about Managing
to Excel, visit Managing to Excel - Management
Competency Workshops.
Managing to Excel is also
available for purchase by in-house trainers and human resource professionals.
The per participant cost per program is as low as $20!
9.
Fall 2004 Workshop and Speaking Schedule
January 16, 2005 - 2005
International Builders Show, Orlando, FL
February 28, 2005 - IQPC''s
Best Practices in Disease Management, Las Vegas, NV
10.
Wondering if you have the right people on your team?
Everyone wants to build the High
Motivation Employee Team. Do it with team building activities
packaged exclusively for small businesses and home businesses.
Contact Information:
Success Performance Solutions 2481 New Holland Pike, Suite 2, Lancaster,
PA 17601
email: tv@super-solutions.com
voice: 717.656.4632
web: http://www.super-solutions.com
To learn more about Success Performance Solutions or read back issues
of The Total View, stop by our website at www.super-solutions.com.
Order your personal copy of Understanding
Business Values and Motivators.
Order your personal copy of The
Perfect Labor Storm
Ira S. Wolfe. 2004 - All Rights Reserved. Reprints and other distribution
by permission only.
Syndication available
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