By now you’ve probably listened to Ryan Block’s excruciating attempt to cancel his Comcast service with a customer service representative “gone wild.” (If not, you can listen here). The recording starts already 10 minutes into the call. In this case the representative, known as a “retention specialist,” tries to force Mr. Block into explaining why he’s canceling his service, even as Mr. Block repeatedly declines to do so. The recording has gone viral and Comcast has admitted it’s “embarrassed by the call.” In a recent apology issued by Comcast, Tom Karinshak, SVP, Customer Experience, said the way in which the representative communicated was “not consistent with how we train our customer service representatives.”
Author: Victoria Macdonald
I am a customer-focused and globally-minded senior learning and development leader with expertise in several industries. My recent focus has been in luxury brand sales and customer service including such companies as BMW, Tiffany & Co. and Sotheby's International Realty. My background includes sales/systems/product training, leadership development, instructional design, facilitation and e-learning. I continue to explore how luxury brands shape the consumer experience through my blog: www.luxsell.wordpress.com.
I enjoy working with international teams. While at BMW I worked at their corporate headquarters in Munich, Germany helping to deploy a global learning management system across 28 countries. At Tiffany & Co. my team supported the learning for sales associates in North and South America.
I'm a national speaker and have published several training articles. My certifications include Situational Leadership II and Crucial Confrontations. I have earned a Graduate Diamond Certification from GIA as well as my New York State Real Estate Sales license. I hold an M.A. in Adult Education.
I value the support I receive as a member of the Association for Talent Development and I served as the Chapter President for Northern New Jersey. In 2003 I founded the Munich Learning Consortium.
Find me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/vmacdonald/
Good salespeople have great answers, but great salespeople have great questions
It happened again! I walked into one of those posh, ultra-luxurious shops on Fifth Avenue and the smartly dressed, beautifully coiffed sales associate asked “May I help you?” I’m sure she’d been trained on the company value proposition and was knowledgeable on all the new product lines, but what she didn’t know is this is one of the worst ways to greet a customer! Too often this question is met with a polite “No thank you. I’m just looking.” That’s because “May I help you?” is a closed-ended question—it can be answered with “yes” or “no.” The next time you go shopping, listen to the number of closed-ended questions you’re asked: “Do you like this one?,” “Do you have a budget?,” “Is this the right color?,” “Will that be all for today?”
Continue reading “Good salespeople have great answers, but great salespeople have great questions”
Can brands transcend the language barrier?
Through its innovative Lexus “Amazing in Motion” campaign with the STROBE project in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Lexus intends to use art as a vehicle to translate its brand across the globe. The art campaign celebrates art, technology, innovation and movement – all elements of the Lexus brand. Above all, “Amazing in Motion” shows a new creative side of Lexus, according to Brian Bolain, Corporate Marketing Communications Manager at Lexus. Bolain believes the STROBE project, through its inventive use of tumbling LED-lit acrobats and stuntmen, will transmit the message of speed and movement across language barriers, “As the brand has now expanded to over 80 world markets, it is more important than ever that there be some common understanding of what Lexus represents that transcends any barriers that language might present.”
Never Be Closing
Over the years I’ve read many books on sales methodologies and techniques. Inevitably the last chapter of each of these books is entitled “Closing the Sale.” The concept of “closing” the sale is one that has entered the language, and the mindset, of just about everyone involved in the sales process. The epitome of this mindset can be seen in Alec Baldwin’s portrayal of the sales trainer from hell in the film Glengarry Glen Ross. Alec Baldwin, as Blake, reviews the ABC’s of selling (Always Be Closing):
Webster’s dictionary defines the word ‘close’ as “to bring to an end or period.” If we think of the customer’s purchase as “closing the sale,” then we’re saying that’s the end of the relationship with the customer. In 2009 the British Financial Times conducted a survey that found it costs seven times more to locate and sell to a new customer than it does to sell to an existing one. More recently a Gartner Group study found 80 percent of your profits will come from just 20 percent of your existing customers. This is why it’s so important to think of the sale not as the close of a transaction, but as the beginning of a partnership; not as a one-night stand, but as the start of a long-term relationship.
The perils of the price question
Last year my husband and I attended a re-commitment ceremony for friends of ours. Since we’d never had a formal ceremony of our own, we started talking about hosting a similar event. Like most brides, my first thoughts were about what dress I would wear—I favored a simple, off-white, mermaid silhouette. So last week we visited our local bridal store. As soon as we entered, I fell for a luxuriously beaded, ivory ball gown with a fully-flared skirt and court-length train (nothing like the dress I’d imagined). Seeing that dress caused every little-girl princess fantasy I’d suppressed over the years to come rushing back. I couldn’t wait to try it on.
Luxury shoppers still prefer in-store experience over online
The April 2013 Luxury Institute survey revealed only 25% of wealthy shoppers buy online after checking out merchandise and gaining insights at a store. While luxury brands are starting to understand the importance of creating a seamless brand journey through omni-channel marketing, the luxury consumer still enjoys the personal, white glove treatment. For more on the importance of the luxury customer experience read this recent blog post “Moving Beyond Customer Service to Customer Experience.”
The key to Ritz-Carlton’s extraordinary service is training associates to pick up on cues and anticipate customers’ needs.
Our Ladies and Gentlemen: Olivia Brown
Each month, The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center (RCLC) features an interview with an employee — a Lady or Gentleman of The Ritz-Carlton — in order to share an insider’s view of the organization.
It’s more important to care about customer service than to close the sale
Ken Blanchard on giving ‘legendary service’
For sales associates to care about customers they need more than product and sales training – they need emotional intelligence and decision-making skills.
Imagine that! Helping Customers Envision
A few years ago my husband and I vacationed in the Algarve region of Portugal. I was struck not only by the stunning scenery, but also by the gracious and elegant service we received. Wherever we went—whether it was to a fancy restaurant, a roadside café, or a little shop—we were welcomed by the warm, friendly smiles of the courteous staff. Still, one encounter stood out above the rest…
Moving Beyond Customer Service to Customer Experience
I recently wrote “Missed Moments in Customer Service” about a failed shopping experience at a luxury store. I analyzed each step of the interaction to see what the salesperson could have done to provide better service. Now, several weeks later, the details of that interaction have faded and what I’m left with is simply this—I had a disappointing experience. The encounter didn’t fit with my expectation of the brand. That’s when I realized luxury brands need to move beyond just providing luxury service, to creating a complete luxury experience.
What makes a luxury experience?
Luxury is the opposite of ordinary. Nothing about the luxury experience should be mundane. Everything about the interaction should be delightful and memorable. Here are some suggestions for turning luxury customer service into luxury customer experience:
Continue reading “Moving Beyond Customer Service to Customer Experience”
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