Customer Relations
Small, Good Habits Over Time
I disagree with the concept of taking massive action
steps. It’s not huge strides that make the difference.
It’s the small, good habits repeated that compound
over time and lead to success. Bridging to accessories on
service agreements is no different. You must execute the
behavior each time and build good habits until they compound
over time.
Dr. Caroline Leaf, the bestselling author of Switch On
Your Brain, says that it requires 21 days to build a memory
and then two more cycles of 21 days to build a habit.
Habits take a long time to form. We have established good
habits and bad habits. The key is that doing something
wrong a few times won’t hurt you, but the habitual, small,
daily mistakes over the years will create damage.
I don’t smoke, but if I smoked a pack per day for a year,
the effects wouldn’t be as long-lasting as smoking a pack
a day for five years. If I smoked a pack a day for 30 years,
there will be consequences. At some point, the bad habit
compounds and negative results manifest in time and
space.
The Blueprint (A Little Habit)
Study the following script and learn it word-for-word to
build a good habit to greet customers and invite them into
a conversation.
Here’s how: break the script down into smaller chunks
and read each small chunk out loud to yourself seven
times. Then put it down and execute the chunk from
memory. After that, recite it from your heart. The words
might change, but the message won’t.
Here is a little habit: learn and execute the script with
customers every time. Over the next year, you’ll have an
opportunity to execute it three or four times a day, which
adds up to almost 1,000 times. Build this good habit and it
will compound over time.
The Greeting
Here’s the script for the greeting, but for context, let’s
assume that we know Mrs. Jones well, and that she has
been a client for a long time. During the service fulfillment,
we noticed that the water heater looked to be in
good condition but that the system was aging—it’s almost
12 years old.
Mrs. Jones? This is Roger with ABC Heating & Air, how
are you doing today?
Chunk #1: Say this seven times out loud and then say
it without looking. Let them talk, relax and listen. Don’t
rush the customer here, just listen.
We really appreciate your business, and thanks for letting
us come out.
Chunk #2: Say this seven times out loud and then say it
without looking. Be sincere and speak from the heart.
I’m sure you know my process and why I’m here, but
may I remind you? I want to ensure everything is safe,
reliable, and efficient. I don’t expect to find anything wrong
Roger Daviston
President
The Daviston Group
and hope that I don’t, but if I do, what I would like to do
is bring it to your attention, and then you can tell me what
you would like to do, if anything. How does that sound?
Chunk #3: Say this seven times out loud and then say it
without looking. Wait on an agreement.
Are you good on time? I’ll be here for about an hour or so.
Why do I ask about time? How many times has the customer
told you that they had to leave in the middle of your
fulfillment? It’s good to know this beforehand so you can
adjust and set expectations.
A customer once told me during the greeting that they
had to leave in 30 minutes, so I got her cell phone number
and set the expectation that I would call her to tell her what
we found. When we finished the job, we presented a capacitor
option page over the phone, and she purchased a nice
option for $600. If I hadn’t set the expectation for contact
beforehand, I would have most likely lost that $600 sale.
After your greeting, execute the fulfillment. Let’s pretend
that everything is working great, with, for instance,
90% of fulfillments. Your job is not done here. Take time to
look around for opportunities to serve the customer with
integrity.
In this case, the water heater was 12 years old (based on
the serial number). Use your Smartphone to Google how to
translate the serial number for each manufacturer.
How to Ask for What You Want: Be Assertive!
I define assertiveness as behavior that respects both the
other person and oneself. Assertiveness communicates in
an honest, open, direct and natural way. An assertive person
never hints or beats around the bush, and is always
respectful of other people’s feelings, thoughts and beliefs.
Presuppositions about relationships that flow out of an
assertive mindset include:
• We all have the right to ask for what we want.
• We all have the right to ask for information.
• We all have the right to say “no” without explanation
or feeling guilt.
• We all have the right to express our feelings.
The DESC Model
Developed by Sharon and Gordon Bower, the DESC Model
is an excellent model of an assertive process to make
requests to another person. DESC stands for Describe, Express,
Specify (ask for what you want) and Consequences.
• Describe what you see or hear.
• Express how you feel about it.
• Ask assertively for what you want. No hints or gestures
• Express the benefits or consequences of granting
your request.
Reading and studying is part of learning. Personal
growth and development takes time and repetition, reinforced
with coaching and accountability. Changing small
habits can lead to great achievements. ICM
ICM/July/August 2020 25