The Ultimate Goal in Service

Just got my “fresh off the presses” copy of Richard Branson’s new book, Like a Virgin, and found myself yelling, “I concur!” so often, I just had to share.

Here’s a little segment from the chapter titled, “The Customer is Always Right...except when he’s wrong” -  

The key to providing great customer service is for your management team to recognize the true worth of your front-line staff, the most talented of whom are expert negotiators with deep understanding of interpersonal relationships. Make sure that they have the tools they need to exercise those skills-that they have the information they need and they can work with real autonomy to find fair resolution to the issues that come up. (No scripts!)  

Sir Richard then goes on to say,  

If your business proposition is innovative, your ultimate goal has to be, ‘The customer always thinks that we are right.’

Wow. Read that last line again.

Translated, hire smart people that have a talent for communication and negotiation, and then give them the tools and autonomy to do the job they know they can do.

Teach communication skills, but don’t give them verbatim what to say.

Finally, and most profound, listen very carefully to what the consumer says they want, then take it up a notch and give them something just a little different and better. That’s how to deliver true anticipatory service.

What do you think?

Say Whatt?!!

The other day, I overheard an apartment manager say, “Have you read your lease?” in answer to what, apparently, was a ridiculous request, and I thought, “This is not going to end well for the resident.  Manager wins.”

Then I thought of some of the other impulsive, condescending and “shut-em down” statements routinely used to keep residents in line and get them to go away.

“Your lease clearly states…”

“It’s not our policy.”

And my favorite…

“If I did it for you, I would have to do it for everyone, or I would be violating Fair Housing.” (Admit it, you joined me in reciting that one as you read it, didn’t you?)

What?  Violating Fair Housing?  Really?

I cannot think of one way any of these statements could leave a positive impact or increase resident value perception.  Please, if anyone does, do not hesitate to share. 

But wait, there’s more.

“I’m sorry but,”  (you know something bad is coming the minute they say, “but”).

“If it were up to me, I would do it, but I could lose my job.”

And a maintenance favorite…

“Yeah, they’re all like that, and I told them we needed to replace them but it wasn’t in the budget.”

When your words and tone can be translated to, “You should know better,” or “I’m really not sorry, I’m just saying that to soften what I am about to tell you” or “This place sucks and it isn’t run well because the company is too cheap to fix things”, or “I am afraid to make a decision, so I am going to hide behind the Fair Housing poster now”, understand it will likely not end positively. 

Why do we do say these things?  I have a couple of theories.

1.     It’s easy, and humans are inherently lazy.  It takes effort to really listen and try to understand another’s perspective. Easier to prove them wrong and send them away.

2.     We don’t know any better.  You heard your manager say it, so you say it too.

3.     We don’t know what else to say, because we believe the only way to end the discussion is to have won.

4.     Solving problems is hard and we are afraid we might indeed violate Fair Housing if we make an allowance.

5.     Jaded Pessimism.  Give ‘em an inch and they’ll take a mile.

6.     Black or white is the only way.  There is no gray, or meeting halfway.

At this point you may be thinking, “Lori, I get the answers aren’t the best, so give me a better line.”

Here’s the problem.  There is no “pat” answer, no wonderful line that will shut people down and leave them with a smile on their face.

But there are things you can do.

Let’s say you have a resident who thinks pet fees are unfair and he shouldn’t have to pay them.

1. See their perspective and agree, at least partially.

"I can see why this doesn't seem right to you.  You are a responsible dog owner."

2. Offer an alternative perspective. (This is where the homework comes in).

Ask yourself, why?  Why do you have pet fees in the first place?  Well, we know that pets leave waste, some damage apartments, they leave dander which could affect other potential residents and they cause additional challenges to residents in the form of barking, etc .  We also know some people simply don't like pets and don't want anything to do with them.

Remember, we do not place this answer to the resident in this context, nor do we give the standard spiel that doesn't really answer the objection.

3. Re-context.  Keep it truthful and sincere.  This is a dialogue and you are not in-it-to-win-it. This is about having a conversation with the individual.

So, it might go something like this:

"I can see why this doesn't seem right to you.  You are a responsible dog owner."

"Please understand, we choose to be pet friendly community even though many owners are not as responsible.  Pets do cause wear and tear in the form of waste, dander, damage and, sometimes, as a nuisance to other neighbors who don't have pets.  For this reason, we charge pet owners a pet fee, as it simply wouldn't be right or fair to pass on those costs to residents who choose not to have them."

Then they will likely say, "My pet never bothers anyone."

To which you might say, "Likely not, but have you thought about something as simple as your dog barking in the morning to wake you?  I'm not saying yours does, but lots of dogs do.  If the dog wakes you by barking, it might very well wake the guy above you every single day.  That's something they tolerate, and they may choose not to stay at the end of their lease term if it's bad enough. Of course, that is a hypothetical situation, but pets do impact the overall community, and while we are proud to say we are pet friendly, we have to ensure those that don't like pets never have to step in waste, or have allergies act up from an apartment that had pets in it.  All of that comes at a cost.   That's why we charge a pet fee."

To which he may say, "Well I still don't think it’s fair.  My pet never does anything wrong."

"Understandable. And you do have choices.  I will tell you that our pet fees are on the low end of the spectrum in comparison to our competitors, and we work hard to ensure we stay competitive in the market.  It's hard, because we love our pets, but they sure can be a bit costly.  I hope I have provided you a better understanding as to why we charge the fee.  If you would like, you are more than welcome to pay your pet fees for the year all at once, then you don't have to hassle with it for the rest of the year.  Is this something you would like to consider?"

Last, if you believe your pet fees are completely outrageous…find another way.  Perhaps you can raise rent or bundle it.  Maybe after a certain length of residency with no issues, the pet fee is reduced. Do a competitive analysis.  Don't just assume because it’s been the policy, it has to forever be the policy.  Find a way to change it up and make it more consumer-friendly.

Look to find solutions and know there is no standard answer  - it’s all about preparation, knowing your market, understanding why, and then delivering that message sincerely and truthfully.  Get with your team this week and practice this exercise with a request or objection you find yourself giving a “half baked” answer to.  Think about the words you say, and what they convey.  Look to find a better way. 

Every word counts.

Lori

Beat the Clock

I read with interest an article in the Wall Street Journal this morning concerning people’s perceived wait times in the retail environment. It seems guru Paco Underhill timed shoppers in line with a stopwatch to determine how real wait times compared with how long shoppers felt they had waited.

Up to about two to three minutes, the perception of the wait was pretty accurate, but after three minutes, the perceived wait time multiplied with each passing minute. In other words, if a person actually waited 5 minutes, their perception was they had waited 10. Interesting.

Though we technically don’t make people wait in line, many times, they do have to wait. Based on this research, the longer they wait, the even greater time they will have perceived they waited. Heck, I have witnessed clients not even be greeted in 3 minutes.

What’s a savvy leasing professional to do?

First, understand that while lease paperwork needs to be finished, every second you spend focusing on that, rather than the customer waiting in the lobby, negatively impacts perception.

The paperwork will wait. You are paid to converse with people and lease apartments. Get to it.

Second, reality dictates no matter how good you are, sometimes people will have to wait. Provide something for them to do. Show a movie in your clubhouse, have current newspapers and periodicals available, (make sure there is something for every interest), and give your clients an indication of exactly how long the wait will be. Make it their choice by making them feel comfortable, but also offering an alternative appointment time. They will let you know which they prefer. Offer a beverage, or better yet, provide a Starbucks card and send them off for coffee, assuring you will be ready for them when they get back.

Most important, (this one is for managers and bookkeepers and individuals that do not perceive themselves as leasing professionals), never ever ever pass off a client with the, “The leasing professional is out right now, have a seat and she will be with you in a moment” line. When is the last time you were OK with being “passed off”. The people in front of you are most important and there isn’t a faster way to turn somebody off than to throw that line at them and return to your desk to do the really important work.

Three minutes. After that, the perceived wait doubles with every minute. Don’t make them wait.

Back Up the Train

I'm back. No excuses, just an explanation. Basically, I had nothing to say that I felt mattered. And my cardinal rule is...no crap. So, I didn't write for almost 2 months. Nothing at all. I found it refreshing. Then, today, I found something that needed to be said.

As is my routine, I was reading my Brains on Fire blog, (best blog ever), and came across Eric Dodd's post that essentially took all the concepts going on in my head and summarized them in less than 55 words -

It was a good reminder that there are an increasing number of amazing tools at our disposal, and an increased responsibility for us to learn to use them, but that tools will never fully replace sitting down with a customer and asking them how your company can make a positive difference in their life.

Exactly. It's time to back up the train, people. Have we become so enamored with the tools and the toys, (and the process, rather than the outcome), that we've forgotten the impact of simply talking to a resident, face-to-face?

Let me tell you, our people working on site with the residents haven't. But they feel obligated to the process, and that is impacting the outcome.

The Power of a Simple Action

While waiting for my plane on Southwest the other day, a general ruckus caused me to look up from my work, and take note of a situation unfolding right in front of me. The ruckus was coming from a woman in a wheelchair who was clearly in distress. From her tone, it was obvious she was in one of those situations where you get so mad you cry. I can empathize with that, as I have been there.

Anyway, why she was mad, (something about the wheelchair attendant not letting her stop to eat something), was not the issue. She was just mad. A supervisor had approached and was talking to her, with little success - she just yelled louder about how upset she was between sobs, and what he did next reaffirmed everything I have been teaching about the power of body language in conveying meaning - he simply knelt down on one knee, looked her in the eye and lightly touched her arm. She immediately calmed down, stopped yelling and started listening. He promised he would take care of her, and the situation, and as she was wheeled away, she reached in his direction as if to touch him, and said, “Thank you.”

Just a friendly reminder...it’s not what you say, it’s what you convey. He cared, and she knew it. Empathy goes a long way toward making a wrong a right. Actions truly do speak louder than words. You choose.

Say It and Believe

It's no secret that internal dialogue often influences the way people motivate and shape their behavior. Years back, I was inspired by a motivational speaker that encouraged self-affirmations on a daily basis. “I like myself” he encouraged us to say in the mirror, “I’m a GREAT salesperson!” So I did. And every time I did, I found myself chuckling. It made me feel, well, sort of foolish, dopey and, yes I will say it, good all at the same time. As a young trainer, I encouraged my pupils to do the same. I received relentless flack, from video spoofs to teasing, to an endless variety of pranks targeting the “I like myself!” affirmation. For each I laughed and took it all in stride, because, frankly, it is sort of funny to self proclaim how great you are.

The thing is, it works. Now I’m not saying that if you say “I am going to have a million dollars” every day for a year you will. You might, but the real point of self-affirmations (from my very un-clinical perspective) is how they make you feel. Nobody doubts that if I internally declare myself a bad person on a daily basis, that sooner or later I will most likely start to believe it. So why not the other way?

My former colleague Stasia Vishnevsky sent me this video yesterday, and all I have to say is, this is the kind of person I want on my team. When you yell, “Can we do it?” you can bet she is going to yell back, “Yes we can!”

Enjoy. Then get in front of the mirror and say a little something nice to yourself. If nothing else, you’ll get a good chuckle.

A Gift of Optimism

I grew up in a small town in Wisconsin full of hardy German citizens. The winters, particularly “back in the day” were long and unyielding, generally starting in mid-November and ending in April. (To provide some perspective to warm weather inhabitants, it was nothing for my Dad to warm up the car for 20 minutes before we ventured out.) That’s a lot of cooped-up in-house time for a kid...and a mother. The minute the thermometer hit 20, Mom mummified my sisters and I in wool scarves and snowsuits and sent us outside to play, deaf to our pleas to be let in because “we were so cooooldddd!”. We built snow forts, made snow angels, threw snowballs and...we survived to enjoy a hot bowl of chicken noodle soup for lunch. The people in my hometown would declare, after hearing this story, “That’s good for you. Toughens you up.” I would agree, and add that it also develops a sense of optimism.

A Wisconsin winter can include weeks of nothing but gray weather and dirty snow. Very depressing stuff, yet most of the people I know from the area possess an incredible sense of humor and a wonderfully optimistic attitude. They know how to persevere. I would imagine, though I have never lived it, the people in a state that survives hurricane after hurricane are much the same way. Perseverance breeds optimism.

Being optimistic, in the typical sense of the word, ultimately means one expects the best possible outcome from any given situation. Optimists generally emerge from difficult circumstances with less distress than do pessimists. They seem intent on solving challenges head on, taking active and constructive steps to solve their problems - as if they know, “this too shall pass.”

A client of mine, Jim Schloemer, CEO of Continental Properties, shares my hometown. During a recent session, he approached me and told me how his mother, every single morning, even on the grayest and coldest of Wisconsin days, would walk into his room throw open the drapes and say, “Good morning, Jim, it’s a beautiful morning and time for you to rise and shine and show the world all that you can be!“ While not as poetic, my mother would prance in, flip the shades and sing, “Rise and Shine!” in the most cheery of voices. My conclusion; a positive outlook was bred in us to the point we became inherently optimistic through repetition and practice. We laughed as we confessed to using the same tactics on our own children. And, much as I hated the sound of that shade rolling up then, I now remember it fondly.

A more simplistic time, perhaps, without the daily barrage of bad tidings so abundant and easily accessed today. Will things ever get better? Of course they will. Change is inevitable. The important thing is to stay cheerful and know that tomorrow is another day, and even if it’s gray, it’s a beautiful opportunity to show the world what you can do. Imagine, if just for a day, every person you knew, actually lived that. We’d be unstoppable.

Happy Christmas to all!

How Much Is Too Much?

Last summer, I ordered Omaha Steaks for my dad, (Sales Guy Extraordinaire), for Father’s day. He loved it, and if I do say so myself, it was an excellent gift, the kind that keeps giving for a while. When I ordered, I must have inadvertently missed the uncheck button to receive “future offers and updates” - you all know what I am talking about here.

Within days, they started coming...and have never stopped. Since November, I have tried to save almost every offer received. (There are so many, I have a problem keeping it all organized). Omaha Steaks has worked very hard to stay in front of me. A little too hard. I ordered their product once, in June, and have not established myself as a regular. At this point, presumably due to the holiday season, I am receiving, on average, at least one email per day, up from the average of one every three days in September, October and November. (There is a noticeable gap in October - I may have deleted them, and I did go through an unsubscribe phase about that time...but don’t want to proclaim, if I’m not sure I did.)

Anyway, I get an awful lot of “buy meat” mail. Trouble is, the more they “get in my face”, the more distasteful steak has become to me. It’s just too much. I’m tired of seeing my daily “Act now before it’s too late!” promotion. I have no sense of urgency to buy, because I am pretty sure I’ll have an equally impressive offer in my box tomorrow. Have they no other customers? Why won’t they give it a rest? To stay top of mind with me doesn’t mean you have to send me a new email every single day.

Where’s the mail that asks, “Have you been seeing too much of us? Should we back off a bit?” That’s the one I would reply to. I have no objection to receiving a monthly promotion from Omaha Steaks. I like their product. It is not, however my priority or my life.

The same holds true for follow up. There is a fine line between obnoxious and committed care on the part of the leasing professional. When we lose sight of the client and concern ourselves more with “getting the sale”, is true intention revealed to the customer and serving as a turn-off to the product?

The answer, of course is letting the customer, as much as possible, decide and control their experience. That’s hard to deliver when you’re being evaluated based on parameters and specific follow up metrics; contact within 24 hours, within 48 hours phone call, etc.

How much is too much? And how do we define that? How do we provide parameters while still understanding there is no one path to the sale? I don’t think it is enough to say, “I keep calling or emailing until they tell me to stop.” I am going to tell Omaha Steaks to stop, but the damage has already been done. Once viewed as a special treat, premium product, I now simply see another blue light special. Lots of caps, lots of exclamation points, lots of “only 10 minutes left” behavior. It all seems a bit desperate.

What do you think?

Keep It Short

I received a request to complete a survey today regarding my experience for a one night hotel visit earlier this month. It was the second request I received, and I figured since they asked twice, I would go ahead and complete it. When I clicked the link, I was informed the survey would take me from 7 to 10 minutes to complete. I clicked back off.

If you want feedback, keep it short, and in context with the experience. I don’t have time to spend a quarter of an hour, or a coffee break, or the time it takes me to write this blog, to complete a survey regarding a one night visit. Now, if the survey took 3, or even 5 minutes or less to complete, or I was offered something in return for my time, I would have happily complied.

Keep it simple. Ask relevant questions that provide insight, and most of all, respect your customer's time by keeping it short.

Who Cleans Up The Mess?

A few weeks back it rained dirt in Denver. Really. Seems some dust storm in Arizona was the culprit, and the muddy rain left a pinkish brown coating of dirt on anything exposed to the elements. Yuck. Parked at the airport, the red toaster was covered, and all I could think was, “Ick, now I get to clean all this up when I get home. What a mess.”

The dirt rain seemed metaphorical somehow - after all, how many times do we leave messes for others to clean up? The sky dumps dirt, the clouds move on and we are left with no choice but to clean up after it. It happens with my kids and my dogs, and it happens often in workplaces all across the country. Every office seems to have at least one “dirt dumper” that refuses to be accountable and leaves mess after mess for others to clean up, oblivious and dismissive of the impact he or she has on co-workers.

Whether you are the kind of person that leaves your dirty dishes in the sink in the office, fails to follow through on customer problems, routinely misses deadlines (leaving your supervisor to cover for you...again), or has buyer’s remorse and dumps the candle that looked good 30 minutes ago in the cough and cold aisle at Target (OK, I admit it, I have done this), understand that somebody is going to clean up your mess. If they know you, they will resent you for it. If they love you, your behavior may cause bad feelings and strained relationships. All because you refuse to be accountable and responsible for yourself.

So the question is, who cleans up after you? Should they have to?

Sales Guy Extraordinaire Strikes Again

For the masses that regularly read my posts, you’ll remember that I have dubbed my dad Sales Guy Extraordinaire, and once again, he has lived up to the expectation.

During a recent visit, Dad took a phone call from a woman he later explained was a former customer who had purchased carpet some years back, when he worked for a company that was no longer in business. Seems the woman had a problem with her carpet, didn’t know who to talk to about it, so tracked Dad down and called him. He told her he would stop by and take a look.

Wha-wha-what? Really? Dad didn’t own the former company, and he most likely couldn’t provide much more than a little guidance and direction. Likely, the carpet would not need to be replaced. so his visit wouldn’t generate a sale. He could easily have referred her to another specialist, or explained that he couldn’t really help her. But that’s not what a sales guy extraordinaire would do, and that’s not what Dad did. When I asked him why, he looked a little sheepish and tried to play it down, saying, “She’s an older woman, and it will only take a few minutes to take a look. If I can help her out, that will be enough.”

When is the last time you simply helped somebody out, no strings attached? If you have a client and have nothing to lease, do you simply wave them off with a, “You might want to try down the street”, or do you make the call yourself, and get involved in the solution, rather than dismissing the problem? You know what Sales Guy Extraordinaire would do. He would get busy and actively find an answer.

The best salespeople are in it, not just for the money, but for the people they can help. By assisting in finding the solution, they build trust and referrals, and go home every day confident they have made a difference. Zig Ziglar used to say, “Help enough people get what they want, and you’ll get everything you want.”

That’s being extraordinary.

A Groundskeeper Named Lincoln

I toured a community with a a client recently, and as we pulled up, commented on how impeccably clean the grounds were. (Not a small task, given the age and size of the community.) My client said, “That’s because Lincoln works here. He is amazing. There he is now”. As we approached, Lincoln waved his shovel in the air in greeting. He came up to the car with a big smile and an enthusiastic “Hello! How’s it going?” My client commented on how good things looked, and he said, “Oh, thanks. They could look better - I’m working on that nasty pile of snow in the corner now.”

A thankless job, grounds. Many think it an easy position that anyone with a modicum of responsibility can do, and others think it a terrible job that anyone (including groundskeepers) would hate to do. Both assumptions are wrong.

Groundskeepers clean up after people, pets and the elements all day long knowing the next day they will return and start all over again. It makes me weary thinking about it. Funny, the really good groundskeepers I have had the opportunity to work with never seemed to get weary. They see in their position the opportunity to be creative, accountable and do tangible work every day, and understand the impact their efforts have on value creation and resident retention efforts. Making the community just right brings them strength and satisfaction. Lincoln has the kind of attitude that makes you smile, and think, “Why can’t everyone be like him? I want some of that sunny disposition!” He may not aspire to be president of the company, or even the manager. Yet, Lincoln is the kind of employee in the kind of job that should be revered and respected in our organizations.

If you have a great groundskeeper, stand up right now, find them and tell them how much you appreciate them, and how much their efforts mean to the community’s, (and your), success.

Goal Setting Reminder - A Gentle Nudge

If you’re one of those people (like myself) that creates goals for the New Year, and has really good intentions, but within weeks, forgets the goals, or even where the goal list went, this site is for you.

As seen in the Oprah Magazine, at www.futureme.org, you can jot down one goal or ten, write a letter to yourself, or even make a list of current trends, and then, at the future date of your choosing, (even 10 years from now), your goals/letter/timely trends will pop into your in-box. I set my goals for 6 months down the road…to provide a gentle reminder of the direction I had hoped to be going in.

Simple. Easy. Keeps you on track. Just in time for the New Year.

10 Tips to Effective Online Meetings With On Site Teams

I have had the pleasure of conducting a few online meetings of late; otherwise referred to as "Webinars". As a presenter that is accustomed to adjusting and transforming presentations based on audience response, I found the process to be initially difficult from a delivery standpoint. There were times when I had no idea if anyone was even in the room, as I would ask a question, and no one would answer, or I could hear people assisting clients in the background, once the mute button was turned off. My perception was that people were coming and going: for all I knew, they decided to go practice the skill I had just taught - or maybe they were sleeping. It's difficult when you can't see your audience.

Managing an effective online meeting can be like herding cats; chaos may abound. Or, you can get smart, take control and manage the process effectively.

These events have been a good learning experience,and have inspired my "top 10" list for conducting successful online meetings. Enjoy.

1. Suggest or insist that the group meet before or after hours. It is impossible to conduct business and learn a new concept at the same time, and if you have hired good people, they simply won't be able to, nor should they, resist the client standing in front of them.

2. Send two or three reminder emails before training, and let the group know that you will start promptly on time. Tell them that if they join late, to please do so as quietly as possible, as if they were entering a live meeting already going on.

3. If you're expecting a large crowd, tell them you'll set up the meeting 10 minutes early to make sure everyone is able to sign on.

4. Ask the participants if they can see your screen as they join.

5. Ask participants to mute their phones as you get started.

6. It is always good to "clear" the session to begin by utilizing the Stop Showing button, then Start Showing again before you start.

7. Command of the room and receiving feedback is very difficult during a Webinar. Include questions that you will expect feedback for on the handout.

8. Speaking of handouts, they are crucial and should contain exercise boxes.

9. When you are ready to begin, ask the audience if they have your undivided attention.  Ask if anyone will need to leave to conduct business during the session.

9. As part of your introduction, make sure to tell the audience what they are going to learn, to refer to handouts when conducting exercises and what the benefit to them will be.

10. If you ask a question, and get no response, ask the group a clever question like, "Do I assume that I am not conveying this concept well, or are you all shouting answers and have forgotten to turn off your mute buttons?"

A good online meeting should last no longer than 1.5 hours, and 1 hour is optimal. Managing the meeting is crucial to success, and will result in a team that has been trained in a new concept and is ready to practice technique.

What are your favorite Webinar/online meeting tips?

Staying Out Of The Excuse Swamp

In my consulting practice, I often hear supervisors lamenting over the lack of accountability displayed by those in their charge. Excuses are numerous, and a sense of responsibility seems in short supply.

My 16 year-old might fall into this category. I would love nothing more than for him to wake up on Saturday morning, whistle while he grabs breakfast and head out to mow the lawn. How pleasant our lives would be. Instead, it usually goes something like this:

Friday afternoon
"Jack, I need you to mow the lawn before the weekend."
"Ok, Mom, I'm really tired right now and need to take a nap. I'll do it later."

Friday evening
"Jack, I just pulled in the driveway and the lawn is not mowed."
"Yeah, Pat came over and we played Xbox. I will do it tonight."
"No, you won't. It is getting dark now."
"I'll do it tomorrow morning. What's the big deal?"

Saturday morning
"It's 10 am and you have to mow the lawn before you go to work. Get up."
"Mooooommm, (as he puts the pillow over his head), I'll do it after work. I only work until 4."

And on an on it goes. The end result? Monday morning. Raining. Lawn still not mowed. Mama is not happy. As a matter of fact, Mama is really, really mad. I feel taken advantage of, my son has not lived up to his responsibility and has proven that he will not be accountable on his own, so now there must be a confrontation and potentially, consequences.

How do you keep from being dragged into the "excuse swamp"?

When addressing performance issues, try the following:

State the issue. Do not add opinion or blame.
"One of your jobs as a member of this household is to mow the lawn on a weekly basis. This has not happened of your own initiative, and this week, it did not happen at all."

("Your conversion ratio is 17.5% averaged for the last three months. The expectation is 30%.")

Ask a Future oriented, neutral question
This is where, arms crossed in a defensive posture, we will usually say something like this, "What do you have to say for yourself?" Do not do this! This is a question that looks backward and forces the employee to defend themselves, usually through excuses.
It is what it is. Start thinking future behavior.

"How can we ensure you mow the lawn by Saturday morning?"
("How can we increase your sales conversion ratio?")

Here's where the excuses might start.
My son might say, "I'll quit my job and have no social life."
(Your leasing professional might say, "Drop the price by $100.")
You know that may not be possible, and you might want very much at this point to blow up, roll your eyes or bite back. Don't. Honor it.
"That is one way. How else?"
"Which ideas can we realistically implement to get back on track?"

Reinforce any useful suggestions made. Keep coming back with what or how questions until excuses stop and conversation moves to goals.

Then, close the deal. Get the commitment.
"I think we have agreed that you have not been living up to the expectations we have of you as a family member, and to make sure the lawn is mowed weekly we are going to set a time and day at the beginning of each week that is agreeable to all that you commit to mowing the lawn."

"I think we have agreed that you don’t have the conversion ratio that is expected, and to increase sales, you are going to increase follow through efforts to two hours per day and up outreach efforts by 2 hours per week."

Arrange a time to meet again.
"In 2 weeks on Sunday, we will talk about how this method is working. If you need any help, let me know."

“Let’s review your progress in 2 weeks to see how it is working. If you need any help, let me know."

Make sure to provide feedback and reinforce any improvement. It is as much about changing your behaviors as theirs. Remember, you teach people how to treat you.

The lawn was mowed this week, and though we wavered on the hour, it got done before the weekend. I thanked my son and told him how much it meant to me to be able to enjoy the backyard during the weekend. One week down, one to go...

What A Blog Really Is

What a Blog Really Is

I recently heard Kristin Steiner, account manager extraordinaire explaining blogs to a group of middle aged men, who obviously weren’t getting it. The light bulbs went on when Kristen profoundly described it this way – “Blogs are like cocktail party white papers,” she said, “you have a brief and relevant conversation and then you move on.”

Priceless. And right on spot.

Bloggers, if your readers have to stop in the middle of your post to refresh their cocktails, you might want to think about shortening it up a bit.

We heart clients (but love has boundaries)

A new video circulating on YouTube has creative firms snickering with appreciation. We've all been party to these types of exchanges, and while satirical and hysterically familiar, there's a serious side to "scope creep" that should be managed and avoided.



If you're a vendor or agency:

1. 1 hour = 1 hour. Never go into a relationship with a new client after having been haggled until you were black and blue; that's an irreversible precedent.

2. Make your terms regarding changes known in writing before beginning any work.

3. Earn your clients' trust to establishing a "no surprises" rule. Clients hate surprises, especially when they are labeled INVOICE.

4. Recognize the value of the long term relationship. You aren't going to win them all, and on a project-by-project basis you'll find that healthy, long-term working relationships will even out over time. As I say to our fondest clients, "we're of no use to you bankrupt."


If you're a client:

1. Be realistic (and honest) about your budget in the beginning. A $5,000 budget cannot buy a $50,000 web site, but often a $10,000 budget can buy you all of the features and functionality of a $15,000 web site.

2. Recognize scope creep and avoid it. If your request truly falls outside the terms of the agreement, own it and ask for a proposal. Your vendor will be fair, and it's always less expensive to make changes during a project than after.

3. Accept the "pick two" principle. It's like gravity. Deadlines and budgets are always negotiable. Our clients know we can put footprints on the moon with the right resources and client commitment.

4. See #5 above.

Our firm has been fortunate enough to have worked with amazing clients over the last decade who appreciate paying for value, some for more than 10 years. That's lasting love.

The Most Important Question of All.

Today’s consumer is accessing and utilizing a myriad of information to formulate perception and expectations of what their on-site visit should be like. Some consumers may do little to no research, preferring to rely on the sales consultant’s expertise. Others may prefer to research independently and keep control of the information gathering process as long as possible. They may never step foot in your office, but may indeed become a resident. It just depends on the individual.

When they do walk through the door, each consumer will be at a different stage of information gathering and decision making. Recognizing this will allow you to customize your presentation to honor and acknowledge your client’s research and their knowledge of your offerings.

The most important question a sales professional can ask to themselves at the beginning of each client interaction is – Where in the buying cycle is this client?

If for example, a gentleman comes in with a print-on-demand floor plan and is familiar with pricing, he is probably further into the buying cycle than the individual that enters because they saw your sign and have been thinking about moving. He has done research by reviewing floor plans and amenities and has selected the plan most able to accommodate his needs. To sit him down and methodically fill out a guest card, review your plans, talk about the amenities and beleaguer the point, will not be well responded to. At that point, it becomes about you and how you think the tour should go, rather than about him. You have forced him to go backwards in the buying cycle. You may lose him.

A smart move would be to ask him, “I am glad to see you have done your research. Shall we sit and talk, or walk and talk?” He will most likely select walking because he has determined what he wants and now he wants to see it. In order to be relevant, you, as a professional, need to get where he is and fast. You can still get all the information for the guest card, just jot it down as you walk. In this case, it makes sense to show the vacant ready first. He may have no interest in seeing the model. He knows what he wants. Your job now is not to show what you have, rather, why he should buy it.

If your client shows no knowledge about your community, and is at the beginning stages of the buying process, a more thorough needs assessment will be warranted.

Ask each client, “How much research have you done?” at the start of each presentation. Think of it as a gauge measuring temperature. If zero is “just starting” and 99 is “ready to buy”, where is the client that is in front of you right now? How can you best be relevant to their expectations, while delivering a professional and interesting presentation?

Is it about you, or is it about the client?

Creativity for Rent brings artificial intelligence to apartment leasing

Rumors have swirling that this day might come, and alas, here it is.

Google's new CADIE initiative has given us new hope in apartment marketing. CFR announced today it has started work on VIOLA, its long-awaited leasing agent replacement tool. In tests, VIOLA (Virtual Ionized Onsite Leasing Agent) closed 98.7% of its (her) leases, followed up on all internet leads (while statistically analyzing each one), while still being able to keep fresh balloons on the "2 months free" banner draped over the monument sign.

Says Brent Steiner at Creativity for Rent, "this changes everything." You can download your picture of the VIOLA prototype here.

Modeled after Google's three-step artificial intelligence process, VIOLA combines interconnected evolving agents with probabilistic Bayesian domain, couched in an realistic world from which to learn.

A Supervisor’s Most Important Tool

During a recent sales program, I asked the group to identify a time when they were surprised and delighted with someone’s follow through. I assumed they would share customer service stories where they were made to feel special, or where a wrong had been made right. As usual with my audiences, they surprised me. The majority of people who shared, told stories in which their supervisors followed through with them, by either thanking them for service rendered, or publicly recognizing them throughout their region or company.

The power of a thank you is profound, valued and remembered, particularly when given by a senior team member. Commit this year to doubling your thank you efforts. The impact to your team will be significant.

Your mother was right...don't forget your thank you's.