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SERVICE FIRST
Sales Secrets
for Satisfying Customers
By Tamar Love
As any insurance agent knows,
successful sales are based on customer satisfaction. With an
abundance of resources an opportunities available, your
customers can and will bolt the first time they encounter a
roadblock. Your best recourse? Offer outstanding customer
service at every opportunity. Here's how.
Learn to love
people
Successful insurance salespeople
interact with real, live people all day long: on the phone, in
person and via email. If you don't like people or if you find
it difficult to get along with different personality types,
you may find your career in insurance sales a short
one.
Don't panic. If you weren't born
with a "customer service attitude," you can easily cultivate
one. Try one of these tricks the next time you meet a new
prospect.
- Type
Personalities:
Learn to identify different personality types, and focus on
a few key strategies for effectively managing each type.
Don't box in your client on the first meeting, however;
leave room for the possibility that he is having and
extraordinarily good or bad day and respond accordingly,
with flexibility and tact.
- Mirror
Behavior: Try
"mirroring," an approach to good communication that involves
reflecting back the same attitude, posture, tone and
behavior that your client is projecting. Don't overdo it
with false posturing. You can adopt the same stance and tone
as your client, but don't mimic him.
- Be
Real: Develop a
sincere, genuine persona; people can easily tell if you're
faking it and will brand you as obsequious -- or worse, a
liar. If you can't muster genuine interest in your client,
focus on being honest. The rest will
follow.
Never underestimate the value of
being nice. Projecting a pleasant, agreeable personality --
even if you're a grouch -- will convince your customers they
can discuss just about anything with you, including their
ancillary insurance needs.
Treat your clients like
valuable assets
Clients want to be treated like
what they are -- valuable customers who directly contribute to
the success of your career. Good customer service is so easy
to give that it's hard to understand why so many companies
fail at it. Focus on three aspects:
- Personal
Attention: Learn
more about your client than just his name and annual income.
Ask about his job, his family, his interests. When he calls,
make sure you know to whom you're speaking. If you have a
poor memory, invest in caller ID.
- Teamwork:
Think of your client as a member of your team, and treat him
accordingly. Carefully consider his opinions and show
appreciation for his contributions. Plan for the success of
your team, not your sales record.
- Accountability: Lack of accountability is one of the most
frequently heard customer complaints when dealing with large
companies. If your client has a problem, make it your
problem and solve it. Follow through on your promises and
take responsibility for your actions, even if it means
owning up to a gaffe. You'll earn your client's
respect.
Finally, keep an eye out for what
your client needs. While most prospects can tell you what they
want, few know what they really need, especially when it comes
to insurance. Try to anticipate your clients' needs and offer
a solution before your client is aware there is even a
problem. You'll seem like a sales superstar and earn the trust
and respect of your client.
Keep your clients happy, even
when they are angry
No matter how hard you try to
exemplify outstanding customer service standards, you're bound
to encounter an unsatisfied customer. Don't despair. Turning
an angry, complaining customer into a happy, satisfied one is
not as hard as you think.
- Listen: Most
of the time, angry customers just want a sympathetic ear.
Give it to them, no matter what their complaint -- even if
it's about you. Don't cut them off mid-sentence. Don't pass
judgment on what they are saying. Wait until they are
finished speaking before you try to respond.
- Talk: When your client has said his piece,
make sure you thoroughly understand his problem. Use active
listening techniques to restate his complaints in simple
terms. Preface your restatement by saying you really want to
make sure you correctly understand the problem. Keep a cool
head, and don't let your client's anger adversely affect
you.
- Respond:
Figure out the most direct way to make your customer happy
again, and then do whatever you can to make it happen. Does
your customer want to report your "rude attitude"? Let him,
and then apologize, regardless of the facts of the
situation. What's more important, your pride or your
customer's happiness?
When faced with an unhappy
customer, try not to panic. Take a deep breath, focus on
giving your customer what he needs, and move on with your day.
If your customer feels he's been listened to and treated
fairly, he's apt to forget his anger and move on with his day,
as well.
Customers who remain disgruntled
don't just complain -- they leave. The statistics don't lie.
According to insider information, 15% of customers who change
insurance agents do so because they've received poor
service.
Keeping your customers happy
isn't enough, however. Nearly 70% of customers who change
insurance agents report meeting an attitude of indifference
from their agent. If you give an "I love people" attitude,
treat your clients like valuable assets, and effectively deal
with any complaints, your prospects and customers won't stand
a chance of feeling neglected. Instead, they'll remain
customers for life.
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