Sales Training – McKee Consulting

Anything Can Happen!

I once used this title “Anything Can Happen!” as a Keynote Speech Title where many people came to attend. Everyone enjoyed the positive message but there were not as many people in the seats as I would have liked. So, I found a list of Keynote Speech Titles on the Internet and decided to try one. The title was “Stop the Bleeding!” and Another one was called “Kill the BAD RAP on (Whatever)” and I used “Telemarketing.” Here is the interesting part about those titles.

The ones that were negative drew more people. We think we are being positive when in fact we kind of love the negativity. We thrive on fixing things. We just adore getting into the “HOW” of everything and coming up with answers. It makes us feel powerful.

So, I have learned over the years to deliver keynotes that are Motivational, Inspirational, and full of a Positive Message, but the titles that draw more people in are the negative ones. Nothing is better than an Inspirational Speech, one that moves the molecules around. But to get an audience into the room requires some thought. We need a title that will peak their interest and drive them to want to come. If you doubt me on this, check out all the ads. You will see they reflect this. Titles like “Three Secret Lies In Business No One Ever Told You” or “Ten Nightmare Things That Can Happen To You!” You can check out the titles on […]

Anything Can Happen!webmaster2021-03-11T22:17:08+00:00

Don’t Fight Your customers on the Way Out – Part 2

Empowering Your Customers by Asking the Right Question!

Judy and her team continued to work with the agents to help determine the cause of the customers’ rejection. Agents quickly had the answer (as they often do) when they told her that the customers were irritated at being asked why they wanted to cancel. Some customers even said, “It’s none of your business, just cancel.” It is a standard opening question in most call centers, and yet, it undoubtedly puts the customer on the defensive. “Why do you want to close your account?” or “What didn’t you like about the product?” may seem like decent opening questions but really causes the consumer to ‘put up their dukes.’ It was clear that the company had asked the wrong question. But how do we fix it? How do we find out why the customer wants to cancel without asking, “Why”?

The answer is to simply ask them about what caused their consideration, their choice, or what made them choose to opt out. We recommend an opening question like “May I ask what led you to your decision today?” This question gives serious importance to the customer’s right to choose. It empowers the consumer and opens a dialogue that will often reveal clues on the underlying reason for the cancellation. The approach does not just throw money or an offer at the customer. Instead, it acknowledges their choice to choose us.

Judy recently had a wonderful opportunity to work with a company that sold […]

Don’t Fight Your customers on the Way Out – Part 2webmaster2021-03-11T22:17:08+00:00

Don’t Fight Your customers on the Way Out – Part 1

Round 1 – Ready to Fight?

Calling to cancel your membership or return a product? Put your boxing gloves on, it’s time to fight. It can be stressful these days when calling an 800-number to end your subscription or to return a product. As a call center savvy consumer, I know the representative/retention specialist on the other end of the phone is about to do his or her best to convince me to keep the service or product. Here comes the script, here come the offers, and that typical bad question, “Why do you want to cancel your service?” Ultimately, it is my decision, and yet, I am about to face someone over the phone who will attempt to talk me out of it.

Having built and trained world-class call centers over the years, and as customers, Judy and I have both encountered countless examples of how companies actually fight their customers as they are trying to close or cancel an account or return a product. Far too often scripts are written that unintentionally make our customer feel ‘wrong and stupid’, putting them on the defensive and more eager than ever to cancel. It is a challenging task to train your retention representatives to think in a new way, one that makes customers ‘right and smart.’

When did it become wrong for customers to change their minds? When did it become a fight with the consumer when they simply want to say, “No thanks”? Our representatives are really between a rock […]

Don’t Fight Your customers on the Way Out – Part 1webmaster2021-03-11T22:17:08+00:00

Would you rather read a romance novel or make love?

Do you not separate the menu from the meal? Do you know the difference between: What is right? and What Works? Understanding the difference between a gain and a loss can be vital to your training program.

Would you rather read a romance novel or make love?judy2021-03-11T22:17:08+00:00

GOOGLINESS and All That Jazz

For years I have had a small but persistent itch to get even with all the ‘techies’ who make my life a problem. I know it’s generational thing. Still, I have a problem with the same things.

Accountants near the call center want the ‘agents’ to be QUIET. I want them to be loud and full of energy, vitality and pzazz!
The GEEKS of the world are out to get me… They usually do because they have brains and apps and I only have guts and all that jazz.

Last night I saw a movie that made me feel so good. I ended up liking the ‘geeks’ and loving the fact that that the star of the movie was a ‘salesman’ who saved the day in the end. I love to be right! Sometimes the most positive people in the world just don’t fit in. They seem to be out of touch with GOOGLINESS. But they are really never “out of touch with rhythm and blues.” (Billy Joel wrote that line)

Watch the film and see how you can learn this lesson if you needed it like I did. The ‘geeks’ are here to stay and boy oh boy do I need them! I now will give up my resistance to them and keep in mind…I have “googliness” it’s a feeling of team spirit and believing in myself and others. The Movie is “Internship!”

I give it 5***** because of the great message. It is funny and now I want to get even […]

GOOGLINESS and All That Jazzjudy2014-07-24T17:05:51+00:00