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14 May 2015

Building a Business on YES

When you say “no” to a customer the customer really hears “go somewhere else to get your solution.”

Creating a spirit of YES in your company all starts at the top. As the leader, you have to encourage your entire team to be focused on excellent customer service by setting a great example. You need to succeed in getting all of your employees to remove phrases like “that’s not my department,” “that’s not my job,” “it doesn’t work that way” and “maybe if you call back someone else can help” out of the company vocabulary!

That might sound obvious, but even great employees can fall into a rut of saying no instead of focusing on satisfying each and every customer. At The Growth Coach, we know growing a business all starts with making sure you’ve built a strong foundation. So if you need some help creating a culture of YES, here are a few tips:

  1. Set the example: Your employees look to you, even subconsciously, for guidance on how to operate in the workplace, including how to treat customers. Do your best to provide excellent service and treat customers the way you would want to be treated.
  1. Relay the story: As the leader of your company, you need to tell stories of YES. If you spend your time telling employees horror stories about customers and talking about how customers are taking advantage of you, that will stick with your employees. Keep it positive and encouraging!
  1. Encourage YES: Take every opportunity to encourage your team to focus on customer service and even consider starting each shift with a reminder about doing your best to meet the needs of each and every customer.
  1. Reward and Recognize: Sometimes providing an excellent customer service experience means someone on your team has to go above and beyond the usual job. When that happens – and when the result is positive – ask the customer for a review and then reward the employee with at least a pat on the back in front of the team.
  1. Focus on YES from the beginning: Bringing on the right team member is always challenging, but next time you have a position to fill, focus on more than the resume. Hire for YES and hire for ATTITUDE. People can learn how to do the job, but they can’t always learn how to be a positive person with a focus on excellent customer service. Look for that in your job candidates!

– Growth Coach President Nathan Owens

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