Exclusivefocus Spring 2013 - National Association of Professional ...
Exclusivefocus Spring 2013 - National Association of Professional ... Exclusivefocus Spring 2013 - National Association of Professional ...
sales and marketing Practicing the Golden Rule By Ed Horrell One of the ongoing surveys conducted nationally by The Kindness Revolution reflects that over 65% of front-line service providers feel underappreciated by their customers. When probed further, the respondents indicated that this lack of appreciation stems from an absence of simple comments or indications of “thank you” as well as rudeness or inappropriate behavior on the part of customers. They also virtually all agree that they can spot rude or indifferent customers by their behavior as soon as they walk in the door. In a similar survey, 95% of respondents state that customers who are kind and respectful to their server will receive better service! In other words, kind, congenial customers receive better customer service from service providers. As I travel around the country speaking to different groups, one topic they all seem to agree on is that customer service has deteriorated greatly in the last decade or two. So much so, the once-popular motto used by many businesses of yesteryear – “service with a smile” – now seems anachronistic. But is it a coincidence that the consumer’s treatment of front-line service providers has fallen to a new low as well After all, how accommodating can we expect front-line service providers to be if they are routinely berated or otherwise disrespected If we ever want this condition to improve, consumers and service providers alike must realize that kindness begets kindness. Our behavior as customers can have a direct impact on the quality of service we receive. In other words, we have a great amount of influence over the quality of service we receive as a result of the way we behave and interact. At The Kindness Revolution, we have enjoyed numerous and engaging conversations with front-line service providers from restaurants to call centers. While the training of these service providers is varied, the opinions tend to remain the same. Kind customers receive better customer service than rude ones and mean customers are not as likely to get “gold standard” service that more respectful customers might get. Allstate agents and staff are also service providers and sometimes feel the “ Consumers and service providers must realize that kindness begets kindness. “ brunt of rude or unappreciative customers. But insurance agencies differ from other service providers in that it is the customer who opts to establish the relationship, thereby forming a bond that is commonly considered to be long-term. As such, customers are inclined to shop around before settling on an agent. Generally, they buy from someone courteous, caring and trustworthy. Most will shun agents they distrust or dislike because they know they’ll probably be unhappy and don’t relish the thought of beginning the search anew. So in the world of insurance, customers establish loyalty upfront because they recognize the permanency of the relationship. Compare this to the restaurant industry, where it is common for diners to patronize several different restaurants a month. And while customers may have a strong allegiance to certain restaurants, the bond is seldom the same as it is be- tween an agent and his customer. This may be one reason why restaurant customers are sometimes demanding and rude to the wait staff, even when service is satisfactory. Of course, this can happen at Allstate agencies too, but my guess is that it happens with much less frequency. The bottom line is that changing restaurants is easy, while changing insurance agents is an unwelcome and time-consuming task. Many Allstate agents have joined The Kindness Revolution, where we encourage the support of people on the front lines. We do this via our “Kindness Cards,” which are given to deserving front-line providers with a “Thank You” from our initiative. These cards are then showed to their managers and company owners, whose normal responses range from “Thank you” to “Tell me how I can get involved with the kindness movement.” Our Community Champions – who distribute these cards via their teams and colleagues – tell wonderful stories about the responses they receive as a result of these small tokens of appreciation. The fact that a customer would take a moment to leave a simple thought of appreciation can be the difference between just another day and a really GOOD day. Try it yourself… take a minute to be kind to your service providers, including the wait staff at your favorite restaurant and the hard-working staff in your Allstate agency. The key is to always go out of your way to say “thanks” when you get great service. Lead with kindness. It will make your day! Ef Ed Horrell is the founder of The Kindness Revolution and is the author of the bestselling book of the same name. For more information, visit www.thekindnessrevolution.net or send e-mail to allstate@thekindnessrevolution.net. 24 — Exclusivefocus Spring 2013
The Ki ndness Revol uti on Welcomes its new partnership with NAPAA Our goal is to start a Revolution of Kindness in every community. To do that, we need a local face to be our Community Champion. Watch your sales skyrocket when you become the first and only agent in your community to represent the movement that will make people smile every time they think of you! The Ki ndness Revol uti on Simple, Powerful, Affordable and Effective For one Allstate agency’s experience, read the accompanying article titled “Kindness is Contagious” For morei nf or mati on e mail us at: all st at e @t heki ndnessrevol uti on. net Or call Dave Dail y at 404. 384. 6060 Spring 2013 Exclusivefocus — 25
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The Ki ndness Revol uti on<br />
<br />
Welcomes its new partnership with NAPAA<br />
Our goal is to start a Revolution <strong>of</strong> Kindness in every community.<br />
To do that, we need a local face to be our Community Champion.<br />
Watch your sales skyrocket when you become the first and only agent<br />
in your community to represent the movement that will make<br />
people smile every time they think <strong>of</strong> you!<br />
The Ki ndness Revol uti on<br />
<br />
Simple, Powerful, Affordable and Effective<br />
For one Allstate agency’s experience, read the accompanying article titled “Kindness is Contagious”<br />
For morei nf or mati on e mail us at: all st at e @t heki ndnessrevol uti on. net<br />
Or call Dave Dail y at 404. 384. 6060<br />
<strong>Spring</strong> <strong>2013</strong> <strong>Exclusivefocus</strong> — 25
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