by Chris Clark

Is your customer service department the “bad guy?”  Does your sales force continually complain about customer service? Whether those impressions are real, imagined or somewhere in between, you can do something about them. Over the next few weeks I’ll share simple, proven ways to combat the negative image Customer Service Departments sometimes develop.

Let’s start with one of the easiest and most effective techniques-proactive outbound calls. These are calls to your sales force members that your company initiates; they’re not in response to any incoming calls or existing issues.  They’re the corporate equivalent of “I just called to say hi.” After all, why should the only time your sales force has contact with Customer Service be when something’s wrong?  Proactive outbound calls are one of the quickest, easiest ways to support your sales force and your company.

A typical call might begin something like this:

“Hi, this is (name) from Customer Service at (company name).  This is simply a courtesy call to see how you’re doing.  Is there any way we can help you in your business today?”

The key at this point is listening, and letting the person on the other end know you’re listening.  Let him or her speak, then summarize and repeat back to them exactly what they just said.  For instance, if your sales person mentions deliveries have been slow of late, your Customer Service rep might says something like:

“What I hear you saying is deliveries have been slower than usual recently,and that’s affecting your business.  Is that about right?”

Don’t promise quick fixes.  Do promise the issue will be looked into, and thank the sales person for their input. That’s enough.

I recommend each Customer Service rep make two proactive outbound calls a day. You’ll find your sales force will appreciate the fact that they’re simply being listened to, and they’re not out there on their own.

Look for more quick tips to improving customer service in the near future!

Chris Clark is an invaluable addition to any direct sales team, especially when it comes to the many issues that can quickly surround administration of customer service, compensation, inventory management and order processing.  Learn more about how Chris can help your company at http://www.luceandassociates.com/Chris-Clark.html.

Photo Credit: Seattle Municipal Archives

Jennifer Fong, Social Media Associate, recently sat down with Luce & Associates President Alan Luce to answer the most common questions direct selling executives have about social media.  The result is an article in this month’s issue of Direct Selling News.  We invite you to read the entire article here: http://www.directsellingnews.com/index.php/site/entries_archive_display/when_party_plan_and_social_media_collide

Alan Luce

Jennifer Fong

Few people in the direct sales industry can match the experience, expertise and successes of Alan Luce. With over 25 years in senior management, guiding start-ups and established companies alike, Alan has met virtually every challenge a direct sales executive can face.  Learn more about how Alan can help your company at http://www.luceandassociates.com/Alan-Luce.html.

Jennifer Fong helps direct sales companies leverage the power of social media marketing to increase sales and recruiting, and manage online brand perception. To learn more about how Jennifer can help your company, visit http://luceandassociates.com/Jennifer-Fong.html.

by Alan Luce

Alan Luce

Like the rest of the country, many direct selling families are having a tough time.  Jobs are scarce, overtime is almost non-existent and prices for the essentials keep going up.  In a recession largely caused by the failure of our elected and financial sector leaders to act honestly and responsibly, it is hard to know who to trust.

In days gone by we looked to someone’s “character” to gage whether a person was worthy of our trust.  A person’s “character” is almost a forgotten measuring stick in this world where all that seems to matter is how much money one makes or whether he or she won the election.   What they did to make their money or what tactics they used to win their election didn’t seem to matter.

Yet never has there been a time when the old fashioned notion of good character is more needed as a public standard.  A person’s character is not measured by any one talent or accomplishment, no matter how great or noteworthy. A person’s character was based upon measuring their honesty, truthfulness, courtesy, respect for others, kindness, sense of fair play, integrity and honor.  To be deemed a “success” a person had to have good character.  Without good character, a person was simply rich or famous or notorious, but certainly not someone to trust with decisions important to you.

The one area where character and leading by example is still the full measure of success is  direct selling.  Direct sellers are all volunteers.  They work as part of a leader’s team or downline because they want to, not because they have to.  Leaders who never ask their recruits to do work that they are not doing, leaders who teach even the newest all the tasks and methods to be successful, leaders who work to make you successful are the ones who achieve the most, climb the highest , last the longest and have the most respect.  In the transparent world of direct selling, the volunteer sales force soon ferrets out the untruthful, the manipulative, the dishonest and the self serving. Such people lack” character” and do not last as their followers soon figure out that the only success they are interested in is their own.

In tough times like these, the leaders with the best character in the full sense of that word are the ones that will help every recruit find their way, lead by example in all of the necessary work, and play by the rules no matter what the cost.  They succeed where others fail because character still counts!

Few people in the direct sales industry can match the experience, expertise and successes of Alan Luce. With over 25 years in senior management, guiding start-ups and established companies alike, Alan has met virtually every challenge a direct sales executive can face.  Learn more about how Alan can help your company at http://www.luceandassociates.com/Alan-Luce.html.

Karen Peterson

The meetings & tourism industry is under siege. Recent stories abound regarding American corporations receiving bailout monies and then spending frivolously on meetings and events. This has led some companies to cancel planned meetings and events, resulting in an even greater impact on our economy and jobs. Perhaps worse, those companies are losing the benefits only face-to-face meetings can provide.

As industry professionals we must be ready to offer alternatives to cancellations. I invite you to check out a very enlightening article by Mary Boone in the February issue of Successful Meetings, entitled “Don‟t Cancel that Meeting—Rethink It!” Mary Boone is a highly respected industry authority and author. Her insights may help you, or someone you know, save an otherwise lost opportunity.

To read the article, go to http://www.SuccessfulMeetings.com, or click here: http://www.mimegasite.com/mimegasite/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003940258

How is your company handling live meetings and events?  Would love to read your comments in the section below!

If your company’s plans include travel, events or incentives, Karen Peterson is the one who can make it all happen … the thoughtful way … the cost-efficient way … the right way.  Learn more at http://luceandassociates.com/Karen-Peterson.html

This blog will provide infomation on all areas of Direct Selling.

Some of the topics will be:

• Direct Selling – Direct Sales
• Strategic Planning
• Direct Sales Compensation Plans
• Direct Selling Business Plans and International Expansion
• Social Networking – Relationship Marketing 
• Convention Production
• Direct Sales Convention Management
• Direct Selling Event Planning

Visit our website at http://www.luceandassociates.com