The three ways to the

Fully Active Reference

10

CONTENTS

Pure expert or
account manager?

Who would our customers really

like to be?

How can we help our customers

to be the people they would like
to be?

Who exactly are our customers?

Motivating the customer / the

salesperson’s construction work
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Pure expert or account manager?

1. The difference

What is the difference between an engineer who works in a factory and an

engineer who deals with customers? Between an underwriter and an
insurance agent? In general: Between a pure expert and an account
manager?

The person whose responsibilities are purely internal and the person who
deals with customers must both know their business. Both of them contribute
their particular share to the solution of some practical problem, e.g. to build a
structurally perfect bridge or to construct a suitable machine that will be put to
use effectively.

Yet there is a basic difference between their jobs. Figuratively speaking,the

experts make the keys to fit specific keyholes.The underwriter, for instance,
calculates the premium with due consideration of the desired indemnity and
the respective risks.The pure expert’s work is accomplished when he has
found the key to the keyhole. It is different for the person who deals with
customers.

2. What is the extra task of the person who deals with customers?

What exactly is an account manager?

Account managers do not just work alone but are in direct contact with
customers; they have to get the customers interested in their products and
services.With this in mind, account managers are for example:

Sales people, consulting engineers, management consultants, corre-

spondents, service engineers, insurance agents, insurance inspectors – in
fact everyone who personally contacts customers.

What is so special about their work?

The salesperson who offers a customer an idea for improving office

organisation and sells it – full stop – sees only part of the job!

The service engineer who overhauls a machine professionally and prevents

further damage – full stop – sees only part of the job!

The customer is fully justified in expecting more than merely the solution of a
practical problem.

What else do customers expect? Figuratively speaking they expect not only
that we should lay a telephone cable between them and us, but that we
should also use it to transmit a certain message. The message should be: “I Help customers to be the
see in you the person you would really like to be. In my eyes you are already people they would like to be!
very close to identification with your idol!”
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 What are the implications of this extra task?

If we give customers the opportunity to reveal themselves as the people

they would like to be,they will be actively appreciative, not just passively
content.This means:

a) Customers will prefer to do business with us rather than with the

competition.

b) Customers will take it upon themselves to tell others how pleased they
are with us, with our product, our work and with our company. They will be
a Fully Active Reference for us!

Could those of us engaged in customer support have a better objective?

How much more success in selling could we achieve, how many
complaints could we avoid if we consistently acted so as to achieve the
objective of the Fully Active Reference!

The objective can only be attained if we have two things to offer:

1. The acceptable material solution that satisfies the customers’ needs,

their desires and the expectations they place in us.

2. Respect for the people they want to be and help in identifying themselves
with their idol.

We have already explained in detail how to achieve the first of these

points, namely by showing customers that our product or service is exactly
what they felt the ideal product or service should be. What we want to
talk about now is how to achieve the second point;helping customers
identify with their idol.

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Who would our customers really like to be?

What kind of “idol” do our customers – consciously or subconsciously –

strive to identify with? Do they simply want to be “more” than they really
are?

Do our customers, like most people, conceal this secret desire? Will they
ever be willing to tell us about it?

Don’t worry! People usually have such “secret desires” on the tip of their
tongue and are only too happy to reveal them to an attentive listener,
though often camouflaged by feigned modesty.We should listen carefully
for sentences which hint at the “secret”; in general, they start with
something like:

“We were the first to…”

“Up to now we are the only ones who…”
“To put an end to all this, I have given instructions…”
“I have just returned from Capetown…”
“My father-in-law, Professor…”
“I joined the company two years ago.Up to then there was no firm control…”
“It might surprise you to know that…”

Yes! We are surprised and should show our amazement at once, before
being given a second hint!

Or, as a visitor, one might hear the following instruction given to a

secretary:“Did you remember to book my flight to Tokyo for tomorrow?”

People like to be approached about the desirable characteristics of their

better self (their idol). Who wouldn’t be pleased when seen as more:

– open-minded, open-minded
– clever, clever
– courageous, courageous
– decisive, decisive
– fair, fair
– sophisticated, sophisticate
– demanding than anyone else? d demanding

In general we are happy to feel confirmed as the people we would like to

be, and the same goes for our customers!

Why so? – If we are honest with ourselves, the reason is plain. It’s because
we are not too sure whether we have succeeded in achieving our idol or
whether we ever will! Therefore, we are grateful to anyone who makes us
feel as efficient, as good and as successful as we should like to be.

Are all people like that? Do they all want to be first and best? Do they all
have the ambition to be more open-minded, more clever, more
courageous, more decisive, more fair, more sophisticated, more
demanding than anyone else?
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 Again we should look to advertising for the answer.Why do you think the
following slogan was chosen by Volkswagen? “A Volkswagen is the car for
people who differ from those who wish to be different.”

Of course there are other requirements and wishes, e.g. for comfort,
enough food, health etc. But the question is:Are those for whom good
health is not just important, but their overriding concern, our usual or most
interesting business associates?

If you study advertising copy, you will notice that the idol approach is not
restricted to people purchasing low-priced consumer goods.Also in declared
management journals such as the American “Fortune”the ads address the
reader’s idol. The following advertisement examples will verify this:

a) Car

“Drive home in a Jaguar tonight! You don’t care if people think you are
younger, more successful and more romantic than you really are.”

b) Yale locks

“Yale locks, of course! Reliable. Safe. But we think that this is not nearly
sufficient.Your door and the lock are the first impression visitors will get.The
first impression of your taste, your judgement, your personality. Therefore
we devote ourselves to designing our locks properly. So that the first
impression will be impressive.”

c) International credit card

“Success gives superiority.

Everyone who owes superiority to the right decisions, decided on one
important thing long ago: on American Express. And with that, on financial
independence, which will quickly pay off in both business and private
life.That’s why the card is just as successful as the people who own it – not
only in this country.”

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How can we help our customers to be the
people they would like to be?

There are three ways to reach the objective of helping customers to be the
people they would like to be and, ultimately, the objective of making
customers our Fully Active References.

Way Number 1
1. Be useful to your
Be useful to your customers! customers!

Do we tend to place our confidence in a person who seems more inclined

to do us harm than to help us? – Hardly! In many cases, the final result may
be less important than the good intention shown.It is a vital prerequisite for
business confidence. Why shouldn’t we have confidence in a person who
has convinced us that they are contacting us because of a wish to be of
service to us?

How will the customers know that I want to be of service to them? How can I
convince them that I have nothing but their interests at heart?
Do a good job!

1. By doing a good job

Through conscientious, expert, prompt and careful advice, administration

and service.

But that’s not nearly enough! We have to do a good job anyway if we want
to win a Fully Active Reference. If we make bad mistakes in this field, we
don’t stand the slightest chance of success. But how are customers to
learn that being of service is our one and only motive?
Small attentions!

2. By paying them small attentions

Small attentions are an excellent way of expressing our sincere

appreciation.

Examples:

a) Customers make the passing remark that they should look up the
addresses of suppliers of office furniture, of an air conditioning unit or some
novelty about which they read in the paper.Why not get the addresses for
them, even if this has nothing to do with our business – or maybe just for
that reason!

b) A salesperson made it a habit to collect newspaper clippings which

might interest particular customers and sent them to them with his card and
a few friendly words.The result? Some customers were so pleased by this
little attention that they started sending clippings to the salesperson…

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 c) A salesperson taking part in a TRAINING told us that one
Christmas he gave the manager of a bank a present of a book on safaris and
took it personally to the office. He had found out by chance that the manager
was very interested in this activity. And the result? The salesperson now
takes the bank’s orders over the telephone.

Small attentions which achieve a great deal: collecting stamps for the
customer’s children, making last-minute hotel reservations, supplying
addresses of recommended suppliers,organising tours and visits to factories
and, first and foremost, ideas, ideas, ideas (freewheeling!).

Consciously or subconsciously, the customer will draw favourable conclusions

from these attentions!

Yes, but…?

Is this not deceitful? Are not such acts of kindness prompted by an ulterior
Hypocrisy?
motive and therefore despicable? No, indeed! If somebody’s ultimate
objective is to make the customer a Fully Active Reference, then there is no
ulterior motive! What more, after all, could even the most sceptical customers
wish for,than to be so enthusiastic about what was done for them that they
want to tell all their friends?

The underlying intention,to make a customer a FullyActive Reference, is

absolutely legitimate and above-board. It need be neither camouflaged nor
hushed up.It is a decent,clean basis for business.There is no reason for
customers to resent it.On the contrary,they will feel that we deserve their
confidence.

Way Number 2
2. Give your customers
Give your customers a boost! Make them feel good!
a boost!

How can that be achieved?

1. Be the best listener the customers ever had!

Be a good listener! Why is this simple formula so very effective? – Let’s see how we feel about it.
Do we prefer talking to people who are preoccupied with something else,
hardly listen to what we have to say and keep interrupting, or to people who
listen attentively and give us a clear indication that they understand and
follow our words?

To listen to others attentively is the easiest way to give them a boost and
make them feel good. Provided that the customers regard us as worthy and
serious partners, they infer, from our attention, the importance of what they
have to say and, with that, their own importance…

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The more attentively we listen, the more likely the customers are to show us
their idol, what they consider important and what their objective really is. It
would be silly not to give them the opportunity of supplying us with this
valuable information! Once we know the customers’ idol, their objective and
what they consider important, we can readily lead the conversation in the
right direction!

2. Agree with customers more often than anyone else would!

Are the customers always right?

No, not always! Because, if they were, why would they need an account
manager? But every time the customer is right, I am willing to acknowledge it
immediately and without reservation. This is the point. Don’t just go along
with your customers whatever they may be saying, but listen carefully for any
information or statement that will bring you both nearer to the common goal,
and voice your agreement.

To look at this suggestion subjectively for a moment:Who would stand the

best chance with us, a person who keeps contradicting us or a person who is
willing to share our opinion? Which of them gives us more of a boost? Which
is more likely to induce us to make concessions?

3. Admire your customers more than anyone else would!

Show admiration
Whenever the opportunity arises,let customers know,feel and see how much without reserve!
you admire their achievements, their courage,their fairness,their ability.And
do it without reserve!

If they tell you they increased sales by 30 per cent or they were promoted to
vice-president, it won’t do to acknowledge the fact with “fine”,“pretty good” or
“not bad”. No! It is incredible, fantastic, great, wonderful, outstanding!

Do you think customers would even mention such things if they, themselves,
didn’t consider them in that way? Perhaps, they may even be a little uncertain as
to whether the achievement really is as substantial as they see it, and they will
be all the more grateful to you for confirming that it really is outstanding: “This
is in fact an innovation! Something very important! Something magnificent!”

Is admiring a matter of giving compliments?

By no means! You may offer limitless honest appreciation, but compliments

Beware of compliments!
are very dangerous.Why? Because there is a condescending air about a
person paying compliments (like a teacher praising his student), and that’s no
way to talk to a customer. Would you be flattered if a trainee complimented
you on a graph you produced with words like: “You did that very well!”
Would it not sound far better if the trainee with a beaming face simply said:
“Oh! That looks great! I like it.”

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 “I like that very much”is a sentence you can always use,whereas “good work”
or “well done” imply the sort of evaluating judgments which the account
manager is not entitled to use!

To look at the effect subjectively again: With whom would we rather have an
discussion? With a person who obviously admires us or with some individual
who couldn’t care less? Which of the two will give us the greater boost?
Which makes us feel good?

4. Show customers you hold them a higher esteem than anyone else
does!

Show your If you honestly respect a customer,haven’t you made a good start? Isn’t your
positive feelings! attitude to the person, your approach to the interview, bound to be correct?

A sales manager once called on a director whose face was white with anger.
In such a highly unfavourable situation for the meeting, the caller could think
of nothing better to say than:“Mr.Smith,I am deeply sorry to see you so upset
on account of us and of me personally,because I have a great deal of respect
for you.”

What was Mr. Smith’s reaction? His “Neanderthal” took charge again and
admonished him:“You tell me that you respect me? So why do you play such
tricks on me?” – The sales manager just repeated that he was deeply sorry to
see Mr. Smith so upset and that he truly respected him.

From that moment on, the meeting continued in a very friendly atmosphere. All
Mr. Smith wanted was to make sure his caller continued to respect him.

You need do no more than this to bring the other person round.All you need is
enough courage to show your true feelings, if they are genuine and positive,
and to be willing to overcome a certain idleness.

What about yourself? Why are we so attached to our pets? Doesn’t it give us
a boost when Blacky or Whiskers welcome us home, wagging their tails with
joy? Doesn’t it make us happy to know we inspire such obvious affection?
How nice to feel that they are happy when we are there!

5. Accept more advice and more small favours from your customers
than anyone else!
Accept advice!
Here is a case history:

A participant told how, as a newly hired tool salesman, he went to his first
meeting. The buyer of the engineering works met him and explained that the
buying of tools was in the hands of the factory director, who had the
necessary technical knowledge. The young man, not very sure of
himself,asked to see the factory director and started out by saying: “This is my
first day selling tools, so please don’t expect any advice from me.
But, perhaps you would be kind enough to give me a few tips as you have
such vast experience.”The factory director replied that he was rather pressed
for time, but if the salesman was really interested, he lived just around the
corner and he would gladly see him that evening after eight. The young
salesman accepted the invitation, and from eight to eleven that evening, the
man explained to him in minute detail the use of drills, turning tools, milling
cutters etc. When parting,the factory director suggested that the young
salesman come to the factory again the next day as he would have to look
into stock requirements.

And the result?

The young salesman brought home the largest single order his employers
had ever received! It was also the first order from that particular factory, which
had previously bought its tools elsewhere.

What does this little story teach us?

Our customers are happy if we do them some useful and friendly favour.They
may even be grateful to us for a certain time. But any little attention or service
they render us will stand out in their memory for years.They will never forget
their own services!

How often do we hear:

“Oh, yes, Mr. Miller, he is only in such a good position because of me!”

“Luckily for him I was able to lend a hand!”

Are we any different? We are less apt to forget what we give others than what
we receive from them.We keep a careful record of our good deeds, so why
shouldn’t we give our customers an opportunity to increase their “credit
balance”? Why should we deny them the satisfaction of having rendered us
some service? Doesn’t it increase their feeling of well-being?

6. Entertain the customer better than anyone else does!

Be entertaining!

Is there anything worse than having to deal for hours with some person who
bores the life out of us? Aren’t we quite willing to let somebody take up our
valuable time as long as it is entertaining for us? Show business,TV, radio etc.
thrive on our craving for entertainment.

How would it be simply to entertain our customers instead of “working

on them” all the time? Isn’t it worth a try?

How can we be entertaining? By telling stories? – Maybe, but we must be

sure that we are good at it.There’s nothing more tedious than somebody who
tries to be funny and fails. How else can we be entertaining? – By presenting
our product in a fascinating way. By using interesting illustrations to explain
its features. By asking captivating questions!
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 Who is more welcome, the visitor who entertains you or the one who bores
you? Who can stay longer in your office? Who can take up more of your
valuable time?

Way Number 3

3. Give the customer Give customers a feeling of security!

security!
In addition to being useful to customers and giving them a boost, we
should never miss an opportunity to inspire their confidence. How do we do
that?

By being self-confidence personified. By showing that we are sure of

ourselves, whatever we say or do.

Do we give the impression of self-confidence by using an over-optimistic

approach? – On the contrary, naive optimism comes very close to stupidity!

We give the impression of self-confidence if we stick to clear and definite

statements:

“That’s how it is!”

“Under the circumstances, this is the best solution!”
“That is the correct approach.”

If we say “I am sure…”,“I am totally convinced …”,“I am one hundred per

cent certain…”, we will betray that we are out of our depth.

People who really feel sure of themselves can do without such phrases.

Take the following example:You ask two passers-by how to get to the
station.The first answers:“Take the first turning on the left, then keep to the
right. I am sure that will get you to the station.” – The other answers:“The
first turning on the right,then the second left,and you’ll see the station right
ahead of you.” Which answer inspires greater confidence?

Isn’t it fear, fear of the future, fear of loss, fear of a recession, fear of illness,
that plays an essential part in determining our behaviour? Aren’t we grateful
to all who give us more confidence by their example, their behaviour, their
remarks? Shouldn’t we keep this in mind when dealing with customers?

In advertisements it sounds, for instance, like this:

A Mercedes has a lot of features that you will hopefully never need.

Usually you only spend your money on things you intend to use.

But here you pay for something in the hope of never needing it: the
elements of safety.
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Who exactly are our customers?

Where can we use the knowledge we have acquired? To whom should we

try to be useful? To whom do we want to give a boost? In whom should we
inspire confidence?

Should we concentrate our attention on our best and most interesting

customers, on our “traditional” clientele? Or should our attention only be
focused on the “difficult”customers? Should only new customers be
pampered, or is it a matter of general policy towards all customers? These
are questions which everybody has to answer for themselves.The decision
implies an intention either to sow a large or a small field and, consequently,
to reap a large or a small harvest – because we can reap only what we
have sown.

Why shouldn’t we plant a larger field? Why shouldn’t we make it a point to

give a boost to every person we meet? A former participant – a very
successful sales manager operating in a demanding and difficult market –
explained it in the following way:

“All the people with whom I come into contact form a circle around me, in
the centre of which I stand. Beyond the circle are the unsolved questions,
difficulties, obstacles, maybe also enemies and conflicts. My circle – the
people with whom I am in contact – protects me like a safety barrier. It is a
boundary and a connecting link at the same time. My objective is to help
the people in that safety barrier, to be useful to them,to give them a boost
and security for their own welfare.If they do well, why shouldn’t I, since I am
in the centre of the circle?”

Could there be a more gratifying job than to cultivate and extend the safety
barrier through the way in which we do our job and live our private life?

The safety barrier

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 Motivating the customer / the salesperson’s
construction work

BEFORE: AFTER:

I am all alone with my problem. They really understand me and

Nobody can help me. my problem.

I am underestimated, nobody They like and admire me.

likes me, I don’t even like
myself. I am

a) really depressed
b) irritable and ready to
That’s exactly the point!
explode.

I am just wasting my valuable

time on these people and their Interesting, interesting,
concerns. interesting! (Time flies by.)

I am bored and fed up, time

drags. There are a thousand ways of
I am in a really bad mood. achieving

I resign myself to my place in a) material benefits (e.g. profit) b)

the shadows. psychological and physical
benefits (e.g. health)

I just don’t know what, if

I now know exactly what must
anything, should be done.
be done.
I don’t have the courage to be
If anybody can help me, it’s
myself. I don’t trust anybody.
these people!
They give me as little help as I
give them.

I am now going to do what has

I can’t make myself do what
to be done!
I know should be done.

Many thanks !
They are deeply indepted to me .

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Which points in this text do I consider to be the most important ones…

…and what do they mean for me, in practice?

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