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Michelle Nitchie

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ProTip: Learn to Better Read Body Language

Michelle Nitchie | Jul 30, 2015 10:00:00 AM

Body_Language_Stick_FiguresNoticing body language:

Your mission is to norm at least three completely different "types" of people.  Look for at least one of each of the following types: shy, powerful/confident, and arrogant/aggressive.  

In a notebook, draw a stick figure of each of the people you are norming.  Now use a Head/Shoulders/Knees/Toes model to scan each.  Write a one- or two-word observation next to the corresponding areas of the body (such as, "head back, nose slightly up, shoulders slumped forward, hip tilted to the left side, hands on hips, feet two feet apart").  Allow yourself to write with plenty of detail, but limit yourself to two to ten minute of observation for each person.  

Once you've done this exercise on paper today, continue throughout the week without writing it down.  Practice this exercise often enough and you'll start doing it automatically-which is the goal.

- Janine DriverYou Say More Than You Think

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Topics: Being Attentive, Listening, Communication

ProTip: What Do Your Customers Want?

Michelle Nitchie | Jul 23, 2015 10:00:00 AM

What_Do_You_WantNever assume you know what your customers want. 

-Renee Evenson, Customer Service Training 101


While this tip seems so obvious, it's a lesson we can all keep refreshing ourselves on.  It's still so easy to get it wrong, plus it pertains to so many areas: customer service, sales, marketing, problem resolution, and on and on.

Let's looks at a couple of specific sample scenarios to see how it applies.

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Topics: Being Attentive, Listening, Customer Service, Customer Feedback, Sales and Selling

ProTip: Set Your Inclusion Policies Using Inclusion

Michelle Nitchie | Jul 16, 2015 10:00:00 AM

Team_Around_TableThe reason inclusion is so important is simple: When everyone matters and everyone knows he or she matters, employees are happy to come to work, and they're eager to give you their energy, creativity, and loyalty.  On the other hand, when people don't feel included, they become apathetic and perform at less than their full capacity.  To put it simply, all people want exactly what you want.  You want to be included, listened to, respected, and involved, don't you?  You want to be asked your opinion and have it taken seriously.  You want to feel valued.  And you want to be known as an individual and treated as such.  Well, so does everyone else.  That's why great leaders make sure that everyone in the workplace-no matter the rank or position-feels included and no one feels left out.

-Lee Cockerell, Creating Magic

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Topics: Business Skills, Teamwork, Culture, Leadership and Management

ProTip: Your First Response to a Stall or an Objection

Michelle Nitchie | Jul 9, 2015 10:00:00 AM

Stop_Sign_Marker_PicWhat is the difference between a stall and an objection?  A stall is, "I want to think about it," or "I have to meet with other people."  An objection is, "Your price is too high," or "We have a satisfactory supply."  Both are putoffs which basically say, "You haven't sold me yet."  The bottom line is conversion.  You have to convert their lack of confidence, their lack of trust, and their lack of perceived value into a sale.

- Jeffrey Gitomer, The Little Red Book of Sales Answers

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Topics: Business Skills, Sales and Selling, Discovery and Questioning Skills

ProTip: Search for the Best in Your "Worst" Customers

Michelle Nitchie | Jul 2, 2015 10:00:00 AM

Search_Magnifying_GlassWhen you look for the positive qualities of your challenging customer, you increase your ability to connect with that customer and enjoy your time together.  How you think about your customers influences how you respond to them.  When you begin noticing the positive qualities, your clients will start responding to your differently, because how you act is determined by how you think.

- Marilyn Suttle and Lori Jo Vest, Who's Your Gladys?

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Topics: Business Skills, Customer Experience, Problem Resolution, Managing Stress, Difficult Situations, Customer Complaints

ProTip: Give Your Training a Leg Up (or at Least Legs to Stand On)

Michelle Nitchie | Jun 25, 2015 10:00:00 AM

Give_a_Leg_UpTraining can launch an ongoing strategy.  It can teach people service behaviors, empower them, reward their involvement, and initiate ongoing processes for building customer loyalty.  But company efforts must have legs.  The best interventions are ongoing and consistent, not disjointed special events.

- Dr. Paul R. Timm, Seven Power Strategies for Building Customer Loyalty


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Topics: Business Skills, Training, Leadership and Management

Tips and resources on how to be a master of customer service and sales; to improve yourself personally, as an employee, and as a leader; and much more.

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