Excellent Customer Relations Strategies
In my case study titled "Money in the Bank" I mentioned training 17 new people in the Collection Department and the Customer Service department. A brief reminder. Toyota had a 25% delinquency (Note: Before the switch to the poorly researched SAP system, we were averaging 6% delinquency), hundreds of millions of dollars were lost over time. Having worked for Toyota in the collection department and in other customer relation roles, I implemented several principles in the training program that helped to reduce the delinquency to 1.5% a record low.

​Principle 1 – Innocent Till Proven Guilty
Many customers were behind in payments or had issues with their accounts due to the SAP transition. To rebuild the trust and ensure a dynamic cooperation with the customer, I implemented the principle mindset that we are responsible for the circumstances the customer is facing. An apology is in order and we would appreciate the cooperation of the customer to resolve the current issue. Why this approach…
                                   You get what you get with pride,
                      but humility will produce a mountain of results.
As we obtained the necessary information the issues were methodically addressed and either the company was truly at fault or the customer is at fault. In either case an arrangement was made (often to the satisfaction of everyone involved). Customer loyalty shot through the roof with many customers insisting that future payments were done by phone rather then electronically. Customers loved the interaction.
​Note: This may not work for your company, but it demonstrates my capacity to adapt and think outside of the box.

​Principle 2 – Feel, Felt, Found
In our communication with the customer, many were frustrated and expressed their feelings (often) in colorful metaphors. I trained the team to listen and allow the customer to express their frustrations. And respond with something like...I know how you feel. I felt the same way. What I found is that by working closely with someone who cares (such as myself), we can fix the reason and usually the results are even better than you could have ever imagined.

​Principle 3 – Slow down and adjust the volume
Angry customers almost always raise their voices. As part of the principles noted above, when it is time for you to speak start with the same volume as the customer and start lowering your voice to a calm level and begin to slow down the pace of your words. This has a subliminal effect on the customer and will often diffuse the tension and bring the customer to a calmer state of mind.

​

Principle 4 – If it was not written, it did not happen
NOTE EVERYTHING THAT OCCURS. What the customer says and felt along with any supporting documentation will set the foundation for any communication with the customer in the future. So simple yet so often overlooked. He said-she said never works. If I cannot prove my point calmly with absolute facts, then I have lost before I have even begun.
These and other communication techniques resulted in improved customer relations, with a higher satisfaction and repeat business.

WHY DID I SHARE THESE INSIGHTS ?
I love to work on the phone with people. I recognize how hard it is to find someone with these skills.
If I applied for an open role in your company, it is because I am interested.
That means we are halfway there. 
Meet me on the bridge and I am sure we will cross over with an arrangement that works for both of us.
At minimum you've gained insight and at most you've added a winning member to your team.
Email at the address below or call me and ...
Let's Talk