Customer No-Service

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My wife recently experienced the depths of automated telephone systems when she placed a call to a well-known, national service provider to inquire about an unauthorized credit card debit.

Calling the designated national number, she became lost in a telephone tree with five choices, none of which addressed the issue about which she was calling.  To make matters worse, if she pressed “0” (a logical choice to be connected to an operator/live person), she was returned to the very front of the automated message where the process started all over again.  After three tries, she hung up.

Next, a call was placed to the local branch office of the organization.  After another trip through a telephone tree, she managed to reach a real person who forwarded her to another office.  There she was greeted with the message that “all our representatives are busy” and informed to leave her name and number and they would call her back…eventually.

Finally, a call to a third office managed to reach Katie, a real, live, competent person with a positive, how-can-I-help attitude.  Not only did Katie take immediate steps to resolve the problem, she took pains to relay exactly what she was doing and how it would ensure the problem would not occur in the future.  In every way, her performance was exceptional.

What type of service do your customers (both advertisers and listeners) receive when calling your station?  Are they greeted professionally and receive prompt responses to their queries, or are they relegated to some type of telephone hell?  How many people do they have to go through in order to obtain an answer/resolution?

The best way to find out is to ask your clients.  The feedback you receive may surprise you.

Hows Your Account Portfolio?

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Almost every Radio salesperson I’ve met likes having a large account list.  The apparent thinking is the more accounts the better.  There’s always the possibility — however remote — that one of the people on the list will call in one day, asking if they can advertise on the stations.

You could also hit the lottery this weekend.

Some time ago, when a particular salesperson was struggling with a list of 70-plus accounts and lamenting a lack of sales, his experienced sales manager asked him to look at his list as if it were a stock portfolio.  Which accounts were performing well, which had significant potential, and which were non-performers?  After ranking the accounts by potential, he dropped the bottom half his list.

Concentrating his efforts on the remaining 35 or so accounts with real potential, his sales doubled within four weeks.  In this case, less really was more.

Re-evaluating your account list on a quarterly or even monthly basis allows you to eliminate the dead wood that is keeping you from developing those accounts with real potential.  A good clue is to drop any account that hasn’t shown movement after 90 days.  Keep your list lean and mean, and watch your sales increase.

A Little Bit Pregnant

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I heard a commercial on the radio yesterday that made me laugh…but not because the ad was intended to be funny.  It was the type of ad I call “English-challenged”.

The ad copy (for which business I don’t remember) claimed the sale now underway was “…the most unique in the area!”

Pardon me.  Have the people who wrote this copy opened a dictionary lately?  Apparently not.

Unique is defined as being one of a kind; standing alone. Nothing else like it.  This means “unique” is not subject to modification.  It cannot be more or less; it is either one of a kind or it is not.  Sort of like being pregnant.  You either are or you aren’t.

But this is not a surprise.  Language on the Radio (and TV) is tortured and twisted every day.  Perhaps the most egregious offenses are the meaningless phrases that occupy the majority of ads.  Examples:

  • Save like never before (I got this product free last week, a 100% savings; are you now going to pay me to take it?)
  • Unbelievable savings (You’re right—I don’t believe it)
  • Incredible bargains (Bargains with no credibility; I’ll be right there)
  • Conveniently located (Convenient for me is across the street…I’m looking but I don’t see your store there)

These are just a few.  Feel free to supply your own in the comments.

Depending on the size of your station and the local practices, you’re either occasionally writing ad copy or you’re writing it every day.  Take the time to brush up on alternative words (a thesaurus is a great tool to have within easy reach) and break free of the mediocrity and misuse of our language.  Your ads will sound better, and maybe even produce better results.

What’s in a Name?

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In a previous post, I mentioned how calling a gatekeeper by name can aid your quest to reach the decision taker. If you’ve spent time on the phone trying to reach Mr. Decision, you’ve probably experienced a conversation similar to this:

Gatekeeper: “Good morning, Great Big Business Company, Mr. Decision’s office.”

You: “Hello, is Mr. Decision in?”

Gatekeeper: “Whom may I say is calling?”

You: “This is Rodney Ratecard from WWTH Radio.”

Gatekeeper: “Let me see if Mr. Decision will take your call.”

After a minute or so on hold, you are informed that Mr. Decision is in a meeting and can’t accept your call.

Well, maybe he is in a meeting. But maybe not.

After going through this scenario countless times, it was time to wise up. On one of my next calls, I found out that Ms. Gatekeeper had a first name: Susan. In addition, Mr. Decision also had a first name: Bob. A few days later, the next call went like this:

Susan: “Good morning, Great Big Business Company, Mr. Decision’s office.”

You: “Hi, Susan. This is Rodney Ratecard from WWTH. Is Bob there?”

Susan: “Just a moment.”

Bob: “This is Bob Decision. Who is this?”

You might think this is a fantasy, but it works 90 percent of the time…even on a cold call. The key is to find out the first names of both the gatekeeper and the decision taker (I’ll tell you how that’s easily accomplished in a future post). Notice that I offer my name and company up front. You know Susan is going to ask for it, so make it easy on her. It demonstrates you’re not ashamed of your employer. But most of all, it has you talking like the people who are calling and getting through to Mr. Decision every day. By the tone of their voice and the words they use, they convey that going through the gatekeeper is a routine formality—not an insurmountable barrier.

If you’re having problems getting through to your decision taker, give this method a few tries. You’ll be delightfully surprised at the results.

On The Gate

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It has always been puzzling to me why so many salespeople (and not just Radio salespeople) consider “gatekeepers” as menial laborers. By “gatekeeper”, I mean the secretaries, receptionists, and other clerical positions one encounters when calling on (or attempting to call on) advertising decision-takers. For some reason — and this is especially true of male salespeople — there is a tendency to regard gatekeepers as second (or third) class citizens.

Let me tell you: they resent being treated that way.

And if you are treating them as beneath you, what is their motivation to assist you in getting to see the person you need to see to make a sale?

One sales manager I know — after interviewing a candidate for a position — would meet with the station’s office staff to find out how the candidate treated them. What was his/her attitude toward the station’s office staff? Anyone who acted aloof or condescending to the station’s own people didn’t make the cut.

Why make an enemy when you could make a friend? Here’s an idea: find out the name of the primary gatekeeper for each of your customers/prospects. Use that person’s name the next time you call or visit. It works wonders.

The Golden Rule applies every bit as much in sales as in life in general — treat others as you would be treated. Gatekeepers are people, too.

Are You Scared Yet?

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It appears Radio is on the road to Rough Times. Everything you read in the industry press indicates 2009 will be as bad–or worse–as 2008. And 2010 won’t be much better.

Will it really be that bad? Well, that’s up to you.

Radio is a wonderful thing. It can inspire imagination and creativity unlike any other media. But it’s the application of those principles that will make the difference between success and continued declining revenues.

Retailers will be looking to Radio sales pros for fresh ideas and new angles to attract customers. Where else will they be able to obtain affordable concepts? The newspaper? TV? And while the Internet has impacted all media, brick and mortar stores will be with us for quite a while yet. And they are looking for ways to attract and retain customers.

Your stations’ success is tied to your success. Put your brain in gear and start thinking of ways to help your clients. When you help them, they’ll help you.

In the midst of any calamity lies opportunity. Decide today to seize your opportunity to super-serve your customers with ideas.

In the coming days, we’ll be offering some thoughts that might help.