Ezine Arcive

The Award-Winning Monthly Resource for Professionals

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OUTCOME FOCUS REPORT
Circulation 15,100
Vol 40 - January 22, 2003
Publisher: Anne Warfield
contact@imp.us.com
888-imp-9421 or 952-921-9421
http://www.impressionmanagement.com
c) Impression Management Professionals 2002
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By subscription only! 

Welcome!  Use as a training tool:  Present the situation to the group and
have them brainstorm how they would best handle the situation. Then share
the Outcome Focus answer and see how it relates or differs from solutions
the group found.

Go ahead and pass this to friends. If you receive this from a friend and
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IN THIS ISSUE 
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1) What's In The News
2) Outcome Focus Situation/Solution
3) Anne's Aha/Guest Article
4) What To Watch For Next Time 
5) Resources To Learn More


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1.   What's In The News?
=======================================================
Check out IMP's Upcoming Public Seminars at the IMP Institute:

Learn to communicate, present your ideas, thoughts, products or services
so people WANT to listen to you.  You will learn how people see you, how
they hear you, how to say your message and how to deliver your message.

Outcome Focus Presentations Skills:
March 4-5, 2003, June 2-3, 2003

Executive Presentation Skills:
April 10-11, 2003 

Outcome Focus Communication Skills:
May 19-20, 2003

For more seminar information follow this link:
http://www.impressionmanagement.com/coaching.phtml
or
e-mail me at mailto:Paul@imp.us.com 

========================================================

2.   Here's This Months Outcome Focus Situation/Solution  
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How to politely correct the situation when you have received poor customer
service

SITUATION: Dear Anne, It seems that customer service has just gone down
hill.  I remember when people used to thank you for buying at their store
and now I find that I am the one saying thank you as I make my purchase!

I was in a situation where we received poor customer service in a
restaurant.  To make matters worse this was an outing with a client. 
Since how I react to the situation can affect my relationship with my
client I was not sure what was the proper thing to do.

There were only two of us at the table so if I excused my self that would
have left my client sitting and I didn't think it was proper to chew the
staff out at our table.

How should I have handled it?

OUTCOME DESIRED: You want to receive good customer service.

HOW TO HANDLE: This can be a tricky situation.  If you don't do anything,
the customer may feel you don't have the backbone to deal with difficult
issues and if you make a big scene, the customer may feel you are
embarrassing them.

If you had more than the two of you at the table, I would have recommended
that you just excuse yourself and then go find the manager to rectify the
situation.  In this situation, that was not an option for you.

Since I don't know what was wrong with the customer service I am going to
assume that either your food was delivered cold or prepared incorrectly or
that you had a difficult time getting the wait staff to assist you at the
table with refills on drinks and other needs.

When we receive poor customer service it feels like a reflection on us
personally so we take it personally.  It feels as though they can't be
bothered with you even though you are the one paying for it.

Here are some ways to handle it using Outcome Thinking:

1. First look around at the surroundings.  Is there a reason customer
service was off today?  For example, too few wait staff, unexpected rush
of new customers, new wait person at your table?  If so, then I would just
make a comment to the customer, "Usually this restaurant is right on with
their customer service.  It seems they just got a rush of customers so
their service is thrown off right now.  At least it gives us some time to
chat uninterrupted."

If you are leaving separately, then at the end you can say, "It was a
delight meeting with you today.  I will stay and take care of the check so
you won't be late to any other appointments."  This will allow you to say
good bye to him and then seek out the manager.

2. If you don't see any reason that the service should be so poor, then
you have two options:
 	
a. you can just ignore it and not return 
b. you can excuse your self and go back up to the hostess stand (try to
get out of sight from the customer).

Once at the stand ask if you could please have the manager come to the
hostess stand to chat with you.

BEST PHRASED: Here is what you would say to the manager:

In example 1:  After your customer has left: "I have been to your
restaurant before and had great customer service and that is why I
particularly picked your restaurant to bring my client to today. 
Unfortunately our experience today didn't match the caliber of your
restaurant and I wanted to share that with you.  I realize there was a
rush of customers and that your team was working really hard.  What
happened to us is that our beverages took 45 minutes to get and when our
food arrived it was cold."  Then just stop talking.  At this point most
managers will jump right in with how they will fix the situation.  If they
don't, you just add on ".... And I wanted to see what you and I could do
about the situation."

In example 2: At the hostess stand: "I have been to your restaurant before
and had great customer service and that is why I particularly picked your
restaurant to bring my client to today.  Unfortunately our experience
today didn't match the caliber of your restaurant and I wanted to share
that with you.  What happened to us is that our beverages took 45 minutes
to get and when our food arrived it was cold. What bothered me the most is
that our waiter didn't apologize to us and he even acted rude to us when
we requested refills on our beverages.  It just didn't fit with my past
experiences and that is why I wanted to talk with you to see if the
situation could be rectified. " Then just stop talking.  At this point
most managers will jump right in with how they will fix the situation.  If
they don't, you just add on ".... And I wanted to see what you and I could
do about the situation."

SPECIAL NOTE:

Send Anne your situation to be included in an upcoming E-zine.
mailto:contact@impressionmanagement.com

************** Want To Perfect Your Skills? *************

Order Anne's Book, Outcome Thinking: Getting Results 
Without The Boxing Gloves for $24.95.

http://www.impressionmanagement.com/products.phtml

Save $5.00 when ordering online.  Just enter the Discount Code: IMP101
(all caps) when checking out.

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3.   Anne's "Aha"   
=======================================================

A study in workplace practices by consulting firm Watson Wyatt finds some
disturbing employee perceptions:

==>  66% of workers do not see a link between their paycheck and job
performance.

==>  Only 49% of workers claim to understand the business goals,
objectives and strategy of their employers.  This is a 20% decline from
the 2000 study.

What does this show:  Communication from management tends to decline
during a difficult economic period but ironically, this is the time during
which management communication is needed the most.

****************
Quotable Quotes:
****************

"A person with an experience is never at the mercy of a person with an
argument."  C.S. Lewis

"In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle,
stand like a rock. "  Thomas Jefferson

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4.   NEXT TIME:  Another situation submitted by you.
=======================================================

Send Anne your situation for inclusion in the E-zine.
E-mail your situation to: mailto:contact@impressionmanagement.com

=======================================================

5.   I Want More Resources So I Can Perfect My Skills
=======================================================


Products: Outcome Thinking Book $24.95 *
Outcome Thinking CD ROM $49.95
Communicating More Effectively Book $14.95
(Body Language)
Body Language Video $99.95
Success Negotiating Audio Tape $14.95
GOALS Set $39.95

I WANT IT ALL: COMPLETE PACKAGE, Regularly $265. Special price for
Subscribers, $199.95, includes two free gifts.

Order Online: http://www.impressionmanagement.com/products.phtml

*SAVE $5.00 on Anne's Outcome Thinking Book
Type in the "Discount Code", IMP101 (All Caps)

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FREE ARTICLES AND BACK ISSUES
=======================================================


We have many articles available for your publication, company newsletter,
etc.  Articles can be viewed at
http://www.impressionmanagement.com/articles/
 
All you have to do is print the article in its entirety along with the by
line at top and the credits, and complete contact information at the end
of each article.  I would appreciate a tear sheet or electronic copy too.

Email: mailto:contact@impressionmanagement.com for a complete listing of
available articles.

Back Issues of the Outcome Focus E-zine can be viewed at
http://www.impressionmanagement.com/ezine/
 
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About Anne and IMP
=======================================================


Anne Warfield, CSP*
President
Impression Management Professionals
7200 France Avenue South, Suite 224
Minneapolis, MN 55435
952-921-9421
888-imp-9421
952-921-9420 Fax
Email: mailto:contact@impressionmanagement.com  **
Visit us at: http://www.impressionmanagement.com  

"A true leader is not one you look up to because they are the best. A true
leader is one that draws the best out in you." Anne Warfield

*CSP- Certified Speaking Professional; a designation held by only 7% of
all speakers nationwide

Member of the National Speakers Association

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