Solution, better known as CSS. Jim has been involved in the equipment industry as a former dealer principal, consultant, and a trainer for more than 25 years. Jim has conducted customer experience training for hundreds of equipment dealers and dozens of national equipment associations where he shares the secrets of industry top performers. CSS has called, recorded, and evaluated more than 2,500 parts and service employees and Jim is here today to share with us the secrets of the most successful people in the country. I know you will be extremely pleased with Jim's presentation as Jim is known for presenting his topics in an entertaining and sometimes very humor manner. Please help me welcome Jim Ficente. Okay, thank you. I'd like to welcome you to the program this morning. As we just said, my name is Jim Ficente and I help people become a superhero to their customers and their boss by sharing with them how they can provide an exceptional customer experience. And before we get started, I'd like to just give you a little housekeeping item. One of the things is a lot of times I get people say, well Jim, you know the picture's so small. If you want to make the video a little bigger on the side, at the top you'll see a little view options thing that you can click on. If you click on that drop-down arrow, you can select side-by-side mode. Once you're in that side-by-side mode, you can slide the video to the left and make it as big as you want or as small as you want so it makes it a little more personal if you want. So what I'd like to do to start out is I'd like to ask you to imagine for me, if you would, that you had a magic genie and this genie could share with you the secrets of all of the top parts and service people representing almost every major manufacturer all across the country. Well, I'm not a magic genie, but I do have those secrets and unlike a genie that doesn't share his secrets, today I'm gonna share those secrets with you. And what those secrets are gonna do is gonna allow you to become a company and a dealership that your customers just can't live without. It's also gonna make customers want to do business with just you individually and it's gonna get customers to fall in love with you. Now, I know you're probably thinking right about now, yeah, right, Jim, I mean, you know, come on, is that really gonna happen? Well, let me share with you how we got this information. As was said in the introduction, as a training company, we've gone out and we've called, recorded and evaluated more than 2,500 parts and service people representing dealerships from all these major manufacturers and national equipment associations. What I'm gonna do is share with you today, the secrets of the top performers. And you might be wondering, well, Jim, how did you identify the top performers? Quite simply, we went back to the dealers and we asked the dealers, who's your best person? You know, who's the one everybody calls, everybody wants to talk to, everybody who falls in love with? And we started listening to what they were doing. And we discovered that they were doing things that most people weren't doing, or certainly weren't doing on a consistent basis. But before I share those secrets with you, I'd like to ask you just a question. And you can type your answer in the chat box there, if you would, for me, please. When I tell you that we went out, and we called, recorded and evaluated these 2,500 plus people, would you say on average, on average, most of the people were A, rude and obnoxious with little product knowledge, B, had very little product knowledge, but had good product knowledge, but weren't really overly helpful. C, were pleasant and polite with really good product knowledge, or D, not overly helpful with very little product knowledge. So if you just click on a type in there, what we found, what you think we found the most of A, B, C, or D. Okay, I don't see anybody, but, you know, in there. Guys, is there, are you guys seeing this? Marina, can you hear me by any chance? Could you pop in and just tell me if, you know, if that's working for you guys? Yes, I can see a couple at the bottom where it says Q&A. Some people are Okay, I don't know that I'm getting there. Yeah, let me check on the Q&A. Okay. Yeah, now I'm seeing the Q&A. Okay, good. Okay. Okay, good. So we're getting some answers here. Good, good. So we're getting some Bs and Cs and Ds. Very good. Thank you so much for that. You know, most of the time when I do this, most people pick B. And to be honest with you, we started out, and we started evaluating all of these people, we actually thought it was going to be B also. But the correct answer is actually C. Most all of the people that we evaluated were pleasant and polite, and had relatively good product knowledge. So I know you're wondering, well, you know, Jeestum, if everyone was so pleasant and polite, you know, what's the need for any type of training program? Or what's the need for any of this information? What'd you really find? Well, let me show you what let me share with you what we found. What we discovered was there was a clear distinction in the methods used by the top performers. It really that it really wasn't so much that that they were that much more polite or helpful. What we discovered was that there were six secrets or techniques, if you will, that the top performers use that most people didn't use, or didn't use on a consistent basis. And in addition to these secrets, we also found a couple of other traits and things that top people did. And what I want to do is I want to show you these and share these with you. And I want to show you how they compare to the 2500 people we evaluated. So what we did was we did a study. And we went back and we looked at the 2500 people we evaluated, and we said, these are the things top people were doing. How many of the people 2500 people we evaluated are actually doing these things. One of the first things we discovered was the top people were really good at getting the customer's name and using the customer's name during the call. But as you can see, less than 25% of the people actually did that. Another one was the top people would ask if the equipment was down to determine the urgency or severity of the problem for the customer. And as you can see, less than 15% of the people did that. Another big one was ask permission to make the customer wait. And what do we mean by that? Well, basically, we call up, ask to buy a part or have our equipment repaired or rent equipment. And, and, you know, the person would ask some basic questions. And then there's this dead silence on the phone. Well, they're looking up the part of looking up the labor rate. And, you know, the customers wondering, what's going on? They forget me? Are they working with somebody else? Now, in defense of the parts or service person, they were busy looking up the information. But the customer didn't know that and the customer was left hanging out there in limbo. Another big one was offer additional parts that were needed for the job. The top parts people would all say things like, well, in addition to the water pump, would you need the thermostat cooling belt or hoses. But as you can see, only 22% of the people actually did that. In addition, the top people would offer parts other than those requested, or the top service people would ask about repairs of those requested. In other words, the service person would say, well, besides the unit overheating, are there any other problems with the equipment or anything else going on with the equipment? This one's kind of a unique one, offer the service department. We kind of challenge people on this a little bit. We'd ask a parts person, we say to a parts person, well, you know, the operator thinks he can change this. Do you think we can do this? This is difficult to do. Just to see if they'd offer the service department. As you can see, less than 15% of the people actually offered the dealership service department to perform the repair, where the top people would say, you know, we have factory trained technicians, and our guys do this all day long. And you know, if we do it, not only do we have the warning on the part, but it's got the warning on the service. And then of course, the big one was asked the customer for the order. Only 16.2% of the people ever asked the customer for the order said something like, well, did you plan on coming in and picking this up? Did you want me to put this on the ticket for you? Would it be helpful if I went ahead and ordered this for you? Not so much to really make the sale, but to help solve the customer's problem. And then the last one was providing exceptional customer experience. Less than 10% of the people actually provided an exceptional customer experience. You know, so often when I talk about customer experience, people say to me, well, Jim, aren't you just talking about customer service? I mean, don't you mean just providing great customer service? And I really don't. Because there's a huge difference between customer service and customer experience. Customer service is what you do. Customer experience is how you do it. In other words, when we talk about customer service, it's something everybody's doing. Everybody sells parts, everybody sells equipment, everybody fixes and rents equipment. So because of that, it's really not unique. And it makes it something of a commodity to the customer. And therefore, it's unrememorable. I don't want to burst anybody's bubble this morning. But I got to tell you, people don't go home at night, sit around the dinner table and go, oh, geez, you know, I bought a part for a piece of equipment today. Oh, we had the equipment service today. Because as long as your customer service is delivered as expected, on time, as promised, customers don't give it a second thought. And the reason they don't give it a second thought is quite frankly, that's what they expected to happen. They expected to have the part, they expected you to fix the equipment. One of the biggest mistakes we see so many companies make is they have this misconception. Well, if we got them the part, we fix the equipment, nobody gripe, nobody complain. Wow, we've created this great, great customer service, we've got this customer for life. But I'm here to tell you that's not true. Because at the very minimum, that's what the customer expects you to do. Now, customer service, a customer experience, on the other hand, is something completely different. Customer experiences, how you do what you do. In other words, do you do it in a way that evokes a positive reaction and feeling from the customer? Is it unique? Is it uncustomary? Does it make the customer stand back and go, wow, I didn't expect that. Oh, boy, that was really different. Because if it does, then it becomes memorable. Then they sit around the dinner table and go, geez, you know, I called up to buy a part for one of the dozers today. And boy, was that parts person helpful. They they told me about the additional parts maybe we should be looking at. Or, you know, I called up to get the equipment repaired today. And boy, was that service person great. Wasn't trying to rush me off the phone. He was asking me really good questions about the problem. Really came up with some really good ideas. When we create this great customer experience, it creates a need in the customer to have the behavior repeated. They like it. They want to continue to do business with us. So customer experience is not just meeting a customer's expectations. It's exceeding the customer's expectations. It's when you take an everyday mundane transaction, and you turn it into something that's memorable by the customer. Another mistake we see, we see so many companies make is, you know, they think, well, if we got all these fancy locations, got all these trucks, service vans on the road, you know, we got all this inventory. Wow, we're creating this great customer experience. Well, once again, I'm here to tell you that's not true. Because it's people that create great customer experience. We like to say, you are X, you are the experience. And, you know, so many people make this mistake of, you know, that not realizing it's how we treat the customer, how we deal with the customer. Because I want to stress to you, it's not about how much you know, customers don't remember how much you know. They don't think about what you say. That doesn't make that big of an impression on what you do. What customers remember is how you make them feel. Paula reminds me of, you know, a couple of weeks ago, I was out with my wife. And she said, you know, honey, I got this pair of jeans, I'd like to return them. Do you mind if we go buy and return them? And I go, no, that's fine. I was curious to see how the sales lady would handle the return. So we go in and my wife says, you know, I'd like to return these jeans. And the sales lady said, yeah, I'll be happy to do the return for you. She said, was there something wrong with the jeans? My wife said, yeah, they hurt my feelings. They were too tight. So, you know, it's all about how we make the customer feel. It's not so much about what we say or what we do. It's the feeling that we create in the customer that becomes memorable. When we create this feeling in the customer, we create this great customer experience. There is indisputable evidence that it creates customer loyalty. Customers don't want to do business with anybody else. They just want to do business with us. It increases referrals because customers go out and tell everybody what a great job that we do. A big thing is it reduces price sensitivity. In other words, customers quit beating you up over price. You know, today, everybody thinks all the customer wants is the lowest price. They don't care about anything else. We do a lot of sales training. And I hear this from sales people all the time. You know, Jim, all they want is the lowest price. They don't care about anything else. Well, once again, that's not true. Let me share with you what customers really want. What customers really want is the best value. Value is defined as the spread between what the customer paid and what the customer felt like they received. There's that feeling again. What they felt like they received. The bigger the spread, the bigger the value. When we create an exceptional customer experience, it dramatically increases that spread and thereby increases the value. When we do that, it reduces the likelihood they'll switch to a competitor. If the competition walks in, they'll kick them out because they know nobody's going to treat them the way that you do. Here's a great thing for us. It makes customers far more tolerant, understanding, and forgiving. Let's face it. We are all far more understanding and tolerant of people we have great relationships with, right? Our friends, our family, our relatives. Well, maybe not relatives. Certainly not some of mine. But when we create this great experience, customers are more forgiving and more understanding. Lastly, it increases sales and we don't have to sell at all for new customers and existing customers. What I'd like to do for you here is I'd like to play a couple of sample recordings. Now, these are actual recordings with permission from the people playing. We're actual recordings that we made. The first one is a parts call. I'd like to play a parts and service call. What I'd like to ask you to do is listen to this call. And as you listen to this call, I'd like to ask you to see if you can pick what opportunities this parts person misses. Did they ask for the order? Did they offer additional parts? Did they get the customer's name? And then after you listen to the recording, I'll ask you to just kind of type in the Q&A what they said. Here's the recording. Take a listen. Parts, David. David, I need a part for my tractor. Okay. What do you need? I need a water pump for a 4450. Okay, let's see. 4450. Water pump, let's see. Do you want a rebuild kit for it or do you want a water pump? Well, I think I want the whole pump. It's leaking pretty bad. Okay. Let's see. 4450. 4450. Water pump. Mark. Mm-hmm. I see 509 both. Okay. I can have one in the morning. I don't have one on hand right at the moment. Any freight to get it in? Probably about five or six bucks. Okay. What's the cost on that, David? The cost is $438, and there's a $50 core on the old one, so it would come up to $388. Okay. What kind of warranty comes with this pump? This new one? They have a year. It's a remand. It has a year warranty. Okay. Can you tell me, by looking at it, is it difficult to change out? They're really not too bad. No special tools required or whatever? No. No, there's not. You know, just getting your fingers in there and getting it out of there. But, no, there's no special tools involved. All right. So you reckon you could have one in the morning, five or six bucks, and the net price is $388 after you give me credit for a core, huh? Uh-huh. All right. Well, that's what I needed to know. I appreciate it very much. You betcha. Thank you. Bye. Okay. Now, I'd like to ask, if you just type in the Q&A there, any opportunities that you felt that he might have missed on or anything that you thought he could have done better. So just type some stuff in there. We'll take a look. And then we'll share with you what we found. No name. No conversation. Holding silence too long. Very good. Never got a customer's name. Very good. Never got the customer's name. That's one of the things that popped up. Since he never got the customer's name, couldn't use the customer's name during the call. Had no idea where the customer was from, if he was with a company, that type of thing. Let's see. Also, we got here, look, lots of good stuff. Didn't ask his name. Name didn't ask his name. Very good. Good stuff, guys. Really good stuff. Let me show you some of the things that we saw that you're seeing here. Notice that he never asked permission to make a wait. There was a lot of dead air there. Now, one of the things that we discovered, customers don't mind waiting and they don't mind the dead air as long as they know you're looking to help solve their problem. So, top people, before they ever make the customer wait, they'll ask. Notice that he never offered any additional parts that were needed for the job. Never offered, you know, any additional thing that the customer could use. He also never asked them, you know, about the water pump. Besides that, was there anything else that, you know, he needed? Any other problems with the equipment? The big one he missed is when he said, well, is this difficult to do? Do you think we can do this? Any special tools? Golden opportunity to offer the service department to perform the repair. And then, of course, the big one, last one, he never asked the customer for the order. You know, never tried to solve the customer's problem. What I'd like to do now is I'd like to play a service recording for you. And I'd like to ask you to look at this from a service perspective. And then, you know, just do the same type of evaluation. Let me know what opportunities you feel the service person misses. Hello, Dwight speaking. Hi, Dwight. I need a new alternator for my John Deere tractor. Okay. Give me an estimate on that. Okay, what tractor is it? It's the model 5-2-2-5. 5-2-2-5. Okay. Okay, so a new alternator for 5225. Uh-huh. Okay. Starter mode opens. So, the alternator is $566.10, let me check, maybe we have a remand one, doesn't look like it. Can you get me a remand one, maybe? I would have to check with one of the parts guys here, it's not coming up in my parts book, but I can check. Yeah, no, if there's one available we could definitely go that route, it would probably save, I'm guessing, probably $200. $200, okay, and it wouldn't take too long to get in probably, I guess. No, generally it's pretty good, it could be two days though. Two days? Is there an extra charge on that if I was to bring it in? No. No? Okay. No. Okay, so back to replacing this, we've got the part now. Okay, so roughly what would it cost to have it redone in your shop? I would say we'd be looking at roughly an hour. An hour? $80. $80? Okay, and if you could do it at my place? Mm-hmm. Whereabouts are you located? I'm just out here in ***. Okay, a service call would be $60 to come out there. Okay. Okay, and then we're going to end up being extra on the road, so we would be looking at... It's gonna be an extra 150 bucks to do it out there. Okay. Okay, and is there any kind of warranty on that to work? On the alternator new alternator, there's nine and 90 days on that 90 days. Okay. Yeah, it's fair. Okay Okay. Well, thanks again for all your help. All right. Okay Okay, now some guys have some some people have already typed in some really good stuff there So if you see any additional things that you felt he might have missed on you could type that in the chat or do you? Want to type it in the Q&A some really good stuff You know Cody said he gave they got a lot of information based on gas, which is really good didn't ask for the sale Sure, didn't want to make it easy sales opportunity Lots of data. There are lots and lots of debt air there said he said Good stuff. Whoops Let me go back to that Yeah, good some some really really good stuff here Let me just if I could show you some of the things that we saw Which you've guys got kind of most of these once again He never got the customer's name one of the things that we found. It's important to get the customer statement I'm going to show you why they're just a few minutes as we go through Never ask if the equipment was down to determine the urgency and severity of the problem for the customer That's one of the big things about creating a great customer experience is showing the customer you're genuinely concerned About the seriousness of severity of the problem for the customer There was a huge amount of debt there now One of the things that top people do top people will say, you know, John because they've got their name John There's gonna take me a minute to work this up Let me get your phone number and I'll call you back in 30 minutes and give you this quote And then I give you the most accurate information instead of making the customer wait Once again, notice that he never asked if there were any other problems or anything else going on with equipment and you guys picked up On he never asked the customer for the order So what I want to show you is how you can become a company that your your customers just can't live without Let me play for you now a top part parts call take a listen to how a top person handles the call Parts Jeff here. Hi Jeff. I need to get some information on a part I'm looking for I'm looking for a water pump for my Kubota tractor. Okay tractors are an L 3450 Okay Can you give me a price on that and we can definitely do that? Let me just bring up down here L3450 yeah water pump, right Okay, just ask a couple questions you can I get your first name sir, my name is Brad Brad Okay, and your phone number 604-864-1129. Okay. This is just the water pump that you after today Brad Is there anything else you recommend I get when I change your water pump? No, is your water pump leaking or making noise or well, there is a little bit of a leak on there We've had to put antifreeze in there. So Okay. Well normally when they do a water pump, they'll replace multiple components Usually they'll do thermostat maybe check the check the hoses check the that the belt on it Okay, and see if you know if they warrant replacement because after age on those the rat hoses will get stiff and When they do sometimes they get so brittle that they'll actually start to form a crack when you try to reseal it onto the new Water pump it won't feel properly How about coat me on those other parts as well and then I can have an idea what the whole thing will cost Okay, Brad, we can definitely do that for you Okay, so give me a minute here Brad I've just got to bring up the information in my book So it's 3450 Yeah Okay, it looks fairly straightforward water pump. There's no serial number splits on it Okay Water pump shows I have one in stock in stock. Great. You're looking at a price of 261 69 Now you also need the gasket for sure on that Okay, what's a gasket cost? Okay, just gonna run those numbers through the system The gasket you're looking about twelve dollars twelve bucks, okay, that's not bad Okay, um, we can definitely Would you like me to put these aside for you? Well, not right now, but I was gonna ask you does the part come with any warranty? Well, the Kubota parts come with a 90-day warranty on those parts 90 days. I've never seen anybody requiring warranty on a water pump from Kubota They're very good quality pumps. I'm just wondering, you know, maybe Japan Okay. Now is this something that you'd be doing yourself Brad? I will have a friend that says you could change the water pump for me because he's worked on some other characters I'm wondering how difficult is it to change that part? Well, I've got a complete shop here That does all the servicing on the tractors for us here Okay, and they can definitely do that for you and give you a quote on what it would cost for labor What's the last time you serviced this unit? Probably a couple years ago now. Okay, because we have a Program maintenance program that we have going Well, they can do an actual inspection on your tractor do the services part as well That's required, but then also let you know of any other items that they may need Okay, just do an overview check of it and see how it works. That's right They'll be checking specific items. They'll let you know on anything that is concern anything that Should be a good idea to change or anything that you that would need to be changed or you know They may come they may pick up on a problem that you have with the unit that you're not aware of Okay, and I can transfer to our service department right now if you'd like to talk to them about that Oh, well, I can look into that later Okay. Well, that's what I need to know. Thanks a lot Jeff. Okay, Brad no, you need me to put this aside for you or anything or So notice the difference there notice how he asked for the order at the end how we got customer information He offered additional parts and you know, a lot of times when I play this recording of our training programs Somebody will say to me. Well Jim, you don't understand. I don't have time to go into all that I'm 60 put the counter Let me tell you an amazing thing about that call That call is less than a minute longer than the first call you heard and he got all of this information in He actually asked a customer for the order twice And the reason he did that was because he has a process for handling the call That's a process for for dealing with a customer that most other people don't Now, let me play for you a top service call Service this is Jay. How may I help you? Hi Jay. I'm having a problem. My tractor is hoping you can help me with I'd be glad to what do we got going on? Well, my starters used to be grinding pretty good and I'm wondering what it cost me to get a starter replaced on my 9420 9420 starter grind you said you bet Okay Is the machine down or I mean, are you able to start it? Yeah, I can still start it but there that grinding in that starter sounds like gear is gone or a ring gear I don't know what just sounds so bad. Like it's gonna have to be replaced pretty soon. Okay Hey, what do you guys charge to come out and do that here for me? How far out of town are you by chance? It's over 10 miles south of town about 10 miles here. Uh, Looks like it'll be about 4313 for the truck to come on And then technicians time and time as far as driving out there, you know 4313 is that like a travel charge their mileage on top of that? That would be the travel charge. Okay What's the hourly rate when a guy comes out here then the hourly rate would be a hundred and thirty five an hour From when he leaves to make the repair and when he gets back to the store on average Was it how many hours to replace a starter out on something like that? Starter on that I would say is going to be about an hour an hour You know and I'd figure you know, 15 15 20 minutes to drive out So just kind of cover that variance I would say two hours travel time you always a trial one So, you know two hours times 135 travel charge 270 Both about three hundred and twenty dollars just for the call out there, sir. Okay, and then whatever the part is Correct you got any stock those starters like that or is that something you got to order in? Let's see here Pull it up in my window What what by chance as far as getting this squared away? What would happen to be your name sir? Oh, my name is Brian Miller Brian Miller. Okay a Good number to reach you at if he does get lost or something like that. There's another one Eight four five zero eight zero five It's four five zero eight Zero-five. Yep Okay. Thanks, Brian I'm working on pulling up the starter here. I Believe we have a remand option that would also be available And those are usually a little cheaper, right? Yes, they are and they're just as good, right? Typically, yes Actually, sometimes I'll actually push the remand to start with a little bit cheaper And then I can get a get you a year warranty through gear That's I was gonna ask you if you guys replace it for me. Is there any warranty on that service work? Yep, I have a year parts and labor there. So that's perfect. That's what I want to hear I do have a They're showing me some serial breaks It's going to take me a minute to kind of fish through and see if it's the same number all the way across I'll just ask pop there. What do you think? It's going to be like a $600 starter or something The new starter is going to run I'll give you both options here. The new starter looks like it's going to be all that 960 I Do not show having one of those available at this point. I would have to order it Pardon what's that remand go for then? Oh, we're looking here looks like about 720 720 and I do have one of them on hand and stuck Is this something you'd like me to get lined up here for you Brian? I will hold off on that right now I'm just going to find out when I have some time to be here when the guy comes And then I'll call you back, and we'll figure out something, okay? Would there happen to be anything else you'd like us to be prepared with you know any lights or? Anything like that that you know you might have that you know save you a trip if we could bring it with Well everything right now seems to be pretty good except for the starter problem I've got okay, but I will get back to you then and then we'll figure out something from there all right sounds good Brian Okay, thank you very much. I appreciate the information J Thank you You too. Thanks. Okay. Bye. Okay now notice the difference there between that and the other service call you Notice how he genuinely was sounding like he was really interested in trying to help him. You know, he asked if the unit was down, he gave him the correct information warranty, asked the customer for the order, asked about additional problems. And, you know, one of the things we discovered, one of the big secrets we discovered of all of the top performers was what they focused on. The top performers didn't focus on making the sale, didn't focus on hitting their numbers. They focused on solving the customer's problems. There's an amazing thing that happens when you focus on solving the customer's problem. You don't have to worry about sales because sales is a byproduct of solving the customer's problem. I want to give you some things now that we found that will get customers to want to do business with your dealership simply because of you or your people. One of the first things we discovered with the top people was how they answered customers' questions. And I have to tell you, for the most part, when we call up and ask a question about warranty, response time, things like that, we get kind of a fly-by-the-seat-of-the-pants answer. Let me give you an example of that. Here's a recording of a guy and we called up and we asked him, you know, if we got a problem, a service problem, how long does it take you guys to respond? Take a listen to what he says. Well, you know, because I've been in those situations and depending on your workforces and everything else, generally we try to get there within 24 hours. That's been our rule and we try to do our best to do that. We don't like anything going beyond that. So if you call us, we try to make it there the same day, but some things do happen. So worst case scenario, within a 24-hour period, we should have a mechanic out there without a question. That's the latest we'll take. So if you call us by 9 o'clock one morning, we should have a mechanic out there by 9 o'clock or 10 o'clock the following day. Worst case scenario. Okay. How about, you know, there's always glitches. You know what? I'm not going to lie to you. I mean everybody in this business is going to lie and tell you how they've got 80,000 guys out on the road. They're radio dispatched and they know where they are by freaking radar, but that doesn't mean anything. So situations happen and I know, you know, it is. It's kind of one of those challenges, but that's pretty much a really good rule of thumb for us. We should be there within a day. Okay. Now, one made that a flight by the seat of their pants answer. In addition to knocking the competition and using a semi-profanity, notice that he failed to assure the customer he was going to solve their problem. Let me play a recording for you of a top guy that we ask exactly the same question. Well, can I ask you, Sandy, did you come out for a service call or something? You know, something broke. How long did you guys usually take to come out and fix it? Last week, our time between the call and the mechanic showed up on site averaged a little under two hours from the time that was called in to when we got a mechanic on site. We actually tracked that so that we can keep up with what our service response time is. Two hours is our stated goal and that's what we try to shoot for. Now, notice what he did here. Notice how we assured the customer response time was important to them. They measured it. Whether you can respond in two hours or not is not the point. The point is assuring the customer that you're going to solve their problem. I want to give you one of the biggest keys to really creating a great customer experience, and it's right here. It's assuring the customer that you're going to take care of them. You're going to get their problem solved. The top people we evaluate will say things like, don't worry, I got these parts in order. They'll be here for you on Wednesday. Or, don't worry, I'm sending you one of my best service techs. You're going to love them. We're going to get you fixed up. You're going to get the equipment back up, get you back running, promise we're going to make you happy. But I got to tell you, so often when I say that in the training program, somebody will say to me, well, I'm not going to say that. And I say, well, why not? They go, well, you know, we don't always get the equipment fixed the first time. Well, the parts don't always come in on time. So then I'll ask them, well, how often does that happen? I mean, is it 20% of the time, 30% of the time? And they'll go, no, maybe five or 10% of the time. Well, then I like to ask, well, because it's five or 10% of the time, you're going to miss the opportunity to reassure 90% of all your other customers, you're going to solve the problem. And they say, well, Jimmy and I never thought about it like that. Just because there's a small chance something might not go perfect. Don't miss this huge opportunity to assure the customer you're going to solve their problem. Remember, we're supposed to be the professionals. We're supposed to be the experts. Customers are looking for reassurance from us that we're going to solve their problem. We said creating a great customer experience was how you made the customer feel. What better way than to assure the customer you're going to fix their equipment. You're going to get them apart. You're going to take care of them and you're going to make them happy. One of the other things we saw that got customers to want to do business with a particular dealership or customer was credibility. I want to stress to you, whether it's the first time you're dealing with a customer or the hundredth time you're dealing with a customer, every time you deal with a customer, you're either building or losing credibility with that customer. And you're doing it by how you provide information. In other words, are you giving the customer information that they can relate and understand how this is going to solve their problem? Or are you giving them a bunch of technical mumbo-jumbo that they don't understand? Another one is how you answer their questions. We like to ask the warranty on a rebuilt, if it's a rebuilt component, we like to ask, what's the warranty? You'd pay 90% of the time and go, well, I think it's 90 days. I believe it's six months. Customers ask these questions. We need to know the answer. And the other one is how you deal with their problems. In other words, are you making their problem your problem? Are you genuinely concerned and interested in helping them get the problem solved? Are you just trying to get them off the phone so you can get to the next customer? The next thing that I want to share with you is a little process that we saw top people use in getting customers' names, in asking all of these additional questions and in solving the customer's problems. Here's the video. Take a look. Asking for and using the customer's name is important and many people we evaluate fail to do it. Why is it important? Using the customer's name is the logical and most effective first step in providing an exceptional customer experience. Simply, customers like to hear their names. So how do top performers get customer information without making the process sound like an interrogation? When trying to get customer information, many employees make the mistake of immediately asking for a customer's name before making a connection by asking about the customer's problem. This can come across as extremely cold and possibly be viewed as a lack of interest in the problem. When a customer calls to ask for a part or to have equipment repaired, top performers will say, I'd be happy to help. May I ask you a couple of questions? They will then ask for basic information regarding the problem, such as the make and model of the equipment and follow with, by the way, is the equipment down? By using this process, top performers establish a connection with the customer. Once the connection is made, top performers then say, just in case I have to get back to you or provide you with additional information, may I get your name and phone number? There are two reasons top performers find this process effective. One, it builds rapport with customers by putting them and their problems first. Two, they receive permission from customers to ask detailed questions. Once you establish rapport with customers, they're more willing to provide their contact information. If you will try this process, you will notice it's an effective way to acquire and use a customer's name. You know, when we use the customer's name, it builds instant credibility. It personalizes the call and it's the beginning of creating loyalty with the customer. It also makes the customer feel more comfortable. It's the beginning of building this relationship with the customer. Now, like you saw in the video, what top performers do is they don't lead with asking the customer's name. And, you know, so often we'll call up and somebody will say, well, who is this? Who am I talking to? I got to tell you, that comes across as kind of rude to the customer. Or the more common one, well, just in case we get cut off, can I get your name? Customers know that's a ruse to get their customer information and they don't like it. What top performers do, it's like they said in the video, they give the customer a really good reason for you getting the customer's information. They'll say, just in case I have to get back to you or get you any additional information, can I get your name and can I get your phone number? Now, once they do in the process, once they get the customer's name, now there's a golden opportunity to use the customer's name. John, besides that water pump, is there any other parts you need or anything else, you know, anything else I could help you with? The next step in the process is once they do that, once they get it, get the customer's name, get the information, they're probably going to have to look something up. What top performers do, before they ever make the customer's wait, they always ask. They'll say something like this to the customer. Can I put you on hold a minute, Tony? Sure, thank you. Do you mind if I put you on hold for a couple of minutes to look up this part for you? Don't mind hanging on for a second, I can look it up for you real quickly. Now, notice what they did. Before they ever made the customer wait, they asked permission. Like I said before, we found customers don't mind waiting, they don't mind the dead air, as long as they know you're looking to help solve their problem. Here's another thing we saw. When customers, when top people came back on the phone, they'd say to the customer, thanks so much for waiting, or thanks so much for hanging on with me. Or if they put them on hold, most people don't put us on hold, but if they do, they say, thanks so much for putting us for waiting while I look this information up. One of the things we discovered with these top people, it wasn't one big extraordinary thing that they did that created this great customer experience. It was all of the ordinary things they did in an extraordinary manner. I'd like to play a little video of 10 things we saw top performers did in an extraordinary manner. After recording and evaluating more than 2,500 plus employees, we have found it's not one extraordinary thing top performers do that separates them from all of the others. Instead, it's the many ordinary things they do in an extraordinary manner. Here are 10 ordinary things top performers do in an extraordinary manner. One, they pay attention to the customer. Top performers concentrate on the customer and do not allow themselves to become distracted. Two, they never interrupt the customer. When you interrupt a customer, the customer gets the impression what he or she is saying is not important. Three, they listen when the customer interrupts. They stop speaking and listen to the customer. This conveys to the customer you are listening and it's important. Four, they have outstanding manners. Top performers use please and thank you. Both are magical phrases in business. Five, they have a genuine interest. Top performers display an attitude that shows their commitment to help. Six, they don't pass the customer around. Top performers will never tell a customer they have the wrong department and hand off the customer to someone else. Seven, they never blame their employers. A top performer never uses company policy as an excuse to not help a customer. Eight, they go the extra mile. Customers enjoy the special attention they receive from employees who go the extra mile, which builds rapport and trust. Nine, they show empathy. Customers are more likely to be comfortable with employees who make an effort to see things from their perspective. Finally, ten, they have a positive attitude. No matter the situation, top performers are upbeat, have a can-do attitude, and appear eager to solve a customer's problem. These ten actions will take you from ordinary to extraordinary. You really want to provide an exceptional customer experience for the customer? Show appreciation for the customer's business. The top people we evaluate will say things like, hey, I know I don't say this enough, but thanks so much for the order. We really appreciate your business. Or, hey, I know we kid around a lot, but we really value you as a customer and we really appreciate your business. Now, you might think that's corny. But let me tell you who's not going to think it's corny. The customer. Because everybody wants to be appreciated. You can really get customers to want to do business with you by being their hero. Be their go-to person. Be the person they know when they call you, you're going to help them. Let me show you some things heroes do. Heroes listen. You know, most people don't listen with the intent of understanding. They listen with the intent of replying. They're thinking about what they're going to say when it's their turn to talk. The single greatest gift you can give any customer is your undivided attention. Another thing heroes do is they never prove the customer wrong. We've all heard the customer is always right. The customer is always right. Well, we know that's not true. Customers aren't always right. But heroes never prove the customer wrong. Heroes fall on their sword. Heroes say things like, geez, I must have misunderstood you. This must have been my fault. And lastly, heroes understand. It may not be their fault, but it's still their problem. Customer gave you the wrong information, wrong part number, wrong address. Not your fault, but it's still their problem. I want to close out and give you five reasons to really provide an exceptional customer experience. The quality of a customer's experience in dealing with you should be your main goal. It's all about putting the customer at the center of your business, and companies with employees who do this have a distinct competitive advantage. In addition, parts and service people who elevate their customers and focus on solving problems gain a wonderfully disruptive competitive advantage because they increase customer loyalty, retain more of their existing customers, and create strong customer advocates. Here are five benefits of boosting your customer experience skills. Providing an outstanding customer experience builds loyalty. When a customer has the expectation of a reliable, repeatable, and pleasurable experience with you and your dealership, their loyalty increases. Well-executed customer experience encourages customers for life. Customers for life have lasting value, ensure the profitability of the dealership, and boost job security. Thoughtful customer experience creates customer advocates and evangelism. Customer advocacy and evangelism act as turbo boosters on social media networks and other communication channels that elevate the voice of customers and generate referrals. Customers are more demanding. Service standards keep rising. As more and more companies deliver better and better service, customers become more demanding and their expectations grow accordingly. A great customer experience recognizes the new, powerful role of the customer. The power of today's customer is greater than ever. Over 50% of people will not do business with a company that provides a poor customer experience. Who customers do business with is based on how they feel, not price. The role and influence of the customer have changed dramatically because of social media, online communities, and the ability to spread the word to thousands of people instantly. The takeaways from all of this is when you provide an exceptional customer experience, you become a company your customers can't live without. It makes customers want to do business with just you, and you'll get customers to fall in love with you. So let me just kind of open the floor up here, if I could, before we close this out. I've got a free offer that I want to give you before I leave, but just if anybody's got any questions, if you just type them in the chat box about maybe something I didn't cover or something, you know, you have a question about, you know, you have a question about, any of these are yeah, but, and the yeah, but is, yeah, but you might not know about that, or anything that you might like to offer to provide a great customer experience. Let me just check the chat box here. Anything at all? No questions? Um, Jim, you've given us a lot of good information. What's the best way to put this into practice? You know, the best way to put this into practice is one of the things that we've discovered is, you know, these are, these are skills, and like all skills, they've got to be practiced. You got to use them. You know, you got to make yourself a little cheat sheet by the phone. Am I doing these things? Am I asking for the, am I offering additional part? Those type of things. Somebody said, somebody said that, how would you handle a situation best for parts with a long lead time? For example, six months. We're running into this a lot. I get this question a lot. You know, Jim, we can't get parts. We can't get equipment. You know, what's the best way to handle this? One of the things we want to do is we want to make sure we're showing empathy to the customer, that we understand and appreciate how difficult this is for the customer. We also, we don't want to point, we don't want to blame people. You know, what everybody wants to do, they want to put it in the factory. They don't want to, you know, we don't want to blame people. What top people will do is, is apologize to the situation. I'm really, really sorry this is happening. Then they want to show empathy. I understand how difficult this is for you. I understand the situation that puts you in. Now they want to reassure them. And let me reassure you that we're going to do everything we possibly can. We're going to continue to check with the factory. We're going to continue to monitor this. And I'm going to do everything I can to get you this part as soon as possible. People are understanding there's long lead times, but when we do these things, you know, when we apologize, when we show empathy, when we show reassurance, those are things that smooth the situation over. Okay. It doesn't look like there's any more questions. Let me ask you guys a question, if I could. Let me ask you, how skilled do you think the employees in your dealership are at providing an exceptional customer experience? Do you think they obtain and use the customer's name? Do they offer additional parts and repairs? Do they ask the customer for the order? Do they provide an exceptional customer experience? Would you like to find out? What we'd like to do for you is give you a free offer. We'd like to offer to call, record, and evaluate up to three of your parts and service employees at absolutely no charge, no obligation. What this will do is it'll really give you an insight not only to the customer experience being provided, but the process. How long does it take to get to the parts department? How long does it answer the phone? You know, how are people handling customers? If you'd like to take advantage of this offer, here's my phone number with my direct extension. Please feel free to give me a call at any time. I'll be more than happy to offer this. Also, I'd like to let you know that I'm available as a resource to you. If anytime after the training today you got any questions, there's anything I could help you with at all, here's my phone number again. Please feel free to pick up the phone, give me a call, send me an email. I'll be more than happy to help you in any way that I can. In closing now, I want to thank you for the opportunity to share this information with you. You've been a great group. You've done a great job on analyzing those calls and the poll question there. Much better than I typically see, actually. So, thank you very much for that. That is my part of the presentation. Hope everybody goes out and has a great day and make a commitment to provide an exceptional customer experience. Thank you, guys.

customer experience

exceptional customer service

memorable interactions

customer's name

relevant questions

additional parts or services

empathy

active listening

problem-solving skills