Lesson 3: The Sixth Critical Element – Reinforce It

The Sixth Critical Element – Reinforce It

We tend to do things that are reinforced more regularly than things that aren’t. Practices and policies that are enacted but not reinforced get ignored.

In this lesson, you’ll learn about the importance of relationship building and reinforcing desired behaviors.

Reinforcement Techniques

Once an organization decides how they are approaching customer service and makes a commitment to their processes, they must live up to the expectations that they have subscribed to. Just as important, those practices must be reinforced.

If you are receiving pay (hourly, salary, or by commission), then you are getting paid to do your job, and that is often reinforcement enough to deliver what is expected. Sometimes companies will put enhanced reinforcement in place by doing things such as:

• Having customers complete a survey about the service they received
• Having supervisors observe when we do good work and provide some kind of recognition
• Celebrating when targets are met, like an increase in returning customers

All of these activities are a way to reinforce our commitment to providing excellent customer service. They reflect relationships that we build within the organization and with our customer base.

Developing and Maintaining Relationships

Relationships are the key to a functional, positive team. There are several parts involved when developing and maintaining relationships with your team members.

Clear Expectations

Every partner in a relationship has certain expectations of other partners. Most expectations remain unspoken until they have been violated. One way to develop and maintain effective relationships is to make your expectations of one another clear.

Recognizing the Reciprocal Quality of Relationships

We can use the reciprocal nature of our relationship with others to establish interpersonal cooperation and trust. Remember two clichés: “It’s a two-way street,” and, “You only get back what you give.”

Understanding Different Communication Styles

We can communicate more successfully with others and establish more meaningful relationships if we not only understand others’ styles, but can also attune our styles to theirs.

Recognizing the Power of Your Behavior

The secret to success is not very hard to figure out. The better you are at connecting with other people, the better the quality of your life. Is there a natural talent for getting along with people, or is it something we can learn? The truth is that it’s a bit of both.

Connecting with other people brings infinite rewards. Connecting is what our ancestors were doing thousands of years ago when they gathered around the fire to eat woolly mammoth steaks.

Likeability Works

No matter what you do or where you live, the quality of your attitude determines the quality of your relationships—not to mention just about everything else in your life. The good news is that attitudes are yours to select. And if you are free to choose any one you please, why not choose a really useful attitude?

In face-to-face situations, your attitude precedes you. It is the central force in your life—it controls the quality and appearance of everything you do.

Power Talk

Phrases for Customer Service Success

Ten Most Helpful Phrases

1. I care.
2. I’d like to understand. Help me to understand.
3. How are things with you?
4. Let’s define the problem.
5. This is what I heard you say.
6. Let me put this another way.
7. How can I help you? Can I do anything to help?
8. What would you do?
9. Thank you.
10. Silence, with concern.

Ten Least Helpful Phrases

1. You shouldn’t feel that way.
2. Why did you do/say that?
3. That’s not important.
4. I know exactly how you feel.
5. I know what you are going to say.
6. How come you’re not as good as…?
7. Do you want to know what I think? Here’s what you should do.
8. I told you so.
9. Any phrase that contains the words always, never, all the time, everyone or permanently.
10. Silence without concern/indifference.

How to Feel Powerful in Your Position

What comes out of our mouths can strengthen our relationships with our customers, or weaken our place in their heart. Along with our knowledge, skills, abilities, and a willingness to provide excellent customer service, the words we use with our customers are so powerful that they can build or destroy relationships.

Power Talk examples:

• “That may be so, but….” can be changed to “That may be so, and…”
• Instead of “I disagree,” how about, “I understand. Let’s consider another viewpoint.”
• Change, “I think I got that,” to, “Let’s verify that.”
• Change, “I’m so sorry, I’m afraid I’ve forgotten your name,” to, “Hello I’m…..”

Whether at work or in your personal life, people who make things happen learn how to phrase their words so they are encouraging and decisive. We can project positive expectations, both in ourselves and in others, by remembering some basics of good communication.

Project Positive Expectations
If you’re going to say…	Try instead…
I’ll have to	I’ll be glad to
I’ll try	I will
I’d hate to	I want to
I can’t	I haven’t yet, and I can
If you can	When will you
This is a terrible problem	This is a challenging opportunity
I’m never any good at …	I’m improving at….
I’ll spend time/money	I’ll invest time and money
That’s impossible	That can be done

Give Credit Where It’s Due
If you’re going to say…	Try instead…
I really just got lucky	I planned well and worked hard
I’ve never done this before	This is an opportunity to learn
I’m getting too old	I feel good. I have lots of experience.
They did a good job	You did a good job!

Rebound from Failure
If you’re going to say…	Try instead…
I failed	I learned
I can see negative consequences	I can see positive consequences
I’m a loser	I’m a winner

Accept Responsibility
If you’re going to say…	Try instead…
They make me so mad	I feel mad when
I don’t have enough time	I can manage my time
It’s the other guy’s fault	It’s my responsibility
Someone else will do it	I will take care of it myself
I can’t change things	I choose to make the best of what is