After my family’s recent vehicle purchase, I called my insurance company to add the car to our policy.

The representative I spoke with also owned the same make vehicle and was raving about how much she loves it. This, of course, made me feel good since I was having a little buyer’s remorse.

After she made that personal connection with me she tried to show me my quote on their website. She took me all over my online account searching in vain to find the quote.

Discouraged, she asked to put me on hold so she could find the answer.

When she returned we were still unsuccessful in finding my online quote. Throughout the entire process she was very cordial and friendly.

The call ended with her showing how I could re-quote and add the vehicle myself on their website.

With so many things going wrong during the phone call, you’d think I would have left frustrated. However, because of three key components to our call, I left happy:

1. Personal Connection

Find some common ground with your customers. Anything you can do to relate to them will help them feel more comfortable doing business with you. You may find a connection anywhere: cars, family, where they live, what they wear, hobbies, foods, etc. Look for a match and then call out that similarity. Anything that makes you look more like a person and less like an automated employee will help your customer relationships.

2. Be Friendly

If you are genuinely nice during your interactions with customers before, during, and after the sale, you’ll build up some “kindness credit” with the customer. This buffer will allow the customer to more easily forgive any future problems.

3. Show Me

Sometimes you just can’t get something working for the customer. If possible, enable customers to do the job themselves. Show them the steps. Teach them the process. Help them solve their own problem.

This is particularly beneficial when you can teach them to self-serve via your website. That knowledge will allow the customer to use the less costly (to your business) and more efficient channel the next time they need something. You’ll save money and the customer will be happy. A win-win for both parties!

The new calendar year is upon us and the Chinese Zodiac, which starts the new year February 18th, marks the Year of the Pig.

According to the Chinese calendar…

Intellectually curious, honest and tolerant, those born in the Year of the Pig can be relied upon for their loyalty and often make true friends for life.

[The Pig's] main goal in life is in serving others, and no matter how difficult circumstances become the Pig will never waiver or retreat, forging ahead in the sure knowledge that all will be well. source

We can learn some great traits from the Pig. Let’s see how they can benefit our businesses this year.

1. Continue Learning

Stay “intellectually curious” throughout the coming year. Read good books, magazines, blogs, and publications. Take your kids to the library. Try to learn something new everyday. If you stop learning, the world will pass you by as you become the obsolete dinosaur.

2. Honesty

Irregardless of the circumstances, you must remain honest in all your dealings. At times this may be difficult but making the right choice must always outweigh any perceived short term benefits of cheating the system.

3. Tolerant

How high is your threshold for others’ mistakes? Do you give them the benefit of the doubt or immediately throw down the hammer? Be tolerant of others. You may probably never know the circumstances that have lead to the current mishap. As Stephen Covey has counseled, “seek first to understand…then to be understood.”

4. Loyal

Where should your loyalties lie? Shakespeare wrote: “To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.” In business you should be loyal to your company, employees, shareholders, suppliers, and especially your customers. Imagine if, like the Pig, you become the “friend for life” to your customers. How would that impact their loyalty to your business?

5. Serve Others

By putting the interests of others before yourself, people will be attracted to you and this will naturally lead to better relationships–both professionally and personally.

6. Unwaivering

Stay faithful to your goals and objectives for the new year. Be persistent in working hard to accomplish them. Distractions will arise and obstacles will trip you. However, stay agile in your response and persistent in your progress.

7. Eternally Optimistic

You’ll never be able to accomplish great things if you’re always second guessing yourself. You can get things done but you must visualize the happy ending you’re chasing. Sprinkle your optimism with a dose of reality so that while your goals may be ambitious, they are still achievable.

Happy New Year! May the coming year bring much success and happiness to you and yours.