Sales Ninja Killer Newsletter

I once had a problem with my D-Link router so I called up the technical support call-line. I told the technical support guy about my problem, he gave me some solutions and half way through, he asked me a great question!

Mr. Ng, what’s your phone number just in case if we get cut off?

Honestly, I was impressed. Not too sure if that’s part of their customer service training or just common sense, but I think it’s important that we think of all the things that could possibly go wrong when and while we are serving our customers. That way we can really ‘wow’ them and treat customers the right way.

Lesson: Customer service’s highest form is Wow-ing customers when bad things happen. Go identify them and create opportunities to wow our customers. 

Unconventionally,
HANZO NG
Sales Ninja Grandmaster

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// Sales & Customer Service Lessons I
// By Hanzo Ng, Sales Ninja Grandmaster

Hanzo Ng has been called the ‘most influential sales trainer’ by his participants and is highly demanded for his unconventional Sales Ninja training programmes. He is also the author of Secrets of the Sales Ninja, available in major bookstores in Malaysia and Singapore.

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for Sales & Customer Service Lessons I: click here

In another scenario. I bought a belt from Ted Baker, which is a UK based designer label who competes with Paul Smith. On my fourth use of the belt, the buckle suddenly pops out as I was sitting down – not the fault of my belly but definitely a manufacturing defect.

So I brought the belt back to Pavillion and told them to replace a new one for me since it’s within the seven days of purchase guarantee.  The guy told me, it’s broken and they don’t guarantee it.

I of course argued that it’s new and there is no way it can be broken in such a short period of time and it’s definitely a manufacturing defect. After a while he says, ok, his boss, the owner of Ted Baker Malaysia will be flying down to the UK for some reordering and will bring my belt back to them and ‘try’ to get my a replacement But they cannot guarantee it. I said if you want to focus on service, then you must get me a new one.

Few weeks ago I was in Bangsar shopping complex and passed by a Ted Baker store and I thought, hey! What’s happening to my belt? So I walked in and told the people to call up the Pavilion branch so I can get an update.

They did and the same person who handled my complaint told me, Mr. Ng, I remember your case, we are flying there in about 3 weeks time, and I told you it will take about 2 months, I will definitely update you when we come back.

Lesson: Am I supposed to keep count on the number of days till my belt’s return? Or are they supposed to get my contact, send me an email about the case, notify me once a while about the case, and if possible ‘wow’ me when my belt is back with a special Sorry! Here’s a 15% discount voucher for the inconvenience and we at Ted Baker pride ourselves with high quality, bla bla.

I own a couple of Ted Baker shirts, each cost me $499. If they wow me, I’ll continue to be a Ted Baker customer, if they don’t, they can say goodbye. In this case, they came back with a Reason why they can’t replace it. I never bought from Ted Baker ever since and will never buy Ted Baker ever again!

Unconventionally,
HANZO NG
Sales Ninja Grandmaster

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for Sales & Customer Service Lessons I: click here
for Sales & Customer Service Lessons II: click here

The sweetest English word is our name.
We like to hear our names.
And we need to use it a lot in our interaction with our customers.

Now, let’s talk about Armani, one of my favorite designer labels. I was in KLCC (a high end shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur), walked into Emporio Armani to get some clothes. You may or may not know, Emporio Armani is very expensive! That day, I bought about $3,000 worth of clothes.

As I was paying, I was waiting for some super service lines that this super expensive store will give me.

Know what I got? “Thank you, please come again.”

What the…?? Can’t you see my name written on my credit card? Can’t you ‘customized’ your canned speech to, “Thank you Mr. Hanzo for shopping at Emporio Armani, the choice you made with the fine shirt and Armani Jeans is fantastic, you look absolutely great in them. (or whatever ego brushing script) Please come again.”

Lesson: Use your customer’s name when you talk to them. And customize your lines according to the situation.

Sub lesson: Most sales people fail to customize their presentation with the information they have probed. They typically run through their presentation as if the information they just got isn’t there. Big mistake. Customize!

Unconventionally,
HANZO NG
Sales Ninja Grandmaster

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for Sales & Customer Service Lessons I: click here
for Sales & Customer Service Lessons II: click here
for Sales & Customer Service Lessons III: click here

I was in Changi Singapore airport a couple of weeks ago. Had a little time before i board and was a bit hungry. So i walk around and see what is available. Realise they have Subway on the second floor above Gucci. So i settled for Subway. Went to the counter and i know the routine pretty well. (it’s amazing how companies can train their customers to order – on a sub story, if you discount your price to get the first sale, guess how you just trained your customer to purchase from you? What happens when they want to reorder? What will they expect as a result from your training? Ever thought of that? Gets you thinking doesn’t it?) Back to the Subway experience…

I ordered the Hearty Italian bread, six inch, Spicy Italian which means Pepperoni and salami meat. And then what happened really ‘Toasted and pissed me off’!!!

I told the guy i want it toasted. He replied, we can’t toast it here. I said, what do you mean you can’t Toast it here? He then replied, well, it says here (he points to a tiny sign to my right) that Toasting is not available here. At that moment i was slightly Toasted. I said to him, i always had my subway sandwiches toasted everytime i have them, anywhere around the world. Sorry sir, we can’t Toast it here. Do you have a oven i asked? No sir! A microwave? No sir! Ok, nothing i can do, except cancel the order, but i didn’t since i already ordered it. I chose my choice of vege and then i was Toasted again. Which sauce sir? I want everything. Sorry sir, you can only choose two. WHAT? As i was double Toasted, i said, i ALWAYS have every sauce in my Subway sandwich! That means mustard, mayonnaise, ketchup, barbecue, chilly, and what ever is there! Sorry sir, you can only choose two. I asked the guy, what logic is this? I can choose all types of vegetables and i can’t choose all types of sauce? At this moment, rather than request and educate i ordered him to put all the sauce in the sandwich and he did. Phew~, what an experience.

Know what? That was the worst tasting Subway sandwich i ever had! For one reason – it wasn’t Toasted and to me it doesn’t taste any good. Subway is a very large company and yet in this situation the sandwich wasn’t Toasted but the customer was Toasted.  Consistency in service is vital to the brand, the business and not to mention loyalty. Will i switch to O’briens sandwich because of this? Maybe not. I buy Subway because i trust Subway anywhere in the world can deliver me the same tasting sandwich that i can expect from Subway. When they don’t – they lose points from me.

How about you? Are your sales and service level consistent? Have you been checking it lately? Maybe it’s time for all of us to make sure we are giving what the our brand is promising consistently. Don’t worry Subway, i’ll still have a sandwich from you – just make sure you don’t Toast me but the sandwich.

Unconventionally,
HANZO NG
Sales Ninja Grandmaster

© 2009 Sales Ninja Training. All Rights Reserved.

Hanzo Ng is Sales Ninja Grandmaster, lingo for Chief Trainer of Sales Ninja Training, Asia’s #1 Unconventional Sales Training. Sales Ninja Training specializes in helping small-medium, listed and global companies transform their sales people into the ultimate sales professional known as Sales Ninja. For more information on our sales, motivation and leadership trainings, visit http://www.SalesNinja.com

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Nothing is worst than acquiring a customer and then abandoning them. Do keep in touch with your clients frequently via e-mail, newsletters, invitations, yearly gatherings, special events, clients-only events, office drop bys, SMS or even a simple call.

Unconventionally,
HANZO NG
Sales Ninja Grandmaster

© 2009 Sales Ninja Training. All Rights Reserved.

Hanzo Ng is Sales Ninja Grandmaster, lingo for Chief Trainer of Sales Ninja Training, Asia’s #1 Unconventional Sales Training. Sales Ninja Training specializes in helping small-medium, listed and global companies transform their sales people into the ultimate sales professional known as Sales Ninja. For more information on our sales, motivation and leadership trainings, visit http://www.SalesNinja.com

   Click here to subscribe to Sales Ninja Killer Newsletter