The goal of every business is to attract and keep satisfied, repeat customers. Customers that are so pleased with your service they brag about you to their friends and associates.

Your aim is to leave a positive impression in the mind of the customer that exceeds their expectations. This is accomplished through communication. Webster's Dictionary has an interesting definition for "communicate":

2a. To give or exchange information, signals, or messages in any way, as by talk, gestures or writing, etc.

COMMUNICATE
It's our goal to communicate to the customer a variety of ideas such as: "You're important to us"; "we clearly understand your needs and desires"; "we can meet those needs in a competent manner"; "You, Ms./Mr./Mrs. Customer, are the only priority I have at this very moment."

But how do we communicate these messages in the most effective way possible? Certainly there must be better approaches than bull horns and loud audiotapes as the customer walks through the door. The answer: Let your body do the talking.

The most powerful means of communication is through the body. Our body can and does mirror our thoughts, attitudes and behaviors. You can learn to use your body in such a manner that it communicates the message you want your customer to receive.


STUDY
A study at the University of Southern California concluded communication is comprised of three components: Words; Tonality & Volume; and lastly, physiology. What percent would you assign to each category? What percent of communication comes from the words we use? The study revealed only 7% of our communication came from the actual words.


TONALITY/VOLUME
Tonality/Volume accounted for 38% of the communication process. Ponder this point for a moment. At a tender young age, I became very aware that how my mother said my name had meaning. A gentle "Mark" meant one thing. A firmer, more direct "Mark" had another meaning. If she threw in my middle name with her teeth clinched and jaw locked, I knew I was a goner.

The most powerful component of the communication process is physiology. 55% of the communication process comes from your body.

You've met the person who uses the right words, the tone isn't bad but the body is sending another message. A classic example: You ask someone at home or work how they're doing. The reply comes back with a satisfactory sounding, "fine." The words are proper, tone doesn't sound bad but you notice the shoulders are sloped, head hangs down and you look into a set of sad puppy dog eyes. You immediately sense the words don't match the body. You believe the body. The body carries more credibility than mere words.

If our body communicates more than words or tones, it's a no brainer conclusion—we should master our bodies in the communication process. A powerful communication process takes place when the words, tones and body are congruent with one another. They're all sending the same message. Your customers are reading the messages you're sending. From your messages the customer is forming their opinions about your company.


CONGRUENCY
Congruency is an important factor to your customers. Customers are looking for validation that you mean what you say. Just like the person in the "fine" example above, they look at words, tones and body. The world abounds with service personal that verbally say "have a nice day" yet the salutation is so mechanical and mundane you get a clear picture they don't care if you drop dead on your way out the door. Or the parrot syndrome: The cashiers says in the most robotic, mechanical, emotionless voice possible: "Thanks for shopping at XYZ." You then wait for her to squawk so you can throw her a cracker.

A useful exercise is to review and list all the lousy communication processes you've noticed other service personnel have used with their bodies.

1.) What doesn't work?

2.) What body positions send mundane or negative messages?

3.) Determine the message you want to send to your customers.

4.) How will this "look" to your customer? What impression do you want your customers to walk away with? Remember, they are going to form impressions, you should manage the process for a positive outcome.

Write the goals down so everyone can clearly see them.
Make two lists:
1. Powerful, purposeful physiology and

2. Mundane or mediocre.

As a group activity review how you can use your body, together with words and tones to meet your objective.

Here are some ideas:

1. Review what lousy and superb communication looks like.

2. Have people demonstrate the winners and losers.

3. Consider the following areas: Posture, stance, eye contact, body position, arms and hands, facial expressions.

4. Develop further criteria as a team that might be important to your situation.

5. Don't forget about tone and volume. Remember it accounts for 38% of the communication process. Be sure you review the "physiology" message you're sending over the phone! We taped twenty phone conversations and asked the class to determine the energy, focus and congruency of the communication. Only three conversations sent the message, "I want to be of service."

IMPRESSIONS
There is a measurable difference in impressions formed in the mind of the customer based on your physiology. Consider the attendant who is leaning against the back counter when you walk in. He remains there—one arm propping himself up—as you reach the counter. You're further impressed when he asks, "yah, can I help you?" in a tone that could be better translated: "Boy this job would be fine if it weren't for the customers." Of course he doesn't use those words. Then again he doesn't need to...his body and tone said it all.

Contrast that example with the person who is centered, focused, looking directly at you, carries a bright smile across his/her face, leans toward you, open arms and hands indicating a subtle form of welcome.

Our physiology communicates more than we think. The service superstars recognize this communication factor and use it to attract and keep more customers without saying a word. Often times it's the little secrets that make the largest impact. So use your physiology to attract and keep customers without saying a word.

WOW! Performance Coaching, Inc. is committed to producing outstanding results in the area of sales, superb customer service and teamwork. We believe superb customer service is a bottom-line issue and must therefore, reap positive cash benefits.

We further believe when customers brag about service, they are your most powerful marketing tool!